Friendship
Complete guide to Friendship (Happiness) mechanics in Polished Crystal. Learn how to increase friendship, evolution requirements, Affection bonuses, and hybrid mechanics from Gen II and modern generations.
Introduction
Friendship (commonly referred to as Happiness in Polished Crystal’s code) is a hidden stat that measures how much a Pokémon trusts and likes its trainer. In Polished Crystal, Friendship has merged with Affection (as seen in Let’s Go and Generation VIII+), creating a hybrid system that blends Gen II flavor with modern mechanics.
Friendship affects evolution, move power, and optional in-battle bonuses. Affection bonuses can be toggled on or off in gameplay preferences, allowing you to customize your experience.
Friendship Basics
Starting Friendship Values
Every Pokémon has a Friendship value ranging from 0–255, depending on how it was obtained:
- Wild Pokémon / Gift Pokémon: Start with 70 Friendship
- Hatched Pokémon: Start with 120 Friendship
- Friend Ball captures: Start with 150 Friendship
Friendship Thresholds
Different mechanics activate at different Friendship values:
- 160 Friendship: Friendship evolution requirement
- 160 Friendship: Return reaches max base power (102)
- 180 Friendship: First Affection stage unlocked
- 220 Friendship: Second Affection stage unlocked
- 255 Friendship: Maximum Friendship and final Affection stage
Checking Friendship
NPCs throughout the game will comment on your Pokémon’s happiness. More enthusiastic dialogue indicates higher Friendship.
Friendship Evolution
Several Pokémon evolve when they level up with 160+ Friendship:
- Golbat → Crobat
- Chansey → Blissey
- Pichu → Pikachu
- Cleffa → Clefairy
- Igglybuff → Jigglypuff
- Togepi → Togetic
- Eevee → Espeon (day)
- Eevee → Umbreon (night)
- Eevee → Sylveon (knowing a Fairy move)
Note: Time-based evolutions require leveling up during the correct time of day.
Affection Bonuses
When enabled, high Friendship grants in-battle bonuses:
Stage 1 (180–219)
- Increased critical hit chance
- Chance to survive lethal damage at 1 HP
Stage 2 (220–254)
- All Stage 1 bonuses
- Chance to heal status conditions
- Increased experience gain
Stage 3 (255)
- All previous bonuses
- Increased evasion
- Special maximum-friendship battle messages
Preference: Affection bonuses can be disabled for a more traditional Gen II experience.
Increasing Friendship
Most modern-style methods stop working after 160 Friendship.
Battle & Walking
- Level up: +3 (0–99), +2 (100–159)
- Level up at met location: +6 / +4
- Gym Leader battles: +5 / +3
- Every 256 steps: +2 / +1
Items
- Vitamins: +3 / +1
- X Items: +1
- EV-lowering berries: +10 / +5
- TM/HM usage: +1 (works at all levels)
NPC Services
- Haircut Brothers: Up to +32 Friendship
- Daisy’s Grooming: +3 / +1
- Photograph: +5 / +3 / +2
- Shrine Blessing: +5 / +3 / +2
Decreasing Friendship
Be careful—some actions reduce Friendship significantly:
- Fainting: −1
- Fainting vs. 30+ level gap: up to −10
- Poison survival at 1 HP: up to −10
- Herbal medicine: −5 to −20
Warning: Avoid herbal medicine for Pokémon you want to evolve via Friendship.
Friendship Change Table
| Category | Event | 0–99 | 100–159 | 160+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battle | Level up | +3 | +2 | +0 |
| Field | 256 steps | +2 | +1 | +0 |
| Item | Vitamin | +3 | +1 | +0 |
| Item | EV Berry | +10 | +5 | +0 |
| Item | TM/HM | +1 | +1 | +1 |
| NPC | Haircut (best) | +32 | +32 | +32 |
| NPC | Daisy | +3 | +3 | +1 |
| Item | Revival Herb | −15 | −15 | −20 |
Tips & Strategies
Fast Evolution (0–160)
- TM spam (works at all levels)
- Haircut Brothers in Goldenrod
- EV-lowering berries
- Vitamins
- Walking + leveling
Max Friendship (255)
- TM method
- Haircuts
- Photograph / Shrine Blessing
- Daisy’s Grooming
Friend Ball Strategy
- Catch Pokémon with Friend Ball
- Start at 150 Friendship
- Only need +10 to evolve
Return Optimization
Return reaches max power at 160 Friendship, perfectly aligning with evolution requirements.