How to Recruit Pokemon Easily

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

All Beginner's Tips Articles