How to Evolve Riolu into Lucario

How to Evolve Riolu into Lucario

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Evolving Pokémon has always been one of the most exciting parts of the franchise. Some evolutions happen by leveling up, others require items, and a select few depend on unique conditions. Riolu, a Fighting-type “baby Pokémon” introduced in Generation IV, falls into that last category. Unlike many Pokémon, Riolu does not evolve through simple leveling. Instead, it requires high friendship (happiness) and daytime level-up conditions to evolve into Lucario, one of the most popular and powerful Fighting/Steel Pokémon.

In this detailed guide, we’ll explore what Riolu is, why its evolution matters, the exact conditions you need to fulfill, tips to speed up friendship, and troubleshooting advice if your Riolu still isn’t evolving. Whether you’re playing Pokémon Scarlet & Violet, Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, Sword & Shield, or older titles, the core method remains the same.

What is Riolu?

Riolu is a Fighting-type baby Pokémon first introduced in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. It is known as the Emanation Pokémon because it can sense and communicate emotions through aura waves. While Riolu itself has decent early-game potential, its true power comes from evolving into Lucario, a dual Fighting/Steel-type Pokémon famous for its role in competitive battling and the anime series.

Why Riolu’s Evolution Matters

  • Lucario is stronger: Higher base stats in Attack, Speed, and Special Attack make it far more effective in battles.
  • Steel typing advantage: Lucario gains resistance to multiple types and becomes a versatile counter.
  • Wide movepool: Lucario can learn powerful moves like Aura Sphere, Close Combat, Meteor Mash, and even Psychic-type coverage.
  • Mega Evolution (in older games): In titles with Mega Evolution, Lucario can mega evolve into Mega Lucario, one of the strongest Pokémon ever released.

Because of these advantages, evolving Riolu is almost always worth the effort.

Core Requirement: Friendship (Happiness)

The main condition for evolving Riolu is high friendship, also known as happiness in older games. Unlike standard leveling, this mechanic measures the bond between trainer and Pokémon.

What Friendship Means in Pokémon

  • Friendship is an invisible value (0–255).
  • Riolu must reach at least 220 friendship points before it can evolve.
  • Once this threshold is met, the next level up during daytime triggers evolution.

Ways to Increase Riolu’s Friendship

Here are proven methods to raise friendship faster:

  1. Walk with Riolu in your party
    Simply keeping Riolu in your active party boosts friendship over time.
  2. Win battles without fainting
    Using Riolu in successful battles strengthens the bond. Make sure it doesn’t faint, as that reduces friendship.
  3. Use friendship-boosting items
    • Soothe Bell: A held item that increases friendship growth by 50%.
    • Friendship Berries: Like Sitrus, Tamato, and Grepa berries, which both lower effort values and increase happiness.
    • Vitamins: Items like Protein, Iron, and Calcium also help raise friendship.
  4. Use Poké Amie, Camp, or Picnics (game dependent)
    In X & Y, Sword & Shield, and Scarlet & Violet, spending time with Riolu in interactive features raises friendship.
  5. Massages & Grooming
    Certain NPCs in games like Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl offer friendship services.
  6. Avoid negative actions
    • Don’t let Riolu faint repeatedly.
    • Don’t feed it bitter herbal medicine (like Energy Root), as that lowers friendship.

By consistently applying these actions, you’ll build Riolu’s friendship much faster.

Time-Specific Evolution: Daytime Level-Up

Friendship alone is not enough. Riolu will only evolve when it levels up during the daytime.

What Counts as Daytime?

  • In most Pokémon games, 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM is considered daytime.
  • The in-game clock is synced to your system’s real-world clock unless you manipulate time settings.

So even if your Riolu is at maximum friendship, it won’t evolve if it levels up at night. Simply wait until the correct daytime window and try again.

Step-by-Step Guide to Evolving Riolu

Here’s the exact process, broken into steps:

  1. Catch or hatch Riolu – Depending on your game, Riolu might be obtained through breeding, gifts, or rare encounters.
  2. Keep Riolu in your party – Start building friendship right away.
  3. Equip Soothe Bell – If available, give Riolu the Soothe Bell to maximize growth.
  4. Battle with Riolu – Use it in fights and avoid fainting.
  5. Give berries/vitamins – Supplement battles with items that boost friendship.
  6. Check friendship level – Many games have NPCs that indicate your Pokémon’s friendship (e.g., Veilstone City in BDSP).
  7. Level up during daytime – Once friendship is high enough, level up Riolu between 10 AM and 8 PM.
  8. Enjoy your Lucario! – Congratulations, your Riolu has evolved.

Evolving Riolu in Different Pokémon Games

Although the method is consistent, each game has slight variations:

Pokémon Scarlet & Violet

  • Friendship + daytime level up still required.
  • Use picnics, sandwiches, and walking with Riolu to boost happiness.

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl

  • Friendship checker NPC in Eterna City.
  • Massages in Veilstone City help.

Pokémon Sword & Shield

  • Use Pokémon Camp for bonding.
  • Curry cooking also boosts friendship.

Older Generations (Gen IV – VI)

  • Called “happiness” instead of friendship.
  • Soothe Bell and massages remain useful tools.

No matter the version, the core rule doesn’t change: friendship + daytime level up.

Tips to Speed Up the Process

Want Lucario as soon as possible? Use these tricks:

  • Exp. Candy farming: In modern games, use Exp. Candy to level Riolu during daytime.
  • Bike riding with Riolu: Steps count toward friendship increases.
  • Spam low-level battles: Quick wins raise happiness faster than rare defeats.
  • Check with NPCs often: Don’t waste time overestimating your progress—confirm it.
  • Plan level ups carefully: Save exp. candies or Rare Candies until daytime so evolution triggers right away.

Troubleshooting: Why Isn’t Riolu Evolving?

If Riolu refuses to evolve, double-check these factors:

  1. Friendship not high enough – You might think it’s maxed, but it’s not. Visit a friendship checker NPC.
  2. Wrong time of day – Did you level up at night? Try again during daytime hours.
  3. Recent fainting – If Riolu fainted, friendship may have dropped below the threshold.
  4. Game bugs/quirks – Rare, but if you’ve checked everything, try restarting or re-leveling.

Fix the issue, and Riolu should evolve correctly.

Why Lucario is Worth the Effort

Once evolved, Lucario becomes one of the most versatile Pokémon available:

  • Dual typing advantage – Fighting + Steel covers Fairy, Ice, Rock, and Dark weaknesses.
  • Great stats – High Attack, Special Attack, and Speed.
  • Wide movepool – Can use Aura Sphere, Close Combat, Bullet Punch, Psychic, Earthquake, and more.
  • Competitive viability – A frequent choice in online battles and tournaments.
  • Strong lore – Lucario is a fan-favorite Pokémon with a strong anime presence.

Simply put, the effort of evolving Riolu pays off long-term, no matter your play style.

Final Thoughts

Evolving Riolu into Lucario isn’t as straightforward as leveling up, but with patience, proper care, and attention to time of day, you’ll unlock one of the most iconic Pokémon in the franchise. The key points to remember are:

  • Max friendship first (220+ points).
  • Level up during daytime to trigger evolution.
  • Use tools like Soothe Bell, picnics, massages, and berries to raise friendship quickly.
  • Don’t let Riolu faint, and avoid bitter items.

Once you succeed, you’ll gain Lucario—a powerhouse capable of carrying your team through both casual adventures and competitive battles.

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