Have you been spending your entire summer looking for one more Charmander so that you will finally have enough candies to evolve him? With Pokemon Go’s latest update, a new feature was added called the Buddy System and it allows you to just this!
Pokemon’s Buddy System is a great new addition to the app that allows users to pick one of their Pokemon to walk alongside you and to earn extra candy by walking a certain distance. The distance for each of the Pokemon is varied, for example a Pikachu requires 1km per candy where as a Kabuto requires 5km per candy.
Making a Pokemon your Buddy
Users can assign their Pokemon to become their Buddy, by tapping the avatar of our trainer and then pick the Buddy option in the menu screen. Users will then pick which Pokemon they would like to walk aside their trainer and become your buddy.
What is the distance of each Pokemon Go Buddy
Each of the Pokemon have a different benchmark that will need to be met before you will earn a candy. The more common the Pokemon, the faster you will produce candy because of the shorter distances required. Obviously, the more rare the Pokemon, the longer the distance will be to get your candy.
We have complied a list of each Pokemon and the distance required to walk versus candy needed to evolve.
| Pokemon | KM per candy | Candies Needed to Evolve | KM needed to Evolve |
| Abra | 3 | 25 | 75 |
| Aerodactyl | 5 | ||
| Alakazam | 5 | ||
| Arbok | 3 | ||
| Arcanine | 3 | ||
| Articuno | – | – | – |
| Beedrill | 1 | ||
| Bellsprout | 3 | 25 | 75 |
| Blastoise | 3 | ||
| Bulbasaur | 3 | 25 | 75 |
| Butterfree | 1 | ||
| Caterpie | 1 | 12 | 12 |
| Chansey | 5 | ||
| Charizard | 3 | ||
| Charmander | 3 | 25 | 75 |
| Charmeleon | 3 | 100 | 300 |
| Clefable | 1 | ||
| Clefairy | 1 | 50 | 50 |
| Cloyster | 3 | ||
| Cubone | 3 | 50 | 150 |
| Dewgone | 3 | ||
| Diglett | 3 | 50 | 150 |
| Ditto | – | – | – |
| Dodrio | 3 | ||
| Doduo | 3 | 50 | 150 |
| Dragonair | 5 | 100 | 500 |
| Dragonite | 5 | ||
| Dratini | 5 | 25 | 125 |
| Drowzee | 3 | 50 | 150 |
| Dugtrio | 3 | ||
| Eevee | 5 | 25 | 125 |
| Ekans | 3 | 50 | 150 |
| Electrabuzz | 5 | ||
| Electrode | 3 | ||
| Exeggcute | 3 | 50 | 150 |
| Exeggutor | 3 | ||
| Farfetch’d | 3 | ||
| Fearow | 1 | ||
| Flareon | 5 | ||
| Gastly | 3 | 25 | 75 |
| Gengar | 3 | ||
| Geodude | 1 | 25 | 25 |
| Gloom | 3 | 100 | 300 |
| Golbat | 1 | ||
| Goldeen | 3 | 50 | 150 |
| Golduck | 3 | ||
| Golem | 1 | ||
| Graveler | 1 | 100 | 100 |
| Grimer | 3 | 50 | 150 |
| Growlithe | 3 | 50 | 150 |
| Gyrados | 1 | ||
| Haunter | 3 | 100 | 300 |
| Hitmonchan | 5 | ||
| Hitmonlee | 5 | ||
| Horsea | 3 | 50 | 150 |
| Hypno | 3 | ||
| Ivysaur | 3 | 100 | 300 |
| Jigglypuff | 1 | 50 | 50 |
| Jolteon | 5 | ||
| Jynx | 5 | ||
| Kabuto | 5 | 50 | 50 |
| Kabutops | 5 | ||
| Kadabra | 3 | 100 | 300 |
| Kakuna | 1 | 50 | 50 |
| Kangaskan | 3 | ||
| Kingler | 3 | ||
| Koffing | 3 | 50 | 150 |
| Krabby | 3 | 50 | 150 |
| Lapras | 5 | ||
| Lickitung | 3 | ||
