Team utility · Gen 1 permanent HMs
Pokemon Yellow HM slaves
Yellow has five field HMs—Cut, Fly, Surf, Strength, Flash. There is no Move Deleter, so every HM you teach is permanent. Use cheap dual learners (Farfetch’d, Lapras, Sandslash, a Flash mon) so your real attackers keep four battle moves.
Fast Answer
Three mon cover almost everything
Farfetch’d (Cut + Fly) + Lapras / Gyarados / Blastoise (Surf + Strength) + optional Abra line or Pikachu (Flash) is a complete no-trade package. Birds-only Fly on Fearow also works if you put Cut on Sandslash or a Grass mon. Teach late; HMs never leave.
Field moves
HM locations & badge gates
| HM | Move | Badge (field use) | Where to get it | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HM05 | Flash | Boulder (Brock) | Route 2 Gate aide — show enough Pokédex catches (10 species) | Route2Gate |
| HM01 | Cut | Cascade (Misty) | S.S. Anne captain after the Rival fight | Captain |
| HM02 | Fly | Thunder (Lt. Surge) | Route 16 house after the Cut tree | Fly House |
| HM04 | Strength | Rainbow (Erika) | Return Safari Zone Gold Teeth to the Fuchsia warden | Warden |
| HM03 | Surf | Soul (Koga) | Safari Zone Secret House (within the 500-step game) | Secret House |
Badge bits are checked in the party field-move menu (Cascade/Thunder/Soul/Rainbow/Boulder). You can teach an HM earlier, but outdoor use waits on the badge.
Who should hold them
Dual learners & cheap slaves
Cut + Fly · Farfetch’d
Fly specialists · birds
- Spearow → Fearow or Pidgey line: strong early, then permanent Fly slot.
- Does not learn Cut—pair with Sandslash / Grass / Bug for bushes.
- Often better attackers than Farfetch’d if you accept a second Cut mon.
Surf + Strength · water tanks
- Lapras (Silph gift), Gyarados, Blastoise, Psyduck line, Nidoking, Rhydon, Snorlax learn Surf + Strength.
- Ideal “real mon” slaves—they still win gyms (Blaine, Giovanni).
- Vaporeon learns Surf only—needs a separate Strength mon.
Cut + Strength · Sandslash
- Sandshrew/Sandslash learn Cut and Strength—great if Farfetch’d is unavailable.
- Also covers early gym Ground answers while waiting for dual water.
- Lickitung learns Cut + Surf + Strength (three HMs) if you invest the catch.
Flash · optional
- Flash is skippable with a guide or careful tunnel pathing, but nicer with light.
- Pikachu, Abra line, Magnemite, and many Psychic types learn Flash.
- Partner Pikachu can hold Flash if you refuse to waste a real moveslot elsewhere—still permanent.
Cut weeds · Grass / Bug
- Early Cut options before Fly house if you lack Farfetch’d.
- Often discarded after Fly if a bird takes over travel utility.
- Useful temporary slaves—remember you cannot delete Cut later.
Sample budgets
Ready-made slave packages
Minimal (3 slots)
No-trade friendly mid-game set.
- Farfetch’d — Cut, Fly
- Lapras — Surf, Strength
- Pikachu or Abra — Flash (optional deposit)
Bird + Ground (no Farfetch’d)
When you prefer Fearow offense.
- Fearow — Fly
- Sandslash — Cut, Strength
- Gyarados / Blastoise — Surf (Strength already on Sandslash)
Offense-first
HMs on mons you already raise.
- Charizard — Cut, Fly, Strength (heavy HM tax)
- Nidoking — Surf, Strength
- Still need a pure Fly or Cut partner if Charizard is not available
Charizard is a HM sponge (Cut/Fly/Strength) and needs no trade: the Route 24 gift Charmander evolves into Charmeleon at Lv.16 and Charizard at Lv.36. See best team.
On this device
HM assignment board
Pick a carrier label for each HM. Saved in localStorage for your run notes—not a live party import.
0 of 5 HMs assigned (Flash optional).
Story order
When you actually need each HM
- Flash — optional for Rock Tunnel after Pewter/Cerulean routing.
- Cut — after S.S. Anne; opens bushes (including Route 16 Fly house, many side paths).
- Fly — after Thunder Badge + Route 16 house; massively cuts backtracking.
- Strength — Seafoam, Victory Road, and other boulder puzzles after Rainbow Badge.
- Surf — after Soul Badge + Safari Secret House; Cinnabar, sea routes, many late items.
Checklist
Track HM setup
Tips
Gen 1 gotchas
No forgetting
Once Cut is on a mon, that slot is gone for the whole cartridge life of that mon. Plan before teaching.
Badge vs ownership
You can hold Surf before Soul Badge, but outdoor Surf waits for Koga’s badge bit.
PC storage
Deposit pure slaves when you need battle space; withdraw before tunnels, Safari, or sea routes.
Nuzlocke
Losing your only Fly user removes fast travel but does not softlock the story; every required destination remains reachable by roads, gates, caves, and Surf. Keep a backup only for convenience if your rules allow.
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