Competitive Information for Riolu [Sword/Shield]
Fighting
Abilities:
Movesets for Singles
What is a good competitive moveset for Riolu? These builds have been optimized for Pokemon competing in Sword/Shield Single Battles. The movesets and EVs have been specifically calibrated to deal the most amount of damage to the largest group of potentially common opponents and typing threats for the Sword/Shield generation metagame.
StakatakaTapu FiniGlastrierIndeedee-FHattereneKartanaTorkoalComfeyRegirockRotom-Heat
Riolu is an interesting Fighting-typed Pokemon. Riolu is not a Pokemon anyone usually expects sees on the battlefield. Riolu can be quite a contender in the LC tier (Little Cup). Riolu is weak to Fairy, Flying, and Psychic-typed attacks.
Item: Focus Sash / Mental Herb
Ability: Prankster
Nature: Careful (+SpD, -SpA)
EVs: 252 Hp / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Moveset:
- Coaching / High Jump Kick
- Copycat
- Detect
- Protect
Physical Wall Riolu (Popular/Trending)
Riolu is a decent Physical Wall for single battles. This moveset is designed to take a mighty amount of physical hits while dealing some decent damage. Focus Sash helps protect Riolu from being one-shotted and allowing it to atleast use a crucial move when brought out. With Prankster, Riolu's status moves have priority raised by 1 but dark types are immune. With a Mental Herb equipped to it, cures Riolu of attract, disable, encore, heal block, taunt, torment then the Mental Herb gets consumed.
◆ High Jump Kick is a physical STAB-boosted 130-base power Fighting-type move (Riolu is hurt by 50% of its max hp if it misses).
◆ Copycat is a status move (uses the last move used in the battle).
◆ Detect is a status move (prevents moves from affecting your Riolu this turn).
◆ Protect is a status move (prevents moves from affecting your Riolu this turn).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/is10a1bf
Item: Focus Sash / Mental Herb
Ability: Prankster
Nature: Calm (+SpD, -Atk)
EVs: 252 Hp / 4 SpA / 252 SpD
Moveset:
- Vacuum Wave
- Coaching / Final Gambit
- Copycat
- Protect
Special Wall Riolu (Popular/Trending)
Riolu is an extraordinary Special Wall for single battles. It is primarily designed to take a good amount of hits from special attacks while dealing some decent damage. Focus Sash helps protect Riolu from being one-shotted and allowing it to atleast use a crucial move when brought out. With Prankster, Riolu's status moves have priority raised by 1 but dark types are immune. With a Mental Herb equipped to it, cures Riolu of attract, disable, encore, heal block, taunt, torment then the Mental Herb gets consumed.
◆ Coaching is a status move (raises an ally's attack and defense by 1 stage).
◆ Final Gambit is a special STAB-boosted 0-base power Fighting-type move (does damage equal to your Riolu's hp. Riolu faints).
◆ Copycat is a status move (uses the last move used in the battle).
◆ Protect is a status move (prevents moves from affecting your Riolu this turn).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/is11a1bf
Item: Life Orb / Choice Band
Ability: Steadfast
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EVs: 4 Hp / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- High Jump Kick / Drain Punch
- Blaze Kick
- Earthquake
- Shadow Claw
Physical Sweeper Riolu (Steadfast)
Riolu is popular Physical Sweeper for single battles. It's primary goal is to take down the opponent's team with brute physical power. Choice Band will increase the damage of Riolu's physical moves by 1.5x at the cost of locking you into the first move you pick. Life Orb boosts the power of Riolu's damaging moves by 1.3x but it then loses 1/10 its max HP immediately after the attack. With Steadfast, if Riolu flinches its speed is raised by 1 stage.
◆ Drain Punch is a physical STAB-boosted 75-base power Fighting-type move (Riolu recovers 50% of the damage dealt).
◆ Blaze Kick is a physical 85-base power Fire-type move (high critical hit ratio. 10% chance to burn).
