Hey there, fellow Pokémon trainer! If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably found yourself staring at your Pokémon wondering why they won’t evolve, even after countless battles and level-ups. Well, I’ve got news for you – it’s all about friendship! After spending countless hours grinding through Pokémon Legends Z-A, I’ve discovered the absolute fastest ways to max out that friendship stat and get your beloved partners evolving in no time.
Let me walk you through everything I’ve learned about building those precious bonds with your Pokémon team.
Why Friendship Matters in Pokémon Legends Z-A?
Before we dive into the nitty-gritty, let me tell you why friendship is such a big deal in this game. I learned this the hard way when my Riolu refused to evolve into Lucario despite being level 45! Friendship isn’t just some fluffy stat – it’s crucial for:
- Evolution: Several Pokémon only evolve when they reach maximum friendship
- Battle Performance: Higher friendship means better critical hit rates
- Move Power: Some moves become stronger with higher friendship levels
- Overall Team Synergy: Your Pokémon perform better when they genuinely like you
I remember when I first started playing, I was completely baffled why my Eevee wasn’t evolving into Espeon. Turns out, I was missing the whole friendship mechanic entirely!
The Absolute Fastest Method: Café Visits
Okay, let’s get straight to what you came here for – the fastest way to max out friendship. After testing every method imaginable, I can confidently say that café visits are the undisputed champion of friendship grinding.
Here’s exactly what I do:
- Head to Any Café: I personally prefer Nouveau Café in southeastern Lumiose City because they offer Fresh Water and Sparkling Water for only $100 each – way cheaper than the fancy coffee places!
- Make Your Pokémon Active: Before ordering, make sure the Pokémon you want to befriend is your active buddy
- Order and Drink: Purchase any drink (they all give the same friendship boost regardless of price) and enjoy the moment with your Pokémon
- Repeat 4-6 Times: Most Pokémon need about 4-6 café visits to max out their friendship. I’ve found that Pokémon starting with zero friendship (like Buneary) need 6 visits, while others might only need 4.
Pro tip: I always keep track of how many times I’ve visited by counting in my head. It’s easy to lose track when you’re having fun!
The Game-Changer: Soothe Bell Location
If you want to supercharge your friendship grinding, you absolutely need the Soothe Bell. This item was a total game-changer for me, cutting my friendship grinding time in half!
Here’s how I got mine:
- Progress to Main Mission 14: You need to reach Rank E first
- Find Side Mission 36: Look for “Some Friendly Competition”
- Head to Café Rouleau: It’s in the Bleu District on Estival Avenue
- Talk to Chou: She’s the lady with Clefairy and Lopunny outside the café
- Complete the Mission: Defeat her in battle, and she’ll reward you with the Soothe Bell
When I equipped the Soothe Bell to my Pokémon, I noticed they maxed out their friendship in just 3-4 café visits instead of the usual 4-6. Trust me, this little bell is worth the effort!
All Friendship Methods Ranked by Speed
I’ve tested every single method in the game, so let me break them down from fastest to slowest:
1. Café Drinks (★★★★★)
- Speed: Lightning fast
- Cost: $100-$600 per Pokémon
- Best for: Single Pokémon friendship grinding
- My experience: This is my go-to method 90% of the time
2. Bench Sitting (★★★★☆)
- Speed: Pretty fast
- Cost: Free!
