What can you do as a free member?

Member benefits illustration

Create your free account today and unlock all our premium features and tools to enhance your gaming experience.

Member benefits illustration

Create your free account today and save articles to your watchlist and get notified when they're updated with new information.

Member benefits illustration

Create your free account today and save your favorite games for quick access later, synced across all your devices.

Member benefits illustration

By creating a Game8 account and logging in, you'll receive instant notifications when someone replies to your posts.

Comment rating feature illustration

By creating a Game8 account and logging in, you can make use of convenient features in the comments section, such as rating and sorting comments.

Premium archive feature illustration

By creating a Game8 account and logging in, you can access Premium articles that are exclusively available to members.

Site Interface

Guest
Free Member
Article Watchlist
Game Bookmarks
Cross-device Sync
Light/Dark Theme Toggle
User Profiles
Direct Feedback
Comment Rating

Game Tools

Guest
Free Member
Interactive Map Access
Interactive Map Pins
Interactive Map Comments
Interactive Map Pins Cross-Device
Check List
Event Choice Checker
Deck Builder Cross-Device
Message Board Notification
Message Board Cross-Device
Build Planner
Stat Calculator
Diagnostic Tool
Weapon/Armor Wishlist

Want more information?Learn more

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon DX Switch

How to Recruit Pokemon Easily

Add to Watchlist

☆ Game8's Pokemon TCG Pocket Wiki is live!

Check Game8's Guide for all your needs at lightning speed!

This is a guide on how to get Pokemon to join you in Pokemon Mystery Dungeon DX for Nintendo Switch. Here you can find tips on how to best recruit Pokemon and what Items, Rare Qualities and Equipment to use.

Best Friend Pokemon for the Story

List of Contents

Ways to Recruit Pokemon

Outside of recruitment as part of the story, all Pokemon are recruited by one of the methods below.

  • Defeat Pokemon in Dungeons
  • Job Rewards
  • Give Apples to Fainted Pokemon
  • Find a Mystery House and meet the Pokemon inside

Keep in mind that Pokemon can only join your team if you have the required Rescue Camp.

Recommended Rescue Camps
and List of All Camps

Defeat Enemies in Dungeons

The most common method for recruiting Pokemon is to defeat them in Dungeons. Sometimes, when you defeat a foe, they will be impressed and decide to join your team.

If you don't have the camp necessary for the Pokemon to stay with you once you clear or leave the Dungeon, the Pokemon will only join you temporarily for the current adventure, then leave at the end, so make sure to build the camps ahead of time if you want to permanently add new members to your team.

Pokemon Can Join if Defeated by Ranged Attacks

If you defeat an enemy Pokemon with a long-ranged attack, you still have a chance to recruit it! However, there might be a limit to how far away you can be, so we recommend getting close when attempting to befriend Pokemon.

Complete Jobs

You can also recruit Pokemon by completing their jobs. Sometimes, after you've completed a job, the Pokemon who requested it will decide to join you.

If you're just looking to recruit new Pokemon to your team, this is a good method to use, as completing jobs has benefits on its own. However, if you're looking for a specific Pokemon, it's a lot more efficient to simply search for those Pokemon in Dungeons.

Rescue Fainted Pokemon

Occasionally, you will find fainted Pokemon during your adventures. If you feed these fainted Pokemon apples, they are guaranteed to join your team, so make sure to always have a few extra apples on hand just in case.

Recruit Pokemon at a Mystery House

Mystery House jp.jpg
When you enter a Mystery House, you'll occasionally find friendly Pokemon that are willing to join your team. These Pokemon are often rare and hard-to-find, but you won't know who you'll get until you enter the Mystery House.

An Invitation is Required

Invitation ImageInvitation

In order to enter a Mystery House and recruit the Pokemon inside, you'll need to bring an Invitation. Be sure to take one of these along to late-game dungeons to ensure you can get into one of these when you find it!
What Is a Mystery House?

How to Recruit Pokemon Easily

Have the Friend Bow Equipped

Friend Bow ImageFriend Bow

Considering that the Friend Bow increases the recruitment rate when the leader has it equipped, make sure that you have it equipped when you're out looking for new Pokemon to add to your team.

Take Advantage of Rare Qualities That Increase Recruitment Rate

Rare Quality
Squad Up Friendly

Both of the Rare Qualities above increase your chances of recruitment, so try to get these Rare Qualities if you can.

List of Rare Qualities

Use an Inviting Orb

Inviting Orb ImageInviting Orb

If you don't have either of the Rare Qualities we talked about above, you could also just use Inviting Orbs, which have a similar effect!
List of Orbs

How to Recruit Shiny Pokemon

You Need the Friend Bow

In order to recruit any Shiny Pokemon, you'll need to have a Friend Bow equipped on your team's leader.
How to Get the Friend Bow

Remember! Pokemon Won't Join When Defeated by Ranged Attacks

Even if you defeat a Shiny Pokemon and have a Friend Bow equipped, you might not be able to recruit them if you defeat them with a ranged attack, so be careful!
List of Shiny Pokemon and How to Get Them

