Is Riolu Good in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl Playthrough?
Riolu has the type edge here and should clean up Roark's team.
Riolu trades roughly evenly with Gardenia's team.
Riolu trades roughly evenly with Maylene's team.
Riolu trades roughly evenly with Crasher Wake's team.
Fantina's team hits Riolu's weaknesses hard.
Riolu has the type edge here and should clean up Byron's team.
Riolu has the type edge here and should clean up Candice's team.
Riolu trades roughly evenly with Volkner's team.
Aaron's team hits Riolu's weaknesses hard.
Riolu trades roughly evenly with Bertha's team.
Riolu trades roughly evenly with Flint's team.
Lucian's team hits Riolu's weaknesses hard.
Riolu trades roughly evenly with Cynthia's team.
Riolu cannot be caught in this game. It must be traded in from a compatible game where it appears in the wild. Cross-region trading typically becomes available after defeating the Elite Four.
How to Get Riolu in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl
No wild encounters for Riolu in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl. Bring Riolu over from Diamond & Pearl, Platinum, or Scarlet & Violet, then level through the stages. Each step in the chain is laid out below.
How to Obtain Riolu in BDSP
Step 1Riolu ✓CARTRIDGE TRADEfrom Sword & ShieldAvailableCatch in Sword & Shield via Overworld · Giant's Cap · Snowstorm, then trade to the current game via link cable.CARTRIDGE TRADEfrom Legends: ArceusAvailableCatch in Legends: Arceus via Walking · Snowfall Hot Spring, then trade to the current game via link cable.LATER APPEARANCEfrom Diamond & PearlNot TradeableAppears in Diamond & Pearl via Gift · Iron Island. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom PlatinumNot TradeableAppears in Platinum via Gift · Iron Island. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom Black & WhiteNot TradeableAppears in Black & White via Walking · Challenger's Cave. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom Black 2 & White 2Not TradeableAppears in Black 2 & White 2 via Walking · Floccesy Ranch. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom X & YNot TradeableAppears in X & Y via Walking · Route 22. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom Sun & MoonNot TradeableAppears in Sun & Moon via Walking · Poni Grove. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.
Step 2Evolve into Lucario
Riolu Weakness
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 |
What is Riolu Weak Against
AvgBest Pokemon Against Riolu
 Kadabra Psychic | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Riolu View Kadabra builds →Dream Eater 2x226-267%KO Dazzling Gleam 2x121-142%KO | ||
 Mr. Mime PsychicFairy | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Riolu View Mr. Mime builds →Dream Eater 2x195-230%KO Dazzling Gleam 2x156-185%KO Aerial Ace 2x47-55% | ||
 Golbat Poison | C | |
Obtain MethodMt Coronet Surfing | ||
 Masquerain Bug | C | |
 Hypno Psychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Riolu View Hypno builds →Dream Eater 2x153-181%KO Dazzling Gleam 2x84-99% | ||
Kadabra Psychic | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Riolu View Kadabra builds →Dream Eater 2x226-267%KO Dazzling Gleam 2x121-142%KO | ||
Mr. Mime PsychicFairy | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Riolu View Mr. Mime builds →Dream Eater 2x195-230%KO Dazzling Gleam 2x156-185%KO Aerial Ace 2x47-55% | ||
Golbat Poison | C | |
Obtain MethodMt Coronet Surfing | ||
Masquerain Bug | C | |
Hypno Psychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Riolu View Hypno builds →Dream Eater 2x153-181%KO Dazzling Gleam 2x84-99% | ||
Mr. Mime PsychicFairy | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Riolu View Mr. Mime builds →Dream Eater 2x198-233%KO Dazzling Gleam 2x159-187%KO Aerial Ace 2x44-52% | ||
Kadabra Psychic | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Riolu View Kadabra builds →Dream Eater 2x227-268%KO Dazzling Gleam 2x121-144%KO | ||
Golbat Poison | C | |
Obtain MethodMt Coronet Surfing | ||
 Staraptor Normal | B | |
Masquerain Bug | C | |
Masquerain Bug | C | |
Mr. Mime PsychicFairy | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Riolu View Mr. Mime builds →Dream Eater 2x190-225%KO Dazzling Gleam 2x152-179%KO Aerial Ace 2x43-52% | ||
Kadabra Psychic | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Riolu View Kadabra builds →Dream Eater 2x218-258%KO Dazzling Gleam 2x117-139%KO | ||
Golbat Poison | C | |
Obtain MethodMt Coronet Surfing | ||
Staraptor Normal | B | |
 Chimecho Psychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Riolu View Chimecho builds →Dream Eater 2x182-214%KO Dazzling Gleam 2x97-114%KO | ||
Masquerain Bug | C | |
Mr. Mime PsychicFairy | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Riolu View Mr. Mime builds →Dream Eater 2x192-227%KO Dazzling Gleam 2x153-181%KO Aerial Ace 2x43-51% | ||
Kadabra Psychic | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Riolu View Kadabra builds →Dream Eater 2x220-260%KO Dazzling Gleam 2x117-139%KO | ||
