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HMs - Keep or Toss?

I'd love them to return in the form of field abilities similiar to the Secret Techniques that don't take up moveslots and are usable by each and every Pokemon that looks like it can use them, not just a select few. For example, you can have an Empoleon in your party that knows Scald, Ice Beam, Grass Knot and Flash Cannon and still be able to chop down small trees, move boulders, smash rocks, climb cliffs, blow away fog, travel across water, and scale waterfalls. You can have a Togekiss with Air Slash, Dazzling Gleam, Aura Sphere and Psyshock and still be able to fly around, smash rocks, clear fog and light up darkness. However, if you have a team of Wormadam, Pachirisu, Porygon-Z, Froslass, Cherrim and Gardevoir, you can only light up dark caves and cut down trees. Poke Ride was just a slap in the face and an insult to the theme of the franchise, as you basically have no right to use your Pokemon outside of battle in Alola, the riding outfit and the saddles look ridiculous, and Machamp Shove is just plain creepy. The Secret Techniques Sea Skim and Sky Dash look tacky and unnatural when used by Pikachu/Eevee, and Light Up and Strong Push only really make sense for the former, but not the latter. And don't get me started on the so-called replacement in Galar. I certainly do understand the complaints about the HMs taking up moveslots and often being useless in battle, but neither making using them optional (Unova and Kalos) nor replacing them (Alola, the Let's Go version of Kanto, and Galar) was a decent alternative.
 
I've been wanting Pokemon to just have inherent field abilities for years but the closest things we've ever gotten are the surfing or soaring Pokemon in LGPE... Like Camille above me said, it would be the perfect solution to give Pokemon field abilities that are equivalent to HMs they could learn, so you'd still have to build a balanced in-game team that can carry out all those field moves in the overworld, but you don't have to sacrifice their actual move slots to do it.
 
In all honesty, and I know this is an controversial opinion, but I'm not too sure this ''Secret Techniques for everybody'' thing would really work.

Take HM Fly as an instance: it's a great idea to have it if you wanna use an special attacker and still fly around, but the problem is...

...What if I just don't wanna use an Pokémon that learns Fly? I will still need an HM Slave for that, even if I won't physically use the HM in it's moveset. And nearly every Pokemon that learns Waterfall is an Water Type. So what if I don't wanna use an Water type? And what about me not wanting to use an Pokémon that can use Strenght, or Defog? I'm gonna get punished for that?

My problem with that solution is that if only fixes the issue in having to use an move slot for the HM, not the fact that HMs were always obnoxious and rather punitive in a sense, since the game literally blocks you from progressing through the story if you don't use the X HM at this X moment. ''Oh, you don't wanna use Surf, okay. You cannot continue your adventure then.'' ''Huh? Refusing to use Rock Smash? You are trapped in Mt. Coronet now''.

They should still do the same they did in Alola: you unlocked parts of the game in an organic way, and you could still have the team you want.
 
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In all honesty, and I know this is an controversial opinion, but I'm not too sure this ''Secret Techniques for everybody'' thing would really work.

Take HM Fly as an instance: it's a great idea to have it if you wanna use an special attacker and still fly around, but the problem is...

...What if I just don't wanna use an Pokémon that learns Fly? I will still need an HM Slave for that, even if I won't physically use the HM in it's moveset. And nearly every Pokemon that learns Waterfall is an Water Type. So what if I don't wanna use an Water type? And what about me not wanting to use an Pokémon that can use Strenght, or Defog? I'm gonna get punished for that?

My problem with that solution is that if only fixes the issue in having to use an move slot for the HM, not the fact that HMs were always obnoxious and rather punitive in a sense, since the game literally blocks you from progressing through the story if you don't use the X HM at this X moment. ''Oh, you don't wanna use Surf, okay. You cannot continue your adventure then.'' ''Huh? Refusing to use Rock Smash? You are trapped in Mt. Coronet now''.

They should still do the same they did in Alola: you unlocked parts of the game in an organic way, and you could still have the team you wanted.
This is why I won't accept any other method for replacing HMs than a Poke Ride one, it's better to just let the player have the ultimate convenience once the ability to get through an obstacle is obtained. The less menus I have to go through, the better.
 
This is why I won't accept any other method for replacing HMs than a Poke Ride one, it's better to just let the player have the ultimate convenience once the ability to get through an obstacle is obtained. The less menus I have to go through, the better.

Not to mention there are plenty of options for a Sinnoh poke ride or field move.

Bastiodon: Strength/Rock smash
Bibarel: Cut (it’ll use its teeth to remove the trees)
Floatzel: Surf/Waterfall
Garchomp: Rock climb
Drifblim: Fly
 
I recently had an idea. How about HMs are transformed into TMs/TRs (if the latter exist in BDSP) and can act like Flash from Gen 4-6, being a move that can be used on the field while still being able to be overwritten by another move? That way you can just simply teach the Mon you want the move you need when you need it then delete it like any other TM/TR. Obviously, those particular moves will be reusable TMs, so you don't end up with only one breakable copy, but maybe GF could use that as a compromise. While, obviously, I feel that Poke Ride or an equivalent is the best method, if GF wants to be true to DP's core nature, then they could just make all the former HMs into reusable TMs that can be learned when needed and deleted whenever the player doesn't need them. Especially since some HMs were actually decent (Surf and Waterfall come to mind), so simply convert them into reusable TMs that can be learned and deleted without needing a move deleter whenever the player sees fit. Just a suggestion I had thought of, since it happened to Flash in Gens 4-6.
 
