Riolu, the adorable Fighting-type Pokémon, is a fan favorite known for its potential to evolve into the powerful Lucario. Many trainers are eager to add Lucario to their team, but the evolution process isn't as straightforward as simply leveling up. This guide provides a clear, accessible walkthrough on how to evolve Riolu into Lucario in Pokémon Black 2.
Understanding Riolu's Evolution Requirements
Unlike most Pokémon that evolve through leveling up or using specific items, Riolu's evolution in Pokémon Black 2 hinges on friendship. This means you need to build a strong bond with your Riolu before it's ready to transform. But what does "friendship" actually mean in the game? It's a measure of your Riolu's happiness and affection for you.
Key Factors Affecting Riolu's Friendship
Several actions boost your Riolu's friendship level:
- Battling: Winning battles with Riolu significantly increases its friendship. Make sure it participates actively and doesn't faint too often.
- Using Vitamins: Administering vitamins like Carbos, Protein, Iron, Calcium, Zinc, and HP Up will give a considerable friendship boost. These can be purchased at various Pokémon Centers.
- Leveling Up: While not as impactful as other methods, leveling up Riolu still contributes to friendship growth.
- Using it in your party: Simply keeping Riolu in your active party, even without battling, will slowly increase friendship.
- Winning the Pokémon Contest: Participate in the Pokémon Contest, a great way to boost the bond you share.
- Grooming your Pokemon: This is less known, but using items to clean and groom the Pokemon can increase their friendship.
How to Check Riolu's Friendship
There isn't a direct friendship meter in Pokémon Black 2. However, you can get an indication of Riolu's happiness level through a few methods:
- The Pokémon's affection: Observe your Riolu's behavior during gameplay. A higher friendship level may manifest as more affectionate actions or visual cues. While not a precise measurement, this is a helpful general indicator.
- Talking to a specific NPC: In some Pokémon games, there is an NPC that assesses your Pokemon's affection/happiness levels. While I don't have access to information about every NPC in every game, you might explore this further in-game.
- External resources: Numerous online resources and fan-made tools offer approximations of friendship levels based on gameplay actions and can help you track your progress towards evolution.
The Evolution Trigger: Leveling Up with High Friendship
Once your Riolu's friendship level is sufficiently high, leveling it up will trigger its evolution into Lucario. There's no specific level requirement, so focusing on increasing friendship is paramount.
Pro Tip: Use a combination of battling, vitamins, and keeping Riolu in your active party for the fastest results. Don't neglect to regularly check your Riolu for affection cues!
Maximizing Your Chances of Success
Patience is key. The process takes time and consistent effort, but the reward of a powerful Lucario is well worth the investment. Remember to avoid letting Riolu faint frequently, as this can negatively affect friendship.
This guide covers all the crucial steps to successfully evolve your Riolu into a Lucario in Pokémon Black 2. Happy training!
