In the Pokemon games, Berries are a holdable item that can restore the HP of a Pokemon once their health is below a certain point. There are also Berries that can cure paralysis, poison, or other status effects. Generation 3 and 4 expanded on the Berries mechanic by creating new ones and giving each one its own design and name. Berries in Pokemon GO won't heal a Pokemon or cure status ailments, but they can be used when catching Pokemon.
While mainline Pokemon games have over 40 different types of Berries, Pokemon GO only has five. Likewise, their effect in GO is different from their mainline counterparts. Players may be wondering whether they should use them when catching Pokemon, or if they should save them. The answer depends on the players themselves, and the type of Berry that they're collecting.
All Berry Types in Pokemon GO
With only five types of Berries out of the 43 in most Pokemon games, it's obvious that their usage and effect in Pokemon GO will be very different. The Berries in GO are: Nabnab, Razz, Pinap, Golden Razz, and Silver Pinap Berry. Excluding the first three, the Golden and Silver Berries were created exclusively for Pokemon GO and currently do not exist in other installments except the Silver Pinap Berry, which is obtainable in Let's Go, Pikachu!/Eevee!.
The following chart lists each Berry and where players can obtain them:
|
Berry |
Appearance |
Effect |
How to Get |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Razz Berry |
A Berry that looks like a bundle of pink/red grapes. |
Increases the catch rate of the next thrown ball. |
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|
Nabnab Berry |
A Berry that looks like a bundle of light pink bananas. |
Calms the Pokemon down, thus slowing their movement and keeping the catch circle on-screen longer. |
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|
Pinap Berry |
A Berry that looks like a pineapple, hence its name. |
The amount of Candy from a Pokemon will double if a Pokemon is caught after consuming this Berry. |
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|
Golden Razz Berry |
Same as a Razz Berry, only orange/gold in appearance. |
Same effects as a Razz Berry, only the catch rate increase is doubled. Recommended for using on Legendary Pokemon from Raids. |
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|
Silver Pinap Berry |
Same as a Pinap Berry, only silver in appearance. |
Increases the chance of catching a Pokemon while multiplying the amount of Candy received after a battle by 2.3. |
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How to Use Berries in Pokemon GO
There are several ways that Berries can be used in Pokemon GO. The most obvious is to throw them at wild Pokemon. However, players that have a few spares may want to save them for some of GO's other features.
Catching Pokemon
To use a Berry when catching Pokemon, players simply need to tap a Pokemon that appears on the overworld map and then select the circle-Berry icon in the bottom-left corner of the screen. From there, they'll need to choose a Berry, and "throw" it toward the Pokemon.
It's worth keeping in mind that a Berry's effect won't last forever and will wear off after a turn or two. Therefore, it's important that players try to catch a Pokemon immediately after using a Berry to avoid wasting them. Some Pokemon will shake off the effects of a Berry quicker than others. One such group of Pokemon are the Shadow Pokemon, which, in general, are more aggressive than their regular counterparts.
Pokemon Gyms
The other way to use berries in Pokemon GO is to feed them to Pokemon defending a gym. Each time a Pokemon is left at a gym, they'll have a pink heart icon. This indicates their Motivation, which lowers the longer a Pokemon defends the gym from Raids. As long as there isn't a Raid going on at a gym, players can feed their Pokemon some Berries to raise their motivation. When feeding Pokemon here, the Berry's effects won't matter. However, giving a Pokemon a Golden Razz Berry will max out their motivation. It's not recommended to use Golden Razz Berries this way because of their rarity, but it's ultimately the player's choice.
To give a Pokemon a Berry at the gym, players will need to do the following:
- Interact with a gym that's the same color as the player's team.
- Select a Pokemon.
- Tap the Berry Icon, and select a Berry to give.
Players can feed any Pokemon present in a gym so long as the gym is taken over by their team. So, for example, a Team Mystic trainer won't be able to feed Berries to the Pokemon in a Team Valor gym. Given that the goal is to win over gyms through battling, feeding the opponent isn't exactly a desirable feature for GO.
Buddy Pokemon
Finally, the last way to use Berries in Pokemon GO is by feeding them to a Buddy Pokemon. Feeding a Pokemon three Berries a day will allow them to walk alongside their trainers on the map. This comes with different perks such as increasing their Friendship level and collecting Candy ever 3-5 KM.
- Players can assign a Buddy Pokemon by viewing their caught Pokemon via tapping the Poke Ball icon at the bottom of the overworld map.
- From there, they should exit back to the overworld map and tap the Pokemon icon next to the Trainer icon in the lower-left.
- Finally, they can select the green PLAY! button under the Pokemon,and use AR Mode or Quick Treat. The Quick Treat mode does not require players to "face a flat object," and is only used for feeding Pokemon Berries or Poffins.
Giving a Poffin instead of a Berry will max out a Pokemon's Excitement Level, thus doubling the time it spends walking with its trainer.
Feeding a Pokemon is part of a Buddy Pokemon's Daily Activities and will give an Affection Point/Heart. It's important to raise the Buddy Level of the Pokemon in order to get better rewards from spinning Pokestops.
Pokemon GO is available for mobile devices.