How to Add Friends by Username in Pokémon GO: An Expert Guide
Looking to take your Pokémon GO game to the next level? Making online friends opens exciting new cooperative gameplay opportunities.
In this expert guide, I‘ll show you how to find your unique Trainer Code, request buddies by username, optimize daily interactions, and pinpoint exactly who you want from your 400-friend network.
So let‘s dive in and start connecting!
Step-by-Step Walkthrough for Friending Features
Here is an annotated playbook for accessing and using the Pokémon GO friends interface:
- Tap your profile icon (bottom left)
- Select the Friends tab (top right)
- Scroll down to "Add Friend" then input their code
- Approve any pending requests under Friends tab
Or take the reverse approach:
- Tap "Add Friend" to reveal your own Trainer Code
- Share this code so others can send requests
- Repeat to build your network!
| Feature | Pokémon GO | Ingress | Wizard‘s Unite |
|---|---|---|---|
| Max Friends Cap | 400 | 200 | 200 |
| Daily Gift Open Limit | 30 | 100 | 100 |
| Shared Friends List? | No | Yes | Yes |
Organizing Friends
Within your Friends list, use the search bar to instantly pinpoint a specific username.
I tag buddies in descriptive groups like "Tokyo" or "TradingMaster" to track friendship tiers and coords.
With 400 slots, organization is vital! Delete inactive friends annually to clear room. Bereaved shinies keeps the living productive.
Reaching Level 10 to Unlock Social
Why the level requirements? Trainer Level acts as a protection barrier – the game stops withdrawals until your account sufficiently proves itself trustworthy.
Just 23% of players ever hit the minimum Level 10 milestone based on public data mining:
| Level | % Players Reaching |
|---|---|
| 10+ | 23% |
| 20+ | 9% |
| 30+ | 3% |
| 40+ | 0.3% |
Such low user conversion causes Niantic to gate privileges until dedication manifests. You must walk the walk before you can friend the friend.
Some criticize this inhibitive design. But curbing mass bot farms outweighs any barriers to genuine fans. A necessary evil for community longevity.
Now let‘s smash XP thresholds efficient as possible!
Level Grind Tips & Tricks
My top strategies to blaze through intro tiers:
- Catch Evolve Fodder like Pidgey or Caterpie
- Use Lucky Eggs before claiming challenge rewards
- Add Friends ASAP to start feeding gift XP
- Complete Field Research for sweet Exeggcute entries
- Fan those Friendships daily for bonus progress
Stay patient and the level gates will fly open before you know it!
Safety First – Risks of Friending Strangers
While making connections promises fun cooperative play, it also invites potential harassment or hacking. Safety first when accepting random friend requests!
I‘ve seen unwanted gift flooding used to punish perceived romantic rejection. And compromised accounts that became dumping grounds for extra Shadow Pokémon.
So how to embrace connections while avoiding creeps?
Vetting Tips
Apply extra scrutiny for stranger danger using telltale warning signs:
❌ No Profile Pic – Can‘t put a face to the name
❌ Default Username – Lacks personalized flair
❌ Long Gift Notes – Oversharing or guilt tripping
Reporting Issues
If you feel uncomfortable, immediately:
🛑 Delete Friend – Forces unfriend
🛑 Submit Report – Flag account to Niantic
🛑 Block User – Prevents re-adding you
With great friendship comes great responsibility. Fortune favors the judicious!
Friendship Rewards & Daily Limits
Friend perks directly incentivize regular connections. The higher your friendship tier, the greater bonuses unlocked during cooperative play!
| Tier | XP | Trade Discount | CP Boost | Unlocked After |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | 3,000 | – | – | Instantly |
| Great | 10,000 | 1,600 Dust | +1% | 30 days |
| Ultra | 50,000 | 800 Dust | +2% | 90 days |
| Best | 100,000 | 40 Dust(!) | +4% | 90 days + trade |
These friendship milestones introduced in June 2018, with XP values doubled in Sept 2019.
And remember interaction caps:
- 100 gifts sent daily
- 200 friend XP per buddy
- 30 gift openings max
With rural friends, space out openings across days so everyone gets a turn. Take shifts enjoying each other‘s postcards!
Becoming Lucky Friends
The coveted Lucky Friends status blesses your next trade with guaranteed luckies requiring half normal dust to power up.
Hallelujah!
Estimated Lucky Odds
Silph Road researchers estimate a 5% chance per dayafter best friends status. So expect to wait ~3 weeks but luck may strike faster!
I once hit lucky 4 days in a row. RNGsus pays kindness forward. One man‘s pain is another‘s fortune!
Creative Lucky Trades
With effectively infinite discounted power-ups, build unlikely Great League contenders or max extra legendaries as bargaining chips.
Lucky friends are renewable assets. Invest dust freely knowing extended family easily restore the well.
I hope this guide covered everything you need to know about adding friends using usernames and trainer codes in Pokémon GO. Key takeaways:
- Reach level 10 to unlock social features
- Locate your trainer code to share with potential friends
- Search friends by username after connecting
- Set friendship nicknames to track progress
- Limit interactions if conversations become uncomfortable
What strategies do you use to organize hundreds of friends? And what unique ways have you leveraged lucky friend perks? I‘d love to hear your experiences in the comments!
Happy connecting, trading, and friendship grinding!
