Solution to fix HM slaves without altering strategy

[anchpop]

Each pokemon could just have a 5th move slot that cannot be used in battle. It doesn't really matter with the battle box now anyways.

and you could get a surfboard and a rock smasher.

 

[Shrew]

Personally what I'd want to fix it would be for a broad category of moves to act as a Hidden Move... so the Cut category could be fulfilled by Slash, Leaf Blade, Night Slash, and so forth. Strength could be fulfilled by many fighting moves or even Psychic to lift them out of the way.

Apparently a surfboard was programmed into one of the earlier pokemon games but was never accessible... I wish HM key items were in the newer games though. :(