Friendship

Friendship, commonly referred to by fans as happiness, is a measurement of how much a Pokémon is attached to its Trainer and enjoys being in their care.

It affects the evolution of certain Pokémon, the power of Return and Frustration, and the availability of a few in-game items and Ribbons. Certain events increase a Pokémon's friendship (gaining a level, walking a certain amount of steps) or decrease it (fainting, using herbal medicine).

Friendship was introduced in Pokémon Yellow for the player's starter Pikachu only, and expanded to cover all Pokémon in Generation II.

Evolutions

Several Pokémon evolve after being leveled up when their friendship value is 220 or higher (before Generation VIII) or 160 or higher (Generation VIII).

Previous evolution		Friendship evolution			Later evolution
Zubat PoisonFlying	Level 22+ →	Golbat PoisonFlying	+ Level Up (with high friendship) →	Crobat PoisonFlying	Crobat does not evolve
Meowth is the lowest in its line		Meowth Alolan Form Dark	+ Level up (with high friendship) →	Persian Alolan Form Dark	Persian does not evolve
Happiny Normal	+ + Level Up (during the daytime holding Oval Stone) →	Chansey Normal	+ Level Up (with high friendship) →	Blissey Normal	Blissey does not evolve
Eevee is the lowest in its line		Eevee Normal	+ + Level Up (during the daytime with high friendship) →	Espeon Psychic	Espeon does not evolve
			+ + Level Up (during the nighttime with high friendship) →	Umbreon Dark	Umbreon does not evolve
			+ + Level Up (with high friendship while knowing a Fairy-type move) →SwSh	Sylveon Fairy	Sylveon does not evolve
Pichu is the lowest in its line		Pichu Electric	+ Level Up (with high friendship) →	Pikachu Electric	Thunder Stone →	Raichu Electric
					+ Thunder Stone (in Alola) →	Raichu Alolan Form ElectricPsychic
Cleffa is the lowest in its line		Cleffa Fairy	+ Level Up (with high friendship) →	Clefairy Fairy	Moon Stone →	Clefable Fairy
Igglybuff is the lowest in its line		Igglybuff NormalFairy	+ Level Up (with high friendship) →	Jigglypuff NormalFairy	Moon Stone →	Wigglytuff NormalFairy
Togepi is the lowest in its line		Togepi Fairy	+ Level Up (with high friendship) →	Togetic FairyFlying	Shiny Stone →	Togekiss FairyFlying
Azurill is the lowest in its line		Azurill NormalFairy	+ Level Up (with high friendship) →	Marill WaterFairy	Level 18+ →	Azumarill WaterFairy
Budew is the lowest in its line		Budew GrassPoison	+ + Level Up (during the morning or daytime with high friendship) →	Roselia GrassPoison	Shiny Stone →	Roserade GrassPoison
Buneary is the lowest in its line		Buneary Normal	+ Level Up (with high friendship) →	Lopunny Normal	Lopunny does not evolve
Chingling is the lowest in its line		Chingling Psychic	+ + Level Up (during the nighttime with high friendship) →	Chimecho Psychic	Chimecho does not evolve
Munchlax is the lowest in its line		Munchlax Normal	+ Level Up (with high friendship) →	Snorlax Normal	Snorlax does not evolve
Riolu is the lowest in its line		Riolu Fighting	+ + Level Up (during the daytime with high friendship) →	Lucario FightingSteel	Lucario does not evolve
Woobat is the lowest in its line		Woobat PsychicFlying	+ Level Up (with high friendship) →	Swoobat PsychicFlying	Swoobat does not evolve
Sewaddle BugGrass	Level 20+ →	Swadloon BugGrass	+ Level Up (with high friendship) →	Leavanny BugGrass	Leavanny does not evolve
Type: Null is the lowest in its line		Type: Null Normal	+ Level Up (with high friendship) →	Silvally Normal	Silvally does not evolve
Snom is the lowest in its line		Snom IceBug	+ + Level Up (during the nighttime with high friendship) →	Frosmoth IceBug	Frosmoth does not evolve

See also

• Affection