Pokemon Scarlet and Violet: How to get Riolu and Lucario

While a new generation of Pokemon games means fresh faces, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet have a healthy mix of some popular old ones too. A few of them, like Primeape, even got a powerful new evolution for fans to add to their party. One such older pocket monster that players can get their hands on in the new Paldea region is Riolu and Lucario.

Game Freak has populated Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Pokedex with 400 entries for players to fill up and complete. Along with the usual regional forms, the new Generation 9 titles also boast Paradox Pokemon, divergent evolutions, and new Legendary pocket monsters.

The love that the Pokemon community has for Riolu and Lucario is reasonably well-established, especially with Ash winning the long-coveted World Championships with his Lucario performing quite well in the party. This guide shows how players can get their hands on their own Riolu and Lucario in the new region.

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How can players obtain Riolu and Lucario in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet?

The Fighting-type baby Pokemon Lucario was introduced by Game Freak in Generation 4 with Diamond and Pearl. The blue and black color combination, along with the bipedal Pocket Monster, has become iconic ever since. In Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, players can come across Riolu in the southwestern parts of the Paldea map, especially in the South Province (Area Four).

If players need help coming across Riolu, they can make a sandwich with Encounter Power fighting to boost their chances of encountering the Pokemon. Before discussing how to evolve the Emanation Pokemon to its much-celebrated form, players can encounter Lucario in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet in the wild.

The Pocket Monster can rarely be seen in the southeastern region of the Paldea map, especially in the North Province (Area One and Two) and (South Province Area Four and Six). To evolve Riolu into Lucario, players must have a high friendship level with the baby Pokemon.

Players can increase their friendship level with their critters by exploring, battling, and utilizing the newly-introduced mechanics of picnics. Another option to quickly increase it by giving Riolu a Soothe Bell to hold. Once the criteria of high friendship level are completed, the Pokemon will evolve into Lucario when leveled up during the day, through either battling or EXP Candy.

Lucario, also known as the Aura Pokemon, is a dual-type Fight and Steel Pocket Monster that is a beast to have in any battle party. Moves like Bullet Punch, Meteor Mash, and Aura Sphere (which can be crafted through TM) allow it to pack quite a punch and make it a formidable ally to have on your side.

Although Pokemon Scarlet and Violet launched to a mixed reception from fans and critics because of their severe performance issues, recent Nintendo reports reveal that they have cumulatively sold more than 10m+ units within three days of their release. This breaks all previous records for being the biggest Pokemon, Switch, Nintendo, and console-exclusive launch of all time.