There’s a single Riolu to be found on the rooftops in Wild Zone 3. Take the holovator located to the left of the Wild Zone, emerge onto the roof, then use Roto‑Glide to cross to the long rooftop nearby. Riolu spawns on that roof.

Because there’s just one Riolu here, expect the encounter to be straightforward: approach quietly, use food to distract if needed, and throw from behind for the best catch odds.

Pokémon Legends: Arceus: Riolu locations

Riolu appears only in the Alabaster Icelands, which unlocks late in the story. Check these two spawn points:

  • Snowfall Hot Spring
  • Icebound Falls

Riolu is a rare spawn. Lucario can also appear at the same spots; seeing Lucario confirms you’re in the right place.

Arceus: force new spawns when Riolu doesn’t appear

If Riolu isn’t present at a spot, use this loop to reroll the area’s spawns:

  • Clear the spawn: catch or defeat every Pokémon at the location.
  • Rest at a base camp to repopulate the area.
  • Repeat until spawns stop changing, then return to Jubilife Village and come back to the Icelands for a full reset.

Riolu can appear at any time of day and in any weather.

Capture approach that works

  • Use tall grass for cover and toss a berry or Riolu’s preferred foods to make it turn and feed.
  • Throw a Heavy or Leaden Ball from behind while it’s eating to increase catch chance.

Preferred foods: Dazzling Honey, Hearty Grains, Plump Beans.

How to evolve Riolu into Lucario (Arceus)

Raise Riolu’s friendship to high, then evolve during the daytime. You’ll see the evolve prompt once both conditions are met. You can also encounter Lucario directly at the same Icelands spawn points if you only need the Pokédex entry.

Quick reference

Game Region/Zone Exact spot Spawn notes Reliable reset Evolution trigger
Pokémon Legends Z‑A Wild Zone 3 Rooftops via holovator (left of Wild Zone), then Roto‑Glide to the long roof Single Riolu spawn on the roof Leave and re‑enter area if needed Not covered here
Pokémon Legends: Arceus Alabaster Icelands Snowfall Hot Spring; Icebound Falls Rare; Lucario may also spawn at these spots Clear spawns → rest at camp; hard reset by returning to Jubilife Village High friendship + daytime

If you’re chasing a specific nature or a shiny in Arceus, lean on the clear‑and‑rest loop and throw from cover while Riolu is distracted. In Z‑A, the rooftop route is the only reported spot—make the glide, check the roof, and reset if it’s not there.