TM

If you were looking for either of the Pokémon Trading Card Game expansions sometimes abbreviated as TM, see EX Team Magma vs Team Aqua (TCG) or Triumphant (TCG).

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Using a TM in Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen

A Technical Machine, or TM for short (Japanese: わざマシン Move Machine), is a machine used by Pokémon Trainers to teach a Pokémon a new move that it might not otherwise learn. Up until Generation V, TMs were good for only one use, unlike Hidden Machines, which can be used over and over again on many different Pokémon. TMs can be found on the ground or bought at department stores. Some are also given away by Gym Leaders as prizes for defeating them in addition to a Badge. Silph Co. has distributed a pamphlet containing information on TMs and HMs, indicating they are, at least partially, developed or produced by the company.

Mutually-compatible TMs (such as Flamethrower from a father Typhlosion to a baby Torchic) will also be passed down through breeding, though prior to Generation V there were several Pokémon that could only learn certain moves contained in TMs via breeding, such as Vulpix with Energy Ball.

The depiction of TMs has changed over time. In the TCG, they are shown as small boxes that the Poké Ball would be inserted into, but from FireRed and LeafGreen onwards, they have been depicted as discs that are inserted into the TM Case and the case itself teaches the Pokémon the move. Thus, the one-use nature of the TMs prior to Generation V can be seen as analogous to DVDs that destroy themselves after use.

For the in-game locations of TMs, see List of TM and HM locations.

TM through generations

Generation I

Generation I featured 50 TMs with an additional five HMs. Move Tutors in FireRed, LeafGreen, and Emerald teach several of the moves that were removed from the TM list between Generation I and Generation III.

Generation II

Generation II introduced several new TMs, a majority of which were new moves introduced in this generation. There remained 50 TMs, as some Generation I TMs were removed. Several moves that were contained in TMs in Generation II but were no longer contained within TMs during Generation III can be taught by a Move Tutor in Pokémon Emerald.

Generation III

In Generation III, more moves were introduced, and the TM list was again adjusted. The 50-TM limit remained, and several older moves became TMs—including some that lost their TM status between Generations I and II.

Generation IV

Due to the connectivity with the Generation III games, the 50-TM list was not redone in Generation IV. To include new moves and incorporate older moves as TMs, the TM list was expanded from 50 to 92, leaving the first 50 TMs intact. With the eight HMs, the number of machine-learnable moves in Generation IV was at an even 100.

Generation V

In Generation V, TMs have changed from being single-use items to having infinite uses, making them akin to HMs. But unlike HMs, TMs can be forgotten without the help of a Move Deleter. In addition, when a Pokémon forgets a move in order to learn from a TM, the move learned with a TM takes on the current PP of the move replaced by the new move. This is to prevent repeated usage of TMs for the purpose of PP restoration. The prices of the buyable TMs are also much higher, and they can no longer be held. The number of TMs was expanded once again from 92 to 95. However, many of the 92 TMs found in Generation IV contain different moves. As there are only six HMs, there are 101 machine-learnable moves normally available in Generation V.

List of TMs

Generation I # Move Type 01 Mega Punch Normal 02 Razor Wind Normal 03 Swords Dance Normal 04 Whirlwind Normal 05 Mega Kick Normal 06 Toxic Poison 07 Horn Drill Normal 08 Body Slam Normal 09 Take Down Normal 10 Double-Edge Normal 11 BubbleBeam Water 12 Water Gun Water 13 Ice Beam Ice 14 Blizzard Ice 15 Hyper Beam Normal 16 Pay Day Normal 17 Submission Fighting 18 Counter Fighting 19 Seismic Toss Fighting 20 Rage Normal 21 Mega Drain Grass 22 SolarBeam Grass 23 Dragon Rage Dragon 24 Thunderbolt Electric 25 Thunder Electric 26 Earthquake Ground 27 Fissure Ground 28 Dig Ground 29 Psychic Psychic 30 Teleport Psychic 31 Mimic Normal 32 Double Team Normal 33 Reflect Psychic 34 Bide Normal 35 Metronome Normal 36 Selfdestruct Normal 37 Egg Bomb Normal 38 Fire Blast Fire 39 Swift Normal 40 Skull Bash Normal 41 Softboiled Normal 42 Dream Eater Psychic 43 Sky Attack Flying 44 Rest Psychic 45 Thunder Wave Electric 46 Psywave Psychic 47 Explosion Normal 48 Rock Slide Rock 49 Tri Attack Normal 50 Substitute Normal

