Riolu · Scarlet & Violet, what to know.
About the Riolu card
Riolu is card 215 of 250 in Scarlet & Violet, released in March 2023, an Illustration Rare. It is a Basic Fighting-type with 70 HP.
As a Basic Pokémon, Riolu needs no prior evolution to put into play, which made it a practical card in the era's decks.
Illustrated by Nelnal.
The card's flavor text gives Riolu a line of lore: "They communicate with one another using their auras. They are able to run all through the night."
What is Riolu worth?
Riolu is a holo rare, one of the cards that holds Scarlet & Violet's value. The rarity tier decides most of it, since the same card prints at several tiers with very different prices. In top-grade 1st Edition, Scarlet & Violet holos range from the mid hundreds for the lesser cards up to the set's marquee chase; raw and Unlimited copies trade for a fraction of that. The live market price above shows the current figure by grade.
Print variants and how to spot them
Confirm the print and finish on Riolu before pricing it, since variant and rarity set the market more than the card name alone.
Grading and condition
Riolu lives and dies on its holo surface in grading. The fighting foil catches light at angles that hide hairlines in a flat photo, so tilt it under a lamp, then measure the borders, where modern centering is the second-most-common grade cap.
If you are collecting Riolu
Buying Riolu well means pricing the exact print and grade, not the card name. Match the rarity tier to the comp before you buy. Always see the holo surface in good light first.
