Friendship Evolution

Friendship Evolution^[1] refers to the process of evolving a Pokémon with high friendship. This method of Evolution was introduced in Generation II.

This has also been referred to as Friendly Evolution^[2]^[3] and Evolution by Friendship.^[4]

List of friendship Evolutions

Previous Evolution		Friendship Evolution			Later Evolution
Introduced in Generation II
Zubat Poison Flying	Level 22+ →	Golbat Poison Flying	+ Level up with high friendship →	Crobat Poison Flying	Crobat does not evolve
Pichu is the lowest in its line		Pichu Electric	+ Level up with high friendship →	Pikachu Electric	Thunder Stone →	Raichu Electric
Pichu is the lowest in its line		Pichu Electric	+ Level up with high friendship →	Pikachu Electric	+ Thunder Stone in Alola (introduced in Gen VII) →	Alolan Raichu Electric Psychic
Cleffa is the lowest in its line		Cleffa Fairy	+ Level up with high friendship →	Clefairy Fairy	Moon Stone →	Clefable Fairy
Igglybuff is the lowest in its line		Igglybuff Normal Fairy	+ Level up with high friendship →	Jigglypuff Normal Fairy	Moon Stone →	Wigglytuff Normal Fairy
Togepi is the lowest in its line		Togepi Fairy	+ Level up with high friendship →	Togetic Fairy Flying	Shiny Stone (introduced in Gen IV) →	Togekiss Fairy Flying
Eevee is the lowest in its line		Eevee Normal	+ + Level up with high friendship during the daytime except when evolving into Leafeon, Glaceon, or Sylveon →	Espeon Psychic	Espeon does not evolve
Eevee is the lowest in its line		Eevee Normal	+ + Level up with high friendship during the nighttime except when evolving into Leafeon, Glaceon, or Sylveon →	Umbreon Dark	Umbreon does not evolve
Happiny Normal	+ + Level up during the daytime, holding an Oval Stone (introduced in Gen IV) →	Chansey Normal	+ Level up with high friendship →	Blissey Normal	Blissey does not evolve
Introduced in Generation III
Azurill is the lowest in its line		Azurill Normal Fairy	+ Level up with high friendship →	Marill Water Fairy	Level 18+ →	Azumarill Water Fairy
Introduced in Generation IV
Budew is the lowest in its line		Budew Grass Poison	+ + Level up with high friendship during the daytime →	Roselia Grass Poison	Shiny Stone →	Roserade Grass Poison
Buneary is the lowest in its line		Buneary Normal	+ Level up with high friendship →	Lopunny Normal	Lopunny does not evolve
Chingling is the lowest in its line		Chingling Psychic	+ + Level up with high friendship during the nighttime →	Chimecho Psychic	Chimecho does not evolve
Munchlax is the lowest in its line		Munchlax Normal	+ Level up with high friendship →	Snorlax Normal	Snorlax does not evolve
Riolu is the lowest in its line		Riolu Fighting	+ + Level up with high friendship during the daytime →	Lucario Fighting Steel	Lucario does not evolve
Introduced in Generation V
Woobat is the lowest in its line		Woobat Psychic Flying	+ Level up with high friendship →	Swoobat Psychic Flying	Swoobat does not evolve
Sewaddle Bug Grass	Level 20+ →	Swadloon Bug Grass	+ Level up with high friendship →	Leavanny Bug Grass	Leavanny does not evolve
Introduced in Generation VII
Alolan Meowth is the lowest in its line		Alolan Meowth Dark	+ Level up with high friendship in all games except it evolves by level in Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! →	Alolan Persian Dark	Alolan Persian does not evolve
Type: Null is the lowest in its line		Type: Null Normal	+ Level up with high friendship →	Silvally Normal	Silvally does not evolve
Introduced in Generation VIII
Eevee is the lowest in its line		Eevee Normal	+ + Level up with high friendship knowing a Fairy move except when evolving into Leafeon or Glaceon →	Sylveon Fairy	Sylveon does not evolve
Snom is the lowest in its line		Snom Ice Bug	+ + Level up with high friendship during the nighttime →	Frosmoth Ice Bug	Frosmoth does not evolve

List of other methods of Evolution

These are other methods of Evolution that can be used to evolve into the same species as the friendship-based Evolutions.