Generation II # Move Type 01 DynamicPunch Fighting 02 Headbutt Normal 03 Curse ??? 04 Rollout Rock 05 Roar Normal 06 Toxic Poison 07 Zap Cannon Electric 08 Rock Smash Fighting 09 Psych Up Normal 10 Hidden Power Normal 11 Sunny Day Fire 12 Sweet Scent Normal 13 Snore Normal 14 Blizzard Ice 15 Hyper Beam Normal 16 Icy Wind Ice 17 Protect Normal 18 Rain Dance Water 19 Giga Drain Grass 20 Endure Normal 21 Frustration Normal 22 SolarBeam Grass 23 Iron Tail Steel 24 DragonBreath Dragon 25 Thunder Electric 26 Earthquake Ground 27 Return Normal 28 Dig Ground 29 Psychic Psychic 30 Shadow Ball Ghost 31 Mud-Slap Ground 32 Double Team Normal 33 Ice Punch Ice 34 Swagger Normal 35 Sleep Talk Normal 36 Sludge Bomb Poison 37 Sandstorm Rock 38 Fire Blast Fire 39 Swift Normal 40 Defense Curl Normal 41 ThunderPunch Electric 42 Dream Eater Psychic 43 Detect Fighting 44 Rest Psychic 45 Attract Normal 46 Thief Dark 47 Steel Wing Steel 48 Fire Punch Fire 49 Fury Cutter Bug 50 Nightmare Ghost

Generation III # Move Type 01 Focus Punch Fighting 02 Dragon Claw Dragon 03 Water Pulse Water 04 Calm Mind Psychic 05 Roar Normal 06 Toxic Poison 07 Hail Ice 08 Bulk Up Fighting 09 Bullet Seed Grass 10 Hidden Power Normal 11 Sunny Day Fire 12 Taunt Dark 13 Ice Beam Ice 14 Blizzard Ice 15 Hyper Beam Normal 16 Light Screen Psychic 17 Protect Normal 18 Rain Dance Water 19 Giga Drain Grass 20 Safeguard Normal 21 Frustration Normal 22 SolarBeam Grass 23 Iron Tail Steel 24 Thunderbolt Electric 25 Thunder Electric 26 Earthquake Ground 27 Return Normal 28 Dig Ground 29 Psychic Psychic 30 Shadow Ball Ghost 31 Brick Break Fighting 32 Double Team Normal 33 Reflect Psychic 34 Shock Wave Electric 35 Flamethrower Fire 36 Sludge Bomb Poison 37 Sandstorm Rock 38 Fire Blast Fire 39 Rock Tomb Rock 40 Aerial Ace Flying 41 Torment Dark 42 Facade Normal 43 Secret Power Normal 44 Rest Psychic 45 Attract Normal 46 Thief Dark 47 Steel Wing Steel 48 Skill Swap Psychic 49 Snatch Dark 50 Overheat Fire

Generation IV # Move Type Cat. 01 Focus Punch Fighting Physical 02 Dragon Claw Dragon Physical 03 Water Pulse Water Special 04 Calm Mind Psychic Status 05 Roar Normal Status 06 Toxic Poison Status 07 Hail Ice Status 08 Bulk Up Fighting Status 09 Bullet Seed Grass Physical 10 Hidden Power Normal Special 11 Sunny Day Fire Status 12 Taunt Dark Status 13 Ice Beam Ice Special 14 Blizzard Ice Special 15 Hyper Beam Normal Special 16 Light Screen Psychic Status 17 Protect Normal Status 18 Rain Dance Water Status 19 Giga Drain Grass Special 20 Safeguard Normal Status 21 Frustration Normal Physical 22 SolarBeam Grass Special 23 Iron Tail Steel Physical 24 Thunderbolt Electric Special 25 Thunder Electric Special 26 Earthquake Ground Physical 27 Return Normal Physical 28 Dig Ground Physical 29 Psychic Psychic Special 30 Shadow Ball Ghost Special 31 Brick Break Fighting Physical 32 Double Team Normal Status 33 Reflect Psychic Status 34 Shock Wave Electric Special 35 Flamethrower Fire Special 36 Sludge Bomb Poison Special 37 Sandstorm Rock Status 38 Fire Blast Fire Special 39 Rock Tomb Rock Physical 40 Aerial Ace Flying Physical 41 Torment Dark Status 42 Facade Normal Physical 43 Secret Power Normal Physical 44 Rest Psychic Status 45 Attract Normal Status 46 Thief Dark Physical 47 Steel Wing Steel Physical 48 Skill Swap Psychic Status 49 Snatch Dark Status 50 Overheat Fire Special 51 Roost Flying Status 52 Focus Blast Fighting Special 53 Energy Ball Grass Special 54 False Swipe Normal Physical 55 Brine Water Special 56 Fling Dark Physical 57 Charge Beam Electric Special 58 Endure Normal Status 59 Dragon Pulse Dragon Special 60 Drain Punch Fighting Physical 61 Will-O-Wisp Fire Status 62 Silver Wind Bug Special 63 Embargo Dark Status 64 Explosion Normal Physical 65 Shadow Claw Ghost Physical 66 Payback Dark Physical 67 Recycle Normal Status 68 Giga Impact Normal Physical 69 Rock Polish Rock Status 70 Flash Normal Status 71 Stone Edge Rock Physical 72 Avalanche Ice Physical 73 Thunder Wave Electric Status 74 Gyro Ball Steel Physical 75 Swords Dance Normal Status 76 Stealth Rock Rock Status 77 Psych Up Normal Status 78 Captivate Normal Status 79 Dark Pulse Dark Special 80 Rock Slide Rock Physical 81 X-Scissor Bug Physical 82 Sleep Talk Normal Status 83 Natural Gift Normal Physical 84 Poison Jab Poison Physical 85 Dream Eater Psychic Special 86 Grass Knot Grass Special 87 Swagger Normal Status 88 Pluck Flying Physical 89 U-turn Bug Physical 90 Substitute Normal Status 91 Flash Cannon Steel Special 92 Trick Room Psychic Status

