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There's no lack of Fighting or Steel-type Pokemon for trainers to have in Pokemon Sword & Shield. Those looking for a good Fighting/Steel-type with high Attack/Special Attack and Speed stats should look no further than Lucario. Introduced in Generation 4 (Sinnoh), Lucario is one of the many Pokemon to make a reappearance in Pokemon Sword & Shield.
Before the 7th generation, Lucario could only be obtained through evolution. Thanks to Sword & Shield's Wild Area, players can forgo evolving Riolu and just catch Lucario in the wild. There are three different ways of obtaining Lucario in Pokemon's 8th Generation.
Evolving Riolu
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The most familiar way of getting Lucario was by evolving Riolu. Players can capture a Riolu in the wild as a Visible Pokemon in the Giant's Cap. There needs to be a Blizzard in the Wild Area for Riolu to appear. It has a 5% chance of appearing in the tall grass.
Riolu can also be found in Max Raid Battles as a 1-star (levels 15-20) Pokemon. It can be found in Dens in the following areas:
- Dusty Bowl
- Giant's Seat
- Hammerlocke HIlls
- North Lake Miloch
- Rolling Fields
Those with the Crown-Tundra DLC can also find it as a wild Pokemon (5% appearance rate) in the Roaring-Sea Caves.
Riolu will evolve into Lucario with high Friendship, and then leveled up during the day.
The fastest way to increase Friendship in Sword/Shield is by cooking curry at the Pokemon Camp. Use rare Berries and aim for Charizard Rank curry to get the highest increase. Riolu will evolve when it has reached 220 Friendship, which is indicated by 4 "Camp Hearts."
In the Wild
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Lucario appears as a Wandering Pokemon in North Lake Miloch during sunny weather. It's the type of Wandering Pokemon that will charge at the trainer if they get too close. Lucario will be level 36 prior to the Darkest Day. At this point in-game, all Pokemon in Wild Areas (including Crown Tundra and Isle of Armor) are elevated to level 60. Therefore, trainers looking to use Lucario for the duration of Sword/Shield's story should capture it as soon as they reach level 36.
If players purchased Sword/Shield's Expansion Pack, Lucario can also be found at the Roaring-Sea Caverns in the Crown Tundra. Just like the Lucario in the Wild Area, this Lucario is a Wandering Pokemon.
With an 11.9% catch rate, players will want to use a Quick Ball and have plenty of Ultra Balls for backup. It's also a good idea to bring a Pokemon that can inflict Status Conditions. As a Steel-type, Lucario cannot be poisoned, so avoid using moves like Poison Powder or Toxic.
Max Raid Battles
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Lucario has a low chance of appearing in a Max Raid Battle with a 5% appearance rate. It will always be 5-stars, meaning its level will be from 55-60. Furthermore, because it's a 5-star Raid, Raid Battle Lucario will only be available towards the end of Sword/Shield.
Its Max Raid Battles can be found in the Wild Area at these locations:
- Dusty Bowl
- Giant's Seat
- Hammerlocke Hills
- North Lake Miloch
- Rolling Fields
With the DLC, Lucario can may appear in Dens at:
- Brawlers' Cave
- Courageous Cavern
- Stepping-Stone
Max Raid Battles can be tricky, but the Pokemon are easier to catch once they've been defeated.
Though it's recommended, players can defeat Lucario in a Max Raid Battle without having to invite other players. Unfortunately, this leaves them at the mercy of being paired up with and an A.I. that spams non-damaging moves (such as Solrock's Cosmic Power) that essentially "wastes turns."
When fighting Lucario in a Max Raid, bring Ground, Fighting, or Flying-type Pokemon. Avoid bringing Steel, Normal, or Rock-type Pokemon.
Pokemon Sword & Shield is out now for the Nintendo Switch. Its Expansion Pack (Isle of Armor and Crown Tundra) is also available for purchase.