Best Buddies Program

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Best Buddies Program なかよしプログラム！？
Event notification image
Type	Academy event
First run	August 5 to 23, 2025
Featured sync pairs	Brendan (Academy) & Marshtomp Iris (Academy) & Lapras Gladion (Academy) & Porygon-Z
Sync pairs with reward bonus
2.0×	Iris (Academy) & Lapras Gladion (Academy) & Porygon-Z
1.5×	Brendan (Academy) & Marshtomp
1.3×	Marnie (Academy) & Cyclizar Morty (Academy) & Typhlosion Rei (Academy) & Braviary Florian & Lechonk Rosa (Academy) & Deerling
Theme skills with 1.1× reward bonus	Unova Alola

Best Buddies Program (Japanese: なかよしプログラム！？) was an academy event in Pokémon Masters EX. It was focused on the sync pairs Brendan (Academy) & Marshtomp, Iris (Academy) & Lapras, and Gladion (Academy) & Porygon-Z.

The "Iris Costume Scout" gave players an increased chance of recruiting Iris (Academy) & Lapras, and the "Gladion Costume Scout" gave players an increased chance of recruiting Gladion (Academy) & Porygon-Z. Both of these scouts lasted for the duration of the event.

During this event, players could go through an academy experience with Brendan (Academy) & Marshtomp, obtaining custom sync orbs to customize their sync grid by completing battles and story segments. Each time the player completed an academy experience, they received 4 Custom ★ Power-Ups for Brendan & Marshtomp. Excess Custom ★ Power-Ups could be exchanged in the shop for items.

The player could battle using Iris (Academy) & Lapras or Gladion (Academy) & Porygon-Z to obtain +1.0× sync orbs; Brendan & Marshtomp to obtain +0.5× sync orbs; Marnie (Academy) & Cyclizar, Morty (Academy) & Typhlosion, Rei (Academy) & Braviary, Florian & Lechonk, or Rosa (Academy) & Deerling to obtain +0.3× sync orbs; and any unlisted Unova or Alola sync pairs to obtain +0.1× sync orbs.

In addition, two special log-in bonuses were available during this event. The first was available from August 5 to 12, 2025, and the second was available from August 12 to 19, 2025. Players could receive five Stamina Tickets upon logging in for the first time during each log-in bonus period, with the first set being given by Iris (Academy) and the second set being given by Gladion (Academy). These tickets could be exchanged for stamina refills in the shop, allowing players to have more stamina to try the academy experience.

Plot

Area info

Area name	Unlock condition	Completion rewards
Trial Enrollment with Everyone!	Plays automatically upon opening the event	Brendan (Academy) & Marshtomp Gems ×400
Lone Wolf on the Rooftop	Plays automatically upon completing Round 3	Gems ×400
Penny's Programming Class	Plays automatically upon completing Round 9	Gems ×400
After the Lecture...	Complete academy experience at grid rank A or higher	None

Battles

In addition to the battles that can appear in all academy events, the following battle stages were exclusive to this event.

Name	Difficulty	Location	Trainer	Pokémon			Stamina	Completion Rewards
				Left	Middle	Right
Challenge Academy Iris: Part 1	Hard	Cafeteria	Iris (Academy)	Dragonite Weakness:	Lapras Weakness:	Dragalge Weakness:	20	600 coins Fiery Orb ×40 Leafy Orb ×40 Bubbly Orb ×40
Challenge Academy Iris: Part 2	Very Hard	Schoolyard					20	600 coins Leafy Orb ×40 Bubbly Orb ×40 Sparky Orb ×40
Challenge Academy Iris: Part 3	Super Hard	Library					20	1,500 coins Fiery Orb ×40 Bubbly Orb ×40 Sparky Orb ×40
Challenge Academy Iris: Part 4	Ultra Hard	Cafeteria					20	2,000 coins Fiery Orb ×40 Leafy Orb ×40 Sparky Orb ×40
Challenge Academy Gladion: Part 1	Hard	Entrance	Gladion (Academy)	Incineroar Weakness:	Porygon-Z Weakness:	Sandslash Alola Form Weakness:	20	600 coins Fiery Orb ×40 Leafy Orb ×40 Bubbly Orb ×40
Challenge Academy Gladion: Part 2	Very Hard	Courtyard					20	600 coins Leafy Orb ×40 Bubbly Orb ×40 Sparky Orb ×40
Challenge Academy Gladion: Part 3	Super Hard	Large Lecture Hall					20	1,500 coins Fiery Orb ×40 Bubbly Orb ×40 Sparky Orb ×40
Challenge Academy Gladion: Part 4	Ultra Hard	Rooftop					20	2,000 coins Fiery Orb ×40 Leafy Orb ×40 Sparky Orb ×40

Exams

Name	Difficulty	Trainer	Pokémon	Stamina	Completion Rewards
Bertha's Midterm Exam! Beginner	Hard	Bertha	Hippowdon Weakness:	40	600 coins Sparky Orb ×60 TM Orb ×1
Bertha's Midterm Exam! Intermediate	Very Hard			40	1,500 coins Sparky Orb ×180 TM Orb ×1
Bertha's Midterm Exam! Advanced	Super Hard			40	2,000 coins Sparky Orb ×300 TM Orb ×1
Bruno's Final Exam! Beginner	Hard	Bruno	Onix Weakness:	40	600 coins Fiery Orb ×40 Leafy Orb ×40 Bubbly Orb ×40
Bruno's Final Exam! Intermediate	Very Hard			40	600 coins Fiery Orb ×80 Leafy Orb ×80 Bubbly Orb ×80
Bruno's Final Exam! Advanced	Super Hard			40	1,500 coins Fiery Orb ×120 Leafy Orb ×120 Bubbly Orb ×120
Bruno's Final Exam! Super	Ultra Hard			40	1,500 coins Fiery Orb ×160 Leafy Orb ×160 Bubbly Orb ×160
Bruno's Final Exam! Supreme	Ultra Hard			40	2,000 coins Fiery Orb ×200 Leafy Orb ×200 Bubbly Orb ×200

Story

In addition to the stories that can appear in all academy events, the following story stages were exclusive to this event.

Name	Location	Trainers		Rewards	Rounds
Iris's Secret	Schoolyard	Iris (Academy)	Rosa (Academy)	Fiery Orb ×140 Leafy Orb ×140 Bubbly Orb ×140	3–7
Sewing and Chatter	Rooftop	Gladion (Academy)	Atticus	Fiery Orb ×140 Bubbly Orb ×140 Sparky Orb ×140	3–7
Gym Leaders Can Be Students	Cafeteria	Brendan (Academy)	Norman	Fiery Orb ×140 Leafy Orb ×140 Sparky Orb ×140	8–11
School Song Committee	Hallway	Giacomo	Lacey	Leafy Orb ×140 Bubbly Orb ×140 Sparky Orb ×140	8–11

Shop

Item given		Item received	Max exchanges
Stamina Ticket ×1	→	Stamina Refill ×100	Unlimited
Custom ★ Power-Up ×4 Brendan & Marshtomp	→	Water Tome, Vol. 1 ×10	Unlimited
Custom ★ Power-Up ×4 Brendan & Marshtomp	→	Water Codex, Vol. 1 ×5	Unlimited

Gallery

Event banner	Event artwork by CONACO

Script

In other languages

See also

This article is part of Project Sidegames, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on the Pokémon Sidegames.