So, you’ve been running around the Paldea region for hours, your Sylveon is basically living on a diet of Luxury Balls and picnics, but it still won't evolve. It's frustrating. We've all been there, staring at the screen and wondering if our digital monsters actually tolerate us or if they're just here for the free sandwiches. To figure that out, you need to find the Pokemon Scarlet friendship checker.
Unlike older games where you had to hunt down a random house in a tiny town, Scarlet and Violet make it relatively easy, though the game doesn't exactly hold your hand to find her. You’re looking for a specific NPC in Cascarrafa.
Where is the Friendship Checker hiding?
Cascarrafa is that gorgeous, water-filled city that looks like it belongs in a vacation brochure. It’s split into levels. To find the friendship rater, you need to head to the central plaza. Look for a woman standing next to a Marill. She has a yellow speech bubble that says something about how close you are with your Pokemon. That’s your person.
Honestly, Cascarrafa is a bit of a maze if you aren't paying attention to the elevators. If you fly into the Cascarrafa (North) PokeCenter, just head toward the middle of the city where the big fountains are. She’s usually hanging out right by the water.
Once you talk to her, she’ll ask to see a Pokemon. Pick the one you’re curious about. She doesn't give you a numerical value—Game Freak loves being vague—but she’ll give you a specific phrase that tells you exactly where you stand.
Decoding the Vague Phrases
If she says, "You’re the best of friends! You’re so happy together it makes me jealous!" then congratulations. You’ve hit the jackpot. That means your friendship is at the maximum level (255). This is what you need for things like the Best Friends Ribbon or just general bragging rights.
If she says something like, "You’re amazing friends! You definitely trust each other," you’re almost there. You’re likely around the 200-249 range. This is usually high enough for most evolutions like Riolu, Snom, or Eevee.
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But what if she says, "You’re getting to be friends"? That’s the "friend zone" of the Pokemon world. You’ve got work to do. You're probably sitting around 100-150. It’s okay, but your Chansey isn't turning into a Blissey anytime soon at that rate.
If she says you "seem to be getting used to each other," that’s basically a neutral rating. If it's worse than that? Well, stop using Bitter Herbs. Seriously.
Why Friendship Actually Matters in Paldea
It isn't just about evolution. Sure, getting a Lucario or a Frosmoth is the primary reason most people search for the Pokemon Scarlet friendship checker, but the hidden mechanics go deeper.
High friendship—or "sociability" as the internal code sometimes refers to it—gives you massive combat perks. Have you ever seen your Pokemon survive a lethal hit with 1 HP just because "it didn't want you to feel sad"? That’s the friendship mechanic kicking in. It increases your critical hit ratio and sometimes allows your Pokemon to shake off status conditions like paralysis or poison on their own. It’s basically the power of anime friendship translated into RNG.
The Fast Track: How to Max Out Friendship
Waiting for it to happen naturally takes forever. If you’re trying to complete the Pokedex, you don't have time to walk 50,000 steps.
- The Soothe Bell is mandatory. You can buy this at any Delibird Presents shop under the "General Goods" section. It’s cheap. Put it on your Pokemon immediately. It acts as a multiplier for every friendship-gaining action you take.
- Wash your Pokemon. I know it sounds silly, but the picnic mechanic is broken in a good way. Open a picnic, grab the sponge, and scrub. It boosts friendship significantly faster than just walking.
- Sandwiches. Obviously. Use ingredients your Pokemon likes.
- The Luxury Ball. If you haven't caught the Pokemon yet, use a Luxury Ball. It doubles the rate at which friendship increases. If you already caught it in a Quick Ball because you were lazy (we all do it), you’ll just have to work harder at the picnics.
- Vitamins. Feeding your Pokemon Protein, Iron, or Calcium isn't just for EV training. It also makes them like you more. It’s an expensive way to buy love, but hey, it works.
The "Bitter" Truth: What Lowers Friendship?