Golbat Poison | C | |
Obtain MethodMt Coronet Surfing | ||
Chimecho Psychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Riolu View Chimecho builds →Dream Eater 2x182-214%KO Dazzling Gleam 2x97-114%KO | ||
Masquerain Bug | C | |
Mr. Mime PsychicFairy | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Riolu View Mr. Mime builds →Dream Eater 2x192-227%KO Dazzling Gleam 2x153-181%KO Aerial Ace 2x43-51% | ||
Kadabra Psychic | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Riolu View Kadabra builds →Dream Eater 2x220-260%KO Dazzling Gleam 2x117-139%KO | ||
Golbat Poison | C | |
Obtain MethodMt Coronet Surfing | ||
 Xatu Psychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Riolu View Xatu builds →Future Sight 2x224-264%KO Air Slash 2x140-165%KO Dazzling Gleam 2x100-118%KO | ||
Staraptor Normal | B | |
Kadabra Psychic | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Riolu View Kadabra builds →Future Sight 2x272-320%KO Dazzling Gleam 2x121-144%KO | ||
 Granbull Fairy | C | |
Mr. Mime PsychicFairy | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Riolu View Mr. Mime builds →Dream Eater 2x195-230%KO Dazzling Gleam 2x157-185%KO Aerial Ace 2x43-51% | ||
In Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, Clefable can KO Riolu with Moonblast (84-100%). Salamence threatens a KO with Earthquake (113-133%). Alakazam's Psychic also KOs at 169-198%.
 Clefable Fairy | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityMagic Guard ItemLeftovers NatureBold Moves
Damage vs Riolu View Clefable builds →Moonblast 2x84-100%KO Knock Off11-13% | ||
 Salamence Dragon | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityIntimidate ItemLife Orb NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Riolu View Salamence builds →Earthquake113-133%KO | ||
 Alakazam Psychic | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityMagic Guard ItemLife Orb NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Riolu View Alakazam builds →Shadow Ball50-59% Psychic 2x169-198%KO Focus Blast75-88% Energy Ball56-66% | ||
Riolu Evolutions
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
BDSP Riolu Best Moveset
70 Attack at 60 Speed with hidden AbilityPrankster giving priority to status moves. Fighting pre-evo stats across 40/40/40 bulk. The moveset runs priority support at low power. One evolution from Lucario where Fighting/Steel TermStab at 110/115 mixed stats reach B-tier.
Best Build
Riolu best EVs are Sp. Def and HP
Wall Moveset
- Roar
- Copycat
- Toxic
- Substitute
Moves List
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.
How to Read the Moves Table
Tabs
- Level-Up
- Learned by leveling up.
- TM
- Taught by a Technical Machine.
- Egg
- Inherited via breeding.
- Tutor
- NPC tutor (cost: items, BP, money).
- Reminder
- An NPC reteaches any move this Pokemon could have learned by leveling up.
- Transfer
- Carried over from an older game using Pokemon HOME.
- Event
- Given out through Mystery Gift events.
Visual Signals
CAT (Category)
How the move deals damage and which stats it uses.
A small dot on the icon's corner marks the move as contact. That triggers abilities like Static, Flame Body, Rough Skin, or Iron Barbs, plus items like Rocky Helmet and Sticky Barb.
Tier (S to D)
Each move's competitive rank in RankedBoost's system. TM, Egg, and Tutor sort by tier by default (best first). On Level-Up, click the Tier header to do the same.
PWR (Power)
Base damage. Numbers shown in a type color include STAB (base × 1.5). Hover any colored number to see the math.
— means no power (status moves) or variable power.
Sorting & Filter
Click any column header to sort. Level-Up opens with Lv 1 at the top. TM, Egg, and Tutor open with the highest-tier moves at the top.
Search filters by move name or type. The Filter button limits the list to STAB, Physical, Special, or Status moves.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Base Stats
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.
The aura that emanates from its body intensifies to alert others if it is afraid or sad.
Its body is lithe yet powerful. It can crest three mountains and cross two canyons in one night.
Riolu Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl Guide
Riolu isn't catchable in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl. Catch one in Sword, Shield, or Legends: Arceus, then trade it to Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl.
In Brilliant Diamond & Shining 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.
Game Availability
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 1RB
Red & Blue - Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 3FRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 4DPDebut
Diamond & Pearl - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 5BW
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen 8BDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 9SV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves