Where to find Riolu in Pokémon Sword & Shield (Exact Map Locations)

Finding Riolu is a tradition for many Pokémon fans in each subsequent game. After all, it evolves into Lucario, a menace with great typing and a huge list of coverage moves. While in some games trainers can catch an early Riolu, like in Black and White 2, most other games save Riolu until endgame. The Galar region definitely falls under the latter category.

Riolu Location in Pokémon Sword & Shield

Riolu is one of the tougher Pokémon to find in Sword & Shield. It is located in the Giant's Cap, which can be found in the Wild Area. Head to the northernmost part of the Wild Area and then turn west; Giant's Cap will be the huge mountain with all of the snow falling down.

Trainers don't actually have to get on top of the Giant's Cap to find Riolu. The Pokémon will likely be lurking in the nearby grass. As it's snowing in this area, trainers will find the right patch of grass once they see Pokémon like Vanillite start to roam.

Be prepared to search for a while. Riolu only has a 5% chance to spawn in this area, so it might take a lot of encounters to find this little Fighting-Type.

How to evolve Riolu into Lucario in Pokémon Sword & Shield

Riolu gets a huge power spike when it evolves into Lucario. Trainers can do this in Pokémon Sword and Shield by leveling up Riolu after maxing out Happiness during the daytime. This might sound like a lot of work in Pokémon Sword & Shield, but it's actually rather easy.

Since trainers get a bike in the game, they can simply ride around with Lucario in the party to increase its happiness level. When I played the game, I personally wasted plenty of time riding around, collecting Pokémon I didn't need, and purchasing different TMs. This all makes grinding happiness on a Pokémon a lot easier, since exploring can feel less like a grind.

Want more Pokémon Sword and Shield guides? Pro Game Guides has you covered with How to start the Crown Tundra DLC in Pokemon: Sword and Shield.