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How to increase Friendship Level in Pokémon Legends Z-A

How to increase and check your Friendship Level in Lumiose City.

The player hangs out at a cafe with Clefable in Pokémon Legends Z-A
Image credit: Eurogamer/The Pokémon Company
Kelsey Raynor avatar
Guide by Kelsey Raynor Senior Guides Writer
Updated on

Increasing the Friendship Level of your Pokémon in Pokémon Legends: Z-A is something that can be done quite naturally as you progress through the story of Lumiose City. Though, in some instances, a higher Friendship Level is needed to evolve a Pokémon or boost the power of their moves, and that's where tried and tested methods for increasing Friendship Level – including the Soothe Bell – come into play in Pokémon Legends: Z-A.

You can also check the Friendship Level of your Pokémon using a very useful, albeit hidden, NPC… Without further ado, here's how to increase Friendship Level in Pokémon Legends: Z-A.

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Need more Lumiose City? Then visit our Pokémon Legends: Z-A walkthrough.

How to increase Friendship Level in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

There are a few things you can do to increase your Friendship Level with a Pokémon in Lumiose City, and these are as follows:

  • Spend time with Pokémon at cafes, restaurants, and benches.
  • Use your Pokémon in battle and for exploration.
  • Don't let your Pokémon faint during battle.
  • Equip the Soothe Bell onto the Pokémon whose Friendship Level you wish to raise.
  • Use items such as Rare Candy, EXP Candy, and Minerals (i.e. Protein, Calcium, Iron) on your Pokémon.
  • Feed your Pokémon Berries that will raise Friendship in exchange for lowering a specific stat.

For what it's worth, I've personally found that one of the quickest ways to raise Friendship with a Pokémon – especially if it's needed for Evolution – is by feeding them Rare Candy and EXP Candy.

All of these – aside from equipping the Soothe Bell – can be done with your Pokémon as soon as free exploration of Lumiose City is unlocked following Main Mission 4. The Soothe Bell is found a while later, however…

The player hangs out with Slurpuff at a cafe in Pokémon Legends Z-A
Image credit: Eurogamer/The Pokémon Company

How to get the Soothe Bell in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

To get the Soothe Bell in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, you'll need to complete Side Mission 36 - Some Friendly Competition, which is picked up outside of Cafe Rouleau (beside Wild Zone 9). This Side Mission appears to only become available after completing Main Mission 14.

All you'll have to do is battle the quest-giver, and she'll then reward you with the Soothe Bell. This is an item that can be equipped to any of your Pokémon as a Held Item, and it'll help slowly raise your Friendship Level with them.

How to check Friendship Level in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

If you're hoping to check what your Friendship Level is with one of your Pokémon, you can fortunately do just that! You do, however, need to first complete Side Mission 25 - Troublesome Patrons at Cafe Pokémon-Amie in Magenta Sector 4.

The location of Cafe Pokemon Amie is shown on the Lumiose City map in Pokémon Legends Z-A
Image credit: Eurogamer/The Pokémon Company

This is another straight-forward Side Mission that tasks you with leading a group of Trubbish to some nearby bins, then allowing the cafe to reopen. Once that's done, head to the side of the cafe where you should see a dark-haired NPC sitting across from their Roselia; this is the NPC who can check your Friendship Level for you!

The player speaks to the Friendship Checker NPC at Cafe Pokemon Amie in Pokémon Legends Z-A
Image credit: Eurogamer/The Pokémon Company

Upon speaking to the NPC and presenting her with a Pokémon (from your party or your boxes), she'll share a line of dialogue that'll give you an idea of what your Friendship Level is.

All lines of dialogue, ordered from 'lowest Friendship Level' to highest Friendship Level' are as follows:

NPC's Dialogue Friendship Level
What's this? Are you a disciplinarian? This poor Pokémon isn't the least bit friendly toward you! Your Pokemon really does not like you.
It almost looks like you've been letting it get KO'd in battles nonstop, but that can't be right. Right? Your Pokemon does not like you.
Hmmm.. I think your relationship may still take some time to build up. Your Pokemon feels indifferent towards you.
Well, it's grown somewhat friendly toward you.. Yes, that's what I'd call this. Your Pokemon is starting to warm up to you.
You two are fairly friendly, but I can tell there's still plenty of room for you to grow closer! Your Pokemon is friendly with you.
It looks to me like you and your Pokémon could still become an even more wonderful team! Your Pokemon is very friendly with you.
You really do like this Pokémon, and always keep it by your side, don't you? You and your Pokemon are very close friends.
It's amicable toward you! Being with you must make it very happy! You and your Pokemon are such close friends that your Friendship can't get any better!

All Friendship Evolutions in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Friendship is important in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, as it always has been, as some Pokémon require a high Friendship Level in order to evolve. Not only that, but it can increase the power of certain moves.

The player evolves their Cleffa into a Clefairy in Pokémon Legends Z-A
Image credit: Eurogamer/The Pokémon Company

Pokémon that evolve via Friendship Level in Pokémon Legends: Z-A are as follows:

  • Budew into Roselia
  • Buneary into Lopunny
  • Cleffa into Clefairy
  • Eevee into Espeon (daytime)
  • Eevee into Umbreon (nighttime)
  • Eevee into Sylveon (with a Fairy-type move)
  • Pichu into Pikachu
  • Riolu into Lucario

For more help with evolving all Eevee evolutions in particular, take a look at our guide on how to get all Eeveelutions.

Good luck raising the Friendship Level of all your Pokémon in Pokémon Legends: Z-A.

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