Where to find your Pokémon's friendship level in the game

In Pokémon Legends: Arceus, you check a Pokémon's friendship by opening your Pokédex, selecting the Pokémon you want to inspect, and looking at the friendship meter on its summary page. The meter appears as a row of hearts below the Pokémon's basic stats — the more hearts filled in, the higher the friendship.

You can also get a rough sense of friendship by talking to the Pokémon directly in your party. If a Pokémon has high friendship, it will react positively when you interact with it, and you may see hearts appear on screen. Low friendship Pokémon will seem indifferent or turn away from you.

The friendship system in Legends: Arceus works differently than in other Pokémon games because the game focuses on your relationship with Pokémon as a researcher and handler, not just as a trainer in battle. This affects how quickly friendship grows and what actions raise it.

Key Takeaways

  • Open your Pokédex, select a Pokémon, and look for the heart meter on its summary page to see its exact friendship level.
  • Friendship is shown as a row of hearts — more hearts mean higher friendship with that Pokémon.
  • You can interact with Pokémon in your party to see their friendship level through their reactions and on-screen heart displays.
  • Friendship in Legends: Arceus increases through battling, catching, and using items on Pokémon, not through traditional trainer bonding methods.

How friendship increases in Legends: Arceus

Friendship grows when you use a Pokémon in battle, catch new Pokémon with it in your party, and feed it berries or other items. Each successful catch and each battle raises friendship slightly. Using a Pokémon repeatedly in combat is one of the fastest ways to build the relationship.

Giving a Pokémon certain items also raises friendship. Berries, especially those you find while exploring, can be given directly to Pokémon in your party. Some held items and crafted goods will also increase friendship when used on a Pokémon.

Unlike earlier Pokémon games, you do not raise friendship by walking with a Pokémon or getting haircuts together. Legends: Arceus strips away those mechanics and focuses on the practical work of catching and battling as the core way to build your bond with Pokémon.

What happens when friendship reaches maximum

When a Pokémon reaches maximum friendship, the heart meter fills completely. At this point, the Pokémon will perform better in battle — it may land critical hits more often, survive attacks that would normally knock it out, and shake off status conditions like paralysis or poison more easily.

High friendship also affects Pokémon behavior outside of battle. A Pokémon with maximum friendship will show enthusiasm when you interact with it, and it may occasionally land extra hits during combat or avoid an opponent's attack through sheer willpower.

Reaching maximum friendship with a Pokémon is not required to complete the game, but it does make battles easier and provides a sense of progression as you work with the same team members throughout your adventure.

Friendship and evolution in Legends: Arceus

Some Pokémon in Legends: Arceus require high friendship to evolve. Eevee, for example, evolves into Espeon when leveled up during the day with high friendship, or into Umbreon when leveled up at night with high friendship. Other Pokémon like Buneary evolve into Lopunny when they reach high friendship and level up.

If you are trying to evolve a Pokémon through friendship, check your Pokédex entry for that species — it will tell you the evolution method. Once you know friendship is required, focus on using that Pokémon in battles and giving it berries until the heart meter fills.

The friendship requirement for evolution is usually maximum or near-maximum friendship, so you will need to spend time actively using the Pokémon rather than just keeping it in your party.

Resetting friendship and starting over

If you want to lower a Pokémon's friendship — which is rarely necessary but possible — you can release it back into the wild. Once released, the Pokémon is gone from your team and you lose the friendship progress entirely.

There is no in-game item or action that lowers friendship without releasing the Pokémon. Most players never need to reset friendship because there is no penalty for having high friendship with multiple team members.

If you caught a Pokémon you do not plan to use, you can simply leave it in your storage box and focus your friendship-building efforts on Pokémon you actually want in your active team.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I see friendship levels for Pokémon in my storage box?

Yes. Open your Pokédex, navigate to any Pokémon whether it is in your party or your storage box, and the friendship meter will display on its summary page. You do not need to have the Pokémon with you to check its friendship level.

Does friendship affect catch rates or how often Pokémon appear?

No. Friendship in Legends: Arceus only affects battle performance and evolution requirements. It does not make Pokémon easier to catch or change how often they spawn in the wild. Catch rates depend on the Pokéball type and the Pokémon's current health.

What is the fastest way to raise friendship?

Using a Pokémon repeatedly in battle is the fastest method. Each battle raises friendship, and catching new Pokémon with that Pokémon in your party also increases it. Combining both — battling and catching — will raise friendship faster than either method alone.

Do I need maximum friendship to complete the game?

No. You can finish Pokémon Legends: Arceus without raising friendship on any Pokémon. However, high friendship makes battles easier because your Pokémon will land more critical hits and survive attacks more often, so it is useful but not required.