Riolu, the adorable Fighting-type Pokémon, is a fan favorite, largely due to its awesome evolution: Lucario. Many players of Pokémon Legends: Arceus are eager to add this powerful Aura Pokémon to their team. This guide provides a comprehensive walkthrough on how to evolve Riolu into Lucario, ensuring you have this strong ally by your side.
Understanding Riolu's Evolution Requirements
Unlike some Pokémon that evolve through level-ups or item usage, Riolu's evolution into Lucario in Pokémon Legends: Arceus hinges on friendship or happiness. This isn't a simple case of leveling up; you'll need to build a strong bond with your Riolu.
What constitutes "High Friendship"?
Pokémon Legends: Arceus doesn't have a friendship meter like some other games in the series. Instead, the game subtly indicates increasing friendship. Observe your Riolu's behavior in the game:
- Heart Animations: Pay attention to heart animations appearing above Riolu's head during battles or when you interact with it. More hearts indicate a higher friendship level.
- Increased Affection: If your Riolu is more likely to successfully avoid attacks or land critical hits, you're on the right track.
- In-Game Hints: Though indirect, the game might offer subtle hints about your Pokémon's happiness through dialogue or interactions with NPCs.
Proven Methods to Increase Riolu's Friendship
While there's no exact science, several actions reliably boost your Riolu's friendship level:
- Regular Battles: Using Riolu in battles, especially winning battles, significantly increases friendship.
- Winning Streaks: Maintaining a winning streak with Riolu further boosts friendship levels.
- Healing: Use items like Potions or X-Sprays to heal Riolu after battles. This shows you care!
- Giving Treats: Offer Riolu items like Oran Berries or other restorative berries. They show appreciation!
- Grooming: Spend time using the grooming feature to clean and care for Riolu. This is a great way to bond!
- Talk to it: Regularly interact with Riolu in your camp. Even small interactions contribute.
Critical Level:
Leveling up your Riolu to level 30 is a prerequisite. While friendship is crucial, it won't work unless Riolu reaches this level first.
The Final Evolution: From Riolu to Lucario
Once Riolu reaches level 30 and has a sufficiently high friendship level (indicated by frequent heart animations), leveling it up one more time will trigger the evolution to Lucario. You should see a dramatic animation and your Riolu will transform into its powerful evolved form.
Troubleshooting: Riolu Won't Evolve?
If Riolu isn't evolving after reaching level 30, here are a few things to check:
- Friendship Level: Ensure you've spent adequate time increasing friendship, using all the methods described above.
- Level Confirmation: Double-check that Riolu is indeed level 30 before attempting to level it up again.
- Hidden Conditions: While unlikely, there might be some unforeseen hidden conditions. Consider checking online forums for any community-discovered solutions.
Following these steps, you'll successfully evolve your Riolu into the powerful Lucario, adding a formidable Fighting/Steel-type Pokémon to your Pokémon Legends: Arceus team. Good luck, trainer!
