This Fighting-type Pokemon is appearing more frequently in Max Raid Battles for a limited time.
A new event in Pokemon Sword and Shield is causing “little” Pokemon to appear more frequently in Max Raid Battles for a limited time. One of these “little” Pokemon is Riolu, the Fighting-type Pokemon that evolves into Lucario.
If you want to add Riolu to your collection in Pokemon Sword or Pokemon Shield, our guide can help you find one!
There are multiple ways to find a Riolu to battle in Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield.
First, you can visit the Pokemon Dens in the Wild Area that have a beam of light shooting out of them into the sky. Interact with one of these Dens to see which Pokemon is there to battle.
If you see the silhouette in the screenshot below, you’ll know you’ve found a Riolu to battle!
If you don’t find Riolu this way, remember that you can cause more Max Raid Battles to appear in your Wild Area by completing all of the battles that are currently active.
You can also cause a Pokemon to appear in a Pokemon Den by tossing a Wishing Piece into it. (Wishing Pieces can be purchased from the Watts Traders found throughout the Wild Area.) To use a Wishing Piece, interact with a Pokemon Den that doesn’t have an active Max Raid Battle to collect your Watts. Interact with the Den a second time, and you’ll be asked if you want to use a Wishing Piece. Choose “Yes,” and a Pokemon will appear in the Den for you to battle. It may be Riolu!
Finally, if you’re still having trouble finding Riolu, you can connect your Switch to the internet and look for other players who have found one. To do this, press “Y” on your controller to open the game’s Y-COMM menu. Once you’re connected to the internet, look for the silhouette of Riolu to find a battle with this pocket monster. If you’re fast, you can join the other player’s battle and take on Riolu!
To learn more about Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield, or to view more of our guides for the games, check out our previous coverage.
Brandy Berthelson has been writing about video games and technology since 2006, with her work appearing on sites including AOL Games, Digital Spy, and Adweek. When she’s not gaming, Brandy enjoys crafting, baking, and traveling with her husband.
