This article is part of a directory: Pokemon Go: Complete Guide
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What makes Pokemon GO exceptionally special is its intuitive augmented reality. Augmented reality simulates Pokemon in an environment, so it appears as if they exist in real life. It was a bold move by The Pokemon Company to move forward with this game, but it seems to have paid off!

RELATED: Pokemon Go: Everything You Need To Know About Daily Adventure Incense

Sure the game is popular, but most don't know what it takes to be the best trainer they can be. You, too, could become a Pokemon Master - if you learn these expert tips.

Updated by Gabrielle Huston on December 21, 2022: Now that we know more about Pokemon Go, we can really give you tips that will move you from a beginner Pokemon trainer to an expert in no time!

7 Make Lots Of Best Buddies At Once

Pokemon Go - Buddy Pokemon (instructional image) (left becoming best buddies with Mewtwo) (right Mewtwo summary)
Pictures via @casgroenigen05 on Twitter

In Pokemon Go, you can have a Buddy: a Pokemon you've caught who follows you around as you play! You'll earn hearts with your Buddy for performing particular tasks, like taking snapshots of them and battling together. The more hearts you earn, the higher your friendship level will rise with that Pokemon! They'll start to bring you gifts and help catch other Pokemon, and, at the highest level, 'Best Buddy,' your Pokemon gets a boost to its CP and a special ribbon!

Of course, getting to that highest level is really difficult. You need 300 hearts together! Consequently, it takes a long time to accomplish and players are constantly bemoaning the process. However, there's one thing that expert players to do that casual players don't: they earn hearts with up to 20 Pokemon in the same day!

You can earn at least six hearts with 20 Pokemon each day because you can swap your Buddy Pokemon 20 times in 24 hours. Six might not sound like a lot when your goal is 300, but it chips away quicker than you might think! Just feed your Pokemon some berries, take a snapshot and play with them in AR, then do three practice battles with the Team Leaders (you don't even need to finish it, just surrender after you've landed a hit or two in).

6 Join Raids Online If You Don't Have IRL Pokemon Go Friends

Several Pokemon Go Raids throughout a crowded city with the Pokemon Go logo in the corner

Pokemon Go is a game best enjoyed with friends! Of course, not everyone knows people in real life who also love Pokemon Go. It can feel kinda unfair, considering how you need so many players to have a chance at defeating a powerful raid boss. Luckily, Remote Raid Passes have allowed you to join all over the world... for 100 Poke Coins a pop. Check out our guide for tips on how to earn Poke Coins without spending too much real money.

If you're willing to drop that amount, you're in luck! There are tons of forums online where players will post their local raids and swap Friend Codes so that they can invite you along. Check out apps like PokeRaid and Raid Party, or groups on sites like Facebook and Reddit.

5 Perfecting Your Pokemon's Moveset

Pokemon Go - Pokemon's moves circled

Merely looking at a Pokemon's Combat Points won't ensure that you win battles. Be sure to check out each Pokemon's moves! A Pokemon may have lower Combat Points, but if its techniques are much stronger, it will be the better choice in battles. Choosing the best team is critical! You can balance debuffing and buffing moves with hard hitters, moves that take a long time to charge but pack a punch with those that charge quickly but make your opponent waste their shields, etc.

RELATED: Pokemon GO: The Best Pokemon Of Every Type

Websites like PvP and apps like Poke Genie can help you assess your Pokemon's moves and what else is available to them. We have a guide to get you started that details exactly how to use TMs to change a Pokemon's moves and what kind of attacks there are.

4 Ways To Level Up Quicker

Pokemon GO Increasing Max Level Promo Art

If you're a beginner who's starting to wonder how to be an expert, you're probably getting up pretty high in the levels! Have you noticed that it's starting to get really hard to level up? You wouldn't believe how much experience you'll need to reach level 40, let alone level 50!

The best way to increase the amount of XP you're getting is to use a Lucky Egg (an item that doubles your XP gain) while doing things that give you a lot of XP:

  • Catching your first Pokemon of a day (1,500 XP)
  • Achieving a seven-day Pokemon catch streak (6,000 XP)
  • Spinning a Pokestop for the first time a day (1,500 XP)
  • Achieving a seven-day Pokestop spin streak (6,000 XP)
  • Hatching a 5KM egg (1,000 XP)
  • Hatching a 7KM egg (1,500 XP)
  • Hatching a 10KM egg (2,000 XP)
  • Hatching a Strange egg (4,000 XP)
  • Becoming Good Friends with another player (3,000 XP)
  • Becoming Great Friends with another player (10,000 XP)
  • Becoming Ultra Friends with another player (50,000 XP)
  • Becoming Best Friends with another player (100,000 XP)
  • Defeating another team's gym (1,000 XP)
  • Getting a research breakthrough (3,000 XP)
  • Evolving a Pokemon (1,000 XP)
  • Beating a 1-star raid (3,500 XP)
  • Beating a 3-star raid (5,000 XP)
  • Beating a Legendary, EX, or Mega raid (10,000 XP)
  • Beating a Legendary Mega raid (13,000 XP)

3 Find New Friends Online All Over The World

via: businessinsider.com.au

One of the main reasons to have Friends is to get gifts! Gifts are received from Pokestops and Gyms, then they can be sent to players on your Friends List. When a Friend receives it, they'll earn some Stardust and a couple of items. If you have space for an Egg in your inventory, you might get one of those, and when it hatches you'll have a foreign Pokemon! Plus, a recent update added a mechanic by which you can save postcards to catch Vivillions with different patterns from all over the world.

Use apps like PokeMate or groups on places like Facebook and Reddit to find international people's Friend Codes!

2 Walk With Your Incense!

Pokemon Go Daily Adventure Incense

New players, upon receiving an Incense and reading that it will lure Pokemon to you, think they can just pop it off while they sit at home and the Pokemon will come to them! Admittedly, that would be pretty cool, and there's probably a solid argument that that should be a feature for anyone who isn't privileged enough to walk around every day.

However, as it stands, Incense only really works if you're walking with it. Whether you're using the Daily Adventure Incense or the long-lasting regular Incense, you'll only get one or two or so Pokemon if you're not getting your steps in at the same time.

1 Practice Throwing Poke Balls, Because Excellent Throws Are Worth It

The way you throw Poke Balls has an effect on the experience you gain:

  • Nice Throw: 20 XP
  • Great Throw: 100 XP
  • Excellent Throw: 1,000 XP

Timing your shots and trying to curve a Poke Ball gives you more experience, which can lead to more Pokemon. Practice throwing balls and try to get your timing right because it will pay off in the long run. Throw the ball when the colored circle is the tiniest for the highest amount of XP! Repeated excellent throws will earn you literally thousands of XP - but they're challenging. Be sure to combine it with a curveball for an extra 20 XP!

NEXT: Pokemon Go: Complete Guide