◆ Earthquake is a physical 100-base power Ground-type move (hits adjacent pokemon).
◆ Shadow Claw is a physical 70-base power Ghost-type move (high critical hit ratio).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/is12a1bf
Movesets for Doubles
What is a good doubles moveset for Riolu? These builds have been optimized for Sword/Shield Double Battles. They have movesets and EVs specifically calibrated to generally work best versus multiple Pokemon at once as well as helping to support other team members and allys in the Sword/Shield generation metagame.
StakatakaTapu FiniGlastrierIndeedee-FHattereneKartanaTorkoalComfeyRegirockRotom-Heat
Item: Life Orb / Choice Band
Ability: Steadfast
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EVs: 4 Hp / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- High Jump Kick / Drain Punch
- Earthquake / Bulldoze
- Rock Slide
- Blaze Kick
Doubles Physical Sweeper Riolu (Steadfast)
Riolu is a marvelous Physical Sweeper for double battles. It tries to take down the opponent's team with brute physical power. Choice Band will increase the damage of Riolu's physical moves by 1.5x at the cost of locking you into the first move you pick. Life Orb boosts the power of Riolu's damaging moves by 1.3x but it then loses 1/10 its max HP immediately after the attack. With Steadfast, if Riolu flinches its speed is raised by 1 stage.
◆ Drain Punch is a physical STAB-boosted 75-base power Fighting-type move (Riolu recovers 50% of the damage dealt).
◆ Earthquake is a physical 100-base power Ground-type move (hits adjacent pokemon).
◆ Bulldoze is a physical 60-base power Ground-type move (100% chance lower adjacent Pokemon speed by 1 stage).
◆ Rock Slide is a physical 75-base power Rock-type move (30% chance to make the foes flinch).
◆ Blaze Kick is a physical 85-base power Fire-type move (high critical hit ratio. 10% chance to burn).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/id10a1bf
Movepool
Wondering what moves can Riolu learn? Here is the list of moves this Pokemon can learn in this selected generation.
Sort and organize the learnset by move type, category, accuracy, and power. Bolded moves will gain the same-type attack bonus (STAB) if this Pokemon uses them.
Damage Modifiers:
Combo List
These are a list of several common move combinations Riolu can perform in Sword/Shield. Not every combo going to be game-changing, but some can be pretty fun to play with. Sometimes these can be easily overlooked or forgotten, hence why we find and list them here. Discover what items, abilities, and moves this Pokemon can use in combination with each other to gain a strategic advantage in competitive battles.
Competitive SS Move and Ability Combos for Riolu
- Moves: Swagger + Screech
- Moves: Endure + Reversal
- Moves: Rest + Sleep talk
- Moves: Rest + Snore
- Moves: Substitute + Drain punch
- Moves: Substitute + Reversal
- Move: Swagger + Item: Mirror Herb
- Move: Fling + Item: King's Rock
- Move: Facade + Item: Flame Orb
- Move: Facade + Item: Toxic Orb
- Moves with Priority: Quick Attack, Detect, Endure, Protect, Follow Me, Helping Hand, Feint, Bullet Punch, Vacuum Wave, Quick Guard
- Moves that Break Screens: Brick Break
- Moves that inflict status: Toxic
Moves that boost Riolu's stats
- Agility
- Bulk Up
- Howl
- Iron Defense
- Metal Claw
- Meteor Mash
- Nasty Plot
- Power-Up Punch
- Swords Dance
- Work Up
Most notable and possible best moves for Riolu
- Coaching
- Copycat
- Detect
- Drain Punch
- Earthquake
- Feint
- Final Gambit
- Helping Hand
- High Jump Kick
- Howl
- Protect
- Quick Guard
- Rain Dance
- Rest
- Toxic
- Vacuum Wave
Common Effort Values for Riolu in Sword and Shield
- Careful Nature ( 252/0/252/0/4/0 )
- Timid Nature ( 252/0/0/0/0/252 )
- Optimize Riolu's EV spread for Pokemon Sword and Shield
Related Videos
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