Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl brings players back to Sinnoh to find and catch an array of generation four fan favorites, like Lucario. Pokémon BDSP are the remakes of 2006's Pokémon Diamond and Pearl for the DS. Like other Pokémon remakes, the games retain many original features while implementing their quality of life upgrades. Such improvements include the addition of Fairy-type Pokémon in BDSP, making Lucario all the more valuable to have on a team because of its dual Fighting and Steel-type.
Typically, Fighting-type Pokémon are at a disadvantage to Fairy-types in Pokémon BDSP, receiving twice the amount of damage from Fairy-type moves and dealing half-damage with Fighting-type moves. However, because Lucario is also a Steel-type Pokémon, it negates the 2x damage received factor and can deal 2x damage with Steel-type moves. Of course, Lucario's Fighting-type moves will still only deal half damage. Lucario gains several weaknesses and resistances due to its Steel-type, but the resistances far outweigh the weaknesses in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. Steel-type Pokémon have more resistances than every other type, not including their immunity to Poison-type moves and status affliction.
Like many of Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl's best Pokémon, Lucario, cannot be captured. Instead, players will need to receive an egg, hatch a Riolu, and meet the necessary conditions to evolve it into Lucario. To obtain the Riolu egg, progress through the story in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl far enough to receive the Surf Hidden Machine, and then defeat Fantina in the Hearthome Gym to be able to use the move to get across bodies of water.
After completing both tasks, take Route 218 west of Jubilife City to reach Canalave City, home of the Steel-type Gym Leader Byron in Pokémon BDSP. In the lower-left portion of the city is a sailor who can take trainers to Iron Island. Head inside Iron Island, then work with Riley to defeat Team Galactic, and he will reward players with the Riolu egg. Riley will only give the trainer the egg if they have an open slot in their party, so be sure to explore Island Island with only five Pokémon.
How To Evolve & Train Lucario In Pokémon BDSP
After the Riolu egg has hatched, trainers will need to raise Riolu's friendship level to evolve it into Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl's Lucario. The evolution can be done by feeding Riolu certain kinds of berries and winning battles while using Riolu. In Pokémon BDSP, Rilou can walk outside of its Pokéball to also improve its friendship level. Additionally, Riolu can be given the Soothe Bell to hold, which significantly improves the rate at which friendship level increases. Once the friendship level has increased enough, Riolu will need to level up between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. to evolve into Lucario.
Lucario is one of the best Pokémon to use in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl because its stats allow it to be a solid physical or special attacker. For an excellent mixed set of attacks, players should train Lucario to use Meteor Mash, Dragon Pulse, Aura Sphere, and Extreme Speed. Extreme Speed and Meteor Mash are both physical types of attacks. At the same time, Aura Sphere and Dragon Pulse are both special types of attacks, allowing Lucario to use its stat strengths and dual-type advantages in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl are available on Nintendo Switch.