Evolving Riolu into Lucario in Pokémon Platinum: A Comprehensive Guide
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Evolving Riolu into the powerful Lucario in Pokémon Platinum requires building a strong bond with your Pokémon and timing its level up correctly. The key is to maximize its Friendship to a value of 220 or higher and then level it up during the daytime. Achieving this involves a combination of strategic actions like using items, walking, and avoiding anything that lowers friendship. Let’s dive into the details.
Building Friendship: The Path to Evolution
Monitoring Friendship
The first step is to gain access to the Friendship Checker Pokétch app. You can obtain this from a girl in the Eterna City Pokémon Center. This app allows you to check your Pokémon’s current friendship level. To do this, simply tap and hold the Pokémon you want to check on the Pokétch screen. The number and size of the hearts indicate the friendship level:
- No hearts: Very low friendship
- One small heart: Low friendship
- Two small hearts: Moderate friendship
- Two large hearts: High friendship (sufficient for evolution)
Aim for two large hearts, as this signifies that your Riolu has reached the required friendship level.
Increasing Friendship
Several methods contribute to increasing Riolu’s friendship:
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Walking: Taking steps with Riolu in your party gradually increases its friendship. Every 256 steps taken with Riolu has a chance of raising its friendship, making this a passive yet consistent method.
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Vitamins: Giving Riolu vitamins like Protein, Iron, Calcium, Zinc, and HP Up significantly boosts its friendship. These items are relatively expensive but provide a substantial boost to friendship.
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Berries: Certain berries are specifically designed to increase friendship while lowering specific EVs (Effort Values). These berries include the Pomeg Berry, Kelpsy Berry, Qualot Berry, Hondew Berry, Grepa Berry, and Tamato Berry. If you have any EVs you’re not concerned about, these berries are a great choice.
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Soothe Bell: Equipping Riolu with a Soothe Bell increases the rate at which friendship grows. You can obtain the Soothe Bell from a house west of the Pokémon Mansion on Route 212. This item is invaluable for accelerating the friendship-building process.
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Leveling Up: Simply leveling up Riolu also increases its friendship, although the effect is less significant compared to the other methods.
Avoiding Friendship Decreases
Certain actions can negatively impact Riolu’s friendship. Avoid the following:
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Fainting: Allowing Riolu to faint in battle significantly reduces its friendship. Keep it healthy and healed to prevent fainting.
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Bitter Herbs: Using bitter herbs such as Energy Powder, Energy Root, Heal Block, and Revival Herb may heal your Pokémon, but these herbs will significantly reduce Friendship.
Timing is Everything: Daytime Evolution
Once Riolu’s friendship reaches 220 or higher (indicated by two large hearts on the Friendship Checker), the final step is to level it up during the daytime. In Pokémon Platinum, the daytime is between 10:00 AM and 8:00 PM. If you level up Riolu during this timeframe with sufficient friendship, it will evolve into Lucario.
Tips for Efficiency
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Combine methods: Utilize multiple methods to increase friendship simultaneously. Walking with a Soothe Bell equipped while occasionally using vitamins and berries will maximize your efficiency.
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Location matters: Walking in certain areas, such as populated towns, may trigger more events that subtly increase friendship.
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Patience is key: Building friendship takes time and effort. Be consistent with your actions, and you’ll eventually reach the required friendship level.
By following these steps, you can successfully evolve your Riolu into the formidable Lucario in Pokémon Platinum.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Evolving Riolu in Pokémon Platinum
What is the exact friendship level Riolu needs to evolve?
Riolu needs a friendship level of 220 or higher to evolve into Lucario. You can check this using the Friendship Checker Pokétch app.
How do I get the Friendship Checker Pokétch app?
You can obtain the Friendship Checker Pokétch app from a girl in the Eterna City Pokémon Center.
Does Riolu need to be a certain level to evolve?
No, Riolu can evolve at any level as long as its friendship is 220 or higher and it levels up during the daytime.
What time of day does Riolu need to level up to evolve?
Riolu must level up during the daytime, which is between 10:00 AM and 8:00 PM in Pokémon Platinum.
Does fainting affect Riolu’s friendship?
Yes, allowing Riolu to faint in battle will negatively impact its friendship. Avoid fainting by keeping it healed.
What items can I use to raise Riolu’s friendship quickly?
Vitamins (Protein, Iron, Calcium, Zinc, HP Up) and certain berries (Pomeg, Kelpsy, Qualot, Hondew, Grepa, Tamato) are effective for raising Riolu’s friendship. The Soothe Bell also helps increase the rate at which Friendship increases.
Where can I get the Soothe Bell in Pokémon Platinum?
The Soothe Bell can be found in a house west of the Pokémon Mansion on Route 212.
How many steps does it take to evolve Riolu with the Soothe Bell?
The number of steps needed depends on Riolu’s initial friendship level. A fresh hatch has a base happiness of 70, so you need to make up the remaining 150 friendship. As Friendship increases every 256 steps, this would take around 38,400 steps.
Do Rare Candies increase friendship?
While Rare Candies level up your Pokémon, they may not provide a significant friendship boost. It’s better to use vitamins and other friendship-boosting items.
Can Riolu evolve at night?
No, Riolu cannot evolve at night. It must level up during the daytime (10:00 AM – 8:00 PM).
What berries lower stats but raise friendship?
The Pomeg Berry, Kelpsy Berry, Qualot Berry, Hondew Berry, Grepa Berry, and Tamato Berry all raise friendship while lowering specific EVs.
How do I know if my Riolu is at maximum happiness?
Check the Friendship Checker app. If you see two large hearts when you tap and hold Riolu, it has reached max happiness and can evolve on the next level up during the day.
What happens if I level up Riolu at level 100?
If Riolu reaches level 100 without meeting the friendship requirements and being leveled up during the daytime, it will not evolve.
Can I get a massage for Riolu to increase friendship?
Yes, you can get a massage in Veilstone City or at the Ribbon Syndicate (requires a membership) to increase Riolu’s friendship.
Is Lucario rare in Pokémon Platinum?
Lucario is technically not obtainable in the wild in Pokémon Platinum. It is only obtainable by breeding or as an event Pokémon. Therefore, the difficulty in obtaining Lucario comes from evolving Riolu, which requires dedicated effort in raising friendship.
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