TM and HMs: How will they change.

[Memo326]

Drastic, wishful-thinking idea ahead:

- There are 50-ish TM's pre-E4. Many of them are story related (Gym Leaders' TMs, the Professor giving you Return), mostly are Gen 6 moves, and/or moves that not many (or any) Pokémon knows by level up, like Draco Meteor, Focus Blast or Hidden Power. The TMs don't have a number, and are simply listed as "[Move Name] TM" ("Fire Blast TM", "Return TM"...)

- No HMs. The moves are turned into TMs and the places smartly designed so you can't get trapped no matter what, or you get key items to replace them, or certain Pokémon naturally have the ability to use the field moves, or whatever. Just let us delete any move we want whenever we want.

- You get a MoveDex (or something less simply named) that lists all moves you have seen used or any of your Pokémon have used, with seen and used distinctions like the Pokédex, and you can sort them by type, category or alphabetically. From here you can also filter to "teachable" and get a list of the moves you have TMs from, and from this screen you would teach them to Pokémon (instead of the bag).

- Now, here is where I get crazy. Like I said, 50 TMs pre-E4. But after? There is a character, that for a certain amount of BP/shards/Heart Scales/whatever, will turn a move one of your Pokémon knows into a TM. Yes, I'm talking EVERY MOVE IS A TM. This doesn't mean that a move like Sacred Fire would be teachable to anyone but Ho-oh, it just means that essentially Egg moves would all turn into TMs (which you can still breed Pokémon with, like current TMs). No more having to breed all your Pokémon. No more misclicking and forgetting an Egg move you can't get back. No more your-starter-can't-have-this-really-cool-move (though it can only have it after the E4). No more illegal move combos. You could play with changing a move in a Pokémon and not have to suffer if said move is an Egg or Tutor move. Like I said, this wouldn't (necessarily) give a Pokémon access to more moves, just make access to those it can already learn easier. It would also make for a new "catch-em-all" scenario of getting the TMs of ALL moves. Of course, some moves would cost more than others, with, say, Ember costing just 8 BP but something like Flamethrower costing 36 BP (and Fire Blast 48 BP).

It might sound like a pipe dream, but then, who would've thought we would get infinite-use TM's?

Feel free to criticize. I'll keep dreaming.

 

[Solacen]

I think Dive could be replaced with an item "Scuba gear".

 

[Owain]

I'd still like the move Dive to be used though, it can be used in battle before the always-late-in-the-game waterfall.

Imagine diving... in 3D!

 

[Vyrron]

I hope they expand the TM list, like they did in Generation IV, from 100 to 150, and turn all HM moves into regular TMs.

 

[Mitchman]

Make the TM moves compulsive traits of all Pokemon who were able to use them in the past. All flying Pokemon should be able automatically to fly somewhere, surfing Pokemon the same and so forth. I just don't understand how its possible for Pokemon to only be able to do something as simple as swimming with a person on their back.

 

[Blockhead Pippi]

I hope the TMs and HMs don't change, personally, especially now that the TMs have infinite uses. That was something that I have wanted to see for years, and after getting used to it in Gen 5, it makes it harder for me to use the TMs in previous generations now. So I definitely hope they don't change a thing with how the TMs work now.

As for HMs, even though yes many parts of Europe are landlocked, I can still see them returning and serving the same use as they have always done. They're there for a reason, to serve as puzzle-solvers and to prevent you from going too far ahead in the game early on when you're not supposed to yet (which is why Gens 1-4 had HMs require badges, so you wouldn't trade HM users in and go farther ahead without the badges, though that is null in Gen 5). The games are also largely RPG-like in nature, so obstacles are bound to appear. Even if they outright got rid of the necessities of HMs, which I honestly doubt they will, they will still incorporate some sort of obstacles that you have to figure out how to bypass.

And besides, in regards to Surf, there's still always ponds, small lakes and rivers.

 

[Owain]

The games are also largely RPG-like in nature, so obstacles are bound to appear. Even if they outright got rid of the necessities of HMs, which I honestly doubt they will, they will still incorporate some sort of obstacles that you have to figure out how to bypass.

And besides, in regards to Surf, there's still always ponds, small lakes and rivers.

I was about to post that aswell, if we get rid of HMs another obstacles will take their places, but you could argue that an item system would be better, for diving you get diving equipment, and you always needed a bike for the cycling road.

And yeah people, putting ponds and rivers aside, artistic licenses have their place in Pokémon, they could easily pull an ocean a little left of Paris, and I'd be tottaly OK with it.

 

[Zeta]

The one thing I'd want to see is Field Moves being inherent to the Pokemon.

IE - All Diglet can use Dig in the field, regardless of if they have the move in their moveset for battles. All Lapras can use Surf. It could be a new passive "Ability". You could even rename the Field moves different names so that people don't get confused and to separate them from using Surf in a battle.

Cut > Machete, Surf > Swim, Strength > Push. Etc. etc.

This way you don't need HM slaves at all. Gen V worked towards this, and I want Gen VI to complete it.

 

[Blockhead Pippi]

The one thing I'd want to see is Field Moves being inherent to the Pokemon.

IE - All Diglet can use Dig in the field, regardless of if they have the move in their moveset for battles. All Lapras can use Surf. It could be a new passive "Ability". You could even rename the Field moves different names so that people don't get confused and to separate them from using Surf in a battle.

That would just be game breaking, and enable people to bypass obstacles much sooner than what would normally be intended. Yes it would be more realistic, but I don't really approve of the idea.

 

[Dralcax]

I want HMs to be like normal TMs. As long as they don't let you forget Surf in the middle of the water, it should be fine for HM moves to be forgettable, you can always just reteach them if necessary. OK, they shouldn't let you throw the HMs away or anything, but getting trapped shouldn't be an issue.

 

[Blockhead Pippi]

I want HMs to be like normal TMs. As long as they don't let you forget Surf in the middle of the water, it should be fine for HM moves to be forgettable, you can always just reteach them if necessary. OK, they shouldn't let you throw the HMs away or anything, but getting trapped shouldn't be an issue.

There have been situations where it is entirely possible to get trapped. And besides, not everyone uses the HM items to teach HM moves. It is entirely possible to trade in HM Users via trade and not even bother to collect (some of) the actual HMs from NPCs.

 

[Zeta]

The one thing I'd want to see is Field Moves being inherent to the Pokemon.

IE - All Diglet can use Dig in the field, regardless of if they have the move in their moveset for battles. All Lapras can use Surf. It could be a new passive "Ability". You could even rename the Field moves different names so that people don't get confused and to separate them from using Surf in a battle.

That would just be game breaking, and enable people to bypass obstacles much sooner than what would normally be intended. Yes it would be more realistic, but I don't really approve of the idea.

1) Gen V had no obstacles in the main storyline. Nearly all obstacles were for sidequests/optional areas/legendaries.
2) Badges can be used as event flags to prevent bypassing obstacles early if this is truly a problem.
3) You can already trade Pokemon with HM moves to players who don't have the corresponding HMs. It's been like that since Gen I.

 

[Blockhead Pippi]

3) You can already trade Pokemon with HM moves to players who don't have the corresponding HMs. It's been like that since Gen I.

Yes. Which was why HMs also required the badges, at the time.

I still don't approve of the idea though.