PvE Guide for Replay: Riolu Hatch Day

Hey Trainers! It’s time to lace up those running shoes because Replay: Riolu Hatch Day has arrived! This event gives us the perfect excuse to fill our incubators and chase that elusive high-IV shiny Riolu. Of course, the real prize here is evolving it into the fan-favorite Lucario, a Pokémon that’s been a powerhouse in PvE ever since it entered Pokémon GO.

But how does Lucario hold up in today’s PvE landscape? Is it still one of the best raid attackers, or have newer contenders started to outshine it? Let’s dive in and see just how strong our favorite aura-wielding Pokémon really is!

The Aura Pokémon: Lucario

Lucario FightingSteel

Mega Lucario FightingSteel

Lucario, a dual Fighting Steel type Pokémon, was introduced in Generation IV during the iconic Nintendo DS era. It later gained a Mega Evolution in Generation VI, further enhancing its popularity with the introduction of the Mega Evolution mechanic. Its dual typing lends it 3 weaknesses in Fire, Ground and Fighting while lending it an impressive 9 resistances which also include double resistance to 3 different types: Bug, Poison and Rock.

Shiny Lucario Family

Lucario and Mega Lucario in Pokémon GO PvE

Raids

Lucario and its Mega Evolution stand out as elite raid attackers in Pokémon GO delivering solid damage output. Diving into optimal movesets, as a Fighting raid attacker, both Lucario and Mega Lucario thrive with Force Palm as the Fast Attack paired with Aura Sphere as the Charged Attack, delivering unmatched damage output, although one needs to keep in mind that Force Palm is a legacy attack. 

Among the Top Fighting Attackers, Mega Lucario is the best there currently is while Lucario itself is not bad either. The signature Force Palm-Aura Sphere combination is deadly, generating blistering DPS thanks to Force Palm’s rapid energy accumulation and Aura Sphere’s high powered Fighting type damage, making them the go-to choice for shredding bosses weak to Fighting moves. 

When it comes to their performance as a Steel raid attacker, Mega Lucario falls slightly short of leaders like Dusk Mane Necrozma, while Base Lucario mirrors the profile, but on a smaller scale. 

Mega Lucario continues to shine as a Top Steel Attacker, delivering solid meta-defining performance. Regrettably, base Lucario doesn’t hold up as competitively, overshadowed by options like Mega Aggron and Genesect. Even as a Steel attacker, Force Palm still remains the preferred Fast Attack, except against Fairy raid bosses, where Bullet Punch may be preferred. Having said that, for most practical purposes, Lucario and Mega Lucario will be used as Fighting raid attackers, as they will anyway cover Rock and Ice type raid bosses. It is only the Fairy niche where these two may need to double-up as Steel raid attackers. 

Lucario and Mega Lucario’s Fighting Steel duality grants them multiple resistances which also include Rock, Ice, Steel, Dark and Normal. Hence, not only do they shell out super-effective damage, both Lucario and Mega Lucario remain in the fight for a prolonged time, not to forget the additional attack boost that Mega Lucario provides to its allies. 

What the future holds?

Lucario, and its Mega Evolution are already dominating the current meta. However, this dominance has all the potential to be even stronger in the future. Riolu and Lucario are still to get the Shadow treatment. With the 20% shadow attack boost, Shadow Lucario is certainly going to rise up in the meta rankings. But even more exciting is the fact that Lucario got a new Mega Evolution in the Mega Dimensions DLC for Pokémon Legends: Z-A. Mega Lucario Z, having a significantly higher Attack stat, is potentially going to be the new best Fighting type raid attacker in the game, taking over form its fellow OG Mega Lucario. 

Ultimately, Trainers need to prioritize this event to grind as many regular and XL Riolu candies as they can and hatch some high IV Riolu, with that cool and brilliant shiny certainly adding a lot of flair. After all this is your chance to be a real life equivalent of Roy from the anime, flexing your shiny Mega Lucario and potentially shiny Mega Lucario Z in the future. 

Parting Words

Lucario has long held its place as one of the most beloved and iconic Pokémon in Pokémon GO, and for good reason. Its exceptional typing, powerful moveset, and Mega Evolution keep it relevant across multiple raid scenarios, even as new contenders emerge. Whether you’re hatching Riolu in hopes of that elusive shiny or powering up your existing Lucario for upcoming raids, this aura-wielding fighter remains a top-tier choice for trainers who value both strength and style. So, get those incubators ready and let the aura guide your next big win!

No escape from the Aura chase, power up Lucario to win the race!

Let us know Trainers: is Lucario your favorite Gen IV Pokémon? If not then which one is? Did you play Pokémon Diamond & Pearl or Pokémon Platinum when they first came out? What are your first memories of Lucario? (Mine is from the movie Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew)

And as always, Stay Safe! Happy Hatching! May everyone get a SHUNDO!!!