How To Evolve Riolu Gen 7

How to Evolve Riolu in Pokémon Gen 7: A Complete Guide

So, you've got yourself a Riolu in Pokémon Sun and Moon, or Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, and you're ready to evolve it into the powerful Lucario? Excellent! This guide will walk you through the exact steps needed to accomplish this evolution. It's not as straightforward as simply leveling up, so pay close attention!

Understanding Riolu's Evolution Requirements

Unlike many Pokémon, Riolu doesn't evolve simply by reaching a certain level. Riolu requires a specific condition to evolve: high friendship. This means you need to build a strong bond with your Riolu before it's ready to transform into Lucario.

How to Increase Riolu's Friendship

Here's a breakdown of the most effective methods to boost your Riolu's friendship level:

1. Leveling Up Consistently:

While not the fastest method, consistently battling and leveling up your Riolu is a crucial aspect of raising its friendship. Make sure it participates actively in battles, don't just bench it.

2. Using Friendship-Boosting Items:

Several items in Pokémon Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon can significantly increase friendship. These items are usually found throughout the game and include:

• Friendship-raising Berries: These are readily available throughout the game, and feeding them to your Riolu is an effective method.
• Soothe Bell: Equipping your Riolu with a Soothe Bell will boost its friendship gain after battles.

3. Avoiding Harsh Training:

While battles are essential for leveling, avoid letting your Riolu faint frequently, as this will decrease its friendship. Also, try to avoid using moves that can inflict severe damage to it (like extremely powerful attacks).

4. Using Affection Techniques:

In addition to battling and using items, interact frequently with your Riolu to increase its affection, which directly translates to friendship.

• Talking to it: Regularly interact with it in your party.
• Petting (in the game): Access the Pokémon refresh section to interact with it by petting.

Knowing When Riolu is Ready to Evolve

There's no in-game meter to precisely measure friendship. However, there are some indications your Riolu is ready to evolve:

• During battle: The game hints are the most reliable indicators. A shiny heart will often appear next to its HP bar and it will even be mentioned if your Riolu has enough friendship.
• Using the Affection section: In the refresh section, you can check a friendship gauge through interactions.

The Final Step: Evolution!

Once your Riolu's friendship is high enough, simply level it up. This can be done through battling wild Pokémon or trainers. Upon reaching the next level, Riolu will evolve into Lucario!

Conclusion

Evolving Riolu into Lucario requires patience and dedication. By consistently leveling it up, using friendship-boosting items, avoiding harsh training, and showing it some affection, you can easily form the strong bond necessary for the evolution. Good luck, and happy training!