- Best for: Multiple Pokémon at once
- How it works: Sit on any bench for 10 seconds with your team
- My experience: Great when I have 4-5 Pokémon that need friendship boosts
3. Battle Participation (★★★☆☆)
- Speed: Moderate
- Cost: Free (but time-consuming)
- Best for: Passive friendship building
- My experience: I do this naturally while playing, but never rely on it alone
4. Item Usage (★★☆☆☆)
- Speed: Slow
- Cost: Varies (can be expensive)
- Best for: Supplementing other methods
- My experience: Only use this when I have extra items lying around
Complete Friendship Point Breakdown
I got my hands on the exact friendship values from my research, so let me share the nitty-gritty details:
| Action | Friendship Points (0-99) | Friendship Points (100-159) | Friendship Points (160+) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drink at café (active Pokémon) | +30 | +30 | +30 |
| Bench sitting (10 seconds, entire team) | +10 | +10 | +10 |
| Level up without Exp. Candy | +3 | +2 | 0 |
| Faint (less than 30 levels higher) | -1 | -1 | -1 |
| Faint (more than 30 levels higher) | -5 | -5 | -10 |
| Use friendship berries | +10 | +5 | +1 |
| Use vitamins (Protein, Iron, etc.) | +4 | +2 | 0 |
| Use Exp. Candy | +1 to +4 | +1 to +2 | 0 |
My personal insight: The café method gives you the biggest bang for your buck, and the points don’t decrease as your friendship gets higher, unlike some other methods!
How to Check Your Friendship Progress
I used to drive myself crazy wondering if my Pokémon were ready to evolve. Then I discovered the friendship checker, and it made everything so much easier!
Here’s how I check my friendship levels:
- Complete Side Mission 25: “Trubblesome Patrons” – you’ll find some Trubbish causing trouble outside Café Pokémon-Amie
- Visit Café Pokémon-Amie: It’s on Autumnal Avenue in the Magenta Sector
- Talk to the Roselia Lady: She’s sitting inside and will check your Pokémon’s friendship
- Listen to her dialogue: She’ll give you different phrases based on your friendship level
The friendship checker tells me exactly where I stand:
- Lowest: “What’s this? Are you a disciplinarian? This poor Pokémon isn’t the least bit friendly toward you!”
- Getting there: “Well, it’s grown somewhat friendly toward you.. Yes, that’s what I’d call this.”
- Almost there: “You really do like this Pokémon, and always keep it by your side, don’t you?”
- Maxed out: “It’s amicable toward you! Being with you must make it very happy!”
When I hear that last phrase, I know my Pokémon is ready to evolve!
Complete List of Friendship-Evolving Pokémon
I’ve compiled the complete list of Pokémon that need friendship to evolve in Pokémon Legends Z-A. This took me forever to research, so I hope it saves you time!
| Pokémon | Evolution Form | Special Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Budew | Roselia | Must evolve during daytime |
| Buneary | Lopunny | No special requirements |
| Cleffa | Clefairy | No special requirements |
| Eevee | Espeon | Must evolve during daytime |
| Eevee | Umbreon | Must evolve during nighttime |
| Eevee | Sylveon | Must know a Fairy-type move |
| Pichu | Pikachu | No special requirements |
| Riolu | Lucario | Must evolve during daytime |
My personal experience: I’ve evolved all of these Pokémon, and let me tell you – the feeling when your Riolu finally becomes Lucario is absolutely worth all the friendship grinding!
Advanced Friendship Strategies
Now that you know the basics, let me share some advanced strategies I’ve discovered through trial and error:
The Mass Friendship Method
When I need to evolve multiple Pokémon at once, I use this strategy:
- Equip Soothe Bells: Give one to each Pokémon (if you have multiple)
- Hit the Benches: Sit on benches for 10 seconds at a time
- Rotate Your Team: Switch which Pokémon are active
- Combine with Café Visits: Use café visits for Pokémon that need extra boosts
This method saved me hours when I was trying to evolve my entire team for the Battle Zone!
The Budget-Friendly Approach
If you’re low on cash (like I was early in the game), here’s what I did:
- Use Free Methods: Bench sitting and battle participation cost nothing
- Save Money for Cafés: Only use café visits when you’re close to evolution
- Pick Cheap Drinks: Stick to Fresh Water or Sparkling Water ($100 each)
- Sell Extra Items: I sold berries and other items I didn’t need to fund my café visits
The Speed Runner’s Method
For when you absolutely need to max friendship as fast as possible:
- Get Soothe Bell First: Complete Side Mission 36 ASAP
- Use Cafés Exclusively: Don’t waste time on slower methods
- Focus on One Pokémon: Don’t split your attention
- Time Your Evolutions: Plan your friendship grinding around when you want to evolve
Common Friendship Mistakes to Avoid
I’ve made plenty of mistakes while learning this system, so let me help you avoid them:
Mistake #1: Letting Your Pokémon Faint
I used to think fainting wasn’t a big deal, but it actually decreases friendship! When my Pokémon faint from opponents more than 30 levels higher, they lose a whopping 10 friendship points. That’s like undoing a whole café visit!
