Friendship

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Happiness is a measurement of how much a Pokémon loves its Trainer and enjoys being in their care. There are a few species of Pokémon whose evolution depends on it. As a full feature, it was introduced in Generation II. Happiness determines the power of Return and Frustration, as well as the avalability of a few in-game items and ribbons.

Generation I

A prototype of the happiness system used by later games was introduced in Pokémon Yellow, the last main series game of Generation I. Like the later system, its value ranged between 0 and 255 inclusive, however, this value was only applied to the Pikachu the player started with.

Unlike later games, since Pikachu is outside of its Poké Ball, the player can turn and look at it at any time as it follows him around the overworld. Pikachu will then indicate its happiness in a small window that appears. At maximum happiness, Pikachu will jump up and down before the window appears.

Like later games, Pikachu's happiness will rise when it gains a level. If its Trainer uses an item on Pikachu, its happiness will also rise, even if it is an item that has no effect on Pikachu (such as a Potion at full HP). In this manner, Pikachu is much easier to make happy than Pokémon in future generations.

Pikachu's happiness drops if it is put into Bill's PC or faints. Trading it to another game will reset its happiness to 0.

Happiness is not recorded for any other Pokémon in Generation I, while the happiness of Pikachu does not affect much: the only real effect it has is whether or not Melanie will give Bulbasaur away in Cerulean City, which she will only do if its happiness is 147 or higher.

Event Change
Gaining a level +5*
+3*
+2*
Using an item +5*
+3*
+2*
Challenging a Gym Leader +3*
+2*
+1*
Depositing in the PC -3*
-5*
Fainting -1


Generation II

In Generation II the happiness system became fully implemented, building on the system used in Yellow by tracking the happiness of any Pokémon owned by the Trainer. Like before, it is a single byte with a value between 0 and 255.

Happiness is set when a Pokémon is brought under a Trainer's control: that is, it is 70 when a Pokémon is captured from the wild, and reset to 70 when a Pokémon is traded from another game. When a Pokémon is hatched from an egg, its value is set to 120. If a Pokémon is captured in a Friend Ball, rather than any other kind, its happiness is set to 200 instead.

Another function was given to happiness in Generation II, the evolution of certain Pokémon, which has continued until the present, with new Pokémon which evolve through happiness being introduced in each generation. Happiness-based evolutions occur when a Pokémon's happiness is 220 or higher.

Unlike in Generation I, happiness will not increase if an item that cannot be used is used on a Pokémon: for example, using HP Ups on a Quilava which already has the maximum HP it can have will not result in raised happiness.

Event Change
Walking 256 steps +1*
Grooming, Daisy +3
Grooming, older haircut brother +5*
+3*
+1*
Grooming, younger haircut brother +10*
+3*
+1*
Using vitamins +5*
+3*
+2*
Gaining a level +5*
+3*
+2*
Challenging a Gym Leader or Elite Four +3*
+2*
+1*
Fainting -1
Using EnergyPowder -5
Using Heal Powder -5
Using Energy Root -10
Using Revival Herb -15
Trading to another game Reset to 70


However, some things, though frequently reported, aren't part of the Generation II modifier. The following are things that do not affect a Pokémon's happiness, either positively or negatively:

  • Putting a Pokémon in Bill's PC
  • Healing the Pokémon when weak and injured
  • Giving a Pokémon a hold item
  • Using a Pokémon in battles
  • Winning battles with a Pokémon
  • Letting a Pokémon's HP fall to critical status
  • Letting your Pokémon get a status condition like Paralysis
  • Walking when your Pokémon has a status condition

Generation III

Happiness in Generation III works much the same as before; however, additions were made to happiness-altering events. If a Pokémon is caught in a Luxury Ball, all happiness-raising events will rise by one point more, while happiness-lowering events are not affected. Likewise, a Pokémon holding a Soothe Bell will also rise by one additional point per happiness-raising event. These effects stack on each other, meaning a Pokémon in a Luxury Ball holding a Soothe Bell gets two additional points per event.

Pokémon now have a base happiness per species; however, most catchable Pokémon have the standard 70 points as their starting level.

Event Change
Walking 256 steps +1
Grooming, Daisy* +3*
+2*
Using vitamins +5*
+3*
+2*
Gaining a level +5*
+3*
+2*
Using EV Berries +2
Fainting -1
Using EnergyPowder -5
Using Heal Powder -5
Using Energy Root -10
Using Revival Herb -15
Trading to another game Reset to base happiness.


Generation IV

Happiness in Generation IV is much the same as it is in Generation III, though the conditions are altered slightly. The Luxury Ball now causes a Pokémon to have a separate rise in happiness than Pokémon in other Balls.

In Eterna City, a girl in the Pokémon Center will give away a Pokétch app that shows how much the Pokémon in the player's party like the player. Maximum happiness is represented by two big hearts.

In Hearthome City, a member of the Pokémon Fan Club will rate a Pokémon's happiness in a standardized manner similar to previous generations.

