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Happiness is a measurement of how much a Pokémon loves its Trainer and enjoys being in their care. Happiness affects the evolution of, the power of Return and Frustration, and the availability of a few in-game items and ribbons. Certain events increase a Pokémon's happiness (gaining a level, walking 256 steps) or decrease it (fainting, using herbal medicine).
Happiness was introduced in Pokémon Yellow for the player's starting Pikachu only, and expanded to cover all Pokémon in Generation II.
Generation I
A prototype of the happiness system used by later games was introduced in Pokémon Yellow, the last main series game of Generation I. Like the later system, its value ranged between 0 and 255 inclusive, however, this value was only applied to the Pikachu the player started with.
Unlike later games, since Pikachu is outside of its Poké Ball, the player can turn and look at it at any time as it follows him around the overworld. Pikachu will then indicate its happiness in a small window that appears. At maximum happiness, Pikachu will jump up and down before the window appears.
Like later games, Pikachu's happiness will rise when it gains a level. If its Trainer uses an item on Pikachu, its happiness will also rise, even if it is an item that has no effect on Pikachu (such as a Potion at full HP). In this manner, Pikachu is much easier to make happy than Pokémon in future generations.
Pikachu's happiness drops if it is put into Bill's PC or faints. Trading it to another game will reset its happiness to 0.
Happiness is not recorded for any other Pokémon in Generation I, while the happiness of Pikachu does not affect much: the only real effect it has is whether or not Melanie will give Bulbasaur away in Cerulean City, which she will only do if its happiness is 147 or higher.
| Event | Change |
|---|---|
| Gaining a level | +5* |
| +3* | |
| +2* | |
| Using an item | +5* |
| +3* | |
| +2* | |
| Challenging a Gym Leader | +3* |
| +2* | |
| +1* | |
| Depositing in the PC | -3* |
| -5* | |
| Fainting | -1 |
Generation II
In Generation II the happiness system became fully implemented, building on the system used in Yellow by tracking the happiness of any Pokémon owned by the Trainer. Like before, it is a single byte with a value between 0 and 255.
Happiness is set when a Pokémon is brought under a Trainer's control: that is, it is 70 when a Pokémon is captured from the wild, and reset to 70 when a Pokémon is traded from another game. When a Pokémon is hatched from an egg, its value is set to 120. If a Pokémon is captured in a Friend Ball, rather than any other kind, its happiness is set to 200 instead.
Another function was given to happiness in Generation II, the evolution of certain Pokémon, which has continued until the present, with new Pokémon which evolve through happiness being introduced in each generation. Happiness-based evolutions occur when a Pokémon's happiness is 220 or higher.
Unlike in Generation I, happiness will not increase if an item that cannot be used is used on a Pokémon: for example, using HP Ups on a Quilava which already has the maximum HP it can have will not result in raised happiness.
| Event | Change |
|---|---|
| Walking 256 steps | +1* |
| Grooming, Daisy | +3 |
| Grooming, older haircut brother | +5* |
| +3* | |
| +1* | |
| Grooming, younger haircut brother | +10* |
| +3* | |
| +1* | |
| Using vitamins | +5* |
| +3* | |
| +2* | |
| Gaining a level | +5* |
| +3* | |
| +2* | |
| Challenging a Gym Leader or Elite Four | +3* |
| +2* | |
| +1* | |
| Fainting | -1 |
| Using EnergyPowder | -5 |
| Using Heal Powder | -5 |
| Using Energy Root | -10 |
| Using Revival Herb | -15 |
| Trading to another game | Reset to 70 |
However, some things, though frequently reported, aren't part of the Generation II modifier. The following are actions that do not affect a Pokémon's happiness, either positively or negatively:
- Putting a Pokémon in Bill's PC
- Healing the Pokémon when weak and injured
- Giving a Pokémon a hold item
- Using a Pokémon in battles
- Winning battles with a Pokémon
- Letting a Pokémon's HP fall to critical status
- Letting your Pokémon get a status condition like Paralysis
- Walking when your Pokémon has a status condition
Generation III
Happiness in Generation III works much the same as before; however, additions were made to happiness-altering events. If a Pokémon is caught in a Luxury Ball, all happiness-raising events will rise by one point more, while happiness-lowering events are not affected. Likewise, a Pokémon holding a Soothe Bell will also rise by one additional point per happiness-raising event. These effects stack on each other, meaning a Pokémon in a Luxury Ball holding a Soothe Bell gets two additional points per event.
Pokémon now have a base happiness per species; however, most catchable Pokémon have the standard 70 points as their starting level.
| Event | Change |
|---|---|
| Walking 256 steps | +1 |
| Grooming, Daisy* | +3* |
| +2* | |
| Using vitamins | +5* |
| +3* | |
| +2* | |
| Gaining a level | +5* |
| +3* | |
| +2* | |
| Using EV Berries | +2 |
| Fainting | -1 |
| Using EnergyPowder | -5 |
| Using Heal Powder | -5 |
| Using Energy Root | -10 |
| Using Revival Herb | -15 |
| Trading to another game | Reset to base happiness. |
Generation IV
Happiness in Generation IV is much the same as it is in Generation III, though the conditions are altered slightly. The Luxury Ball now causes a Pokémon to have a separate rise in happiness than Pokémon in other Balls.
Dr. Footstep, the sole resident of the Footstep House on Route 213, will give a Pokémon with maximum happiness a ribbon.
In HeartGold and SoulSilver, the player can gauge their Pokémon's happiness based on the phrase that appears when they are spoken to outside of their Poké Ball.
