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Catching Pokemon in Pokemon GO is different from the mainline games. Instead of battling a wild Pokemon and then throwing a Poke Ball, players simply toss the ball at the Pokemon and hope it stays. Of course, there's a mechanic that makes catching Pokemon easier or can double the Candy it gives, and that's by feeding them Berries.
Trainers can collect several types of Berries in Pokemon GO by spinning PokeStops or completing Special Research Tasks. They can be used during Pokemon Encounters, or they can be used to feed a Buddy Pokemon. Since some Berries are more common than others, GO players will want to know which ones they should feed to their Pokemon and which ones they should keep.
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What Does Feeding Buddy Pokemon Do?
Feeding Berries or a Poffin to a Buddy Pokemon will earn Affection Hearts. Each time a Berry is fed to a Pokemon, its Hunger Meter increases. Feed it x3 Berries to get x1 Affection Heart.
Hearst are required to raise the Buddy Level. Each level has its own perks, so here's what trainers are looking at :
Hearts Required | Perks | |
|---|---|---|
Good Buddy | x1 |
|
Great Buddy | x70 |
|
Ultra Buddy | x150 |
|
Best Buddy | x300 |
|
Feeding a Buddy Pokemon can be done through Quick Treat or AR Mode. Just tap the Buddy Pokemon icon next to the Trainer icon, and select PLAY!. If GO trainers choose Quick Treat, then they won't be able to take photos or pet their Buddy Pokemon. They'll only have access to Berries or Poffins.
Fortunately, if trainers "miss" the Pokemon when feeding it, they won't lose the Berry.
Berries You Should Feed Your Buddy Pokemon
There are currently five types of Berries in Pokemon GO: Nanab, Razz, Pinap, Golden Razz, and Silver Pinap Berry. In Hoenn and Sinnoh, these types of Berries are used to make Poke Blocks and Poffins. While a cooking feature would be nice for GO, the Berries function much differently than they do in the mainline games.
The most common Berries are the Pinap, Razz, and Nanab. They're earned from spinning PokeStops and players can sometimes get them by completing Field Research Tasks. Due to how common they are, these are the safer Berries to feed to Buddy Pokemon.
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl
Nanab Berry
When fed to a Pokemon in a wild encounter, this Berry will calm down the Pokemon, preventing it from bouncing around the screen or deflecting the Poke Ball. Arguably the "less useful" of the common Berries, Nanab Berries are the best ones to feed to Buddy Pokemon. That doesn't mean they don't have their use in encounters, as Nanab Berries make it easier to throw a Poke Ball at aggressive Pokemon (ex: Shadow Pokemon). However, if players have an abundnace of Nanab Berries or have to choose between Nanab and Razz/Pinap, then this is the one that Buddy Pokemon will want to eat.
Razz Berry
Razz Berries will make it easier to catch a Pokemon. Generally, Pokemon with high CP are more difficult to catch than those with low CP. If players find themselves struggling, they'll want to use a Razz Berry. While not as expendable as Nanab Berries, Razz Berries are the next Berry that trainers should feed their Pokemon.
Pinap Berry
Pokemon that evolve in GO usually require Candy. When catching a Pokemon, trainers will receive x3 Candy for the species of Pokemon they caught. If a second or third tier evolution is caught, then they'll receive more than 3 Candy (ex: catching Quilava earns more Cyndaquil Candy than catching a Cyndaquil). There are some events that double or even triple the Candy earned.
Because some Pokemon require an incredible 400 Candy to evolve, Pinap Berries are something that trainers will want to keep in their inventory more than Pinap or Razz Berries. However, they're a common Berry, so losing one or two shouldn't be that big of a deal. Regardless, out of the Nanab-Razz-Pinap selection, Pinap Berries should be a last resort.
Poffin
As mentioned earlier, Poffins can't be cooked in GO. Feeding a Poffin to a Pokemon will turn its mood to Excited, and any Affection Hearts earned after the Pokemon eats a Poffin are doubled. Unlike Berries, one Poffin will fill up the Hunger Meter. They'll also last for 6 hours compared to the normal 3 hours.
Poffins are very rare, but they can be bought from the in-game Shop for 100 Poke Coins. There are also specific Special Research Tasks that give Poffins as a reward. Due to their rarity, trainers should really only use Poffins if they're going to be active on GO for approximately 6 hours. Despite this, they're the best treat to give to Buddy Pokemon.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
- Franchise
- Pokemon
- Platform(s)
- Switch
- Released
- November 18, 2022
- Developer(s)
- Game Freak
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo , The Pokemon Company
Berries You Should Save
The rarer Berries are generally not recommended to feed to Buddy Pokemon. They don't have any special effects when fed to Buddy Pokemon and are generally preferred for catching Pokemon. The best way to get Golden Razz Berries and Silver Pinap Berries is to click on the Sponsor Balloons that occasionally appear on the map. They usually carry one of each (or both) rare Berry. Otherwise, look out for Special Research Tasks, or take part in and win Raids.
Golden Razz Berry
The Golden Razz Berry is a stronger version of the Razz Berry, as most trainers could tell. If trainers want to feed Golden Razz Berries to Pokemon, then it's recommended they feed the Pokemon in gyms. Feeding a Golden Razz Berry to gym defenders will max out the Pokemon's stamina.
Silver Pinap Berry
The Silver Pinap Berry may be the best Berry in game. It not only doubles the amount of Candy upon a successful catch, but it also makes the Pokemon easier to catch. It's essentially a Pinap and Razz Berry combined into one. The Silver Pinap Berries should not be fed to Buddy Pokemon or Pokemon at gyms. Trainers would do well to use them only for catching Pokemon, especially rare or Legendary Pokemon.
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How Often Should You Feed Your Buddy Pokemon?
Feeding one Berry to a Buddy Pokemon fills a quarter of its Hunger Meter. Feeding three will make the Buddy Pokemon visible on the map. Since three Berries (or one Poffin) earns one Affection Heart, players should feed them every day if they're trying to increase the Buddy Level.
Once the timer runs out and the Buddy Pokemon returns to its Poke Ball, trainers can feed it another 3 Berries to earn a second Affection Heart .
Players can feed their Pokemon up to three times a day for a total of three Affection Hearts. They can track how much they've fed the Buddy Pokemon by tapping the Buddy icon, then scrolling down to Today's Activities. If all three Hearts next to Give your buddy a treat are filled, then trainers won't be able to earn any more Affection Hearts via feeding.
Pokemon GO is available for mobile devices.
