Riolu
Quick take
- Illustration Rare from the inaugural Scarlet & Violet Base Set (2023), card 215/198
- Art by Nelnal, known for warm, slice-of-life Pokemon scenes
- Rides Lucario's long-running popularity, which keeps demand stable
- A mid-tier chase rather than a top-end card, so it stays accessible for set builders
Collector's readWhat it means for your master set
Set landscapeWhere this card sits in Scarlet & Violet Base Set
VariantsCard variants
Holofoil 215/198 · $32.76 — the only variant this card was printed in (no reverse holo or special pattern), so a master set needs just this one copy.
The storyA quiet fan-favorite IR from the set that launched the era
Scarlet & Violet Base Set is where the SV era started in 2023, and its Illustration Rare subset became the template for how this generation handles art cards. Riolu at 215/198 is one of those IRs. It is not the headline of the set. That role goes to the higher-tier Special Illustration Rares and the chase ex cards. But Riolu has held a steady spot in collector want-lists since release.
“Illustration Rare from the inaugural Scarlet & Violet Base Set (2023), card 215/198”
The appeal is the character. Riolu is the pre-evolution of Lucario, one of the most popular non-legendary Pokemon of the modern era, and any card that leans into that connection tends to find buyers. Nelnal's art does exactly that. For a master-set builder, this is a card you will want anyway, and it is one of the easier IRs in the set to land in nice condition without overpaying.
By the numbersMarket analysis
Riolu sits in the affordable tier of the Scarlet & Violet Base Set Illustration Rares. It trades well below the set's Special Illustration Rares and the marquee ex cards, and it is one of the more reachable IRs to slot into a master set. The live market figure is shown elsewhere on this page.
Pricing has been broadly stable. The set was opened heavily, so raw copies are plentiful and the floor stays low. Demand ticks up whenever Lucario gets attention in the wider franchise, but day to day this is a steady, low-volatility card rather than a mover.
Treat this as a collect-it-because-you-want-it card, not a speculative hold. It is a common-supply IR from a heavily opened set, so upside is capped. The realistic path to value is condition. A clean, well-centered copy graded high is where any premium lives. Buy it because you like the art and need it for the set.
Graded gem-mint copies carry a clear premium over raw, since IR full-art surfaces show edge wear and centering issues easily. The jump from a PSA 9 to a PSA 10 is the meaningful one here. Mid-grade slabs do not command much over a clean raw card.
In Scarlet & Violet era sets, you pull any Illustration Rare at roughly 1 in 12 packs. For reference within the same sets, any Double Rare lands around 1 in 5 packs, any Ultra Rare around 1 in 15, any Special Illustration Rare around 1 in 90, and any Hyper Rare anywhere from 1 in 300 to 1 in 700. Those odds are for hitting any card of that rarity. There are many Illustration Rares in Scarlet & Violet Base Set, so pulling this specific Riolu runs much longer than 1 in 12, often well into the dozens or hundreds of packs. For a master set, buying the single is far more efficient than chasing it from packs.
Among the set's IRs, Riolu is on the common-supply, lower-cost end. It is far easier to find than the set's Special Illustration Rares and a fraction of the cost, which makes it a sensible early pickup when you assemble the IR portion of a master set.
ArtworkWhy the art matters
Nelnal is a TCG illustrator known for cozy, character-focused Pokemon scenes rather than action shots. Their card list is relatively small but well-regarded, and their work shows up across recent Scarlet & Violet era sets. Collectors who chase artist runs have started paying attention to Nelnal because the style is consistent and easy to recognize.
The card is a full-art Illustration Rare, so the scene fills the whole frame with no standard card border boxing it in. It shows Riolu in an indoor training room lifting dumbbells, with a Lucario poster on the wall as a nod to what Riolu is working toward. The framing is intimate and grounded, the kind of slice-of-life setup Nelnal favors. If you want to confirm the exact details, check the card image at the top of this page.
Standard Scarlet & Violet IR treatment: a full-art layout with a holofoil pattern across the illustration. The foil sits under the art rather than in separated panels, which gives the whole scene a soft shimmer. As a Basic Fighting-type Riolu at 70 HP, the playable stats are an afterthought here. This is bought as an art card.
It pairs a beloved character with an artist style collectors are warming to, on a card that does not cost much to own. Most IRs that hit those notes climb in price. This one stays reachable, which is exactly why it is a satisfying pickup for a set build.
BackgroundAbout Riolu
Riolu debuted in Generation IV (Diamond and Pearl, 2006) as the pre-evolution of Lucario. It evolves into Lucario when leveled up with high friendship during the day. From the start it was tied to the Aura concept and to Lucario's prominent role in the movies and games, which gave Riolu more spotlight than most pre-evolutions get.
- ›Direct link to Lucario, a consistent fan-poll favorite
- ›Aura theme and the emotional friendship-evolution mechanic
- ›Frequent appearances across games, anime, and movies
- ›Compact, expressive design that artists enjoy drawing
- ›Introduced in Pokemon Diamond and Pearl (Gen IV, 2006)
- ›Tied to Lucario's high-profile role in the franchise's movies and competitive play
- ›Recurring presence in the anime as a pre-evolution storyline beat
This specific card is not a competitive piece. As a 70 HP Basic Fighting-type it exists for collectors and master-set builders, not deck builders. Riolu and Lucario have seen play in various formats over the years, but the value of 215/198 is entirely on the collecting side.
Own it wellCollector guide
Full-art IRs show wear fast. Check the edges and corners for the silvering and chipping that plagues holo full-art cards, and look hard at centering, which is the most common reason a copy falls short of a top grade. Surface scratches catch the light across the foil, so inspect under angled light before buying.
Only worth grading if you have a genuinely clean, well-centered copy and are chasing a gem-mint slab. Because raw supply is high and the card is affordable, grading a mid-condition copy rarely pays for itself. If the goal is a tidy master set, a strong raw NM copy in a sleeve and toploader is usually the smarter play. Read the grading guide →
Sleeve it and put it in a toploader or a side-loading binder page that does not press the foil. Keep it out of direct sunlight and away from humidity swings, since full-art foil surfaces are prone to clouding over time. For a binder master set, use pages rated to hold the card snugly without bending the corners. See the storage guide →
Buy the single rather than chasing it in packs, since the specific-card odds make ripping for it a bad deal. Prioritize centering and clean edges over a slightly lower asking price, because a poorly centered copy will always be the weak link in your binder. NM raw copies are easy to source, so be patient and pick a good one. See the singles buying guide →
Counterfeiting risk is low for a modern, affordable IR like this. Still, buy from reputable sellers, and on full-art SV cards check that the foil pattern runs correctly under the art and that the text and set symbol are crisp. For anything pricey, a graded copy removes the guesswork.
Protect your card
Low Chase Score — basic protection is plenty. · Amazon affiliate links · Storage guideWord on the streetCommunity sentiment
Collectors generally like this card. It reads as a wholesome, character-first IR, and the Riolu-to-Lucario connection gives it built-in appeal. It does not generate the hype of the set's top chases, but it shows up consistently on master-set want-lists and gets quiet praise for the art.
Most chatter centers on Nelnal as an illustrator and on Lucario-line fans grabbing it. It is talked about as an accessible, easy-to-recommend IR rather than a card people obsess over. No major controversy or hype cycle is attached to it.
Good to knowFrequently asked questions
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