Riolu's spread isn't flashy. Attack leads, Sp. Atk trails, 0 stats clear the bar. Moderately hard to find and worth 1 Attack EV, on a 1.06M XP medium-slow curve.
They communicate with one another using their auras. They are able to run all through the night.
It has the peculiar power of being able to see emotions, such as joy and rage, in the form of waves.
Riolu's Fighting typing leaves it vulnerable to Flying, Psychic, and Fairy. 3 weaknesses is about average, nothing too hard to play around.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Flying, Psychic, Fairy |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Bug, Rock, Dark |
Espeon can KO Riolu with Psyshock (114-134%). Whimsicott deals 72-86% with Moonblast.
 Espeon Psychic | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityMagic Bounce ItemLeftovers NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Riolu View Espeon builds →Psyshock 2x114-134%KO | ||
 Talonflame Fire | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityFlame Body ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureJolly Moves View Talonflame builds →
| ||
 Whimsicott GrassFairy | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityPrankster ItemCovert Cloak NatureBold Moves
Damage vs Riolu View Whimsicott builds →Moonblast 2x72-86% | ||
 Salamence Dragon | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityIntimidate ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Riolu View Salamence builds →Earthquake61-71% | ||
 Alakazam Psychic | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityMagic Guard ItemFocus Sash NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Riolu View Alakazam builds →Psychic 2x131-155%KO Shadow Ball39-46% Focus Blast58-69% Dazzling Gleam 2x78-92% | ||
Riolu is the baby form here. It evolves into Lucario by leveling up, but you can't breed it directly. Hatch one by breeding the evolved forms instead. The evolved forms gain up to 240 total stats over Riolu. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Still unevolved, still relevant. Riolu's Eviolite bulk with spread EVs creates a defensive profile that punches above its stage. Prankster adds passive value. Copycat gives it offensive presence.
Best Build
Riolu best EVs are Attack and Sp. Def
Bulky Support Moveset
- Copycat
- Earthquake
- Drain Punch
- High Jump Kick
Recommended Teammates
Doubles Physical Tank Moveset
- Coaching
- Quick Guard
- Helping Hand
- Feint
Recommended Teammates
Doubles Bulky Support Moveset
- Coaching
- Quick Guard
- Copycat
- Brick Break
Recommended Teammates
Doubles Physical Attacker Moveset
- Copycat
- Upper Hand
- Reversal
- Bullet Punch
Recommended Teammates
Physical Tank Moveset
- Copycat
- Unknown
- Bullet Punch
- Close Combat
Recommended Teammates
Bulky Support Moveset
- Copycat
- Earthquake
- Drain Punch
- High Jump Kick
Doubles Physical Tank Moveset
- Coaching
- Quick Guard
- Helping Hand
- Feint
Doubles Bulky Support Moveset
- Coaching
- Quick Guard
- Copycat
- Brick Break
Doubles Physical Attacker Moveset
- Copycat
- Upper Hand
- Reversal
- Bullet Punch
Recommended Teammates
Physical Tank Moveset
- Copycat
- Unknown
- Bullet Punch
- Close Combat
Recommended Teammates
Legends: Arceus uses different battle mechanics.
Competitive build content is not applicable for this game. Select a main series game for builds.
Bulky Support Moveset
- Unknown
- Copycat
- Roar
Recommended Teammates
Moves
Breadth over depth defines this movepool. Riolu won't stack one type's damage ceiling, but coverage across 12 types means it always has an effective option. Focus Punch and Close Combat anchor the STAB core.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Breadth over depth defines this movepool. Riolu won't stack one type's damage ceiling, but coverage across 12 types means it always has an effective option. Close Combat and Focus Blast anchor the STAB core.
Riolu's movepool balances level-up moves with TM options. Consistent STAB comes from Close Combat and Aura Sphere, and coverage across 10 types keeps opponents from switching in for free. No major gaps here.
The natural movepool does the job, but Agility and Bite from the egg pool give Riolu something extra. Pair those with Focus Punch and High Jump Kick for STAB and coverage across 8 types for reach, and the kit fills out nicely.
Riolu sits at low spawn rates across 16 spots in early-game routes. Pick one from the sorted list and commit to it. Jumping between areas wastes more time than waiting in the right location.
Best Locations to Catch Riolu in Scarlet & Violet
16 walking encounters at Lv. 12-65 for Riolu across Scarlet and Violet. A few locations are version-exclusive, so your copy of the game affects what's available.
Riolu doesn't appear in Legends: Z-A. Transfer it from Diamond, Platinum, or Scarlet to add it to your collection. Check the source games below for encounter details.
Riolu appears at decent spawn rates across 2 spots in mid-game routes. Sort by Best below if you want the highest rate, or Earliest if you want the quickest access point in your playthrough.
Best Locations to Catch Riolu in Legends: Arceus
No wild encounters for Riolu in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl. It's available in Diamond, Platinum, or Scarlet and can be transferred over. The details below show where to find it.
Riolu is not available as a wild encounter in this game.
Catch in the wild in:
Then trade to Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl.
Also found in:
Get Riolu to Lucario by leveling up. At 285 BST, Riolu is just the starting point.
Across 14 games, Riolu has solid availability. First showed up in Legends: Z-A. The latest games to include it are Platinum and HeartGold & SoulSilver.
Riolu appears in 14 games, including Platinum, HeartGold & SoulSilver, and Diamond & Pearl.
Riolu does the job early-game if you need a Fighting type on your team. Evolve it into Lucario before the later gyms and it holds up fine through the story.
Riolu first appeared in Diamond & Pearl and has been available in 14 games across 7 generations. Obtainable through catching or hatching as a base form in most titles where it appears.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 1RB
Red & Blue - Gen 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3FRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 4DPDebut
Diamond & Pearl - Gen 5BW
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 8BDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 9SV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves