Pokemon Sword and Shield encourages players to track down different Pokemon and train them for battle. However, for Pokemon to be truly effective, players need to build a relationship with their creatures. While most interactions help build up this bond, there’s only one specific way to check your Friendship level in Pokemon Sword and Shield. If you’re trying to find out just how strong the bond of friendship is with any given Pokemon, this guide is for you.
How to Check Friendship Level | Pokemon Sword and Shield
There’s just one way to check your Friendship level in Pokemon Sword and Shield, and it involves speaking with a curious blond-haired boy in the town of Hammerlocke. This child is often referred to as the “Friendship Checker” since he has the uncanny ability to figure out how strong the bond of Friendship is between Pokemon and Trainer.
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The boy can be found in a house right across the street from the Pokemon Center in Hammerlocke. Bust into his home and speak with him, then take him up on his offer to check the Friendship level for a given Pokemon. After selecting the Pokemon to be analyzed, the boy will provide one of eight different statements that loosely outline the Friendship level between Pokemon and Trainer.
From lowest to highest Friendship level, these statements are:
- Maybe you’re a bit too strict? It doesn’t seem like you’re friends at all…
- I guess you two just met? It’s still getting used to things.
- Seems like it likes you an average amount! Don’t worry—you two will get closer as time passes!
- Wow, I think you’re on your way to becoming real good friends!
- Seems like you’re pretty good friends! Still, I bet you could become even closer!
- You two get along great! Together is always better—am I right?
- You two are almost best friends! I can see you really care about each other!
- Oh wow, you’re best buddies! I can tell you’re so happy to be together!
Given that raising a Friendship level is required to evolve certain Pokemon, knowing how to check the Friendship level in Pokemon Sword and Shield is essential. Even though the Friendship Checker’s statements don’t correspond to an exact Friendship value, the rough Friendship level should be enough to help trainers along the path of rounding out their Pokedex.