Previous Evolution	Evolution			Later Evolution
Introduced in Generation VI
Eevee is the lowest in its line	Eevee Normal	+ + + Gen VI–VII Level up with 2+ affection levels knowing a Fairy move in Generations VI and VII except when evolving into Leafeon or Glaceon →	Sylveon Fairy	Sylveon does not evolve
Introduced in Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!
Alolan Meowth is the lowest in its line	Alolan Meowth Dark	+ P E Level 28+ in Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! →	Alolan Persian Dark	Alolan Persian does not evolve

In the core series games

Some Pokémon evolve when they are leveled up with enough friendship. As long as the Pokémon has the required amount of friendship, unless there are other requirements for its Evolution, it will attempt to evolve whenever it levels up by battle or Rare Candy. However, in the case of certain Pokémon, the friendship Evolution may only be available at certain times of day, it may require holding an item or knowing a certain move.

This evolutionary requirement was introduced in Generation II. This is the same generation where the feature of all Pokémon having a friendship value was introduced, as opposed to the early friendship mechanic from Pokémon Yellow which only applied to the partner Pikachu.

Baby Pokémon often have this Evolution requirement, but it is also an Evolution requirement for other Pokémon, and not all baby Pokémon have this as an Evolution requirement

Generations II to VII

From Generation II to VII, a Pokémon requires at least 220 friendship in order to evolve.

In these generations, a level 100 Pokémon is unable to evolve by leveling up. Since the friendship Evolution involves leveling up, a Pokémon with this level is unable to evolve by friendship.

In Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, Eevee is unable to evolve into Espeon or Umbreon due to the lack of the time feature even though those games are compatible with the evolved forms traded from other games.

Generation VIII onwards

From Generation VIII onwards, a Pokémon requires at least 160 friendship in order to evolve.

If a Rare Candy is used on a level 100 Pokémon that evolves by leveling up and currently meets its Evolution requirements (including friendship), it will evolve without gaining a level.

In the side series games

Pokémon Colosseum

In Pokémon Colosseum, all friendship Evolutions up to Generation III are available except Eevee is unable to evolve into Espeon or Umbreon due to the lack of the time feature. However, both evolved forms are otherwise available together as the player's first Pokémon.

Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness

In Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, all friendship Evolutions up to Generation III are available. However, instead of evolving during the day or at night, an Eevee with high enough friendship evolves into Espeon or Umbreon if the player has the Sun Shard or Moon Shard in the Bag, respectively.

Since the player is required to choose only one of Eevee's Evolution items to be obtained on Gateon Port, Eevee's Evolution into Espeon or Umbreon is only available once per game and it is not possible to have both Shards in the Bag at the same time.

In the spin-off games

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team, Blue Rescue Team, Explorers of Time, Explorers of Darkness, and Explorers of Sky

Main article: IQ → Evolution

In Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team, Blue Rescue Team, Explorers of Time, Explorers of Darkness, and Explorers of Sky, the IQ mechanic serves as the replacement for friendship. The number of IQ stars required varies between species.

The IQ mechanic is used for the available friendship Evolutions (for instance, a Pichu with high IQ can evolve into Pikachu).

The requirement of evolving during the day or the night is replaced by using a Sun Ribbon or Lunar Ribbon.

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity

In Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity, although IQ was replaced by Team Skills, neither of them is required for friendship-based Evolutions. Instead, a hidden stat is used in place of a Pokémon's friendship. This stat increases by 2 when a Pokémon enters a dungeon.

Pichu and Azurill require a value of 10 to evolve, while Woobat, Swadloon, and Eevee require 20.

The requirement of evolving during the day or the night is replaced by using a Heart of the Sun or Heart of the Moon.

Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon

In Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon, all friendship Evolutions are readily available with no requirement. For instance, any Pichu can simply evolve into Pikachu.

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX

In Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX, all the methods of Evolution other than Evolution by level were replaced by Evolution Crystals.

A Pokémon needs 2 Evolution Crystals to evolves into its 2nd stage, or 4 Evolution Crystals to evolve into its 3rd stage.

Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire

In Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire, it is possible to evolve caught Pokémon that would normally require friendship in the core series games.

Like all Evolutions in this game, this is achievable in the Evolution Mode by simply choosing that Pokémon (such as Golbat evolving into Crobat) and then obtaining a certain Evolution Item three times somewhere on the Pinball table under the deadline (usually 2 minutes, which can be extended using the Timer Bonus). In the case of friendship Evolution, the Evolution item is a heart symbol (). Once this is done, the player's Poké Ball is required to enter the Center Hole to finish this process. There is a short Pokémon Evolution animation, and then the evolved form will count as caught in the Pokédex.

In this game, the four friendship Evolution lines from the Generation III Hoenn Pokédex are available:

Evolves from	Evolves into
Golbat	Crobat
Pichu	Pikachu
Igglybuff	Jigglypuff
Azurill	Marill

Super Smash Bros. series

Super Smash Bros. Brawl

In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Munchlax's trophy mentions its Evolution: "Once it grows attached to its trainer, it levels up and evolves into Snorlax."

In animation

This section is incomplete.
Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it.
Reason: Check if any other friendship Evolutions occur in animation

Many Pokémon have evolved through friendship Evolution throughout Pokémon the Series. The vast majority of these friendships have been between Trainer and Pokémon, though other times it may be triggered on its own, or from loyalty and gratefulness from another Pokémon. This was demonstrated when Ash's Pikachu was shown to have evolved from a Pichu, in the Pokémon Journeys: The Series episode Enter Pikachu!, out of gratitude from a Kangaskhan taking care of him when he was younger.

Pokémon the Series: Gold and Silver

Gary's Umbreon evolved from an Eevee prior to Power Play!.

Brock's Crobat evolved from a Golbat in Control Freak! after some encouragement from Brock.

Sakura's Espeon evolved from an Eevee prior to Espeon, Not Included.

Pokémon Journeys: The Series

Ash's Pikachu was revealed to have evolved from a Pichu in Enter Pikachu!

Ash's Lucario evolved from a Riolu in Sword and Shield... The Legends Awaken!.

Brock's Blissey evolved from a Chansey prior to The Arceus Chronicles (Part 2).

In the manga

This section is incomplete.
Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it.
Reason: Check if any other friendship Evolutions occur in the manga (possibly also in manga titles other than Pokémon Adventures)

Pokémon Adventures

Gold, Silver & Crystal arc

In Forretress of Solitude, it is shown that Vee evolved from Eevee into Espeon.

Karen's owned her Umbreon since it was an Eevee. It first appeared in The Last Battle VII.

HeartGold & SoulSilver arc

In All About Arceus VIII, it is implied that Togebo evolved by this method from Togepi into Togetic. This happened when Gold apologized for thinking that Togebo was not as strong as his other Pokémon and upon realizing his mistake, told Togebo to join the other Pokémon in the battle against the rampaging Arceus.

X & Y arc

In Sylveon Enchants, Y's Eevee, Veevee, evolved into Sylveon after knowing Baby-Doll Eyes and becoming friends with Y.

Korrina's Lucario evolved from a Riolu prior to The Aegislash Agenda!.

Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon arc

Gladion's Silvally evolved from a Type: Null in The Truth and Island Kahuna Hapu!.

In Tyrant!! The Fiendish Man!, Sun revealed that he and his Meowth, Cent, had never truly become friends and instead stuck together over the mutual goal of avenging Sun's great-grandfather. He attributes this for the reason Cent had not evolved despite getting stronger.

References

↑ "Perhaps the trickiest type of evolution is the Friendship Evolution. If you treat your Pokémon with utmost respect and care until it is very happy and very attached to you, it will evolve." - Pokémon Gold and Silver: Complete Pokédex, page 5
↑ "I have concluded that several Pokémon will evolve only when they are very attached to their Trainers—a process called Friendly Evolution." - Pokémon Gold and Silver: Complete Pokédex, page 19
↑ "Umbreon and Espeon are the result of Friendly Evolution, and Eevee won't evolve into either until it really trusts you." - Nintendo Power #140, page 80
↑ Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire game manual, section "Get the Evolution Items", page 43 (American version) or page 39 (European version)