Shiny Lucario Guide: How Get Shiny Lucario

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Callum Marshall

Callum is POK Universe's Managing Editor and a long-time-fan of the Pokémon series. He's a Gen-One kid at heart with a huge bias towards the first three generations. However, after reengaging with Pokémon XY, he has caught up with the pack and has absorbed all there is to know with regards to Pokémon, including some very interesting fan-made ROM Hacks!

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Pokemon for most of us is the epitome of childhood. It’s a game that represents freedom. A time where we could waste our days away glued to a screen and disappearing into the tall grass as we bounded off on another adventure.

A simpler time, when there were fewer Pokemon, Pokemon types, moves, abilities, and other game mechanics to deal with. While being a Pokemon fan back then was as easy as just showing up. Now, you need to have an encyclopedia on hand and a photographic memory.

The game has close to 1,000 Pokemon on the roster, thousands of moves, new typing’s that didn’t exist a decade ago, and over eight generations of storylines to understand and absorb. It’s a lot for anyone to get their head around and it can make jumping back in after some time away, an alienating experience.

Well, that’s why we want to help. We have created a series of helpful guides, breaking down each and every Pokemon and giving you all you need to know about them.

In this guide, we take a look at the shiny version of the Pokemon Lucario. This fighting and steel Pokemon has a lot to offer any potential trainer but what does the shiny version of this Pokemon have in its locker? We find out in our essential Shiny Lucario guide.

What is Lucario?

Let’s begin by breaking down everything there is to know about the vanilla version of this Pokemon. Lucario first popped up in the Pokemon series during generation IV. It’s a fighting and steel type Pokemon and this Pokemon also had a very prominent role in the Diamond and Pearl anime series.

In terms of appearance, this Pokemon takes on the form of an anthropomorphic canine. The head of this creature is a mix of navy blue and black. The black markings run across the eyes of the Pokemon, creating a feeling that t Lucario is wearing a mask of sorts. The ears and mouth area are blue and the creature has red, piercing eyes.

Then moving down, the Pokemon has a creamy, yellow-colored torso with a silver spike protruding out of the center of the chest. The shoulders each have a black, rounded collar and then the arms are a mix of black and blue, also with a spike protruding from each hand.

The Pokemon also looks like it is wearing blue, baggy boxing shorts with a black waistband. Alongside two long, black legs which stick out the bottom. Then lastly, the Pokemon has a blue tail with a kink pointing downwards at the tip.

In terms of behavior, Lucario is a perceptive and swift Pokemon. It lifts the four black appendages on its head when it senses danger, allowing the creature to read the enemy’s aura and track their movements. The Pokemon is also able to use this aura to create spheres of energy to attack foes and it has even been reported that this Pokemon can use this power to communicate with humans via telepathy, as this creature is able to understand human speech.

This Pokemon is a proud and loyal creature that will stick by its trainer through thick and thin. They have a natural sense of justice and will always urge their trainer to do the right thing in any scenario. They are naturally found deep in the mountains as they like to hone their skills away from the watchful eyes of trainers and other Pokemon.

So for that reason, it is very unlikely that you will find a Lucario in the wild. This Pokemon is also considered an omnivore as while it will primarily eat meat, berries and plants are also part of its natural diet. This Pokemon is number 448 in the Pokedex, is about 1.2 meters tall, weighs about 54 kilograms, has a medium/slow leveling rate, and has a catch rate of 11.9%.

Here is a video of Lucario in action so you can see just how this Pokemon channels aura and fights with precision in battle:

What is a Shiny Pokemon?

Now that we have an understanding of what Lucario is all about, we need to explain what a shiny Pokemon is. A shiny Pokemon is for all intents and purposes, the same as the original model in all but one way. The Pokemon still has the same move pool, the same attributes, the same abilities, the same core design, and the same base stats.

The only real difference between a shiny model and a vanilla model is that the shiny one has a slightly different color palette that sets it apart from the original, most of the time. These are Pokemon that act as an in-game novelty item. However, despite the rather arbitrary nature of these models, they often look great, making them very much in demand. Plus, they are often very rare, making them well worth chasing down.

These Pokemon show up via a random encounter or via hatching an egg about one in every 4096 attempts. This used to be one in every 8192 attempts back in the earlier, GBA generations, but this was thankfully changed by the guys over at Game Freak. These stats can be adjusted through the use of certain techniques and with the use of certain items. However, we will get onto that in due time.

What is a Shiny Lucario?

On to the main event, what is so special about a Shiny Lucario. Well, in terms of visual splendor, this Pokemon is really only a negative color swap. However, despite the rather simple change to the vanilla design, it works a treat.

This Pokemon swaps its blue parts for vibrant yellow color, its black markings are changed to that exact blue color and then the cream-colored torso is swapped for baby blue. It’s a subtle change but one that makes this Pokemon pop on screen and makes this model well worth tracking down.

Also, because this Pokemon has a mega evolution, you don’t just get one shiny variant. The mega evolution, Mega Lucario, is very similar in design to the standard shiny, with that same yellow, navy, and baby blue color scheme.