| Machamp | 3 | ||
| Machoke | 3 | 100 | 300 |
| Machop | 3 | 25 | 75 |
| Magikarp | 1 | 400 | 400 |
| Magmar | 5 | ||
| Magnemite | 3 | 50 | 150 |
| Magneton | 3 | ||
| Mankey | 3 | 50 | 150 |
| Marowak | 3 | ||
| Meowth | 3 | 50 | 150 |
| Metapod | 1 | 50 | 50 |
| Mew | – | – | – |
| Mewtwo | – | – | – |
| Moltres | – | – | – |
| Mr. Mime | 5 | ||
| Muk | 3 | ||
| Nidoking | 3 | ||
| Nidoqueen | 3 | ||
| Nidoran (male) | 3 | 25 | 75 |
| Nidoran (female) | 3 | 25 | 75 |
| Nidorina | 3 | 25 | 75 |
| Nidorino | 3 | 100 | 300 |
| Ninetales | 3 | ||
| Oddish | 3 | 25 | 75 |
| Omanyte | 5 | 50 | 250 |
| Omastar | 5 | ||
| Onix | 5 | ||
| Paras | 3 | 50 | 150 |
| Parasect | 3 | ||
| Persian | 3 | ||
| Pidgeot | 1 | ||
| Pidgeotto | 1 | 50 | 50 |
| Pidgey | 1 | 12 | 12 |
| Pikachu | 1 | 50 | 50 |
| Pinsir | 5 | ||
| Poliwag | 3 | 25 | 75 |
| Poliwhirl | 3 | 100 | 300 |
| Ponyta | 3 | 50 | 150 |
| Porygon | 3 | ||
| Primeape | 3 | ||
| Psyduck | 3 | 50 | 150 |
| Raichu | 1 | ||
| Rapidash | 3 | ||
| Raticate | 1 | ||
| Rattata | 1 | 25 | 25 |
| Rhydon | 3 | ||
| Rhyhorn | 3 | 50 | 150 |
| Sandshrew | 3 | 50 | 150 |
| Sandslash | 3 | ||
| Scyther | 5 | ||
| Seadra | 3 | ||
| Seaking | 3 | ||
| Seel | 3 | 50 | 150 |
| Shellder | 3 | 50 | 150 |
| Slowbro | 3 | ||
| Slowpoke | 3 | 50 | 150 |
| Snorlax | 5 | ||
| Spearow | 1 | 50 | 50 |
| Squirtle | 3 | 25 | 150 |
| Starmie | 3 | ||
| Staryu | 3 | 50 | 150 |
| Tangela | 3 | ||
| Tauro | 3 | ||
| Tentacool | 3 | 50 | 150 |
| Tentacruel | 3 | ||
| Vaporeon | 5 | ||
| Venomoth | 3 | ||
| Venonat | 3 | 50 | 150 |
| Venusaur | 3 | ||
| Victreebel | 3 | ||
| Vileplume | 3 | ||
| Voltorb | 3 | 50 | 150 |
| Vulpix | 3 | 50 | 150 |
| Wartortle | 3 | 100 | 300 |
| Weedle | 1 | 12 | 12 |
| Weepinbell | 3 | 100 | 300 |
| Weezing | 3 | ||
| Wigglypuff | 1 | ||
| Zapdos | – | – | – |
| Zubat | 1 | 50 | 50 |
What Buddy should you pick?
The Pokemon Buddy system is a great feature to help users gain more candy, but it is important to note that you can only choose one Pokemon at a time. Be sure to pick a Pokemon that is in need of candy and one that has not been maxed out in power for your level.
It’s also important to note that when you are swapping out a new Buddy, your old Pokemon Buddy will lose any progress on distance that they have made. Even evolving your Buddy when you are half way through meeting your distance goal will reset the distance, so be sure to keep an eye on when your Pokemon are hitting their benchmark and to swap out or evolve them at that time.
How to find your Pokemon Buddy’s Progress
Users can find their Buddy’s progreen screen by tapping on your Buddy on the trainers screen. You will find a reference to your Buddy’s stats and the number of candies by swiping right at the lower half of the screen.
Extra Tips
Be sure to keep your Pokemon Go app open. Just like hatching eggs, the Buddy System will only track the distance that you are walking when the app is active.
