Pokemon Go Excited State Emotion Point Decay Guide

by VanityDestroyer

Introduction

This is a follow up post to my previous write-up Analyzing the Excited State of the Buddy System. This analysis takes an in-depth look at Emotion Point (EP) Decay from the Excited State as well as during the Non-Excited State. A look at these mechanics will hopefully provide a further understanding on how to reach the Excited State efficiently and extend it for long periods of time. Four topics will be covered with accompanying evidence:

1. Excited EP Decay After Initial Loss Accelerates
2. Non-Excited EP Decay
3. Non-Excited EP Decay After Initial Loss Accelerates
4. The Efficient Method of Reaching and Extending the Excited State

Protocol

Each topic has start and end time points accompanied by an imgur gif album (as the topic title) to provide a visual of interactions and mood changes. This time my Lucario, Blackberry, was maintained at either 1 EP from excited (31 EP) or excited (32 EP) throughout the first portion of this analysis. Throughout the second portion Lucario was maintained at either smiling (7EP) or happy (8EP). A mix of team leader battles (EP is awarded for simply entering the battle and exiting immediately), berry feeding, play, and snapshot were the interactions primarily used. These reward 1 EP and have a 30 minute cooldown.

Excited EP Decay After Initial Loss Accelerates

I had shown that the excited state is lost after 40 minutes from the last interaction with your buddy. A few trainers had asked what happens after 40 minutes? Is the rate at which EP is lost accelerated or does it continue to be -1EP every 40 minutes? The following example confirms that the initial decay timer from excited is 40 minutes from the last interaction followed by a loss of 1 EP every 10 minutes after.

1. Lucario begins in the Excited State at 10:53AM and then excitement is lost. Note that Lucario has 1 Battle Together heart. Lucario enters a team leader battle at 10:54AM to regain the Excited State in addition to obtaining a Battle Together heart. This means that a potential heart is not lost as long as the interaction brings your buddy to excitement.
2. 40 minutes pass without any additional interactions and Lucario loses its excited state at 11:34AM as is known.
3. An additional 11 minutes pass with no interactions for a total of 51 minutes from the last interaction. At 11:45AM a team leader battle is completed but fails to return Lucario to the Excited State. A berry is then given and the Excited State is reached. This finding shows it requires two interactions to return to excited meaning -2EP has occurred within 51 minutes.
4. A 49 minute timer from 11:46AM is then set to test if 50 minutes is the turning point to go from one interaction to two interactions to return to the Excited State. After 40 minutes at 12:26PM the Excited State is lost.
5. An additional 9 minutes pass with no interactions for a total of 49 minutes from the last interaction. At 12:35PM a team leader battle is completed and successfully returns Lucario to the Excited State. This finding confirms that after the initial loss of 1EP at 40 minutes, -1EP then occurs every 10 minutes.

Non-Excited EP Decay

In my previous post I had assumed a maximum of 8EP/hour prior to excited can be reached by completing 2 cycles of the 4 basic interactions (play/snapshot/berry feed/team leader battle) every 31 minutes. It had been pointed out that reaching excited took longer than the expected 4 hours. It is likely that decay occurs before the 31 minute timer. I sought out to find when the decay occurs from the last interaction with a suggestion of 25 minutes from commenters. The following example indeed shows that the initial decay timer is 25 minutes from the last interaction.

1. Lucario undergoes the 4 basic interactions to reach 8EP, or happy, at 11:13AM.
2. Mood was observed at 11:38AM. As theorized the mood changes from happy to neutral; 25 minutes after the last interaction results in a loss of 1 EP.
3. At 11:45AM a team leader battle was carried out to bring Lucario back to 8EP. Can the decay be prevented by using an interaction that is on cooldown? A 24 minute timer was set to test this.
4. At 12:09PM another team leader battle was carried out and mood was observed shortly after to detect any changes. If the subsequent interaction has to be off cooldown to reset the decay timer then a mood change is expected. The happy state was preserved at 12:10PM. This echoes back to a previous finding that any interaction, even if it’s on an EP cooldown, can refresh the decay timer.
5. Mood was observed at 12:34PM, 25 minutes from the latest interaction. A loss of 1EP occurred as expected.

