HM Usage

[jab2033]

We all know what HMs are. But most of them are worthless moves used outside of battle only. The only exceptions being Surf and Waterfall, and possibly Fly.

So how do you use your HMs? Do you use a full team of 6 Pokemon and spread the HMs around? Or do you leave a slot or two open for HM slaves and only use 4-5 pokemon? And if you use HM slaves, which Pokemon do you use?

 

[Kenshin5]

I only reserve a spot for one HM slave like a Machop or Geodude so I can use Rock Smash and Strength. I usually keep a Flying type in my party so I use Fly on that pokemon. As for Surf if I have a Water Starter I teach it Surf or a catch a Water pokemon so were along the line and use it as a legitimate team member. Cut and Waterfall I just catch a random Grass/Bug and Water type respectively then probably never use them again until I encounter the obstacles.

 

[Mirby]

Usually I have an HM Slave, but this time around, not as much. Except for my Walrein (he's my Water HM Slave, knows Waterfall, Surf, and Whirlpool. Which is cool, since 2/3 of those are quite powerful. ^.^) But for the other 5 HMs, they're pretty spread out among my team. My Dragonite knows Fly, my Mew knows Rock Smash, my Groudon knows Rock Climb, my Blaziken knows Strength, and my... wait, I don't have Cut anymore. :P

What? I needed room for Blast Burn, and it's not like I need it anymore. I'm in the Post Game.

Now Flash on the other hand... My Ho-oh knows that.

And my Sandshrew knows Headbutt.

Both are boxed. :P

 

[Guy]

When it comes to playing in-game, I try and spread the useful HM moves to the Pokémon I plan on keeping in my team. This would be Strength, Surf, Fly, Waterfall, and possibly Rock Smash for my Scyther with the ability Technician. That way, I can manage on keeping a full team of six without the need for much of an HM Slave.

If I do have an HM slave, it's usually a Pokémon who can learn a majority of the HMs. So, Bibarel and Linoone would be two of them. But to be honest, I don't like the idea of filling up my sixth slot by them, because it seems like wasted space. :\

Oh, and let's just shift this over to General Pokémon Gaming, yes?

/shifts

 

[Amore]

Well, I'll just summarise how I spread them out (note it depends on how many HMs were in the generation):

Spoiler:

- Emerald Version:

- HM01 Cut: Unused
- HM02 Fly: Unused
- HM03 Surf: Team Member
- HM04 Strength: Team Member
- HM05 Flash: Unused
- HM06 Rock Smash: HM Slave
- HM07 Waterfall: Team Member / HM Slave
- HM08 Dive: HM Slave

- LeafGreen Version:

- HM01 Cut: Team Member
- HM02 Fly: Team Member
- HM03 Surf: Team Member
- HM04 Strength: Team Member
- HM05 Flash: Team Member
- HM06 Rock Smash: Unused
- HM07 Waterfall: Unused / HM Slave Post-E4 Four Island Quest

- Diamond / Platinum Version(s):
- HM01 Cut: HM Slave
- HM02 Fly: Unused
- HM03 Surf: Team Member
- HM04 Strength: Team Member
- HM05 Defog: HM Slave
- HM06 Rock Smash: HM Slave
- HM07 Waterfall: Team Member / HM Slave
- HM08 Rock Climb: Starter Pokémon.

- HeartGold Version:
- HM01 Cut: HM Slave
- HM02 Fly: Unused
- HM03 Surf: Team Member
- HM04 Strength: Team Member
- HM05 Whirlpool: HM Slave
- HM06 Rock Smash: HM Slave
- HM07 Waterfall: Team Member / HM Slave
- HM08 Rock Climb: Starter Pokémon

My HM Slaves are usually water-type (Hoenn: Any, Kanto: Needs Rock Smash, Sinnoh: Needs Rock Smash, Johto: Any, usually Bibarel). I personally don't see what people's problem with Rock Climb is, it's a brilliant move, sometimes even induces confusion, and they made sure all starters could learn it (a lot of pokémon which couldn't surprised me, though) except Charizard, and he's not a starter in Gen IV.
Defog, I can see the uselessness, but I like it for adding a nice touch to what would otherwise be some boring trekking to Celestic Town and through part of Mount Coronet and Victory Road. Whirlpool isn't quite as useless, and I like the animation.

 

[PlatinumDude]

I'm against the use of HM slaves, so I spread out my TMs among my team. When I deem an HM move as unnecessary, I make the Pokemon forget that move with the move deleter, then replace it with something else (a TM, another HM suited for the occasion or a level up move).

