Berries also increase motivation for creatures currently placed in a Gym, and can be used to feed your Buddy Pokémon.
There are a few different methods for how to get Berries in Pokémon Go, so this guide will go over them all, while explaining how to use Berries, and what every type of Berry does.
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How to get Berries in Pokémon Go
You can get Berries from the same method as most other encounter items - by spinning PokéStops - with the chance of a Berry or two being handed to you. They’re not as common as Poké Balls, so keep spinning those stops, and amongst the Poké Balls and curatives you should receive a small quantity over time. You’ll also get Berries from certain level up rewards, and from completing certain Field and Special Research tasks. Additionally, Pinap Berries are a possible reward from opening Gifts. Golden Razzberries can only be obtained by winning a Raid Battle, completing certain Research Tasks, and spinning a PokéStop or Gym with a Great Buddy. Silver Pinap Berries are the rarest of all, and can only be obtained by completing certain Research Tasks and from weekly Adventure Sync rewards.
How to use Berries in Pokémon Go
Depending on the situation, there are a few different ways to use Berries in Pokémon Go:
In Gyms
Berries can’t heal your Pokémon while fighting against a Gym, but they can raise the motivation of a creature defending one. Your Pokémon will lose motivation, even if not fighting a trainer, making them easier to defeat and take over when a trainer does come along to battle the Gym. You’ll want to keep your Pokémon at the Gym at least until you earn the daily cap of 50 PokéCoins, or maybe even longer if you’re working toward a Gym badge. Any type of Berry can raise motivation, and you can even use Berries on your Gym Pokémon remotely (with a reduced potency). To raise your Pokémon’s motivation at a Gym, go into that Gym’s menu and tap on your Pokémon, then the Berry Symbol on the bottom left-hand corner of the screen. Choose what Berry you want to use, then give it to your Pokémon. You can also give a Berry to Pokémon placed by other trainers. Golden Razz Berries will always completely fill a defending Pokémon’s motivation, even remotely.
With Buddy
You can feed your Buddy Pokémon either Berries or Poffins to earn hearts and raise your friendship level with them. To give your Buddy a Berry or Poffin, tap its picture beside yours in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen, then press ‘Play’ from the Buddy menu. You can give them a Berry without using AR by tapping ‘Quick Treat’. Tap the Berry you wish to give to your Buddy, then flick it toward them. Any type of Berry can be used to feed your Buddy, but both Golden Razz Berries and Silver Pinap Berries will completely fill your Buddy’s treat bar.
In Pokémon encounters
To use Berries while catching a Pokémon, press the icon on the bottom left corner of the screen, giving you a list of your available Berries. Select a Berry to bring it into the field, and tap it again to use it. Once it has been used, a Berry icon will hover above the Pokémon to show the effect is currently in use. However, if the next landed throw is unsuccessful, the Berry and its effect will then disappear. While you can follow it up with another Berry, you can only use one at a time. So you can’t double-up on the effects of a Razz Berry and Nanab Berry, for example. Each Berry has a different use during encounters, and a few caveats on how their effects work, which we’ll be explaining below. The Season of Mythical Wishes continues with the Winter Holiday event, which has brought Mega Glalie to Pokémon Go. Don’t forget to partake in the new Go Battle League season. Elsewhere, be sure to use Daily Adventure Incense for the chance of encountering Galarian Articuno, Galarian Zapdos and Galarian Moltres.
Nanab Berries in Pokémon Go
Introduced as part of the Gen 2 update, Nanab Berries slow a wild Pokémon’s movements. With creatures exhibiting new encounter behaviours that make them harder to land Poké Balls - as well as the usual ability to leap and attack, making them temporarily invulnerable - these make a creature’s movements easier to read and predict. We recommend using them on creatures when you need to land as few balls as possible - such as when your stock of Poké Balls are low and as such, are at a premium - or to help you learn Pokémon behaviours for the first time. Additionally, this Berry can be used to feed your Buddy and increase the motivation of one of your creatures held in a Gym, and will be as potent as Pinap and standard Razz Berries.
Pinap Berries and Silver Pinap Berries in Pokémon Go
Also introduced as part of the Gen 2 update, Pinap Berries will double the amount of Candy you receive if your next catch attempt succeeds. That last part is particularly crucial; the doubling effect appears to only work if you successfully capture the Pokémon with the Poké Ball that immediately follows the Berry. As such, you’ll want to ensure the Berry doesn’t go to waste by trying to get a Nice, Great or Excellent catch. The Silver Pinap Berry combines the effects of both a Razz Berry and a Pinap Berry, making the Pokémon you use it on easier to catch, and gives you double Candy if caught. It’s best to save this Berry for rare Pokémon you really want to catch that you either want to evolve soon, or power up. If you fail to catch with the effects of a Pinap or Silver Pinap Berry, you can always follow it up with another to reinstate the temporarily effect again. The effort can be worth it, especially if you are encountering a rare Pokémon where Candy is at a premium. Additionally, these Berries can be used to feed your Buddy and increase the motivation of one of your creatures held in a Gym, and will be as potent as Nanab and standard Razz Berries.
Razz Berries and Golden Razz Berries in Pokémon Go
If you’ve played Pokémon Go since the game’s summer 2016 debut, the Razz Berry should be fairly familiar by now. By feeding Razz Berries to a wild Pokémon, it’ll make it easier to catch. The potency of the Razz Berry isn’t certain, but it’s thought to increase your chances by a few percent. Having higher quality balls - such as Great and Ultra Balls - increase your chances even more, but combine these with a Razz Berry - as well as any elemental Catch Bonuses from Medals - to give you the best possible chance of a capture. Like other Berries, the effect of Razz Berries do not stack and will disappear if your next capture is unsuccessful, so make sure you keep piling them with each throw to ensure you chances of capture remain high. Additionally, these Berries can be used to feed your Buddy and increase the motivation of one of your creatures held in a Gym. The standard Razz Berry is as potent as a Nanab and Pinap Berry. The Golden Razz Berry performs the same basic use of a Razz Berry, except is far more potent. Using one greatly increases your chances of capturing a Pokémon, so should be saved for Pokémon you really want to get. When used on a buddy, it will fully raise the treat bar, and will replenish a defending Gym Pokémon’s motivation metre in its entirety (even remotely) - the only Berry to do so from a single use.
