Why Isn’t My Scarlet Riolu Evolving? A Comprehensive Guide
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So, you’ve got a Riolu in Pokemon Scarlet, you’ve showered it with love and affection, and yet, it stubbornly refuses to evolve into the magnificent Lucario. What’s going on? The most common reasons your Riolu isn’t evolving are insufficient friendship, leveling up at the wrong time of day, or leveling through auto-battles. Let’s dive into each of these, along with some lesser-known culprits, to get your Riolu evolving ASAP!
Unpacking the Evolution Requirements
Riolu’s evolution mechanic is unique, relying on both friendship and the time of day. It’s not simply a matter of reaching a certain level. Here’s a breakdown:
- Friendship: Riolu needs a friendship value of 220 or higher to be eligible for evolution. This is often referred to as “high happiness” or “near maximum friendship.”
- Daytime: Riolu must level up during the day in the game. The daytime in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet runs approximately from 6:00 AM to 7:59 PM in-game time.
- Leveling Up: The actual evolution trigger is leveling up. Your Riolu will not evolve unless it gains a level while the other conditions are met.
- Manual Leveling: Crucially, leveling up through auto-battles (Let’s Go mode) will prevent evolution. You must level up Riolu by battling Pokemon and gaining experience manually.
If even one of these criteria isn’t met, your Riolu will remain a Riolu. Let’s troubleshoot each aspect in detail.
Friendship: Are You Really Best Friends?
Friendship in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is a hidden stat, but there are ways to check it.
Checking Riolu’s Friendship
Unfortunately, Scarlet and Violet don’t give you an exact numerical value for friendship. Instead, you’ll rely on an NPC:
- The Friendship Checker: Head to Cascarrafa. On the middle level of town, near the fountain (east of the southwestern Pokemon Center), you’ll find an NPC who can assess your Pokemon’s friendship.
The Friendship Checker’s dialogue provides clues. Here’s how to interpret her responses:
- If she says something like, “It seems to really love you! It’s without a doubt your best friend!”, you’re likely at or very near the 220 friendship threshold.
- Lesser affection will result in less enthusiastic remarks, indicating you need to boost your Riolu’s friendship further.
Boosting Friendship: The Fast Track to Lucario
Here are the most effective methods for increasing Riolu’s friendship:
- Walking: Simply having Riolu in your party and walking around the world increases its friendship over time.
- Leveling Up (Manually): Gaining levels through battles, especially against challenging opponents, is a significant friendship booster.
- Picnics: Washing your Pokemon during a picnic provides a substantial friendship boost. Interact with Riolu during the picnic too!
- Soothe Bell: This held item dramatically increases the rate at which friendship grows. Obtain it in Cascarrafa after speaking to the woman at the Pokemon Center.
- Vitamins: Using vitamins like Protein, Iron, Calcium, etc., will raise friendship, in addition to raising base stats.
- Friend Ball: Catching Riolu in a Friend Ball from the outset increases its base friendship, making it easier to reach the required threshold.
- Avoid Fainting: Fainting significantly decreases friendship. Keep Riolu healthy in battles!
- Berries: Certain berries, particularly those that lower EVs (like Pomeg, Kelpsy, Qualot, Hondew, Grepa, and Tamato Berries), increase friendship alongside their EV-reducing effects. These are particularly useful if you aren’t too worried about specific EV training for your Riolu/Lucario.
Friendship Don’ts: What Hurts Your Bond
Certain actions actively harm your friendship with Riolu:
- Letting it Faint: As mentioned before, fainting is a major friendship killer.
- Using Revival Herbs, Energy Powder, Heal Powder, and Energy Root: These items, while useful, negatively impact friendship. Opt for Potions and other healing items instead.
Daytime Dilemmas: Timing is Everything
Even with maxed-out friendship, Riolu will not evolve at night. Make sure you’re leveling up during the daytime hours in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. If you are unsure of time, simply wait until the sun is up in the game before leveling it up.
The Auto-Battle Trap: A Critical Mistake
This is a common pitfall! Leveling Riolu through auto-battles with the Let’s Go feature will NOT trigger evolution, even if all other conditions are met. You must level it up by engaging in trainer battles and wild encounters and gaining EXP manually.