 

[Timbjerr]

lol, most HMs? useless? By my count, the only real useless ones are Cut, Rock Smash, and Flash/Defog. Everything else has a base power of at least 70 or has a strategic use, and a Technician pokemon can still make good use of Cut and rock Smash. XD

I usually put HMs on my main battling team because I can't be bothered to keep up with HM slaves. :P

 

[Sydian]

SHIVI I DIDN'T WANT THIS THREAD HERE lol ok

I usually have someone with Surf and Strength on my main team, and maybe Fly, but the other ones I pass on. Rock Climb would be an okay move if it weren't a normal type move imo.

 

[Strout]

I put Fly and Surf on some members of my team. I put everything else HM slaves.
​

 

[da_absol]

...everything in my party does not have hms execpt Surf and Fly. Then my HM boy plus item-collector is Lioone

 

[Guest123_x1]

HM usage

When I played the games, I liked to use Surf and Fly in battle the most. However, I also used Cut and Strength a lot.
The first two I mentioned I also found the most useful ones outside of battle.
I spread HMs across my normal team, teaching them to those Pokémon that were able to learn them. (I had quite a diverse team)

 

[Kevin]

I only use the good HM's like Surf on my actual Pokemon. Worthless movies such as Rock Smash and Cut are given to my HM Slaves. XD

 

[BHwolfgang]

I hate the idea of wasting a spot in my party for an HM slave. So, instead of having to carry a Bibarel or Linoone throughout my adventure, I just store them in my box until I do need to cut a short tree and or smash a rock.

Hidden Moves such as Surf, Waterfall, Fly, and Strength are actually useful in battling. I always give my leading Pokemons these moves. What sucks about this is the fact that I have to go to the move deleter if I ever want my Pokemons to learn something else.

 

[Espeonrules]

I almost always have my main Pokes learn Surf, Fly, and Cut. The others are there for my HM slave, which is usually the last slot in my party. In HG/SS I taught one of my Pokemon Waterfall too, which I consider a pretty decent move.

Teaching some of your main Pokemon HM moves saves you the trouble of having to keep track of your HM slaves, as well as having to go back to a Pokemon Center to withdraw one with the move you need. If only they were forgettable...

 

[Ho-Oh]

I only use Surf, Waterfall, Strength and Fly, I try to avoid Cut as much as I can, because I don't need it, same goes for the others, but I'll usually have a backup learning them.

Strength and Surf are usually known between my main two and three Pokemon, while whoever is my main will always know Strength. idk I love Strength. XD;

 

[fenyx4]

Well in Sapphire, I had Swampert with Surf and Rayquaza with Fly, as those are the primary HMs I used. Though I haven't started my permanent file in FireRed, I had intended to have Charizard with Fly and Blastoise with Surf. Though I later noticed that Charizard has a higher Special Attack stat, so Air Slash would've filled in the slot.

:t235: Ever since the advent of Emerald, I have caught 2 Smeargle specifically for the purpose of using HMs. One has the Surf, Dive, and Waterfall bunched together, and the other has the other HMs; I can't remember offhead... The only thing that gets annoying is wasting 2 slots in my party for the 2 HM-using Smeargle... *sigh* HMs, why do you annoy me so? And why do most of you HMs suck? (not directed toward Surf, Fly, or Waterfall. Dive, Rock Climb, Whirlpool, and Defog are a bit innovative, IMO, so I don't hate them as much).

 

[AshPikastar]

The only HM's I use is Surf, Dive, Fly, and Waterfall for my team Pokemon. They are pretty good HM moves and are pretty useful. Cut and other Hm's seem to be useless so I use them for HM Slaves which I hate having since I have to take up my Pokemon slot. They don't do much damage but Strength is pretty useful.

 

[Red1530]

I usually spread the HM among the Pokémon I have on my team.

 

[Lati-Fan95]

I usually use HM Pokemon just because my fighters need to be strong and I can't afford a wasted move space for a move like Cut!^^ But on the other hand, I'm kinda forced to spread the HMs to my whole team currently because of the random Pokemon challenge I'm doing currently and because everyone is a fighter, everyone is a HM Pokemon, too!^^

 

[FilbertTheFox]

I normally have a flying type in my party so that's fly sorted.
I normally have a water type in my party so that's surf sorted, also surf is a great move.

I find HM dump pokemon for other moves as all the rest are pretty useless in combat.
Tropius seems to be the best as it can learn MOST HM's ;)