Non-Excited EP Decay After Initial Loss Accelerates

Since the rate changes for the Excited State after initial EP loss; I wondered if the Non-Excited decay rate also changes to -1EP every 10 minutes after. This would mean -2EP at 35 minutes from the last interaction. The following example shows that after the initial EP loss at 25 minutes from the last interaction, the rate changes to -1EP every 10 minutes.

1. At 1:27PM a snapshot is used to bring Lucario to 8EP. A 36 minute timer is set.
2. At 2:04PM a team leader battle is completed, but fails to return Lucario to the happy state. A berry is then given and the happy state is reached. This finding shows it requires two interactions to return to happy meaning -2EP has occurred within 36 minutes.
3. A 34 minute timer from 2:04PM is then set to test if 35 minutes is the turning point to go from one interaction to two interactions to return to happy. At the end of the timer at 2:39PM a team leader battle is completed and successfully returns Lucario to the happy state. This finding confirms that after the initial loss of 1EP at 25 minutes, further loss of -1EP then occurs every 10 minutes.

The Efficient Method of Reaching and Extending the Excited State

The following is an improved guide on the quickest way to have your buddy reach the Excited State using only the 4 basic interactions. When you swap in your buddy it actually begins at 2EP. Therefore if the 4 basic interactions are done periodically while simultaneously preventing the 25 minute decay then the whole process takes 4 hours at 8EP/hour (2EP => 10EP => 18EP => 26EP => 32EP). This can be achieved more quickly by mixing in other interactions that reward EP.

1. Swap in your buddy of choice. Perform the following interactions: play, snapshot, feed 3 berries, and team leader battle.
2. Set a 31 minute timer (setting a timer is helpful; I chose 31 minutes to make sure the cooldowns definitely reset). If possible be mindful of the 25 minute decay from the last interaction. Prevent decay by throwing in any interaction before the timer reaches 6 minutes remaining.
3. Repeat 4 basic interactions at end of timer. Note that only 1 berry is required to reward 1 EP.
4. Reset 31 minute timer and repeat until excited.

A layout with times is provided to get a sense of scheduling (assume interactions and setting the timer takes 1 minute):
12PM – Swap in Lucario and play/snapshot/feed 3 berries/team leader battle, set 31 min. timer

12:15PM – Snapshot to prevent decay

12:32PM – Play/snapshot/berry feed/team leader battle, set 31 min. timer

12:51PM – Snapshot to prevent decay

1:04PM – Play/snapshot/berry feed until full to gain heart/team leader battle, set 31 min. timer

1:25PM – Snapshot to prevent decay

…

4:16PM – Play/snapshot – excited!

To extend the Excited State there are a few options depending on how many interactions you’d like to commit and how often. You can interact with your buddy before decay sets in at 40 minutes and set 39 minute timers. Alternatively you can interact with your buddy before 50 minutes (1 interaction), 60 minutes (2 interactions), 70 minutes (3 interactions), or 80 minutes (4 interactions). Past 80 minutes requires more than the 4 basic interactions and then you’ll have to wait 30 minutes to reach excited again. Bummer. The question arises is it critical to be in the Excited State at all times? I would say no since once you hit excited you will be credited with the half distance candy anyways. So decide for yourself what timers you’d like to set if any.

Believe it or not trying to excite your buddy is still very time consuming and arduous. Regardless I hope this analysis is helpful to squeeze out those extra candies and hearts.

Conclusion

1. From excited -1EP occurs 40 minutes after the last interaction, followed by -1EP every 10 minutes.
2. Before excited -1EP occurs 25 minutes after the last interaction, followed by -1EP every 10 minutes.
3. Use any interaction before enough time has elapsed from the last interaction to refresh the decay timer.