Move Tutor

A move tutor (Japanese: わざおしえ人 Move Teacher) is a non-player character who will teach a Pokémon moves that are not normally able to be learned through level up, TMs, or HMs. Move tutors are found in Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Orre, Sinnoh, and Unova. They are not to be confused with move relearners.

Generation II move tutors

Crystal

File:Move tutor.gif

In Pokémon Crystal, an elderly fellow visits Goldenrod City's Game Corner every Wednesday and Saturday after the player has become the Pokémon League Champion. He teaches three different moves for 4000 coins, two of which were TMs in Generation I and returned to that status in Generation III, and one of which later became a TM with the other two. These moves are breedable in the same fashion as TMs and HMs.

Move Type Location Gen I TM Flamethrower  Fire  TM35 Ice Beam  Ice  TM13 Thunderbolt  Electric  TM24

Generation III move tutors

FireRed and LeafGreen

These move tutors are in FireRed and LeafGreen. They do not appear in the older versions for the Game Boy system.

Normal move tutors

These tutors will teach a Pokémon a move otherwise unobtainable with the Generation III TM list. Many of the NPCs which gave a TM containing a move in Generation I that is no longer available in TM form in the current generation will directly teach the move they would have given instead. These can only be taught once.

Move Type Location Gen I TM Body Slam  Normal  Four Island TM08 Counter  Fighting  Celadon Department Store TM18 Double-Edge  Normal  Victory Road TM10 Dream Eater  Psychic  Viridian City TM42 Explosion  Normal  Mt. Ember TM47 Mega Kick  Normal  Route 4 TM05 Mega Punch  Normal  Route 4 TM01 Metronome  Normal  Pokémon Lab TM35 Mimic  Normal  Saffron City TM31 Rock Slide  Rock  Rock Tunnel TM48 Seismic Toss  Fighting  Pewter City TM19 Softboiled  Normal  Celadon City TM41 Substitute  Normal  Fuchsia City TM50 Swords Dance  Normal  Seven Island TM03 Thunder Wave  Electric  Silph Co. TM45

Special move tutors

A woman at Boon Island's Cape Brink will teach one move to each of the fully evolved Kanto starter Pokémon. She will teach Frenzy Plant to Venusaur, Hydro Cannon to Blastoise, and Blast Burn to Charizard. The moves can only be taught to one of these three Pokémon once, and the Pokémon learning the move must have maximum happiness.

Emerald

In Pokémon Emerald, various move tutors can be found across the Hoenn region. Some moves may be purchased at the Battle Frontier. Those that cannot be purchased may only be learned once from the tutor.

Move Type Location Body Slam  Normal  Battle Frontier 48BP Counter  Fighting  Battle Frontier 48BP Double-Edge  Normal  Sootopolis City — Dream Eater  Psychic  Battle Frontier 24BP Explosion  Normal  Pacifidlog Town — Mega Kick  Normal  Battle Frontier 48BP Mega Punch  Normal  Battle Frontier 24BP Metronome  Normal  Fallarbor Town — Mimic  Normal  Lavaridge Town — Rock Slide  Rock  Battle Frontier 48BP Seismic Toss  Fighting  Battle Frontier 24BP Softboiled  Normal  Battle Frontier 16BP Substitute  Normal  Lilycove City — Swords Dance  Normal  Battle Frontier 48BP Thunder Wave  Electric  Battle Frontier 48BP

The following moves are unavailable in FireRed and Leafgreen.

Move Type Location Defense Curl  Normal  Battle Frontier 16BP DynamicPunch  Fighting  Mossdeep City — Endure  Normal  Battle Frontier 48BP Fire Punch  Fire  Battle Frontier 48BP Fury Cutter  Bug  Verdanturf Town — Ice Punch  Ice  Battle Frontier 48BP Icy Wind  Ice  Battle Frontier 24BP Mud-Slap  Ground  Battle Frontier 24BP Psych Up  Normal  Battle Frontier 48BP Rollout  Rock  Mauville City — Sleep Talk  Normal  Fortree City — Snore  Normal  Battle Frontier 24BP Swagger  Normal  Slateport City — Swift  Normal  Battle Frontier 24BP ThunderPunch  Electric  Battle Frontier 48BP

Pokémon XD

In Pokémon XD, there is a move tutor in Agate Village.

Move Type Location Body Slam  Normal  Double-Edge  Normal  Dream Eater  Psychic  Icy Wind  Ice  Mimic  Normal  Nightmare  Ghost  Seismic Toss  Fighting  Selfdestruct  Normal  Sky Attack  Flying  Substitute  Normal  Swagger  Normal  Thunder Wave  Electric

Mew, when transferred over from any game to Pokémon XD, can learn other moves with the purchase of 5,000 Poké Coupons. Though this can only be done after beating the game, it can be done multiple times. Mew does not normally learn the following moves, but is able to do so through the use of this move tutor.