I recently had an idea. How about HMs are transformed into TMs/TRs (if the latter exist in BDSP) and can act like Flash from Gen 4-6, being a move that can be used on the field while still being able to be overwritten by another move? That way you can just simply teach the Mon you want the move you need when you need it then delete it like any other TM/TR. Obviously, those particular moves will be reusable TMs, so you don't end up with only one breakable copy, but maybe GF could use that as a compromise. While, obviously, I feel that Poke Ride or an equivalent is the best method, if GF wants to be true to DP's core nature, then they could just make all the former HMs into reusable TMs that can be learned when needed and deleted whenever the player doesn't need them. Especially since some HMs were actually decent (Surf and Waterfall come to mind), so simply convert them into reusable TMs that can be learned and deleted without needing a move deleter whenever the player sees fit. Just a suggestion I had thought of, since it happened to Flash in Gens 4-6.
Honestly, this just sounds like making an easy thing more complicated. Just make an Pokéride like Alola, or just remove everything. No need for that whole thing about deleting stuff. What if all four of my Pokémon moves are all level up moves/moves that aren't available through TM/HM? I will have to go to the move relearner a lot of times.
 
Honestly, this just sounds like making an easy thing more complicated. Just make an Pokéride like Alola, or just remove everything. No need for that whole thing about deleting stuff. What if all four of my Pokémon moves are all level up moves/moves that aren't available through TM/HM? I will have to go to the move relearner a lot of times.
I don’t see why it should be “Pokeride or bust”. There are plenty of more likely ways they could go about it. Pokeride doesn’t really match the chibi style of these games. I think inherent techniques are the most likely.
 
Honestly, this just sounds like making an easy thing more complicated. Just make an Pokéride like Alola, or just remove everything. No need for that whole thing about deleting stuff. What if all four of my Pokémon moves are all level up moves/moves that aren't available through TM/HM? I will have to go to the move relearner a lot of times.

Like I said, Poke Ride is the best answer. However, given the whole "faithful" thing that's GF's been saying about these remakes means that Poke Ride may end up an Alola-exclusive only. Not saying they can't do it, obviously, but the whole "faithful" thing keeps a storm cloud of doubt hovering over these remakes. That's why I'm suggesting this as a compromise, as it'll provide the whole HM/field move thing without it actually being HMs. I mean, Flash got that treatment starting in DP, so there's nothing saying it can't happen to something like Surf. Like I said, Poke Ride is the ultimate answer, as it's painless and doesn't require any extra nonsense, but the whole "faithful" thing is what's clouding the possibility of that coming to be. So, I was suggesting that making field moves into reusable TMs like how Flash ended up might be a possible compromise that won't hamper the core nature of DP, thus allowing it to remain "faithful" to the original games, while still having the modern advancements of things like HMs having gone the way of the dodo. Really, it's the whole "faithful" aspect of these remakes that turns stuff like this into dice rolls. This was just merely a suggestion that GF could use to form a compromise between the whole HM/field move thing, as it would still provide new moves while also not clogging up move slots or even a party slot for simple traversing the terrain more easily.
 
I don’t see why it should be “Pokeride or bust”. There are plenty of more likely ways they could go about it. Pokeride doesn’t really match the chibi style of these games. I think inherent techniques are the most likely.
I do think they could use other stuff too. But I do have to say I strongly disagree with the ''style doesn't matches'', because I mean, just make an chibi of that Pokémon or play an small, short cutscene to symbolize the technique being used, like in every game that has HMs.

Besides, they have done that before with the chibi style:
ridemamoswine.jpg

Like I said, Poke Ride is the best answer. However, given the whole "faithful" thing that's GF's been saying about these remakes means that Poke Ride may end up an Alola-exclusive only. Not saying they can't do it, obviously, but the whole "faithful" thing keeps a storm cloud of doubt hovering over these remakes.
In all honesty, the whole ''remakes must be 100% faithful to the og'' is such an wack thing to me, cuz more often than not most devs think ''Hey, let's also add the worst parts about this game and not improve on them whatsover for the sake of fAiThFuLnEsS'', which really makes me SO annoyed and angry I cannot even say it lol.

The HM part is rendered as one of the worst parts of Sinnoh and that I mean, we are still complaining about even tho this game has been out for nearly 15 years, so keeping it and stuff like that 100% like it was and not improving it in any way sounds pretty bad in my book.
 
I do think they could use other stuff too. But I do have to say I strongly disagree with the ''style doesn't matches'', because I mean, just make an chibi of that Pokémon or play an small, short cutscene to symbolize the technique being used, like in every game that has HMs.