Mistake #2: Using the Wrong Berries
Some berries increase friendship but decrease stats. I accidentally used these on my competitive Pokémon and messed up their EV training. Only use these on Pokémon you don’t care about competitive stats!
Mistake #3: Not Checking Friendship Progress
I used to just guess when my Pokémon were ready to evolve, which led to wasted time and resources. Always check with the friendship checker to know exactly where you stand.
Mistake #4: Ignoring the Soothe Bell
For the longest time, I didn’t bother getting the Soothe Bell because I thought it wasn’t worth the effort. Big mistake! It cuts your grinding time in half and makes everything so much easier.
My Personal Friendship Grinding Routine
After hundreds of hours playing, I’ve developed a routine that works perfectly for me. Here’s what I do when I need to max out friendship:
- Morning Session: Start with bench sitting while I plan my day
- Main Story Progression: Use my target Pokémon in battles throughout the day
- Afternoon Café Run: Hit up 2-3 cafés with my friendship target
- Evening Check: Visit the friendship checker to see my progress
- Final Push: If needed, do a few more café visits before bed
This routine usually gets my Pokémon from zero to max friendship in just one gaming session!
Friendship Evolution Tips for Specific Pokémon
Different Pokémon have different friendship requirements and quirks. Here’s what I’ve learned:
Eevee Evolutions
Eevee is tricky because it can evolve into three different forms based on friendship:
- Espeon: Max friendship + daytime
- Umbreon: Max friendship + nighttime
- Sylveon: Max friendship + Fairy-type move
I always save my game before evolving Eevee so I can reset if I get the wrong evolution!
Riolu to Lucario
Riolu was my most challenging friendship evolution because it starts with such low friendship. I recommend:
- Use the Soothe Bell from the beginning
- Plan for 6 café visits minimum
- Evolve during daytime for best results
Buneary to Lopunny
Buneary starts with zero friendship, making it one of the most challenging. My strategy:
- Never let it faint in battle
- Use it in every battle possible
- Combine café visits with bench sitting for maximum efficiency
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to max friendship?
From my experience, it takes about 30-60 minutes per Pokémon using the café method. With the Soothe Bell, you can cut that down to 20-40 minutes.
What’s the cheapest way to max friendship?
Bench sitting is completely free and works for your entire team at once. It’s slower than cafés but perfect for budget trainers.
Can you max friendship without using cafés?
Absolutely! I’ve maxed friendship using just bench sitting and battle participation. It takes longer (about 2-3 hours per Pokémon), but it’s completely doable.
Does friendship decrease over time?
No, friendship doesn’t decrease on its own. However, letting your Pokémon faint will decrease it, so be careful in tough battles!
What’s the maximum friendship level?
Friendship maxes out at 160 in Pokémon Legends Z-A. All friendship-based evolutions require this maximum level.
Final Thoughts
Mastering the friendship system in Pokémon Legends Z-A has completely changed how I play the game. What used to be a frustrating grind has become an enjoyable part of my Pokémon journey. There’s something incredibly satisfying about watching your Pokémon evolve because they genuinely love and trust you.
Remember, the fastest method is café visits with a Soothe Bell, but don’t forget to enjoy the journey along the way. Building friendships with your Pokémon is what this game is all about!
I hope this guide helps you as much as it would have helped me when I was starting out. Happy training, and may your friendships grow stronger with every battle!
P.S. If you found this guide helpful, make sure to bookmark it for future reference. I’ll be updating it as I discover new friendship-boosting strategies in Pokémon Legends Z-A!