Pokémon Scarlet and Violet: How to get Soothe Bell

Friendship has always been a somewhat mysterious mechanic in the Pokémon games. There are limited ways to know how friendly your Pokémon are, and increasing it can be more complex than you’d expect. Thankfully, held items like the Sooth Bell help streamline the process. Here’s our guide on how to get the Soothe Bell in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.

Note: For more information about the game, check out our Pokemon Scarlet and Violet guides and features hub.

How to get Soothe Bell in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

The Soothe Bell is a held item that has been featured in the Pokémon series since Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald. When held by a Pokémon in your party, it increases the rate at which that Pokémon’s friendship value grows by 50%. This stacks with other friendship-boosting effects such as catching a Pokémon in a Luxury Ball.

There are a few reasons why someone playing through Pokémon Scarlet and Violet would want to increase their friendship using a Soothe Bell. The most obvious is that several Pokémon have evolutions that are directly tied to friendship. Some popular examples include Eevee, Pichu, and Riolu. Also, the power of some moves like Frustration and Return is determined by a Pokémon’s friendship level.

The location of Delibird Presents’ Mesagoza City branch. Screenshot by PC Invasion

To obtain a Soothe Bell in the new Pokémon games, you need to buy one from Delibird Presents for $5,000. The Soothe Bell is only available from the Mesagoza branch of Delibird Presents. The store can be found on the west side of Paldea’s capital city next to the Artisan Bakery.

Unlike a lot of the other useful held items, there are no specific requirements needed to purchase a Soothe Bell. You can buy a Soothe Bell in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet as soon as you clear the prologue and enter Mesagoza City for the first time. You do not need to beat any gyms, Titan Pokémon, or Team Star leaders beforehand.