Happiness Evolution

[Lucifer Morningstar]

I'm training the Pichu from the Onix Ward Rooftop Garden. 
I loath happiness evolution but I love me some Pikachu and even more so some Raichu and so far this static Pichu seems to be the only access. 

I've taken it to both Salon ladies, given it the Soothe Belle, used two Oran Berries and Lemonade to heal it instead of the Pokemon center and haven't allowed it to faint though that has required a lot of saving and resetting the game due to Pursuit and the amount of recoil damage received from Volt Tackle. 

Yet it's still "just starting to get comfortable with me". 

It's at level 28 now and I'm worried about leveling up anymore because I'm pretty sure I lost Thunder Bolt (that's at level 25 right?) and am afraid of losing Pikechu's other good moves. 
If not for the Charge Beam TM from the first gym, I'd still be stuck with Thundershock which is particularly horrible in this game and Volt Tackle which as I've mentioned is hard on the whole 'not letting it faint' requirement due to the recoil damage. 

I'd rather avoid using the happiness barries since stats need to be sacrificed but might it be necessary?
Is there any way to speed up the process besides the Salon ladies who are quite painful to my wallet?

Did I mention I loath happiness evolution?! 

 

[Scyl]

Quote

I'd rather avoid using the happiness barries since stats need to be sacrificed but might it be necessary?

Only EVs, but you can make those back with power items with ease. As for good methods, I wouldn't know, the Budew I got from the very beginning of the game evolved into Roselia right before Julia on my latest run, so, better get to berry grinding.

[fellowry]

22 minutes ago, Verge Of Chaos said:

I'm training the Pichu from the Onix Ward Rooftop Garden. 
I loath happiness evolution but I love me some Pikachu and even more so some Raichu and so far this static Pichu seems to be the only access. 

I've taken it to both Salon ladies, given it the Soothe Belle, used two Oran Berries and Lemonade to heal it instead of the Pokemon center and haven't allowed it to faint though that has required a lot of saving and resetting the game due to Pursuit and the amount of recoil damage received from Volt Tackle. 

Yet it's still "just starting to get comfortable with me". 

It's at level 28 now and I'm worried about leveling up anymore because I'm pretty sure I lost Thunder Bolt (that's at level 25 right?) and am afraid of losing Pikechu's other good moves. 
If not for the Charge Beam TM from the first gym, I'd still be stuck with Thundershock which is particularly horrible in this game and Volt Tackle which as I've mentioned is hard on the whole 'not letting it faint' requirement due to the recoil damage. 

I'd rather avoid using the happiness barries since stats need to be sacrificed but might it be necessary?
Is there any way to speed up the process besides the Salon ladies who are quite painful to my wallet?

Did I mention I loath happiness evolution?! 

 

You can always use common candy to reduce your pichu lv to control the moveset, . if you want your pikachu to learn thunderbolt just use common candy and make sure your pichu evolve before lv 25

[Lucifer Morningstar]

I've thought of that but wouldn't common candies reduce happiness considering it forcibly weakens them?

Plus I only have 2, so not enough to get it back down below level 25. 

Edited October 22, 2019 by Verge Of Chaos

[Thebossgummy221 games]

Just now, Verge Of Chaos said:

I've thought of that but wouldn't common candies reduce happiness considering it forcibly weakens them?

Common candies only lower the level of the mons you don't want to over level from the level cap you are at. Also, Pikachu learns thunderbolt at level 42, not 25. Pokemon Reborn uses the USUM moveset for it.

[Lucifer Morningstar]

Just now, Thebossgummy221 games said:

Common candies only lower the level of the mons you don't want to over level from the level cap you are at. Also, Pikachu learns thunderbolt at level 42, not 25. Pokemon Reborn uses the USUM moveset for it.

Sweet, that's very helpful to know. 
Although I haven't looked at Pikachu I've been using Serebii's BW dex since it's the base game design-wise and thus far what I've referred to it for has been mostly accurate so I would not have thought to check another gen. 

[Lucifer Morningstar]

Wow. 
It evolved at the next level up, level 29. 
Considering the status the friendship ladies gave me that's quite unexpected but it rocks!

[Metadeth]

I'm cheap as fuck (despite having more money than what I know to do with), so what I basically do is this.

 

Give whatever mon I want to increase happiness a Soothe Bell, get the bicycle, and ride left-right along that really long road in Obsidia Ward for like 5-10 minutes. 

I just let my fingers do the work while I open up youtube on a tablet.

 

[Starry Knight]

Beryl bridge works really good as well and train station to the dessert gates in Peridot ward

Pokesnax and ice cream especially bluemoon do a wonderful job as well the vending machine in sweet shop in Obsidia save before it then but like 40-50 if none drop down soft reset. You will preferably need 3 anyways

Edited October 22, 2019 by Starry Knight