Evolving Riolu into Lucario in Pokémon Black and White 2 requires raising its friendship level to maximum during the daytime. Unlike standard Pokémon that evolve purely by reaching a specific level, Riolu depends entirely on the bond you share with it, making friendship your primary mechanic to manage.
Finding and evolving this Fighting-type duo is a classic milestone in the Unova region. Let's break down everything you need to know to secure Lucario on your team efficiently, avoiding common mistakes that stall friendship gains.
Where to Find Riolu in Pokémon Black 2
Before you can evolve Riolu, you need to catch one. In Pokémon Black 2, Riolu appears early in the game at Floccesy Ranch, located just west of Floccesy Town.
- Encounter Rate: Riolu has a 5% encounter rate in the tall grass at Floccesy Ranch.
- Level Range: Wild Riolu typically spawn between levels 5 and 7.
- Catching Tips: Bring a supply of Poké Balls and a Pokémon with a status-inflicting move like Sleep Powder or Thunder Wave to make the capture easier. Because its catch rate is moderate, you might spend a few minutes searching the patches of grass.
Understanding the Friendship Mechanic
Friendship—often referred to as happiness in older generations—ranges from 0 to 255. Riolu requires a friendship value of 220 or higher to trigger its evolution. Similar analysis on the subject has been provided by BBC.
When you catch Riolu, its base friendship starts at 70. Every action you take with Riolu in your active party either increases or decreases this hidden meter. You cannot see the exact number, but you can check your progress by visiting the Friendship Checker in Castelia City.
Speak to the woman in the game freak building (the 11th floor of the Castelia Unity Company building, or the massage giver in the same city) to get qualitative feedback on how much your Riolu likes you. If she says, "It looks very happy with you. It must love you a lot," you are ready to evolve.
Step-by-Step Guide to Raising Friendship Fast
Raising friendship takes time, but specific actions accelerate the process significantly. Follow these steps to maximize friendship gains every single day.
- Keep Riolu in Your Active Party: Just walking around with Riolu in your party increases friendship. Every 256 steps you take adds a small amount of friendship, provided Riolu isn't fainted.
- Win Battles: Defeating trainers and wild Pokémon raises friendship. Make sure Riolu participates in battle or at least stays healthy. If Riolu faints often, you lose friendship points.
- Use Vitamins and Battle Items: Giving Riolu items like Protein, Iron, Calcium, Zinc, Carbos, and HP Up boosts friendship substantially.
- Win Gym Battles and Major Fights: Taking down Gym Leaders, rival battles, and elite opponents gives a nice friendship boost to all active party members.
- Get Daily Massages: Visit the massage therapist in Castelia City once per day. This gives a massive, free boost to friendship instantly.
- Equip the Soothe Bell: Give Riolu the Soothe Bell to hold. Found on Route 3 in Black 2, this item multiplies all friendship gains by 1.5, cutting the required time and steps down noticeably.
Common Mistakes That Lower Friendship
Certain actions actively punish your bond with Riolu. Avoid these pitfalls to keep your progress moving forward.
- Letting Riolu Faint: Whenever Riolu faints in battle, it loses friendship points. Keep healing items stocked and switch it out if a battle looks too dangerous.
- Feeding Bitter Medicine: Items purchased from the Pharmacy in Reversal Mountain (like EnergyPowder, Energy Root, Heal Powder, and Revival Herb) are cheap, but they taste bitter. Using them lowers friendship significantly. Stick to standard healing items and expensive vitamins instead.
- Trading: If you trade Riolu to another game cartridge and back, its friendship resets to the base value of 70. Always raise friendship on the save file where you plan to keep the Pokémon.
Triggering the Evolution: Daytime Only
Once your friendship hits 220 or higher, the final step requires precise timing.
- The Time Window: You must level up Riolu between 4:00 AM and 7:59 PM (Daytime in the Unova clock). If you level it up at night (8:00 PM to 3:59 AM), the evolution will not trigger, even with maximum friendship.
- How to Level Up: Use a Rare Candy or win a battle to trigger a level-up during the day. The moment Riolu hits the next level, the evolution sequence will start automatically, transforming your small fighting type into Lucario.
For more details on item locations and Unova mechanics, check the official Bulbapedia resource or reference general walkthroughs on IGN.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I evolve Riolu at level 5?
Yes. If you manage to raise Riolu's friendship to 220 at level 5 (through vitamins, mass massages, and holding the Soothe Bell), you can evolve it immediately upon reaching level 6 during the day.
Where do I find the Soothe Bell in Black 2?
You can find the Soothe Bell on Route 3 inside the house near the Pokémon Nursery, or from a resident in the area. It is a held item that increases friendship gains by 50 percent.
Why won't my Riolu evolve even though it likes me?
Check two things: the time of day and Riolu's level. If it's currently night in your game clock, wait until morning. If Riolu hasn't leveled up yet, you need to gain one more level via battle or a Rare Candy while the friendship requirement is already met.
Does the level matter for Lucario's moveset?
Lucario learns powerful moves like Aura Sphere and Close Combat naturally as it levels up. Evolving Riolu early means Lucario will learn these moves at earlier levels than a base Riolu would, though you can always use the Move Reminder in Mistralton City with a Heart Scale to recover missed moves.