Still Stuck? Other Potential Issues
If you’ve addressed the above points and Riolu is still not evolving, consider these less common possibilities:
- Glitches: Though rare, game glitches can sometimes interfere with evolution. Try restarting your game or console.
- Incorrect Information: Double-check that you’re truly meeting all requirements. Sometimes, assumptions can lead to errors.
Celebrate Your Lucario!
Once your Riolu finally evolves, you’ll have a powerful and versatile Lucario ready to take on the challenges of the Paldea region! Enjoy battling alongside this amazing Pokemon! GamesLearningSociety.org is a great place to look for community and support.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How do I easily evolve Riolu into Lucario in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet?
The easiest method is to give Riolu a Soothe Bell, ensure it doesn’t faint in battles, walk around with it in your party, wash it during Picnics, feed it Vitamins or EV reducing Berries, and level it up manually (through battles, not auto-battles) during the day.
2. How do you check happiness (friendship) in Pokemon Scarlet?
Visit the Friendship Checker NPC in Cascarrafa, located on the middle level of town near the fountain (east of the southwestern Pokemon Center). She will assess your Pokemon’s friendship level based on her dialogue.
3. Does Riolu only evolve during the day?
Yes, Riolu only evolves when leveled up with high enough friendship during the day. Nighttime level-ups will not trigger the evolution.
4. How many steps does it take to max happiness in Riolu?
The exact number of steps varies depending on Riolu’s base happiness and any friendship-boosting items. However, expect to take a minimum of approximately 38,400 steps without the Soothe Bell or 19,200 with the Soothe Bell. Using other methods can lower the amount of steps necessary to reach 220 friendship.
5. Why is Lucario so rare in Pokemon Scarlet?
Lucario itself isn’t found in the wild. You can only obtain it by evolving Riolu, and Riolu has a relatively low spawn rate in specific areas, making the process time-consuming and reliant on some luck.
6. Why does it take so long to evolve Riolu?
The combination of needing high friendship and a daytime level-up makes the evolution process take some time. It requires consistent effort in raising Riolu’s friendship through various methods.
7. Why did my Pokemon not evolve when auto-battling?
Pokemon WILL NOT EVOLVE if they level up with auto-battling (Let’s Go mode). This is likely intentional to prevent players from trivializing evolution mechanics. You must level up Riolu manually.
8. Is Lucario a worthwhile Pokemon to use in Scarlet and Violet?
Yes! Lucario boasts high Attack and Special Attack stats and a versatile movepool, making it a strong addition to any team.
9. What Pokemon in Scarlet and Violet need to be traded to evolve?
While Riolu doesn’t evolve through trading, some other Pokemon in Scarlet and Violet that do require trading to evolve are: Scyther (holding Metal Coat), Slowpoke (holding King’s Rock), and Haunter.
10. How do you increase friendship in Scarlet and Violet most effectively?
Combine multiple methods: Give Riolu a Soothe Bell, walk with it, wash it during picnics, feed it vitamins or EV-lowering berries, and avoid fainting in battles.
11. What happens if Riolu levels up at night?
Nothing. If Riolu levels up at night, it will not evolve, regardless of its friendship level. You’ll need to level it up again during the day.
12. Can Riolu evolve at level 100?
Yes, provided its friendship level is 220 or higher and it levels up during the day (6:00 AM to 7:59 PM in-game time). If it reaches level 100 without meeting these conditions, it will not evolve.
13. What are the best locations to find Riolu in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet?
Riolu can be found in the areas around North Province (Area One). Keep an eye out for them, and remember that their spawn rate can be low, so persistence is key.
14. What stage does Riolu evolve at?
Riolu doesn’t evolve at a specific level. It evolves when it levels up with high friendship (220 or higher) during the day. It could be level 10, or level 99.
15. Is there a specific held item required for Riolu to evolve?
No, Riolu does not require a specific held item to evolve. However, holding the Soothe Bell will greatly accelerate the friendship-building process.
I hope this information helps you evolve your Riolu into the powerful Lucario! Good luck, and happy battling! The Games Learning Society is a group of research scholars and game designers dedicated to advancing the design and understanding of games for learning and engagement.