Generation V # Move Type Cat. 01 Hone Claws Dark Status 02 Dragon Claw Dragon Physical 03 Psyshock Psychic Special 04 Calm Mind Psychic Status 05 Roar Normal Status 06 Toxic Poison Status 07 Hail Ice Status 08 Bulk Up Fighting Status 09 Venoshock Poison Special 10 Hidden Power Normal Special 11 Sunny Day Fire Status 12 Taunt Dark Status 13 Ice Beam Ice Special 14 Blizzard Ice Special 15 Hyper Beam Normal Special 16 Light Screen Psychic Status 17 Protect Normal Status 18 Rain Dance Water Status 19 Telekinesis Psychic Status 20 Safeguard Normal Status 21 Frustration Normal Physical 22 SolarBeam Grass Special 23 Smack Down Rock Physical 24 Thunderbolt Electric Special 25 Thunder Electric Special 26 Earthquake Ground Physical 27 Return Normal Physical 28 Dig Ground Physical 29 Psychic Psychic Special 30 Shadow Ball Ghost Special 31 Brick Break Fighting Physical 32 Double Team Normal Status 33 Reflect Psychic Status 34 Sludge Wave Poison Special 35 Flamethrower Fire Special 36 Sludge Bomb Poison Special 37 Sandstorm Rock Status 38 Fire Blast Fire Special 39 Rock Tomb Rock Physical 40 Aerial Ace Flying Physical 41 Torment Dark Status 42 Facade Normal Physical 43 Flame Charge Fire Physical 44 Rest Psychic Status 45 Attract Normal Status 46 Thief Dark Physical 47 Low Sweep Fighting Physical 48 Round Normal Special 49 Echoed Voice Normal Special 50 Overheat Fire Special 51 Ally Switch Psychic Status 52 Focus Blast Fighting Special 53 Energy Ball Grass Special 54 False Swipe Normal Physical 55 Scald Water Special 56 Fling Dark Physical 57 Charge Beam Electric Special 58 Sky Drop Flying Physical 59 Incinerate Fire Special 60 Quash Dark Status 61 Will-O-Wisp Fire Status 62 Acrobatics Flying Physical 63 Embargo Dark Status 64 Explosion Normal Physical 65 Shadow Claw Ghost Physical 66 Payback Dark Physical 67 Retaliate Normal Physical 68 Giga Impact Normal Physical 69 Rock Polish Rock Status 70 Flash Normal Status 71 Stone Edge Rock Physical 72 Volt Switch Electric Special 73 Thunder Wave Electric Status 74 Gyro Ball Steel Physical 75 Swords Dance Normal Status 76 Struggle Bug Bug Special 77 Psych Up Normal Status 78 Bulldoze Ground Physical 79 Frost Breath Ice Special 80 Rock Slide Rock Physical 81 X-Scissor Bug Physical 82 Dragon Tail Dragon Physical 83 Work Up Normal Status 84 Poison Jab Poison Physical 85 Dream Eater Psychic Special 86 Grass Knot Grass Special 87 Swagger Normal Status 88 Pluck Flying Physical 89 U-turn Bug Physical 90 Substitute Normal Status 91 Flash Cannon Steel Special 92 Trick Room Psychic Status 93 Wild Charge Electric Physical 94 Rock Smash Fighting Physical 95 Snarl Dark Special

Move Tutor moves

Main article: Move Tutor

Though technically not TMs, some moves can only be obtained via a Move Tutor: a non-player character who teaches the desired move to a single Pokémon. Often, these moves are moves which were formerly contained in TMs. They first appeared in Crystal, where outside of the Goldenrod City Game Corner a man would teach a compatible Pokémon Flamethrower, Ice Beam, or Thunderbolt for 4000 coins on certain days of the week.

