Riolu spawns in Lumiose City unlock Lucario via daytime friendship

In Pokémon Legends ZA players who want a Lucario can most reliably obtain one by catching a Riolu in Lumiose City, raising its friendship to maximum, and then leveling it up during daytime to trigger the evolution. Riolu appears only at specific rooftop locations in the city and is a rare daytime spawn, while an alternative postgame route awards a free Lucario after completing a late main mission.

Riolu most commonly appears on rooftops in Lumiose City, with frequent reports of spawns on the Passage Ombrage rooftop in Rouge Sector 4 and additional Alpha Riolu spawns near the northwestern area close to Quasartico Inc. Access to these rooftops is possible by ladder or staircase from street level. The Pokémon does not appear in the Wild Zones and is a low-probability encounter, so players are advised to bring strong Poké Balls, approach from behind to improve capture chances, and use fast travel or resting to reset spawns and weather conditions. Players can also obtain a guaranteed Riolu by completing a side quest that trades an Abra for a Riolu nicknamed Riolouie.

Riolu’s evolution into Lucario is a friendship evolution that must occur during the daytime. The game does not display...