Move Type Location Faint Attack  Dark  Fake Out  Normal  Hypnosis  Psychic  Night Shade  Ghost  Role Play  Psychic  Zap Cannon  Electric

Generation IV move tutors

Diamond and Pearl

There are two Move Tutors in Sinnoh - one on Route 228 and one on Route 210. The move tutor on Route 210 teaches Draco Meteor to a Dragon-type Pokémon which has had its happiness maximized. Similar to the Cape Brink move tutor in FireRed and LeafGreen, the Route 228 move tutor will teach one of the elemental versions of Hyper Beam to a fully-evolved starter with maximum happiness. Unlike the Cape Brink tutor, it can be any of the twelve starter Pokémon, but the move's type will always correspond with the Pokémon's primary type. Also unlike the Cape Brink tutor, it can be taught as many times as the player likes.

Move Type Cat. Location Blast Burn  Fire  Special Route 228 Draco Meteor  Dragon  Special Route 210 Frenzy Plant  Grass  Special Route 228 Hydro Cannon  Water  Special Route 228

Platinum

In Pokémon Platinum, in addition to the move tutors in Diamond and Pearl, three new move tutors are added, in Snowpoint City, on Route 212, and in the Survival Area. These move tutors accept shards in return for their services, charging eight shards of various colors per move.

Red Shards emphasize power.
Blue Shards are for special effects.
Yellow Shards are for status problems.
Green Shards are what I like!

Move Type Cat. Location Air Cutter  Flying  Special 2 2 4 0 Dive  Water  Physical 2 0 4 2 Fire Punch  Fire  Physical 2 0 6 0 Fury Cutter  Bug  Physical 0 0 8 0 Ice Punch  Ice  Physical 2 0 6 0 Icy Wind  Ice  Special 0 2 6 0 Knock Off  Dark  Physical 4 0 4 0 Ominous Wind  Ghost  Special 0 2 6 0 Sucker Punch  Dark  Physical 0 0 6 2 ThunderPunch  Electric  Physical 2 0 6 0 Trick  Psychic  Status 0 0 4 4 Vacuum Wave  Fighting  Special 2 2 4 0 Zen Headbutt  Psychic  Physical 0 0 4 4

Move Type Cat. Location Helping Hand  Normal  Status 2 2 0 4 Last Resort  Normal  Physical 0 8 0 0 Magnet Rise  Electric  Status 0 2 2 4 Snore  Normal  Special 2 2 0 4 Spite  Ghost  Status 0 0 0 8 Swift  Normal  Special 0 4 2 2 Synthesis  Grass  Status 0 6 0 2 Uproar  Normal  Special 0 2 0 6

Move Type Cat. Location AncientPower  Rock  Special 6 2 0 0 Aqua Tail  Water  Physical 6 2 0 0 Bounce  Flying  Physical 4 2 0 2 Earth Power  Ground  Special 6 2 0 0 Endeavor  Normal  Physical 4 0 0 4 Gastro Acid  Poison  Status 4 2 0 2 Gunk Shot  Poison  Physical 4 2 2 0 Heat Wave  Fire  Special 4 2 2 0 Iron Defense  Steel  Status 4 0 2 2 Iron Head  Steel  Physical 6 0 0 2 Mud-Slap  Ground  Special 4 0 4 0 Outrage  Dragon  Physical 6 0 0 2 Rollout  Rock  Physical 4 2 2 0 Seed Bomb  Grass  Physical 4 4 0 0 Signal Beam  Bug  Special 2 2 2 2 Superpower  Fighting  Physical 8 0 0 0 Twister  Dragon  Special 6 2 0 0

HeartGold and SoulSilver

The following tutor moves are available in Johto's remakes, Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver. Similar to Emerald most of the moves that a move tutor can teach to a Pokémon require a set amount of Battle Points. Fourteen of these moves are exclusive to HeartGold and SoulSilver, while the rest are also obtainable in Platinum.

The following moves are also available in Platinum by going to the move tutors on Route 212, in Snowpoint City, and in the Survival Area, but with the difference that they require shards instead of BP as payment:

