As you venture through Galar and the Isle of Armor, you’ll encounter some strong Pokémon and even stronger trainers. You’ll have to make sure you have leveled up your own team enough to counter most of the threats that you’re faced with.

Of course, battling is the oldest and most obvious method for gaining EXP and ultimately leveling up a Pokémon. But, there are a few other methods for gaining that sweet, sweet EXP. From camping to Max Raid Battles, here are all the different ways to gain EXP in Sword & Shield.

8 Friendship

Friendship has been a staple of the series since Pokémon Yellow in the late ’90s. Over the years, its role has been expanded and changed, now amounting for a significant portion of your interactions with your Pokémon.

Luckily, friendship level can now determine how fast a Pokémon levels up. At higher levels of friendship, your Pokémon gains more EXP for every battle. This means you can increase their level faster when they like you.

7 Rare Candies

Another staple of the franchise that was introduced in the earliest games is Rare Candies. These hard-to-find items will increase a Pokémon’s level by one. They’re hard to find in most games, but Sword & Shield has made them pretty easy to get your hands on.

There are plenty of places around Galar (specifically the Wild Area) where one can find Rare Candies just lying about. They can also be given as a reward for completing a Max Raid Battle.

6 EXP Candies

While you’re trying to grab those amazing Rare Candies from Max Raid Battles, you’ll also start receiving EXP Candies. These new types of candy were introduced in Generation VIII and come in a few sizes: XS, S, M, L, and XL.

Each size provides a different amount of EXP, with the EXP Candy XL providing a whopping 30,000 EXP. You’ll have quite a few of these in your Bag after completing some Max Raid Battles, so make sure to put them to use.

5 PokéJobs

You may have noticed the PC in the Pokémon Center has an option for PokéJobs. If you’re unfamiliar, these are small tasks you can assign a group of Pokémon to based on what the employer is looking for.

After completing the job, your Pokémon may bring you some items and, if they did a good job, they’ll receive some EXP. Some of these will really give you quite a staggering bit of EXP, so don’t forget about them!

4 Traded Pokémon

It’s an age-old tip that traded Pokémon receive a boost to their EXP in battle over the Pokémon you catch yourself. This boost is a significant 1.5x multiplier, which is nothing to shake a stick at.

Luckily, trading Pokémon is easier than ever before (except for maybe the GTS). If you want something at a high level, consider asking a friend to catch you one and trade it to you. It’ll level up much faster than catching your own.

3 Camping - Curry

Sword & Shield have introduced a new mechanic that is a godsend for those trying to increase EXP gain or friendship levels. That mechanic is curry and more specifically cooking it for your Pokémon while camping.

The quality and ingredients of your curry will determine how much it does for your team, including healing status conditions, restoring PP, and of course, giving EXP. Experiment with different berry types and get ready to tap that A button furiously if you want the best curry possible.

2 Camping - Playing

While you’re camping and making curry for your Pokémon, you might want to spend some time taking out the toys and playing with them. Doing this can grant them EXP points as well as increasing affection (which in turn, increases EXP gain).

There are two toys to play with: the Poké Toy and the ball. Both are pretty fun and easy to use, so definitely worth the time and effort. Note that your Pokémon may grow tired of playing and not want to anymore after a certain amount of time.

1 Lucky Egg

The holy grail of EXP gain is the Lucky Egg. This funny little item will increase the amount of EXP a Pokémon earns when they are holding it. It can be found in Hulbury after completing a few tasks.

After defeating Champion Leon, head to Hulbury’s resident seafood restaurant, the Captain’s Table, and talk to the chef. After completing three deliveries for him, the chef will give you the Lucky Egg. Pop the item onto a Pokémon that you want to level up, and you’ll notice their EXP gain increasing before your eyes.

NEXT: Pokémon: 10 Pokémon That Don’t Have An Evolution That Should