How to Get Mega Lucario in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Step 1: Find and Catch Riolu

Before you can get a Lucario, you must first obtain its pre-evolution, Riolu. Riolu is a rare Pokémon, but it can be found reliably in a specific area of Lumiose City once you have progressed far enough in the main story.

• Location: Riolu can be found in Wild Zone 8. This zone becomes accessible after you have achieved Rank E in the Z-A Royale and completed the corresponding main story missions.
• Encounter Details: Riolu is not a common spawn, so you may need to enter and exit Wild Zone 8 several times to refresh the available Pokémon until one appears. It is a skittish Pokémon, so approach it stealthily from behind using tall grass to avoid scaring it away.

Step 2: Evolve Riolu into Lucario

Once you have a Riolu, the next step is to evolve it into Lucario. Unlike most Pokémon that evolve by leveling up, Riolu evolves through a special method based on its friendship with you.

• Evolution Method: Riolu evolves into Lucario when it levels up with a high friendship level during the daytime.

How to Increase Friendship:

• Battle with Riolu: Keep Riolu in your party and use it in battles. Winning battles will increase its friendship.
• Give it Berries: Feed Riolu its favorite berries. You can check its preferences in the Pokédex.
• Use it to Gather Resources: Having Riolu out of its Poké Ball to break ore deposits or shake trees will gradually increase its friendship.
• Avoid Letting it Faint: Allowing Riolu to faint in battle will significantly decrease its friendship level, so be sure to keep it healthy.

You can check your friendship level with Riolu by speaking to the Friendship Checker NPC located near the Pokémon Center in the central plaza of Lumiose City. Once the NPC gives you a high rating for Riolu’s friendship, simply level it up once during the day (either through battle or by using an EXP Candy) to trigger its evolution into Lucario.

Step 3: Obtain the Lucarionite

With your Lucario ready, the final step is to acquire its Mega Stone, the Lucarionite. This item is required for Lucario to Mega Evolve in battle.

• Location: The Lucarionite can be purchased at the Quasartico Inc. headquarters, located in the northern part of Lumiose City.
• Cost: You will need to exchange 240 Mega Shards to acquire the Lucarionite.

How to Farm Mega Shards:
Mega Shards are a special currency obtained by exploring Lumiose City. Look for clusters of large, glowing pink crystals scattered throughout the various Wild Zones and city streets. Throw one of your Pokémon at these clusters to break them and collect the Mega Shards inside. Regularly exploring and destroying these crystals is the most effective way to farm the shards needed for the Lucarionite.

Step 4: Activating Mega Lucario in Battle

Once you have the Lucarionite, the process to Mega Evolve your Lucario is straightforward:

1. Equip the Lucarionite: Open your Satchel, select the Lucarionite, and give it to your Lucario to hold. A Pokémon must be holding its specific Mega Stone to be able to Mega Evolve.
2. Build the Mega Gauge: In battle, a Mega Gauge will appear on your screen. Fill this gauge by attacking opponents or by collecting the glowing orbs dropped by Rogue Mega Pokémon.
3. Trigger Mega Evolution: Once the gauge is full and your Lucario is on the field, press the right thumbstick to trigger its Mega Evolution.

Mega Lucario will remain in its powered-up form for a limited time, but you can extend the duration by continuing to collect the glowing orbs in the arena. As Mega Lucario, your Pokémon will gain a significant boost to its Attack, Special Attack, and Speed stats, making it a devastating force on the battlefield. It also gains access to powerful “+” versions of its moves, allowing you to quickly overwhelm even the toughest opponents.