Move Type Cat. Location Air Cutter  Flying  Special Frontier Access 48BP AncientPower  Rock  Special Frontier Access 40BP Aqua Tail  Water  Physical Frontier Access 40BP Blast Burn  Fire  Special Blackthorn City — Bounce  Flying  Physical Frontier Access 32BP Dive  Water  Physical Frontier Access 40BP Draco Meteor  Dragon  Special Blackthorn City — Earth Power  Ground  Special Frontier Access 40BP Endeavor  Normal  Physical Frontier Access 64BP Fire Punch  Fire  Physical Frontier Access 64BP Frenzy Plant  Grass  Special Blackthorn City — Fury Cutter  Bug  Physical Frontier Access 32BP Gastro Acid  Poison  Status Frontier Access 32BP Gunk Shot  Poison  Physical Frontier Access 32BP Helping Hand  Normal  Status Frontier Access 40BP Heat Wave  Fire  Special Frontier Access 48BP Hydro Cannon  Water  Special Blackthorn City — Ice Punch  Ice  Physical Frontier Access 64BP Icy Wind  Ice  Special Frontier Access 48BP Iron Defense  Steel  Status Frontier Access 40BP Iron Head  Steel  Physical Frontier Access 40BP Knock Off  Dark  Physical Frontier Access 40BP Last Resort  Normal  Physical Frontier Access 48BP Magnet Rise  Electric  Status Frontier Access 40BP Mud-Slap  Ground  Special Frontier Access 32BP Ominous Wind  Ghost  Special Frontier Access 48BP Outrage  Dragon  Physical Frontier Access 48BP Rollout  Rock  Physical Frontier Access 32BP Seed Bomb  Grass  Physical Frontier Access 40BP Signal Beam  Bug  Special Frontier Access 40BP Spite  Ghost  Status Frontier Access 40BP Snore  Normal  Special Frontier Access 32BP Sucker Punch  Dark  Physical Frontier Access 40BP Superpower  Fighting  Physical Frontier Access 48BP Swift  Normal  Special Frontier Access 40BP Synthesis  Grass  Status Frontier Access 40BP ThunderPunch  Electric  Physical Frontier Access 64BP Trick  Psychic  Status Frontier Access 48BP Twister  Dragon  Special Frontier Access 40BP Uproar  Normal  Special Frontier Access 48BP Vacuum Wave  Fighting  Special Frontier Access 48BP Zen Headbutt  Psychic  Physical Frontier Access 64BP

The following moves are only available in HeartGold and SoulSilver:

Move Type Cat. Location Block  Normal  Status Frontier Access 32BP Bug Bite  Bug  Physical Frontier Access 32BP Gravity  Psychic  Status Frontier Access 32BP Headbutt  Normal  Physical Ilex Forest — Heal Bell  Normal  Status Frontier Access 48BP Low Kick  Fighting  Physical Frontier Access 32BP Magic Coat  Psychic  Status Frontier Access 32BP Pain Split  Normal  Status Frontier Access 64BP Role Play  Psychic  Status Frontier Access 48BP Sky Attack  Flying  Physical Frontier Access 64BP String Shot  Bug  Status Frontier Access 32BP Super Fang  Normal  Physical Frontier Access 40BP Tailwind  Flying  Status Frontier Access 48BP Worry Seed  Grass  Status Frontier Access 32BP

Generation V move tutors

Black and White

In Pokémon Black and White, there are four move tutors in Unova - one in Hodomoe City, one on Route 13, one in Souryuu City and one in Castelia City. A man in his house in Hodomoe City teaches the newly-introduced Oath moves, which can be combined with each other in double and triple battles for additional effects. As before, the elemental Hyper Beam variants can be taught to happy fully-evolved starter Pokémon of each respective type, with the new move tutor being located on Route 13, and Draco Meteor is taught by Souryuu Gym Leader Shaga or Iris, depending on the game, with the same restriction as in Generation IV. Also, if the player brings an event Meloetta to the Cafe in Castelia City, a man will teach it Ancient Song. Furthermore, if the player bring the event Keldeo with Cobalon, Terrakion, and Virizion in their party to Sekka Wetlands, they will teach it Sword of Mystery.

Move Type Cat. Location Grass Oath  Grass  Special Hodomoe City Fire Oath  Fire  Special Hodomoe City Water Oath  Water  Special Hodomoe City Frenzy Plant  Grass  Special Route 13 Blast Burn  Fire  Special Route 13 Hydro Cannon  Water  Special Route 13 Draco Meteor  Dragon  Special Souryuu City Ancient Song  Normal  Special Castelia City Sword of Mystery  Fighting  Special Sekka Wetlands

In Side Games

In PokéPark Wii: Pikachu's Adventure, Electabuzz and Primeape will teach the player Thunderbolt and Iron Tail, respectively. This will drastically enhance Pikachu's performance in battle. Though Electabuzz does not actually teach Pikachu how to use Thunderbolt, he does help strengthen its power.

Trivia

• In Pokémon Platinum, each move requires exactly eight shards. However, how many of each color varies.
  • Signal Beam is the only move tutor move which requires shards of each color.
  • Fury Cutter, Last Resort, Spite, and Superpower are the only moves that require only one color of shard.
  • In Platinum, there are exactly two tutorable moves for every type except for the Template:Type2.
• Of all of the HeartGold and SoulSilver move tutor moves, only five can be learned outside the Battle Frontier, and all of them for free. Of those five, four are learned in Blackthorn City.
• The nine moves available by move tutor in Pokémon Black and White are the only moves ever taught by a move tutor that Mew cannot learn.
  • The four moves available by move tutor in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl are the only moves of these nine that were in existence at the time.
    • Interestingly, this means that the first two games of both Generation IV and Generation V were the only games with move tutors that couldn't teach anything to Mew.

This game character article is part of Project CharacterDex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each character found in the Pokémon games.