This was continued in FireRed and LeafGreen, where Trainers could encounter NPCs who would offer to teach a Pokémon a move that was not otherwise available to it. All but three of these moves (the elemental Hyper Beam variations) were available as TMs in Red, Blue, and Yellow; FireRed and LeafGreen use the updated TM list of Generation III.

In Emerald, the same moves were able to be learned via Move Tutors, with the addition of some outdated Generation II TMs as well.

Incompatible Pokémon

Although most Pokémon are able to learn a wide range of TM moves, there are 18 Pokémon who cannot learn any. Typically, these Pokémon are low in their evolutionary line or rely on a set moveset.

#	Pokémon		Type
010		Caterpie	Bug		Poison
011		Metapod	Bug		Poison
013		Weedle	Bug	Poison
014		Kakuna	Bug	Poison
129		Magikarp	Water		Poison
132		Ditto	Normal		Poison
201		Unown	Psychic		Poison
202		Wobbuffet	Psychic		Poison
235		Smeargle	Normal		Poison
265		Wurmple	Bug		Poison
266		Silcoon	Bug		Poison
268		Cascoon	Bug		Poison
360		Wynaut	Psychic		Poison
374		Beldum	Steel	Psychic
401		Kricketot	Bug		Poison
412		Burmy	Bug		Poison
415		Combee	Bug	Flying
602		Tynamo	Electric		Poison

TM-exclusive moves

In all five Generations, there have been moves exclusively taught by TMs:

TM-exclusive moves

Gen I Gen II Gen III Gen IV Gen V ThunderboltRB BubbleBeam Mega Drain Fissure Mimic Bide Egg Bomb Fire Blast Softboiled Psywave Rock Slide Razor Wind Razor Wind* Toxic Toxic DynamicPunch Icy Wind Iron Tail DragonBreath Shadow Ball Mud-Slap Sleep Talk Attract Thief Nightmare Fury Cutter Rock Smash Return Return Frustration Frustration Shock Wave Facade Overheat OverheatDP Secret Power Secret Power Skill Swap Skill Swap Stealth Rock Grass Knot Drain Punch Focus Blast Focus Blast Frost Breath Snarl

Returning moves

Several moves taught by TM in Generations I and/or II returned as TMs in Generation IV, but assigned with a different TM number. In Generation V, all but Endure and Sleep Talk maintained their TM status.

Changed TMs
Move Gen I Gen II Gen IV Endure — 20 58 Explosion 47 — 64 Thunder Wave 45 — 73 Swords Dance 03 — 75 Psych Up — 09 77 Rock Slide 48 — 80 Sleep Talk — 35 82 Dream Eater 42 42 85 Swagger — 34 87 Substitute 50 — 90

