Friends
Players can become friends with other players in Pokemon GO. In fact, adding friends is actually a very important mechanic in the game! Becoming friends allows Trainers to send Gifts, Trade, and Even Battle Pokemon!
To become friends, click your profile, go to friends, and click add friend to see your Trainer Code and QR Code. Use these to add friends and become friends with others.
Play with your friends over a set amount of days to increase friendship ranks. All Friends start out with one heart, or Good Friends. Sharing gifts once a day is the easiest way to play with friends, but trading and battling will also increase friendship. Friends can Trade at one heart, but must become three hearts to Battle.
| Hearts | Rank | Days | Trade | Battle | Gym and Raid Bonus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Good | 1 day | All Pokemon except Shadow and Mythical Pokemon | – | – |
| 2 | Great | 7 days | +1 Stardust Discount | – | +1 Attack Bonus, +1 Ball after Raids |
| 3 | Ultra | 30 days | +2 Stardust Discount | Battle across wifi | +2 Attack Bonus, +2 Balls after Raids |
| 4 | Best | 90 days | +3 Stardust Discount | Battle across wifi | +3 Attack Bonus, +4 Balls after Raids |
| 5 | Lucky | 90 days+ | The next Pokemon becomes Lucky | Battle across wifi | +3 Attack Bonus, +4 Balls after Raids |
Gifts
A Gift will contain a random assortment of items and/or Stardust. Spin PokeStops for a chance to receive a Gift. Up to 20 Gifts can be held in your inventory at once, and up to 20 Gifts can be sent and 20 Gifts received each day. This counter will reset at midnight. Only one Gift can be sent to a friend per day; however, a second Gift cannot be sent until the first Gift has been opened.
Trading Pokemon
In Pokemon GO, only friends can trade Pokemon with each other. The two Trainers must within 100 meters or 300 feet. Go to the Trainer’s profile in your friend’s list and click Trade to enter the trade screen.
Stardust and Pokemon Candies must be used to Trade Pokemon with a Friend. The amount of Stardust depends on the Pokemon’s level, and the amount of Candies depends on the distance between the locations of where the Pokemon were originally captured. Example: if one Pokemon was captured 10 KM away from the traded Pokemon, one Pokemon candy must be used.
Be warned, the stats of traded Pokemon will be randomized! If the Trainer you are trading with is at a lower level, the Pokemon’s CP and HP will be reduced. The Pokemon’s HP, attack, and defense stats might slightly increase or slightly decrease after a trade as well. Once a Pokemon has been traded, it cannot be traded again!
Only one special trade can be completed each day. A special trade includes a legendary Pokemon, event Pokemon, shiny Pokemon, or shadow and purified Pokemon from Team GO Rocket. Special trades require 40,000 stardust.
Once a Pokemon is traded, there is a chance it will become a Lucky Pokemon. Lucky Pokemon will have increased stats, which are shown when appraising the Pokemon, and fewer candies and stardust will be required to power up the Lucky Pokemon.
After becoming Best Friends, it’s possible to become Lucky Friends with another Trainer. Lucky Friends means the next Pokemon traded between the Trainers will always become lucky. There is a chance to become Lucky Friends once a day after interacting with a friend by sending/receiving gifts, trading Pokemon, or battling Pokemon.
Battles
Once Trainers become Ultra Friends (3 Hearts), they can challenge each other to a 3 vs 3 Pokemon Battle! This can be done nearby or over a mobile connection. See the Pokemon Battles page for tips and tricks on how to battle.
Both Trainers should receive a random item or stardust after the first three battles each day. Pokemon that fainted in battle will not need items to be revived or healed after Pokemon Battles with friends. Nor can items be used during a Pokemon Battle.
There are three leagues to choose from when starting a Pokemon Battle. The league will limit which Pokemon a Trainer can choose in battle based on Combat Points.
| League | Max CP |
|---|---|
| Little League Cup (Event) | 500 CP Normal, Grass, Electric, Poison, Ground, Flying, Bug, and Dark types only |
| Great League | 1,500 CP |
| Ultra League | 2,500 CP |
| Master League | No limit |