Hannan Mundia 
Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Red Rescue Team introduced its unique recruitment mechanic, which allows players to recruit new Pokemon rather than catching them.
One of the most enjoyable mechanics in Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Red Rescue team is adding more Pokemon to the player’s expedition team. From fan favorites to legendaries, the game is full of strong and charming members itching to join the player and their partner in conquering the most dangerous dungeons, even if the game came out before the Paldea Pokemon.
Future games in the Mystery Dungeon series allow players to utilize multiple items to increase their chances of recruiting new members. However, the same isn’t true for Red Rescue Team. Here’s how to recruit members in Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Red Rescue Team.
When can you start recruiting members in Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Red Rescue Team?
Recruitment is unlocked in Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Red Rescue Team after defeating Skarmory at the top of Mt. Steel.
After clearing Thunderwave Cave as part of the main story and completing at least two extra missions, the player gets a mission located in Mt. Steel. The task is to save Diglett from Skarmory, the boss of the 9-floor dungeon.
Completing the dungeon gives players the ability to buy Friend Areas. These areas are purchased from Wigglytuff in the Town Square and are required to recruit new Pokemon to the player’s rescue team. However, some Pokemon, like Kyogre, give players access to their Friend Area after getting recruited.
How does recruitment work in Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Red Rescue Team?
Pokemon defeated in the wild can sometimes ask to join the player’s rescue team if their specific Friend Area is unlocked.
Every Pokemon has a designated Friend Area usually related to their typing. For example, Magnemite’s Friend Area is the Power Plant while Butterfree’s is Mist-Rise Forest. Unlocking a Pokemon’s Friend Area is the first requirement for recruiting them.
The player must get the last hit on the enemy Pokemon to get a chance to recruit them. Additionally, the Pokemon must be standing adjacent to the player. This means long-range moves like Water Gun can’t recruit teammates from a distance. Finally, the party must have an empty slot to recruit an enemy Pokemon, so the player’s team can’t have more than three members.
Recruiting an enemy Pokemon in a dungeon is only the first step. The next step is to successfully make it to the end of the dungeon or a checkpoint. If the newly recruited Pokemon or the team leader faints before that, the recruited Pokemon will go away without permanently joining the team.
Most fully evolved Pokemon can’t be recruited by normal means, which means the player must recruit the initial forms before evolving them from the evolution cave. Using the Friend Bow increases recruitment chances by 10% when held by the party leader and is the only such item in the game.