Dr. Footstep, the sole resident of the Footstep House on Route 213, will also tell a Pokémon's happiness, albeit in a roundabout way which differs among Pokémon species. At maximum happiness, he will give the Pokémon in question a ribbon.

In HeartGold and SoulSilver, your Pokemon will respond with varying phrases, depending on their happiness.

Daisy makes a return in HeartGold and SoulSilver. Visit her in Pallet Town, and she will groom one of the player's Pokémon between 15:00 and 16:00 every day, increasing its happiness.

Event Change Luxury Ball
Walking 256 steps +1 +2
Massage, Veilstone City +3 +5
Massage, Ribbon Syndicate +5 +6
Using vitamins +2 +6
Gaining a level +2 +6
Using EV Berries +2 +6
Using healing items +1 +2
Haircut brothers varies* ?
Grooming, Daisy* +10
Fainting -1
Using EnergyPowder -5
Using Heal Powder -5
Using Energy Root -10
Using Revival Herb -15
Trading to another game/Pal Park reset to base happiness.


Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia

Happiness also has a slight effect in the second Ranger game. The Partner Pokémon can have the condition of Fine, Happy, or Very Happy. When it is happy, black musical notes come out of it. Multicolored musical notes come out when it is very happy. This may happen whether or not it is with the player. This condition increases the speed the Partner Gauge fills up.

Evolutions

Several Pokémon evolve when their happiness level is at or above 220:

Previous evolutions Happiness evolution Future evolutions
041.png
Zubat
 Poison  Flying 

Level 22
042.png
Golbat
 Poison  Flying 

Happiness
169.png
Crobat
 Poison  Flying 
Crobat does not evolve
440.png
Happiny
 Normal 

Level up
holding an Oval Stone
113.png
Chansey
 Normal 

Happiness
242.png
Blissey
 Normal 
Blissey does not evolve
Eevee is the lowest in its line 133.png
Eevee
 Normal 

Happiness
(day)
196.png
Espeon
 Psychic 
Espeon does not evolve
Eevee is the lowest in its line 133.png
Eevee
 Normal 

Happiness
(night)
197.png
Umbreon
 Dark 
Umbreon does not evolve
Pichu is the lowest in its line 172.png
Pichu
 Electric 

Happiness
025.png
Pikachu
 Electric 

Thunderstone
026.png
Raichu
 Electric 
Cleffa is the lowest in its line 173.png
Cleffa
 Normal 

Happiness
035.png
Clefairy
 Normal 

Moon Stone
036.png
Clefable
 Normal 
Igglybuff is the lowest in its line 174.png
Igglybuff
 Normal 

Happiness
039.png
Jigglypuff
 Normal 

Moon Stone
040.png
Wigglytuff
 Normal 
Togepi is the lowest in its line 175.png
Togepi
 Normal 

Happiness
176.png
Togetic
 Normal  Flying 

Shiny Stone
468.png
Togekiss
 Normal  Flying 
Azurill is the lowest in its line 298.png
Azurill
 Normal 

Happiness
183.png
Marill
 Water 

Level 18
184.png
Azumarill
 Water 
Budew is the lowest in its line 406.png
Budew
 Grass  Poison 

Happiness
(day)
315.png
Roselia
 Grass  Poison 

Shiny Stone
407.png
Roserade
 Grass  Poison 
Buneary is the lowest in its line 427.png
Buneary
 Normal 

Happiness
428.png
Lopunny
 Normal 
Lopunny does not evolve
Chingling is the lowest in its line 433.png
Chingling
 Psychic 

Happiness
(night)
358.png
Chimecho
 Psychic 
Chimecho does not evolve
Munchlax is the lowest in its line 446.png
Munchlax
 Normal 

Happiness
143.png
Snorlax
 Normal 
Snorlax does not evolve
Riolu is the lowest in its line 447.png
Riolu
 Fighting 

Happiness
(day)
448.png
Lucario
 Fighting  Steel 
Lucario does not evolve


Happiness raters

Happiness raters are different NPCs that may be talked to to indicate the happiness of the first Pokémon in the player's party. Some will give away certain items depending on the happiness, while others just tell how happy the Pokémon is.

Sentence Happiness
"It looks really happy! It must love you a lot." 250-255
"I get the feeling that it really trusts you." 200-249
"It's friendly toward you. It looks sort of happy." 150-199
"It's quite cute." 100-149
"You should treat it better. It's not used to you." 50-99
"It doesn't seem to like you at all. It looks mean." 0-49


Locations

In addition, the Pokétch App, Friend Checker, will display a Pokémon's happiness on a scale of one to two small or big hearts.

Trivia

  • The only regional Pokédex that contained all Pokémon that evolve by happiness at the time was the old Johto Pokédex. Neither the Hoenn Pokédex, Sinnoh Pokédex (before or after the expansion) nor the New Johto Pokédex contained all happiness-evolvers as of their respective generation, with the Sinnoh Pokédex excluding only Igglybuff and its family.

External links