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Why Won’t My Riolu Evolve in Pokémon Violet? A Comprehensive Guide

So, you’ve been patiently waiting for your adorable Riolu to evolve into the powerful Lucario in Pokémon Violet, but it’s just not happening? Don’t worry, you’re not alone! This is a common issue for trainers, but it’s usually down to overlooking one or more specific requirements. The most likely reason Riolu won’t evolve in Pokemon Violet is that it doesn’t have high enough friendship during daytime. Here’s a breakdown of the factors involved and how to troubleshoot the situation:

Friendship Level: Riolu requires a Friendship rating of at least 220 to evolve. This is almost maximum friendship, but not quite.
Daytime: Riolu must level up during the daytime in the game to trigger the evolution. The daytime hours are generally between 10:00 AM and 8:00 PM in-game time.
Leveling Up: Friendship is a level up evolution. Therefore, Riolu needs to level up after reaching the required level to be able to evolve.

Now, let’s dig deeper and explore the solutions!

Understanding the Riolu Evolution Process

Riolu’s evolution into Lucario isn’t simply about reaching a certain level. It’s a friendship-based evolution that requires specific conditions to be met. To make sure you’re on the right track, double-check all the factors involved:

Friendship/Happiness: As mentioned before, Riolu needs to have a Friendship stat of at least 220. This represents how much it likes and trusts you as its trainer.
Daytime Level Up: This is crucial! Even if your Riolu has maximum Friendship, it won’t evolve if it levels up at night. Make sure the in-game clock shows it’s daytime when you trigger the level up.
Leveling Method: The method of leveling doesn’t matter. You can use Rare Candies, battle wild Pokémon, or fight other trainers. The critical thing is to level up during the day with high friendship.

Troubleshooting Steps: Is Your Riolu Ready to Evolve?

If you’ve followed the above and your Riolu still isn’t evolving, here’s a systematic way to troubleshoot:

Check Friendship Level: Go to Cascarrafa and find the Friendship Checker. They are located in the middle section of the city, north of the large fountain and identified by their Marrill. The checker gives vague clues, such as a message stating “You clearly love your Pokémon. I can feel it.” This means Riolu is closed to evolving but not quite there yet. It’s best to keep increasing friendship until the character mentions that your Pokemon is completely loyal to you.
Increase Friendship Further: Even if the Friendship Checker suggests high friendship, it might not be quite at the 220 threshold. Spend more time with your Riolu, use Friendship-boosting items, and avoid actions that decrease Friendship.
Confirm Daytime: Make absolutely sure it’s daytime in the game when you level up Riolu. Check the time on your Nintendo Switch and compare it to the in-game time. If you are playing at night, you can change the time setting on your Nintendo Switch itself to simulate daytime.
Level Up Again: Once you are certain the Friendship is maximized and it’s daytime, level up your Riolu again. If you used a Rare Candy the first time, try battling and earning experience points this time, or vice versa.
Rule out Glitches: While rare, glitches can occur. Save your game, restart your Nintendo Switch, and try the evolution process again.

Optimizing Friendship Gain

Maximizing Friendship with Riolu can be done more efficiently with these tips:

Catch in a Luxury Ball: Catching Riolu in a Luxury Ball provides a small initial boost to its Friendship.
Hold a Soothe Bell: Giving Riolu a Soothe Bell to hold will further increase the rate at which Friendship increases. You can find the Soothe Bell in Cascarrafa, awarded by a woman in front of a Pokémon Center for showing her a happy Pokémon.
Cook Sandwiches: Some sandwiches, especially those with Sweet Herba Mystica, provide a substantial boost to Friendship when eaten.
Use Vitamins and Berries: Using Vitamins (like Protein, Iron, Calcium, etc.) and EV-reducing Berries (like Pomeg, Kelpsy, Qualot, etc.) increases friendship.
Walking and Battles: Simply having Riolu in your party and walking around or battling will gradually increase its Friendship.
Avoid Fainting: Allowing Riolu to faint in battle decreases Friendship, so keep it healed and protected.
Pokémon Amie: Use Pokémon Amie to actively play and bond with your Riolu. This also increases friendship.