However, the addition of the red accents that are present on Mega Lucario, only adds to the quality of the design. Although on the shiny Mega Lucario design, the red accents are slightly more pale which isn’t ideal, it’s a small price to pay for a design this slick.

How to Catch a Shiny Lucario?

So now that we have enticed you by showing you the excellent Shiny Lucario design. You’ll likely be wondering how you can get your hands on one of your own. Well, up until very recently, you would have had to go searching a wild area for a Riolu and then go about evolving riolu to become a Lucario.

As we mentioned, this Pokemon is generally very rare in the wild. However, in the most recent Pokemon games, Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield. This Pokemon finally became available for regular random encounters, meaning that you could use alternate techniques to get your hands on a shiny.

You could also get your hands on one via an SOS battle in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon but this is a much less reliable option. So with this taken into account, we would still say that a Shiny Lucario is one of the rarer shiny Pokemon out there. However, thanks to recent releases, it’s a much more obtainable Pokemon than it was. So provided you have Pokemon Sword or Shield, there is no need to find a shiny Riolu and train it up.

So with that in mind, there are several ways that you can lower the odds when shiny hunting and make getting your hands on a Shiny Lucario much less of a chore. Here are a few great tips that will help you get the shiny you seek:

Masuda Method

First, we have the Masuda method. This is a method that involves breeding Pokemon in a very specific way. While breeding will normally yield the same results as a standard encounter. If you breed particular Pokemon, you can lower your odds significantly.

If the two Pokemon that you use for breeding are from two different real-world locations, such as North America and Europe for example, then you have a 600/1 chance of hatching a shiny Pokemon. So if you want to make this happen, be sure to grab a Riolu or Lucario from another region and get breeding.

Catch/Battle Chaining

Another Option is the catch and battle chain method. This is a method that only works within modern releases such as Let’s Go Pikachu and Eevee, plus Pokemon Sword and Shield. Now, Lucario or Riolu may not be available in the former but the latter is the only Pokemon game where you can reliably chain battle this Pokemon, so this works a treat.

All you have to do is consistently battle or catch the same Pokemon on repeat. For every successful chain battle, you will lower the odds of your next encounter being shiny. The odds can reach figures as low as 270/1, so it is absolutely your best option when trying to get a shiny Lucario.

Shiny Charm

Then if you want to get the odds down by a third more, you can use the shiny charm. This is an item that the player receives after completing the main story in recent Pokemon adventures. This lowers the odds of encountering and hatching a shiny by one-third and can be chained with any of the methods listed above. So be sure to use this to your advantage.

Does Lucario Evolve?

Well, if you count the aforementioned mega evolution, then yes, Lucario does mega evolve into a more battle-ready and rugged version of themselves. However, in traditional terms, this Pokemon is the final stop on its evolutionary chain.

This Pokemon begins life as a Riolu and then with adequate training, it will evolve into a Lucario. To get your Riolu to evolve, you will need to max out this Pokemon’s friendship level through training, battling, and treating this Pokemon. Then, when you max this stat out, the Pokemon will evolve during the daytime.

However, with the help of some Lucarionite, you can mega evolve Lucario and really see what this powerful fighting type has to offer.

Should I Evolve My Pokemon Into Shiny Lucario

We always approach this question with two different schools of thought in mind. Which Pokemon is the most aesthetically pleasing and which Pokemon is the best competitive battler. In terms of the former, we know that Lucario’s shiny design is superb and offers a secondary design in the form of the mega evolution.

However, does Riolu’s design trump that? Well, the simple answer is no. In terms of design, both of these Pokemon are identical with the changes to the vanilla design being the exact same. This is rather predictable considering Riolu is a baby version of Lucario and therefore, has a very similar design.

However, seeing as Lucario has that extra design available provided you have them hold some Lucarionite, we have to give the win to the parent Pokemon on this occasion. However, when it comes to competitive battling, there is only one winner and that, once again, is Lucario.

Then to futher elaborate on its movepool, it has access to Bullet Punch, which guarantees that you the first strike, Aura Sphere that negates accuracy loss, Focus Blast which lowers Special Defence and hits like a tonne of bricks, and Force Palm which can often paralyze your foes!

Then, even when you are outmatched for speed, moves like extreme speed and the aforementioned Bullet Punch allows you to cover your back. In short, Lucario is an excellent offensive Pokemon. Riolu does have some use in the LC as it is a good basic Pokemon with a decent move pool, but overall, it’s a mismatch and Lucario will always come out on top.

A Must-Have Shiny For Your Collection

As you can see from the information above, Lucario is a must-have shiny Pokemon. This creature has two different shiny forms thanks to its mega evolution, it is one of the best offensive fighters within the entire Pokemon roster. The Pokemon has an excellent shiny design and it’s a great fighting type Pokemon if you prefer that sort of thing. So be sure to get your hands on a Shiny Lucario the first chance you get.

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