Besides, they have done that before with the chibi style:
BDSP overworld seems even more chibi than XY, and the grid is smaller. Besides, XY still had actual HMs. Ride Pokémon really seems like an Alola-exclusive mechanic; otherwise I feel like they would have brought it back for Sword and Shield and just made it the standard.
 
Pokerides are okay. But I kinda wish they'd have a few options for overworld models like they did in ORAS. You could surf or dive on Sharpedo, Wailmer, and Kyogre. I get that Lapras is the ultimate surf pokemon, but its not everyday you get to show off your Kyogre on the field.
 
I genuinely hope it won't be a Poké Ride kinda solution. I guess it's not like that for everyone, but personally I HATED not being able to use my own Pokémon to overcome obstacles. Like, get me off of that random Machamp that I haven't even caught, I don't want you. Not to mention the ugly uniform they put you in.
 
I genuinely hope it won't be a Poké Ride kinda solution. I guess it's not like that for everyone, but personally I HATED not being able to use my own Pokémon to overcome obstacles. Like, get me off of that random Machamp that I haven't even caught, I don't want you. Not to mention the ugly uniform they put you in.
They could make a compromise beetween using your pokemon and pokeride: if one of your party members knows the TM needed, they will use it, otherwise a new pokemon will appear, do the move, and then go away.
 
I've had the view for a while that I quite like HMs in concept, albeit with a maximum of four and with them all being relevant moves in the endgame - they feel like an organic way of tying story progression in with the abilities of the Pokémon themselves. However, my sneaking suspicion is that the deliberate emphasis on the 'faithfulness' of these titles means that the whole gang will be back, which isn't particularly to my liking.
 
I've had the view for a while that I quite like HMs in concept, albeit with a maximum of four and with them all being relevant moves in the endgame - they feel like an organic way of tying story progression in with the abilities of the Pokémon themselves. However, my sneaking suspicion is that the deliberate emphasis on the 'faithfulness' of these titles means that the whole gang will be back, which isn't particularly to my liking.
Perhaps they will remove some unnecessary ones. Heck, they could just have the HMs be used for optional areas (which they have done before, like in Unova).
 
I've had the view for a while that I quite like HMs in concept, albeit with a maximum of four and with them all being relevant moves in the endgame - they feel like an organic way of tying story progression in with the abilities of the Pokémon themselves. However, my sneaking suspicion is that the deliberate emphasis on the 'faithfulness' of these titles means that the whole gang will be back, which isn't particularly to my liking.
Oh God... if they do I will end up skipping BDSP, which means there will be two games I would skip.
 
I don't want nor do I think they will be back. HMs were great for their time and I don't want them to remove field obstacles altogether, but there's no denying that being forced to carry certain moves on your team is very tedious and/or limiting. And considering that HMs haven't been brought back since SM removed them (in new generations, third versions, and remakes alike), I don't think they have any intention of doing so, they seem to be gone for good.

In all honesty, and I know this is an controversial opinion, but I'm not too sure this ''Secret Techniques for everybody'' thing would really work.

Take HM Fly as an instance: it's a great idea to have it if you wanna use an special attacker and still fly around, but the problem is...

...What if I just don't wanna use an Pokémon that learns Fly? I will still need an HM Slave for that, even if I won't physically use the HM in it's moveset. And nearly every Pokemon that learns Waterfall is an Water Type. So what if I don't wanna use an Water type? And what about me not wanting to use an Pokémon that can use Strenght, or Defog? I'm gonna get punished for that?

My problem with that solution is that if only fixes the issue in having to use an move slot for the HM, not the fact that HMs were always obnoxious and rather punitive in a sense, since the game literally blocks you from progressing through the story if you don't use the X HM at this X moment. ''Oh, you don't wanna use Surf, okay. You cannot continue your adventure then.'' ''Huh? Refusing to use Rock Smash? You are trapped in Mt. Coronet now''.

They should still do the same they did in Alola: you unlocked parts of the game in an organic way, and you could still have the team you want.

The problem with Poke Ride is you can't use your own Pokemon with it, just random rentals that the game forces us to care about instead of our own Pokemon that we form a connection with. It kind of goes against the spirit of the series to just use random Pokemon or Key Items or things like that to clear overworld obstacles, it's better if your own Pokemon are involved in the exploration because that really conveys the sense that you're exploring the region with them.

As for how to fix it, what they could do is bring back Poke Ride (or create a new device with a similar function to create that "region exclusive mechanic"), give you some rental Pokemon as defaults, but give you the ability to set your own Pokemon for each field ability and let you summon them at any time. If you don't have them in your party, you can still summon them from the PC, and if you don't have a Pokemon suitable for the field ability at all, you can just use the rentals. That would be the simplest way to fully solve the problem.
 
Please note: The thread is from 2 years ago.
Please take the age of this thread into consideration in writing your reply. Depending on what exactly you wanted to say, you may want to consider if it would be better to post a new thread instead.
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