3rd Gen Choosing a water-type Pokemon

Started by Arkayide April 26th, 2014 1:38 AM
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  • 47 replies

Arkayide

AKA [Insertnamehere]

Male
The Moon.
Seen 2 Days Ago
Posted January 22nd, 2023
12 posts
9.1 Years
Pokémon isn't all about battling. A big part of it is navigating the overworld that connects the many cities and landmarks in the Pokémon games. That also includes using HMs like Surf to cross oceans and lakes.

Who did you teach surf? Did you have Mudkip as a starter? Maybe you're like me and spent hours deciding on which water Pokémon to put on your team. Or perhaps you just got a Zigzagooon an HM slave to do the job for you. What was your solution?

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Danny0317

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Age 23
Male
Seen February 19th, 2021
Posted March 11th, 2017
1,067 posts
10 Years
Azumarill is terrible, so is Lanturn, and Whiscash is too. Swapert is not good, and Tentacruel is okay. So if I need surf, I will teach it to a water type in my party like Lotad or its evos or Spheal.

DraconianWing

Age 23
he/him
Fallarbor Town
Seen July 17th, 2022
Posted November 14th, 2021
959 posts
10.8 Years
Mudkip was usually my starter of choice, but when running through the game with Torchic, I'd catch a Goldeen at Petalburg to be a temporary HM slave. After getting the Good Rod, it would be replaced with a Carvanha, who would be useful against Liza and Tate. It becomes much easier to take control of the double battle with Surf, since it hits both opponents.
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Male
Seen July 21st, 2017
Posted June 14th, 2017
1,333 posts
11 Years
I had two water types on my team for some reason: Azumarill and Pelipper. They weren't HM slaves. I think I taught Surf (and all the other water HM's + Rock Smash) to Azumarill, so he was my semi-HM slave, since I used him and he even had the highest level in my team.

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Evening

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Seen December 1st, 2021
Posted February 5th, 2016
808 posts
9.4 Years
I usually just get a Zigzagoon to do the job for me.

Khoshi

とてもかわいい!

Age 24
Male
Sydney, Australia
Seen January 3rd, 2020
Posted October 16th, 2019
2,646 posts
10.1 Years
Zigzagoon was an excellent HM slave, so I taught that Surf. :p

Captain Gizmo

Monkey King

Age 29
Male
Canada
Seen 2 Weeks Ago
Posted 3 Weeks Ago
4,842 posts
10.7 Years
If I didn't have a water user that is capable of learning Surf (Because Surf is like the best HM ever), then I'd teach it to Zigzagoon. Easy to catch, encountered on the first few routes and no need to level it up or anything. Plus it comes equipped with Pickup which is simply fabulous for the rest of your game :P
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Sonata

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Age 27
Male
Indiana
Seen 8 Hours Ago
Posted March 25th, 2023
13,619 posts
10.2 Years
I always pick water starters and teach it HMs. I don't bother having a slave, I just spread out HMs evenly.

Brendino

The Ruins of Alph
Seen 13 Hours Ago
Posted April 6th, 2023
8,567 posts
13.5 Years
Once I finally manage to get one, I always find myself teaching Wailmer/Wailord Surf, along with the other two Water-type HMs. If I don't have one though, I'll usually just end up using a stopgap like Lotad or Zigzagoon until I get one.

LavenderTownGhost

Returning to Hoenn

Female
Florida
Seen November 9th, 2014
Posted July 15th, 2014
387 posts
9.1 Years
I always pick Mudkip as my Hoenn starter, so Swampert would always end up learning Surf.
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LetsPlayALoveGame

Wielder of the Disco Stick

Age 30
he/him
Texas
Seen March 9th, 2023
Posted January 17th, 2018
144 posts
9.2 Years
My approach to this is actually pretty unique. I catch a Whiscash, a Walrein, and a Lanturn - all to be used as team members AND use HMs. It's a clever idea because each one has a different secondary type that makes it useful in battle situations. I did use a Swampert in my let's play, however.
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The ultimate low-tier hero!
Seen October 2nd, 2020
Posted July 12th, 2014
483 posts
10.4 Years
Surf's never been a problem, since I always have a water type (or dual water at least) somewhere on my team, and since water attacks are always special in Gen III and before, that water type always gets Surf anyway. Among others, I've used the Mudkip line, the Lotad line, Staryu/Starmie, Carvanha/Sharpedo, Tentacool/Tentacruel, and my absolute favorite, Milotic.

The problem is Waterfall and Dive, since they're just inferior to Surf. I usually ended up putting them (along with Surf) on a Wailord, since you need one to unlock the Regis anyway.

The Doctor

What!?

He/Him
The planet Gallifrey in the constellation of Kasterborous
Seen January 6th, 2023
Posted January 14th, 2015
959 posts
13.4 Years
Surf on a Swampert is pretty good with STAB so I usually used that, either that or Lotad or something I could fish easily that wasn't a freaking Magikarp

I've been here 6 years... Wow I'm old.