Trivia

• 176 different moves have been available as a TM, adding together the TMs from every generation.
• Gym Leaders who give out a TM on their defeat typically give out one containing a move of their specialty type. However, in their respective first generation of an appearance each, Brock and Falkner do not, giving out TM34 (Bide) (a Normal-type move) and TM31 (Mud-Slap) (a Ground-type move), respectively. This is rectified in the remakes of their debut games with Brock giving away TM39 (Rock Tomb) while Falkner's prize is TM51 (Roost). Likewise, Cilan, Chili and Cress do not give out TMs matching their specialty type, instead giving out the Normal-type TM83 (Work Up), regardless of which of the three is battled. It should be noted, however, that there was no Flying-type TM during Generation II, while there was Rock-type TM during Generation I and at least two TMs for each of the starters type in Generation V.
• Until Generation V, TM01 always taught a move that involved punching; it was Mega Punch in Generation I, DynamicPunch in Generation II, and Focus Punch in Generations III and IV. The current TM01, Hone Claws, still involves the appendages.
• Many TMs have remained the same for several generations:
  • TMs 06, 14, 15, 22, 25, 26, 28, 29, 32, 38, and 44 have contained the same move in all five generations.
  • TMs 05 (Mega Kick/Roar), 10 (Double-Edge/Hidden Power), 11 (BubbleBeam/Sunny Day), 17 (Submission/Protect), 18 (Counter/Rain Dance), 21 (Mega Drain/Frustration), 27 (Fissure/Return), 30 (Teleport/Shadow Ball), 36 (Selfdestruct/Sludge Bomb), 37 (Egg Bomb/Sandstorm), 45 (Thunder Wave/Attract) and 46 (Psywave/Thief) have contained the same move since Generation II.
  • TMs 19 (Seismic Toss/Giga Drain/Telekinesis), 23 (Dragon Rage/Iron Tail/Smack Down) and 47 (Explosion/Steel Wing/Low Sweep) taught the same move in Generations II-IV, but two different ones in Generations I and V.
  • TMs 13 (Ice Beam/Snore), 24 (Thunderbolt/DragonBreath), and 33 (Reflect/Ice Punch) are the only TMs that taught one move in Generation I, a different one in Generation II, and then returned to the move they taught in Generation I in Generations III to V.
  • TMs 39 (Swift/Rock Tomb) and 42 (Dream Eater/Facade) had the same move in Generations I and II, but a different one in Generations III to V.
• TMs 01 (Mega Punch/DynamicPunch/Focus Punch/Hone Claws), 03 (Swords Dance/Curse/Water Pulse/Psyshock), 09 (Take Down/Psych Up/Bullet Seed/Venoshock), 34 (Bide/Swagger/Shock Wave/Sludge Wave), 43 (Sky Attack/Detect/Secret Power/Flame Charge), 48 (Rock Slide/Fire Punch/Skill Swap/Round), and 49 (Tri Attack/Fury Cutter/Snatch/Echoed Voice) are the only TMs that have taught four different moves.
  • No TM has taught a different move in each of the five generations because every Generation III TM was retained for Generation IV.
• 24 of the 50 TMs in Generation I taught Normal-type moves, and no TMs taught Bug- or Ghost-type moves. In Generation II, all types had a TM except for Flying, and finally, in Generation III, Bug was again without a TM. Generation IV is the first generation in which there is at least one TM that teaches a move of each Pokémon type.
• Curse, the only move that was ever ???-type in the main series games, is taught by TM03 in Generation II.
• Rock Smash, which was TM08 in Generation II, became HM06 in Generation III and IV and then returned to its TM status in Generation V, as TM94.
• Flash, which was HM05 in Generations I, II, and III became TM70 in Generation IV.
• With few exceptions, all Pokémon who are compatible with TMs can learn the following moves:
  • Generation I: 06 (Toxic), 10 (Double-Edge), 20 (Rage), 31 (Mimic), 32 (Double Team), 34 (Bide), 44 (Rest), 50 (Substitute).
  • Generation II: 03 (Curse), 06 (Toxic), 10 (Hidden Power), 13 (Snore), 17 (Protect), 20 (Endure), 21 (Frustration), 27 (Return), 32 (Double Team), 34 (Swagger), 35 (Sleep Talk), 44 (Rest), 45 (Attract).
  • Generation III: 06 (Toxic), 10 (Hidden Power), 17 (Protect), 21 (Frustration), 27 (Return), 32 (Double Team), 42 (Facade), 43 (Secret Power), 44 (Rest), 45 (Attract).
  • Generation IV: 06 (Toxic), 10 (Hidden Power), 17 (Protect), 21 (Frustration), 27 (Return), 32 (Double Team), 42 (Facade), 43 (Secret Power), 44 (Rest), 45 (Attract), 58 (Endure), 78 (Captivate), 82 (Sleep Talk), 83 (Natural Gift), 87 (Swagger), 90 (Substitute).
  • Generation V: 06 (Toxic), 10 (Hidden Power), 17 (Protect), 21 (Frustration), 27 (Return), 32 (Double Team), 42 (Facade), 44 (Rest), 45 (Attract), 48 (Round), 87 (Swagger), 90 (Substitute).
• Generation IV TMs 19 (Giga Drain), 23 (Iron Tail), 48 (Skill Swap), 49 (Snatch), 51 (Roost), 59 (Dragon Pulse), 60 (Drain Punch), 67 (Recycle), 76 (Stealth Rock), 79 (Dark Pulse), and 82 (Sleep Talk) all lost their TM status in Pokémon Black and White, but were added back as Move Tutor moves in Pokémon Black 2 and White 2.
• Generation V introduced only one Pokémon that cannot learn any TMs.

In other languages

Language Title European French Capsule Technique (CT) German Technische Maschine (TM) Italian Macchine Tecniche (MT) European Spanish Máquina Técnica (MT)

See also

• HM
• List of TM and HM locations
• TMs in the Trading Card Game

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This article is part of Project Moves and Abilities, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on two related aspects of the Pokémon games.