In Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, players need to learn seven Hidden Machine (HM) moves to advance through the game. Some of these moves are powerful and useful in battles, but others aren’t very effective, forcing players to rely on Pokémon specifically trained to learn these less-useful HMs.
In Pokémon games, “HM slaves” are Pokémon specifically used to learn Hidden Machine (HM) moves. This frees up move slots on your stronger, battle-ready Pokémon. The ideal HM slave is easy to catch, available early in the game, and can learn several different HMs. Here are some good choices in FireRed, LeafGreen, and Emerald.
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Best HM Slaves in Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen
In Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen, there are seven Hidden Machine (HM) moves: Cut, Fly, Surf, Strength, Flash, Rock Smash, and Waterfall. Because Pokemon can only know four moves at a time, players will need to use at least two ‘HM slaves’ – Pokemon specifically taught these moves – to be able to access them all.
Mew is unique in the FireRed and LeafGreen games because it’s the only Pokémon capable of learning all seven Hidden Machine (HM) moves. However, because it’s so rare and a legendary Pokémon, it’s not practical to use it just to learn HMs.
Here are some of the best HM slaves players can choose from in FRLG.
| HM Slaves | HMs | Version |
|---|---|---|
| Pikachu | Strength, Flash, Rock Smash | FRLG |
| Paras, Parasect | Cut, Flash, Rock Smash | FRLG |
| Krabby, Kingler | Cut, Surf, Strength, Rock Smash | FRLG |
| Nidoran♀, Nidoran♂ | Cut, Strength, Rock Smash (Surf as Nidoking/Nidoqueen) | FRLG |
| Gyarados | Surf, Strength, Rock Smash, Waterfall | FRLG |
| Lapras | Surf, Strength, Rock Smash, Waterfall | FRLG |
| Psyduck, Golduck | Surf, Strength, Flash, Rock Smash, Waterfall | FR |
| Staryu, Starmie | Surf, Flash, Waterfall | LG |
| Slowbro | Surf, Strength, Flash, Rock Smash | FRLG |
| Kabutops | Cut, Surf, Rock Smash, Waterfall | FRLG |
| Poliwhirl, Poliwrath | Surf, Strength, Rock Smash, Waterfall | FRLG |
| Tentacool, Tentacruel | Cut, Surf, Waterfall | FRLG |
| Rhydon | Cut, Surf, Strength, Rock Smash | FRLG |
| Farfetch’d | Cut, Fly | FRLG |
Fly, Surf, and Waterfall are all excellent moves, even though they’re learned as HMs. Fly is a powerful physical Flying-type attack, Surf is a dependable special Water-type attack, and Waterfall is the strongest physical Water-type attack available. Teaching these moves to your main Pokémon is a smart choice and won’t hinder your team.
Best HM Slave Combinations in Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen
| HM Slaves | HMs |
|---|---|
| Paras, Parasect | Cut, Flash, Rock Smash |
| Gyarados | Surf, Strength, Waterfall |
| Farfetch’d | Fly |
You can find all three of these Pokémon quickly in both Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen. What’s more, you can get them before learning any Hidden Machines (HMs).
You can find Paras in Mt. Moon. Magikarp costs 500 at the Pokemon Center shop on Route 4, and it evolves into Gyarados at level 20. To get Farfetch’d, you’ll need to trade a Spearow to a character in Vermillion City.
While you could use Poliwhirl or Lapras instead of Gyarados, they’re both more difficult to obtain and generally aren’t as helpful.
Alternative HM Slaves Combination for Pokemon LeafGreen
| HM Slaves | HMs |
|---|---|
| Nidoran♀, Nidoran♂ | Cut, Strength, Rock Smash |
| Staryu, Starmie | Surf, Flash, Waterfall |
| Farfetch’d | Fly |
Like the previous team, these three Pokémon are all easy to find early in the game. However, this combination isn’t possible in FireRed because Staryu and Starmie are only available in LeafGreen.
Alternative HM Slaves Combination for Pokemon FireRed
| HM Slaves | HMs |
|---|---|
| Psyduck, Golduck | Surf, Strength, Flash, Rock Smash |
| Tentacool, Tentacruel | Cut, Waterfall |
| Farfetch’d | Fly |
Psyduck and Golduck can only be found in the Pokemon FireRed game. If you’re playing LeafGreen, you’ll need to trade to get them.
Fly is a tricky Hidden Machine (HM) to cover. It’s difficult because the Pokémon strong enough to learn it are usually valuable team members – you wouldn’t want to relegate them to just using HM moves. Pokémon like Charizard, Aerodactyl, Dragonite, Mew, and the legendary birds all learn Fly. If you need a weaker Pokémon to learn it, Farfetch’d is the best choice, as it’s the only one that can also learn Cut. This makes it useful for more than just HM coverage if you don’t want to teach Fly to one of your main Pokémon.
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2026-02-23 08:05