Daisy makes a return in HeartGold and SoulSilver. Visiting her in Pallet Town will let her groom one of the player's Pokémon between 15:00 and 16:00 every day, increasing its happiness.
The Haircut brothers also make a return in HeartGold and SoulSilver. The player can visit them everyday other than Monday to get a boost in happiness.
| Event | Change | Luxury Ball |
|---|---|---|
| Walking 256 steps | +1 | +2 |
| Massage, Veilstone City | +3 | +5 |
| Massage, Ribbon Syndicate | +5 | +6 |
| Using vitamins | +2 | +6 |
| Gaining a level | +2 | +6 |
| Using EV Berries | +2 | +6 |
| Using healing items | +1 | +2 |
| Haircut brothers | varies* | ? |
| Grooming, Daisy* | +10 | ? |
| Fainting | -1 | |
| Using EnergyPowder | -5 | |
| Using Heal Powder | -5 | |
| Using Energy Root | -10 | |
| Using Revival Herb | -15 | |
| Trading to another game/Pal Park | reset to base happiness. | |
Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia
Happiness also has an effect in the second Ranger game. Partner Pokémon can have the condition of Fine, Happy, or Very Happy. When it is in a Happy Mood, musical notes come out. Black musical notes come out of it when it is happy. Multicolored musical notes come out when it is very happy. This may happen whether or not it is with the player. This state of mind increases the speed the Partner Gauge fills up due to more Partner Energy being given.
Evolutions
Several Pokémon evolve when their happiness level is at or above 220:
| Previous evolutions | Happiness evolution | Future evolutions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Zubat Poison Flying |
→ Level 22 |
 Golbat Poison Flying |
→ Happiness |
 Crobat Poison Flying |
Crobat does not evolve | |
 Happiny Normal |
→ Level up holding an Oval Stone |
 Chansey Normal |
→ Happiness |
 Blissey Normal |
Blissey does not evolve | |
| Eevee is the lowest in its line |  Eevee Normal |
→ Happiness (day) |
 Espeon Psychic |
Espeon does not evolve | ||
| Eevee is the lowest in its line | Eevee Normal |
→ Happiness (night) |
 Umbreon Dark |
Umbreon does not evolve | ||
| Pichu is the lowest in its line |  Pichu Electric |
→ Happiness |
 Pikachu Electric |
→ Thunderstone |
 Raichu Electric | |
| Cleffa is the lowest in its line |  Cleffa Normal |
→ Happiness |
 Clefairy Normal |
→ Moon Stone |
 Clefable Normal | |
| Igglybuff is the lowest in its line |  Igglybuff Normal |
→ Happiness |
 Jigglypuff Normal |
→ Moon Stone |
 Wigglytuff Normal | |
| Togepi is the lowest in its line |  Togepi Normal |
→ Happiness |
 Togetic Normal Flying |
→ Shiny Stone |
 Togekiss Normal Flying | |
| Azurill is the lowest in its line |  Azurill Normal |
→ Happiness |
 Marill Water |
→ Level 18 |
 Azumarill Water | |
| Budew is the lowest in its line |  Budew Grass Poison |
→ Happiness (day) |
 Roselia Grass Poison |
→ Shiny Stone |
 Roserade Grass Poison | |
| Buneary is the lowest in its line |  Buneary Normal |
→ Happiness |
 Lopunny Normal |
Lopunny does not evolve | ||
| Chingling is the lowest in its line |  Chingling Psychic |
→ Happiness (night) |
 Chimecho Psychic |
Chimecho does not evolve | ||
| Munchlax is the lowest in its line |  Munchlax Normal |
→ Happiness |
 Snorlax Normal |
Snorlax does not evolve | ||
| Riolu is the lowest in its line |  Riolu Fighting |
→ Happiness (day) |
 Lucario Fighting Steel |
Lucario does not evolve | ||
Happiness raters
Happiness raters are different NPCs that may be talked to to indicate the happiness of the first Pokémon in the player's party. Some will give away certain items depending on the happiness, while others just tell how happy the Pokémon is.
| Sentence | Happiness |
|---|---|
| "It looks really happy! It must love you a lot." | 250-255 |
| "I get the feeling that it really trusts you." | 200-249 |
| "It's friendly toward you. It looks sort of happy." | 150-199 |
| "It's quite cute." | 100-149 |
| "You should treat it better. It's not used to you." | 50-99 |
| "It doesn't seem to like you at all. It looks mean." | 0-49 |
Locations
- Goldenrod City, in the house northeast of the bike shop.
- Goldenrod Department Store, Sundays only, gives away one of either TM27 (Return) (happiness above 150) or TM21 (Frustration) (happiness below 100) weekly.
- Verdanturf Town, in the house in the south of the town.
- Pacifidlog Town, Once every seven days, gives away one of either TM27 (Return) (happiness above 150) or TM21 (Frustration) (happiness below 100).
- Pallet Town, at Blue's house, Daisy will judge a Pokémon's happiness.Wrong template. See Template:Sup/doc.
- Hearthome City, in the Pokémon Fan Club.
- Route 213, at the Footstep House, Dr. Footstep will tell a Pokémon's happiness, albeit in a roundabout way which differs among Pokémon species.
In addition, the Pokétch App, Friendship Checker, will display a Pokémon's happiness on a scale of one to two small or big hearts.
Trivia
- The only regional Pokédex that contained all Pokémon that evolve by happiness at the time was the old Johto Pokédex. Neither the Hoenn Pokédex, Sinnoh Pokédex (before or after the expansion) nor the New Johto Pokédex contained all happiness-evolvers as of their respective generation, with the Sinnoh Pokédex excluding only Igglybuff and its family.
