Happiness
In Pokemon Gold and Silver, many new things were introuced, one of them being happiness. Simply put, happiness is how much a Pokemon likes you or trusts you. Pokemon without adequate happiness will not obey you, unless you have enough Gym Badges.
Base Happiness
| Base Happiness | Pokemon |
| 0 | Deoxys, Groudon, Ho-oh, Kyogre, Lugia, Mewtwo, Rayquaza |
| 35 | Absol, Aggron, Aron, Articuno, Bagon, Banette, Beldum, Cacnea, Cacturne, Carvanha, Dragonair, Dragonite, Dratini, Dusclops, Duskull, Entei, Gardevoir, Houndoom, Houndour, Kirlia, Lairon, Larvitar, Metagross, Metang, Misdreavus, Moltres, Murkrow, Pupitar, Raikou, Ralts, Regice, Regirock, Registeel, Sableye, Salamence, Sharpedo, Shelgon, Shuppet, Sneasel, Suicune, Tyranitar, Umbreon, Zapdos |
| 70 | All other Pokemon |
| 140 | Blissey, Celebi, Chansey, Clefable, Clefairy, Cleffa, Jirachi, Mew |
Determine Happiness
Happiness is measured on a scale of 0-255. 0 is horrible, where 255 is great. You can go to people in the games that tell you your Pokemon's happiness. In RSE there is a woman in Vendanturf who determines your Pokemon's happiness. In FRLG Daisy Oak will determine Pokemon's happiness. Here is what they will say and what it corresponds to:
RSE: "This is a little hard for me today... Your Pokemon simply detests you. Doesn't that make you uncomfortable?"
LGFR: "Um, it's not easy for me to say this, but... is there some reason your Pokemon would hate you so much?"
Happiness Rating: 0
If this is the case, you either just got a Pokemon starting with a rating of 0, or you are trying to make your Pokemon not like you (I hope). However, frustration now works great with a power of 102.
RSE: "It's very wary. It has a scary look in its eyes. It doesn't like you much at all."
LGFR: "I don't like the way it glares at you. Could you try being a little nicer?"
Happiness Rating: 1-49
Your Pokemon detests you. You really need to do something better in raising its happiness.
RSE: "It's not very used to you yet. It neither loves you nor hates you."
LGFR: "It's not quite familiar with you yet."
Happiness Rating: 50-99
Hopefully you just got your Pokemon. Most Pokemon would be this way at the start.
RSE: "It's getting used to you. It seems to believe in you."
LGFR: "It's warming up to you. Trust must be growing between you."
Happiness Rating: 100-149
You're getting better, but still have a long way to go to get to the top.
RSE: "It likes you quite a lot. It seems to want to be babied a little."
LGFR: "It's quite friendly to you. Keep being good to it."
Happiness Rating: 150-199
You are pretty good at raising your Pokemon's happiness. Just keep it up.
RSE: "It seems to be very happy. It obviously likes you a whole lot!"
LGFR: "It looks very happy."
Happiness Rating: 200-249
Your Pokemon has your trust. For that, pat yourself on the back. Those Pokemon that evolve based on happiness will evolve around this time.
RSE: "It adores you. It can't possibly love you any more. I even feel happy seeing it."
LGFR: "It couldn't possibly love you any more than it does now. Your Pokemon is happy beyond words."
Happiness Rating: 250-255 It doesn't get better than this. Your Pokemon couldn't be more happy. Return works great now with a power of 102.
Affecting Happiness
A Pokemon's happiness can be affected for better or worse. The higher the happiness is, the harder it is to affect it positively, where the easier it is to affect it negatively. The +# is how much it affects it, where the #-### is the range for it to apply. For instances if the range is 0-99, and your Pokemon's happiness level is 200, it will not apply, where the range it does apply is 200-254.
Positively
-Walk 256 Steps. All Pokemon in the party will be affected +1.
-Daisy Oak will groom a Pokemon (FRLG). +3 if 0-199; +1 if 200-254.
-Give Pokemon Vitamins (like PP UP, Carbos, and HP UP). +5 if 0-99; +3 if 100-199; +2 if 200-254.
-Usage in Gym, Elite, Champion Battles. +3 if 0-99; +2 if 100-199; +1 if 200-254.
-Level-Up. +5 if 0-99; +3 if 100-999; +2 if 200-254
Negatively
-The Pokemon faints. +1.
-Use Enery Powder or Heal Powder. -5 if 0-199; -10 if 200-255.
-Use Energy Root. -10 if 0-199; -15 if 200-255.
-Use Revival Herb. -15 if 0-199; -20 if 200-255.
-Trading a Pokemon. If you do, its happiness will be reset to its base.
Evolving via Happiness
A variety of Pokemon even evolve via happiness. They are as follows:
| Pokemon | Evolves Into |
| Eevee | Espeon (Day); Umbreon (Night) |
| Chansey | Blissey |
| Golbat | Crobat |
| Togepi | Togetic |
| Pichu | Pikachu |
| Cleffa | Clefairy |
| Igglybuff | Jigglypuff |
| Azurill | Marill |