7 ways to raise friendship levels in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl feature the series’ longstanding friendship mechanic, and it’s mostly tied to pushing certain baby-type Pokémon toward evolution. For example, if you want a Togepi or Chansey to reach the next step on the dex, then you’ll have to raise their friendship level, and happiness, to a certain threshold. In this no-nonsense guide, we’ll outline seven potential ways you can raise the friendship level of any member of your party fairly quickly.

How to raise friendship levels in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl

1) Get the Soothe Bell: The cornerstone to raising friendship levels in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl is the Soothe Bell. When held by any member of your party, it doubles the amount of happiness gained from any of the tactics we’re about to list.

To get it, head to Route 212 and go inside the Pokémon Mansion. Take a left at the main entrance and go through the second door you see. In there you’ll find a kind maid who gives you the item just for talking to them about catching Pokémon in the trophy garden.

2) Walking: Walking Pokémon are also a feature of Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. The friendship level of any walking Pokémon will rise based on the number of steps you walk with it. To start walking, open up your party screen, select the monster you’d like to walk with and choose the option to “walk together.” Now the Pokémon will follow behind you and gain happiness as you walk.

3) Vitamins: There are certain items classified as vitamins, and they all offer a small boost in happiness to a Pokémon that takes them. Items like Calcium, Zinc, Protein, or Iron will work, and they’re located fairly easily throughout your journey. A Pokémon can consume up to three vitamins in total, so use them wisely.

4) First in the Party: This is perhaps the easiest tip of all. Swap the arrangement of your party so that the Pokémon you want a happiness boost for is in the top slot.

5) Battle (and win): In that same vein of making a constant appearance at the head of your party, it helps to battle with the desired monster too. Raising EXP levels increases a Pokémon’s happiness level, so make sure you use them in bouts against skilled trainers or during wild encounters. On the flip side, however, losing and/or getting knocked out can have the opposite effect.

6) Massages: In the southern portion of Veilstone City, somewhat near the gym, you’ll find a woman who can give one Pokémon a massage once per day.

7) Poffins: Even though the first six tips will probably do enough to boost your Pokémon’s friendship level, feeding them the correct Poffin can increase happiness as well. You can’t start making Poffins till you get to Hearthome City, where you’ll meet a contest judge. Go inside the Pokémon Fan Club building in Hearthome and talk to the old man in the middle of the room to get the Poffin Case.

Now you can go back to the Poffin House in that same city and use the case to mix Poffins using berries. The process of knowing which Poffin your Pokémon will like is a complex one, and probably worth a guide of its own, but feeding them the right treat will raise their happiness exponentially. For example, careful Pokémon like bitter flavors and hate dry ones.

How to check your friendship level in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl

Checking your friendship level isn’t an exact science, but there is an in-game tool to help you do it. Go to Eterna City and talk to the man inside the Pokémon Center there. He’ll give you access to the Pokétech app that gauges friendship.

Scroll through your apps, and you’ll come to this screen that features icons for all the members of your party. To check their approximate happiness level just tap on each Pokémon. The more hearts they spew, the happier they are.