Raid Parties & Friendship Bonuses

Why party up

Raids are tuned for **groups**. Soloing is possible on some tiers with high investment, but most legendaries expect **4–8 trainers** with type counters.

Friendship levels that matter in raids

| Level | Extra damage in raids (with friend in lobby) | |-------|---------------------------------------------| | Good Friends | Small boost | | Great Friends | Moderate boost | | Ultra Friends | Strong boost | | **Best Friends** | **Maximum raid damage bonus** |

You must be **friends in-game** and both join the **same raid lobby** for the bonus to apply. Remote raiders count if friendship qualifies.

Building a raid party (family workflow)

1. **Pick a tier** — 1–3 star for practice; 5-star/Mega for premium rewards. 2. **Share counter types** — everyone opens our **Raid** lobby or species page for the boss. 3. **One Mega or Primal** if available — boosts same-type allies for the whole lobby. 4. **Remote passes** — friends can join from home; respect daily pass limits.

Etiquette

• **Rejoin if kicked by bug** — re-invite from friends list.
• **Don't leave at 15 seconds** unless the lobby is dead — give locals time to arrive.
• **Gift daily** — friendship XP is the long game for Best Friends damage.

Kid-friendly summary

Raids are boss fights you do with friends. The game gives you a **damage bonus** when you raid with people you've played with a lot. Send gifts, battle together, and raid on Community Day — that's how families hit Best Friends without grinding strangers.

Verify live

Lobby size caps and remote pass rules change. Cross-check Niantic news when a new season starts.