Have HMs become obsolete?

[Xenidal]

Previous to Generation V, the advantage of an HM over a TM was that it could be used multiple times. This all changed in Generation V when TMs could also be used indefinitely. Also, their use outside of battle has been lessened by a lot. In order to complete the game, Surf is the only one that needs to be used often. Cut is needed just once... Strength is only needed a few times... and the rest aren't needed at all (Fly is just a convenience).
In my opinion, HMs have become obsolete and should all be given TM status in the next generation. Either that, or you should be able to erase them without seeing the Move Deleter. Which would then make them exactly the same as TMs except for the name.

 

[Articwolf10]

Previous to Generation V, the advantage of an HM over a TM was that it could be used multiple times. This all changed in Generation V when TMs could also be used indefinitely. Also, their use outside of battle has been lessened by a lot. In order to complete the game, Surf is the only one that needs to be used often. Cut is needed just once... Strength is only needed a few times... and the rest aren't needed at all (Fly is just a convenience).
In my opinion, HMs have become obsolete and should all be given TM status in the next generation. Either that, or you should be able to erase them without seeing the Move Deleter. Which would then make them exactly the same as TMs except for the name.

There are reasons you can't unlearn HM moves... what would happen if you forgot surf while surfing? but yeah HM's aren't as much se now

 

[Xenidal]

Well, Surf and Dive are the only moves that would have that problem. And they could always program it so if you happen to be Surfing or underwater at the time then you aren't allowed to remove it. Or they could let you remove it and still have you in the water / underwater, but as soon as you surface / step onto land you'll be unable to go back out into / under the water without re-learning it.

 

[Saiga]

Yeah, HMs are obsolete now. Never being able to unlearn them has always been a frustrating feature, and they should find another way to get around the problem of unlearning them while surfing/diving.

 

[Ghetsis-Dennis]

HM use is now limited to obtaining rare items, powerful TMs, or legendaries, which helps make the story mode less tedious so you don't have to waste a slot for an HM slave.

 

[Kouzan]

I wouldn't say they're obsolete , they're just less useful now with TMs being infinite and two time more powerful than most HMs.

 

[ZACH ATTACK]

HM's have always been dumb except for Fly I think. They are so annoying because you can't erase them and a lot of times have to waste Heart Scales if you want to teach something that knows a HM a move it learns by level up only.

 

[Okami Takahashi]

Slightly obsolete. I kinda like being able to use TM's like HM's, BUT I WISH you could still obtain extras that you don't need and sell them.

 

[YamiiDenryuu]

Well, Surf and Dive are the only moves that would have that problem. And they could always program it so if you happen to be Surfing or underwater at the time then you aren't allowed to remove it. Or they could let you remove it and still have you in the water / underwater, but as soon as you surface / step onto land you'll be unable to go back out into / under the water without re-learning it.

That would still leave you able to get stuck somewhere by, say, landing on an island or surfacing in one of those closed-off areas. You'd have to make the 'mon relearn the HM right away, at least.

 

[Almonds]

I wish they were given more better battle functions. I usually check my movesets before I challenge the Pokemon League, and I always erase all HMs except Surf and Fly (I leave Dive and Waterfall, too sometimes).

 

[Xenidal]

That would still leave you able to get stuck somewhere by, say, landing on an island or surfacing in one of those closed-off areas. You'd have to make the 'mon relearn the HM right away, at least.

That's not really being "stuck" then. The HMs / TMs never go away, and if you had a Pokémon who was able to know an HM at one point then you could almost always re-teach it to him. The only problems I see in this would be:
- if a Pokémon evolves and forgets an HM move at the same time and his evolution is no longer compatible with that HM then you could get stuck, but as far as I know no Pokémon are like that
- or say you were in that situation with your only Surfing Pokémon being one who isn't compatible with the HM... such as a Surfing Pikachu or a Smeargle with Surf... and you made him forget it. And since he's not compatible with the HM you wouldn't be able to make him re-learn it, so then you'd be stuck. But they could come up with a fix for this... maybe something like if a Pokémon ever learns Surf then that specific Pokémon then becomes compatible with the HM for it

 

[sonic10158]

Well, Surf and Dive are the only moves that would have that problem. And they could always program it so if you happen to be Surfing or underwater at the time then you aren't allowed to remove it. Or they could let you remove it and still have you in the water / underwater, but as soon as you surface / step onto land you'll be unable to go back out into / under the water without re-learning it.

That would still leave you able to get stuck somewhere by, say, landing on an island or surfacing in one of those closed-off areas. You'd have to make the 'mon relearn the HM right away, at least.

That problem already exists in D/P on that little island where you can trade for a Magikarp

 

[VirtualAnomaly]

I believe that they are becoming obsolete, except for HM 02 and HM 03, since they are really the only useful ones that you need to get through certain areas. Otherwise, I find them absolutely useless, both in battle and on the field.

 

[Drakon]

HMs are now kinda useless except for getting items/pokémon.

Sure, Surf is an accurate and pretty damn powerful move (only HM that's combat useful) but TMs teach better moves.

 

[Peachy]

In game yeah, we don't need them anymore, but moves like Surf and Waterfall would fair well as TMs,

 

[RocketGrunt78]

I think TM's should have a finite usage limit of probaly 5 times before they break

 

[Pyradox]

Yeah, I think they have. In my opinion, having TMs be eternally reusable was a pretty bad move; it takes some of the challenge away and it's kind of overpowered. You should only be able to use them once or twice. Being able to buy them in HG/SS was smart, they ought to bring that back.

 

[winstein]

If TMs were to have a usage limit, it won't make players willing to use them, because it would be precious to use. This is one of the things that was touched on in an interview regarding Pokemon Black and White, in which one observation is that players are not willing to use TMs that are precious (read: Gym Leader's TMs). Whereas, an unlimited usage makes it safer to us, and provides more room for experimentation.

As for whether HMs are obsolete, I think they are, in a way. Surf is still crucial in obtaining certain Pokemon to accessing certain areas, same with Waterfall and Dive. Strength is an odd case because it will eventually be obsolete, since rocks that can be pushed will eventually run out. Less HMs to be used is a good move, but it would be great if the HMs can be coupled as very useful moves, like giving Cut a drastic critical hit ratio, so that it justifies its early-game usage (or remove its HM status and make Slash the HM, giving Cut to a few Pokemon to learn naturally).

Thanks for reading.

 

[Te-em]

Since they made the TMs unlimited, I don't have to restart my game anymore to get new ones. Before Gen V I always restarted my games several times to get rare items, like Master Balls and TMs. Now I don't have to worry about the TMs anymore. I hope the HMs disappear, because I hate HM slaves. The HMs should be learnt like some sort of abilities instead, so that you don't have to replace attacks and you can still use your Pokemon for competitive purposes (of course, the HM would only be used outside battle this way). It's okey you need specific Pokemon to access certain areas, but if you also need certain Pokemon with certain techniques, then you're often doomed to find yourself carrying around Pokemon you don't even want.

 

[Blue Dragon]

If we are talking about the use of HM moves in competitive battle, then the most useful ones I would say are Surf and Waterfall. They are very useful and I personally could not do without them in competitive battle.

Surf on my Kingdra is a brilliant example, as I had major problems with Hydro Pump missing when I really needed it, so Surf with it's 100% accuracy being boosted in Rain with max Sp.Atk and a 95 base power is not to be laughed at.

Also Waterfall being part of the few Physically based water type moves with a decent base power and a useful secondary effect, which is something my Gyarados and Swampert could not do without.