Related Links

Beginner Guides Banner.png

Gameplay Basics
What is Mystery Dungeon? How to Choose Your Starter and Partner How to Use Felicity Bank
How to Raise Your Rank and Rewards What Happens On Game Over? How to Get Rescued Leveling Up at Makuhita Dojo
How to Leave a Dungeon What is Move Growth? Shiny Pokemon and How to Get Them
Strong Foes and Rewards Unrepeatable One-time Events What is a Mystery House?
How to Farm Stat Boost Items Best Items to Sell What Items to Bring to Dungeons
Kangaskhan Storage How to Use Friend Rescue -
Best Gameplay Strategies
How to Level Up Fast How to Get Money Fast Dungeon Crawling Guide
How to Grow Moves Fast How to Recruit Pokemon Easily How to Clear Monster Houses
Recommended Settings and Controls Best Linked Moves How to Steal from Kecleon
How Much Money Should I Carry Into Dungeons? What to Buy from Kecleon Shops How to Save Money Using Wigglytuff Orb and Bargain
How to Clear Dungeons Fast How to Beat Moltres and Articuno -
Tier Lists
Best Starter Pokemon Best Partner Pokemon Best Partner for Each Starter
Starter Tier List Best Friend Pokemon for the Story Best Moves
Tier List
Best Items for Boss Battles Best Equipment Ranking Best Rare Qualities

All Beginner's Tips Articles

Comment

2 Anonymous Anonymous over 5 years

So i have gotten a few recruitment with water gun at max tiles away.

1 James James over 5 years

you forgot false swipe.

Post (2 Comments)

Author

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon DX Switch Walkthrough Team
This article was created by Game8's elite team of writers and gamers.
    Leave feedback(Login required)
    Please participate in our site
    improvement survey
    12/2025
    Would you assist in
    improving Game8's site?
    ×
    This survey will take about 1 minute.
    Your answers will help us to improve our website.
    We are listening to our users' valuable opinions and discussing how to act on them.
    The information collected through this survey will be used for the purpose of improving our services. In addition, the information will only be disclosed a part of a statistic in a format that will not allow identification of personal information.
    Begin Survey
    Not Now
    ×
    Please rate each item regarding Game8.co's Advertisements.
    Amount of Ads
    Very Dissatisfied
    Somewhat Dissatisfied
    Fine
    Somewhat Satisfied
    Highly Satisfied
    Placement of Ads
    Timing of Ad Display
    Ad Loading Speed
    Safeness of Ads
    Content of Ads
    ×
    Please rate each item regarding Game8.co's Quality of Articles.
    Amount of information
    Very Dissatisfied
    Somewhat Dissatisfied
    Fine
    Somewhat Satisfied
    Highly Satisfied
    Frequency of updates
    Speed of new information
    Accuracy of articles
    Understandibility of articles
    Readability of sentences
    ×
    Please rate each item regarding Game8.co's Usability of the Site.
    Ease of finding information
    Very Dissatisfied
    Somewhat Dissatisfied
    Fine
    Somewhat Satisfied
    Highly Satisfied
    Loading Speed
    Use of Color
    Font Size
    Visibility of Images
    Easy to Understand Layout
    ×
    Please rate each item regarding Game8.co's Message Boards, Comments.
    Ease of Writing
    Very Dissatisfied
    Somewhat Dissatisfied
    Fine
    Somewhat Satisfied
    Highly Satisfied
    Readability
    Ease in Finding Information
    Comment Quality
    Comment Quantity
    Admin Response
    ×
    Please rate each item regarding Game8.co's Site's new design.
    Please rate our site's new design
    Very Dissatisfied
    Somewhat Dissatisfied
    Fine
    Somewhat Satisfied
    Highly Satisfied
    Do you think that the website's design change makes the site easier to use?
    Has the new design made it easier for you to find information on the site?
    Has the new design improved the overall visual appeal of the site?
    How would you rate your overall satisfaction with the new design of the site?
    ×
    How likely are you to recommend Game8 to someone you know?
    Very Unlikely
    0
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10
    Very Likely
    If you have other opinions regarding potential improvement to the website, please share them with us. We would appreciate your honest opinion.
    Note: This is a free response section, so you can proceed without entering anything.
    Note: Please be sure not to enter any kind of personal information into your response.
    ×
    Thank You
    ×
    Thank you for participating in our survey! Your answers will help us to improve the quality of our website and services.
    We hope you continue to make use of Game8.
    Close
    For other opinions or comments, go here.

    Rankings

    Popular Articles
    Message Board
    • We could not find the message board you were looking for.

    Gaming News

    Pokémon Legends Z-A Exclusive Café Donuts Hint At Two Legendaries Returning For Mega Dimensions DLC

    Pokémon Legends Z-A Exclusive Café Donuts Hint At Two Leg...

    Popular Games

    Recommended Games

    All rights reserved

    ©2020 Pokémon. ©1995–2020 Nintendo / Creatures Inc. / GAME FREAK inc. ©1993–2020 Spike Chunsoft. Pokémon and Nintendo Switch are trademarks of Nintendo.

    The copyrights of videos of games used in our content and other intellectual property rights belong to the provider of the game.
    The contents we provide on this site were created personally by members of the Game8 editorial department.
    We refuse the right to reuse or repost content taken without our permission such as data or images to other sites.

    Pokemon Mystery Dungeon DX Switch Walkthrough & Guides Wiki

    Quick Access
    Guide Index

    Hot Articles

    Latest News

    All Message Boards

    Dungeons

    Main Story Dungeons

    Post-Game Dungeons

    Story Walkthrough

    Beginner's Tips

    Gameplay Basics

    Best Gameplay Strategies

    Tier Lists

    Game Mechanics

    Pokedex

    Starter Pokemon

    Moves

    Items

    Abilities

    Rare Qualities

    Characters

    Rescue Camps

    Other Pokemon Wikis

    Japanese Wiki