Having friends makes most games more enjoyable, and Pokémon Go is no different. Between the XP and Stardust, being able to trade and battle, and the massive bonuses when taking on Raids and Gym battles together, having friends can only improve your Pokémon Go experience. Even if you don't know many other players in real life, there are communities and groups across many social platforms, such as Facebook and Discord, where you can connect with local players and players from around the world to up your game. For more on how to make friends, check out our guide.
Friendship: How to increase your level fast
Friendship is an interesting mechanic in Pokémon Go that rewards you for raising your Friendship level, but you can only raise your level with each friend once a day. So, it's consistency that counts.
- Make sure you Raid, battle at a Gym, or exchange a Gift with as many of your Friends as possible every day. It takes 30 days to reach Ultra Friend and 90 days to reach Best Friend status. The fewer days you miss, the faster you'll level up.
- For long-distance Friends or Friends you didn't meet up with during the day, open or send a Gift. (Alternate Gifts because only one gift opening counts, so coordinate only one a day to save on resources and avoid duplication.)
- For friends you do see during the day, get in a Gym or a Raid. There's a limit of 20 gifts you can send or receive, but no limit to Gyms or Raids you can coordinate.
Trading: How to boost your Lucky odds
When you Trade Pokémon with a Friend, there's a chance both of you will end up with a Lucky Pokémon. Unlike Shiny Pokémon, Lucky Pokémon aren't a different color — though they do sparkle on your screen — but they do have a benefit: They cost only 1/2 the Stardust to power up.
The longer a Pokémon has been in your collection, the higher the chance you'll get a Lucky if you trade it.
So, if you want to trade high level but low IV Larvitar to try and get a Lucky Tyranitar, here's how to increase your odds:
- Trade your Larvitar for the oldest Pokémon they're willing to trade.
- Trade the oldest Pokémon you're willing to trade for their Larvitar.
Also, another mechanic was introduced in April 2019 called Lucky Friends that assures you a Lucky Pokémon. If you interact with someone with whom you've reached Best Friend status, you have a chance to become Lucky Friends (you'll get a notification). Anyone who is your Lucky Friend guarantees your next trade with that person will be a Lucky Pokémon.