If you talk to the Pokemon Scarlet friendship checker and she gives you a look of pity, you’ve probably been doing things that annoy your team.
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- Using "Bitter" medicines. Revival Herbs and Energy Roots are powerful and cheap, but Pokemon hate the taste. Every time you use one, their friendship score takes a massive hit. If you're trying to evolve an Eevee, stay far away from the herb shop in Cascarrafa.
- Letting them faint. Constantly letting your Pokemon go down in battle makes them trust you less. It’s a small penalty, but it adds up during long gym runs or Team Star raids.
- Trading. This is the big one. If you trade a Pokemon to a friend and they trade it back, its friendship resets to its base value (usually 50 or 70). The only exception is if you’re trading with a "New Trainer" who hasn't interacted with it yet. Basically, the Pokemon "forgets" your bond when it leaves your party.
Is the Friendship Checker the same as the Effort Ribbon NPC?
No. This is a common point of confusion. The woman with the Marill in Cascarrafa only checks your emotional bond. If you want the Effort Ribbon (which checks if you've maxed out your EVs), you need to talk to a different NPC in Levincia.
Different goals, different cities.
Breaking Down the Math
If you really want to get technical, friendship is a value from 0 to 255. Most Pokemon evolve when that value hits 160 or 220, depending on the specific species and the game version. In Scarlet and Violet, the threshold for most "friendship evolutions" is 220.
Using the Pokemon Scarlet friendship checker is your only way to gauge this without using external save editors.
If you're at 0, your Pokemon hates you. If you're at 255, you’re soulmates. Most freshly caught Pokemon start at 50. If they hatched from an egg, they usually start a bit higher, around 120, because they’ve literally only known you since birth. This makes "masuda method" breeding much easier for friendship evolutions.
Surprising Details You Might Not Know
A lot of players think that walking with your Pokemon in "Let's Go" mode (the R button) builds friendship. It does, but it’s actually slower than just having them in your party while you ride Miraidon or Koraidon.
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Also, the "Friend Ball"—that green Johto ball you get from the Dex completion rewards or the Porto Marinada auction—is the single fastest way to start a relationship. It sets the base friendship to 150 immediately upon capture. That’s a huge head start.
Real Talk: Is it worth the effort?
Honestly, for a casual playthrough, you don't need to obsess over the Pokemon Scarlet friendship checker. You’ll likely hit the requirements just by playing the game and doing a few picnics. But for competitive players or completionists who need that Best Friends Ribbon, Cascarrafa is a frequent pit stop.
The Cascarrafa lady is the only one who can confirm you've reached the "Best Friends" status required for the ribbon. Once she gives you the highest praise, she will offer to give your Pokemon the ribbon right then and there. It’s a nice little cosmetic touch that shows up when you send them into battle.
Actionable Steps to Take Right Now
- Fly to Cascarrafa (North) and find the lady with the Marill to see where your team stands.
- If you aren't at the max level, head to the Delibird Presents in the same city and buy a Soothe Bell.
- Equip the bell and host a Picnic. Wash your Pokemon and make a sandwich (any sandwich works, but high-tier ones are better).
- Avoid using Revival Herbs or Energy Powder if you're trying to evolve someone specifically. Use Max Revives or standard Potions instead.
- If you're rich in-game, spam Vitamins like Zinc or Carbos to bridge the final gap quickly.
The bond you have with your Pokemon might be invisible, but in Paldea, it has tangible rewards. Don't let your Eevee stay an Eevee forever just because you forgot to buy a bell.
Final Technical Summary for Trainers
To ensure you aren't wasting time, remember that friendship and "Affection" were merged into one mechanic starting in Gen 8. In older games, they were separate stats. Now, everything—from evolution to dodging attacks—comes from that single 0-255 scale. If the Marill lady says you are "best friends," you have officially peaked. There is no higher level to achieve, and you are free to stop the forced picnics and get back to raiding.