The Friendship Checker Location in Cascarrafa

Finding the Friendship Checker in Cascarrafa is essential. You need to head to the middle of the city.

Go towards the northern section of Cascarrafa, by the large fountain.
Look for an NPC (Non-Player Character) with a Marrill next to them.
Talk to this NPC, and they will check the Friendship level of your chosen Pokémon.

Remember, the checker provides vague hints, not exact numbers. You’re aiming for the most positive response possible.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How do I know if my Riolu has reached max friendship?

The Friendship Checker in Cascarrafa will give you an indication. The most positive responses, such as them saying your Riolu is completely loyal to you, indicate near-maximum Friendship. Remember that it has to be a Friendship stat of at least 220 to evolve.

2. Does the level of Riolu affect its ability to evolve?

No, the level itself doesn’t matter. Riolu can evolve at any level as long as its Friendship is at least 220 and it levels up during the day.

3. What time is considered daytime in Pokémon Violet?

Daytime is generally considered to be between 10:00 AM and 8:00 PM in-game time. It’s best to level up Riolu closer to midday to ensure it counts as daytime.

4. Can I use Rare Candies to evolve Riolu?

Yes! You can use Rare Candies or any other method to level up Riolu, as long as its Friendship is high enough and it’s daytime.

5. Does letting Riolu faint affect its friendship?

Yes, letting Riolu faint in battle lowers its Friendship. Try to keep it healthy and avoid having it faint.

6. Is there an item that can instantly max out Riolu’s friendship?

Unfortunately, there isn’t a single item that instantly maximizes Friendship. You need to use a combination of methods like Soothe Bell, sandwiches, and avoiding fainting.

7. Can Riolu evolve at night if its friendship is maxed?

No, Riolu will not evolve at night, regardless of its Friendship level. It absolutely has to be daytime.

8. Does battling stronger Pokémon increase friendship faster?

The strength of the Pokémon you battle doesn’t directly affect Friendship gain. The key is simply participating in battles without Riolu fainting.

9. Can I change the time on my Nintendo Switch to make it daytime in the game?

Yes, you can temporarily change the time on your Nintendo Switch in the system settings. However, be cautious as this can affect certain in-game events and time-based mechanics. Change the time back when you’re done evolving.

10. Is Riolu a rare Pokémon in Pokémon Violet?

Riolu is not particularly rare. It can be found in South Province Area Four. Look around rocky or mountainous areas.

11. Does the weather affect Riolu’s evolution?

No, the weather does not affect Riolu’s evolution. The only requirement is that it levels up during the daytime.

12. How many steps do I have to walk to increase friendship?

You gain 1 friendship every 256 steps. That means you have to walk 56064 steps for Riolu to evolve.

13. Can I breed Riolu?

No, Riolu cannot breed because it is a baby Pokémon. You need to evolve it into Lucario first, and then you can breed Lucario with a Ditto.

14. What berries increase friendship in Pokémon Violet?

Certain berries can increase friendship, particularly the EV-reducing berries. These are:

Pomeg Berry
Kelpsy Berry
Qualot Berry
Hondew Berry
Grepa Berry
Tamato Berry

15. Can I reverse a friendship decrease if I accidentally let Riolu faint?

Yes, you can mitigate the Friendship decrease by using Friendship-boosting items, giving Riolu massages, and spending more time with it in your party.

Conclusion

Evolving Riolu into Lucario in Pokémon Violet requires patience and attention to detail. By carefully monitoring its Friendship level, ensuring it levels up during the daytime, and utilizing Friendship-boosting methods, you’ll soon have your own powerful Lucario to add to your team. Remember to check out resources like the Games Learning Society (GamesLearningSociety.org) for insights into game mechanics and learning through play.

Why won’t Riolu evolve violet?