Battle Points (BP) in Emerald
Battle Points (BP) are the Battle Frontier’s currency. You earn them by finishing rounds at any of the seven facilities, and spend them on held items, vitamins, move tutors and decorations. You can hold up to 9,999 BP, and they never expire, even when a streak ends.
How you earn BP
Every facility pays BP when you finish a round (a set of seven battles, a Dome tournament, a Pike challenge or a Pyramid challenge). Losing partway through a round pays nothing for that round.
Three rules apply everywhere:
- The payout grows with your streak. Each round pays a little more than the one before, up to a maximum of 15 BP per round.
- Beating a Frontier Brain adds 10 BP to that round’s payout.
- Level 50 and Open Level pay the same. Single and Double Battles don’t: Doubles pay a little more at the Tower, Palace and Factory.
BP per facility
What the first round pays, and when each facility reaches the 15 BP maximum (25 on a Brain round):
| Facility | First round pays | Reaches 15 BP per round | Paid per |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battle Tower | 1 (Singles), 2 (Doubles), 3 (Multi) | Round 15 (Singles) | 7 battles |
| Battle Dome | 1 | Tournament 29 | Tournament |
| Battle Palace | 4 (Singles), 5 (Doubles) | Round 23 (Singles), 21 (Doubles) | 7 battles |
| Battle Arena | 1 | Round 21 | 7 battles |
| Battle Factory | 3 (Singles), 4 (Doubles) | Round 25 (Singles), 23 (Doubles) | 7 battles |
| Battle Pike | 1 | Challenge 26 | 14 rooms |
| Battle Pyramid | 5 | Challenge 21 | 7 floors |
Each facility guide has the full round-by-round table: Tower, Dome, Palace, Arena, Factory, Pike and Pyramid.
What a gold streak pays
Going from zero to a gold symbol in one unbroken streak pays roughly this much, Brain bonuses included:
| Facility | Streak to gold | BP earned on the way |
|---|---|---|
| Battle Pyramid | 70 floors | 90 |
| Battle Tower | 70 battles | 75 |
| Battle Pike | 140 rooms | 56 |
| Battle Dome | 10 tournaments | 50 |
| Battle Palace | 42 battles | 50 |
| Battle Factory | 42 battles | 44 |
| Battle Arena | 56 battles | 35 |
That’s about 400 BP for all seven gold symbols, if each one comes from a single streak. In practice you’ll earn more, because most players lose a few streaks along the way and the early rounds pay again.
Other ways to get BP
- Scott’s house. The first time you visit Scott in the Battle Frontier, he gives you 1 to 4 BP, depending on how many times you met him during your journey.
- The Gambler in Lounge 3. Once you have at least three silver symbols, a man in Lounge 3 names a facility and mode and asks you to bet 5, 10 or 15 BP. Complete that challenge and he pays back double. Lose, and the bet is gone. It’s only worth it on a facility you’re confident in.
The fastest ways to farm BP
If you just want BP quickly, these are the best options:
- Battle Palace Doubles. It pays 5 BP from the very first round, the highest starting rate in the Frontier, and you don’t choose moves, so rounds go quickly. A team of four Pokémon with natures that suit the Palace (see the natures explainer) can run for a long time.
- Battle Pyramid. 5 BP per challenge from the start, and it’s the best payer on the way to gold. Challenges take longer, though.
- Battle Factory Doubles. 4 BP from the first round and no team to prepare, since you use rentals.
- A long Battle Tower Single streak. It starts slowly, but the Tower reaches 15 BP per round sooner than anywhere else (round 15). Past battle 100, a good Tower team is the most reliable steady income.
Avoid the Arena and the Dome for farming: they start at 1 BP and climb slowly.
What to buy with BP
Everything below is sold in the Battle Frontier’s Exchange Service Corner, apart from the move tutors, who are in Lounge 7.
Held items
| Item | BP | Worth it? |
|---|---|---|
| Leftovers | 48 | Yes, first buy. Good on almost any Pokémon. |
| Choice Band | 64 | Yes, for strong physical attackers. |
| White Herb | 48 | Situational: Overheat or Superpower users. |
| Quick Claw | 48 | Rarely; too random for a long streak. |
| Mental Herb | 48 | Rarely. |
| BrightPowder | 64 | Useful defensively, but random. |
| King’s Rock | 64 | Rarely. |
| Focus Band | 64 | Rarely. |
| Scope Lens | 64 | Rarely. |
Since no two Pokémon in a Frontier team can hold the same item, you’ll want different good items for each team member. A Leftovers and a Choice Band cover most teams.
Vitamins
Protein, Iron, Calcium, Zinc, Carbos and HP Up cost 1 BP each, against ₽9,800 in the Lilycove Department Store. Each one adds 10 EVs to a stat, up to 100 from vitamins, so ten of one kind does a big chunk of a Pokémon’s EV training for 10 BP. The training guide explains how to use them alongside battling.
Move tutors
The two tutors in Lounge 7 teach these moves as often as you like, paying each time:
| Left tutor | BP | Right tutor | BP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Softboiled | 16 | Defense Curl | 16 |
| Seismic Toss | 24 | Snore | 24 |
| Dream Eater | 24 | Mud-Slap | 24 |
| Mega Punch | 24 | Swift | 24 |
| Mega Kick | 48 | Icy Wind | 24 |
| Body Slam | 48 | Endure | 48 |
| Rock Slide | 48 | Psych Up | 48 |
| Counter | 48 | Ice Punch | 48 |
| Thunder Wave | 48 | ThunderPunch | 48 |
| Swords Dance | 48 | Fire Punch | 48 |
The ones worth saving for:
- Rock Slide. There’s no Rock Slide TM in Emerald, and it’s a key move for Salamence, Metagross, Swampert, Aggron and many others, especially against the legendary birds at the top of the Pyramid.
- Thunder Wave. Reliable paralysis for Pokémon that don’t get it otherwise.
- Swords Dance for physical sweepers, and Body Slam as a strong Normal attack with a paralysis chance.
- Ice Punch, ThunderPunch and Fire Punch for physical attackers that need coverage, such as Metagross.
The Battle Frontier best teams page shows which sets use these tutors.
Decorations
Dolls, cushions and posters for your Secret Base cost 16 to 256 BP. They’re purely cosmetic, so buy them once your team has what it needs.
Other Frontier rewards
Some rewards aren’t bought with BP:
- All seven silver symbols: Scott gives you a Lansat Berry.
- All seven gold symbols: Scott gives you a Starf Berry.
- 50 and 100 Battle Tower Single wins in a row: visit Scott during the streak for the Silver Shield and then the Gold Shield, two decorations.
The symbols checklist lists all 14 symbols and the streak each one needs.
FAQ
Do I lose my BP when a streak ends?
No. BP you’ve earned stays until you spend it. Only the BP for the round you were in the middle of is lost.
Do I get more BP at Open Level?
No. Level 50 and Open Level pay exactly the same.
What should I buy first?
Leftovers, then a Choice Band if your team has a strong physical attacker, then the Rock Slide tutor for whichever Pokémon needs it. Vitamins are so cheap that it’s worth buying them whenever you’re EV training.
On a run right now? Keep count of your streak and see how far you are from each symbol.
Track your streak