Pokemon Scarlet and Violet bring back Litleo and its evolutionary successor, Pyroar, to the Paldean Pokedex for Generation 9. Close to the beginning of the game Litleo is easily spotted, and trainers may decide to take advantage of a good Pyroar's power for the later gyms and trials.
Litleo is an adorable feature to a particular strain of lion-like Pokemon with a grand mane that includes the Shinx line, Lillipup, Arcanine, Entei, Zamazenta, and even Solgaleo through the Pokemon world. But it is Litleo's cute lion-cub aesthetic, with its oversized paws and curious feline face, that wins many a heart. Litleo's red-orange tuft of head hair and whiskery tan muzzle—its triangle-button nose—makes it worth spending some time with in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.
Litleo Evolves into Pyroar
Pyroar retains its Fire/Normal typing when it evolves into its fiercer, mature-looking form, Pyroar, at level 35. It evolves naturally once it reaches the level, so a trainer may choose to keep it in the party, use it at the head, or give it some EXP Candies or Rare Candies to level it up quickly, if desired.
Pyroar also takes on one of two forms upon evolution, depending on the sex of the Litleo. Female Pyroar have a shock of hair extending from the forehead, while males are slightly larger with a full mane of alternating yellow and red fur. In either case, Pyroar is an equally powerful Pokemon in both forms. It learns overwhelmingly powerful moves such as Overheat, Fire Blast, and Flare Blitz.
Pyroar's highest base stats are Special Attack and Speed, which means its Fire or otherwise non-physical attacks will always strike hardest — and extra-quickly, in Pyroar's case. Trainers may elect to boost Pyroar's' stats as it levels up with items that boost the base EV (Effort Value) of stats as a Pokemon grows in level. For example, Protein will increase Attack, Calcium will raise Special Attack, and Carbos will raise Speed. This is one way the Pokemon games give trainers an exact science of bringing out the best in their creature companions
HP | Attack | Defense | Special Attack | Special Defense | Speed | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pyroar's Base Stats | 86 | 68 | 72 | 109 | 66 | 106 | 507 |
Catching Tips: Best Nature & Common Locations
Best Nature For Pyroar
Even though trainers can use items to raise specific stats, they should pay attention to their Pyroar's nature and consider whether such a thing should matter in their Pokemon friend. Every Pokemon is an individual treasure, but a Pokemon's nature can also affect which of its stats have an innately increased EV yield of 10%. Conversely, each nature that increases a stat will also cause a 10% decreased EV yield to an alternate stat. Pyroar naturally excels in Special Attack, and there are four specific Pokemon natures out of 25 that raise Special Attack specifically.
Nature | Increased Stat | Decreased Stat |
|---|---|---|
Modest | Special Attack | Attack |
Mild | Special Attack | Defense |
Rash | Special Attack | Special Defense |
Quiet | Special Attack | Speed |
Paying close attention to natures in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet deepens the fun of shaping how Pokemon grow. Players can also have Litleo or Pyroar smell different mints, such as Mild or Modest mints, which have the effect of raising Special Attack EV yields but lowering the Attack and Defense stats, respectively. Pyroar may also benefit from smelling mints or taking vitamins focusing on raising its weaknesses. Special Defense and Defense are Pyroar's crutches, so try experimenting with a steady regimen of Iron, Zinc, Calm, Careful, Lax, or Bold Mints. These can bolster Pyroar on a fundamental level from quite a young age. It's worth hunting for a Pokemon with the best nature — Modest or Rash for Litleo/Pyroar.
Where To Catch Litleo
It can take some time trying to attain the desired nature. At least Litleo can commonly be found in Areas One of the East Province or Area Five of the South Province. Litleo can be found in great numbers, so stock up on the right kind of Pokeball and be ready with a good catching method to speed the process along. Don't forget to cause status-inducing weakness such as Paralysis. Apecific moves such as Pawmi's Nuzzle or Pikachu's Thunder Wave will paralyze with efficiency, making Pokemon easier to catch.
Pokemon Scarlet & Violet are available for the Nintendo Switch.