Lucario, and its unevolved form Riolu, have returned in Pokémon Legends: Arceus. A fan-favorite Pokémon since its original debut in Pokémon Diamond & Pearl, it is only fitting that this Fighting/Steel Aura Pokémon finds itself in the Hisui region of Pokémon Legends: Arceus. With Lucario being one of the most recognized Pokémon globally, many players will want to include one in their team as they explore the region and fill out their Pokédex.
In Pokémon games, not all Pokémon of the same species are created equal, a tradition upheld in Pokémon Legends: Arceus. Of the many various factors that influence how powerful a Pokémon can be, the creature's Nature can make a drastic change in the performance of a Pokémon in battle. A Pokémon's Nature can be found in its summary, with each type of Nature corresponding to a specific stat change. For example, of the 25 Natures in the game, the 20 non-neutral Natures correspond to a 10% increase in one stat and a 10% decrease in another stat. With that much of an adjustment, the wrong Nature can make a player's Lucario take a whole extra turn before fainting the opposing Pokémon.
When players catch Lucario in Pokémon Legends: Arceus, the Nature of the Pokémon will be predetermined. Thankfully, players that have fully upgraded their farm in Jubilife Village can farm for Mints, a consumable that can be fed to Lucario or Riolu to change its current Nature to a more desired one. This freedom to change the Nature of a Pokémon allows players that caught a Shiny Riolu or Lucario (or have grown attached to their current companion) to change the stats of their Pokémon to increase its capacity in battles.
The Best Nature for Lucario & Riolu in Pokémon Legends: Arceus
When it comes to best Natures, Pokémon Legends: Arceus departs from previous games in the franchise. While Natures remain important in Pokémon Legends: Arceus, changes to the battle system and the introduction of Move Mastery have altered the importance of various stats. In addition, with less emphasis on trainer battles than other games in the Pokémon franchise and the lack of a competitive scene, the job of Lucario on a player's team is different than in previous games.
In Pokémon Legends: Arceus, the best Nature for Lucario has changed. In the past, Physical Lucarios would utilize either Adamant or Jolly, while Special Lucarios would use the Modest or Timid Nature. But in Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Lucario's movepool has been reduced. Players will want a nature that increases Lucario and Riolu's speed but doesn't reduce the move options available to the Pokémon. While Jolly and Timid would increase Lucario's Speed, those Natures would also reduce its Special Attack and Attack. With its already below-average defenses, Hasty and Naive become the best Natures for Lucario.
Lucario is one of the best Fighting-type Pokémon that makes perfect use of the Hasty or Naive Nature. The speed increase provided by these Natures is important for determining base-turn order in Pokémon Legends: Arceus's new battle system. Meanwhile, Effort Levels and Strong Style can allow the player's Lucario or Riolu to capitalize on the increased move variety afforded by not specializing in either Physical or Special moves. With either of these natures, players will be able to breeze through most of the content currently available in Pokémon Legends: Arceus.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus is available now on Nintendo Switch.