What is an HM helper in Pokémon?

A Pokémon you carry only to use HM moves outside battle. HM moves cannot be overwritten when a Pokémon learns a new move, so putting them on a spare Pokémon keeps your battle team free.

What is the best HM helper in LeafGreen?

Psyduck only appears in FireRed, so LeafGreen needs three: Farfetch’d, Lapras and Paras.

What is the best HM helper in Platinum?

Starly for Fly and Defog, and Bibarel for the other six. A Bidoof from Route 201 evolves into Bibarel at level 15, so you can start early.

Why is there no Dive in FireRed and LeafGreen?

Neither game ever gives you HM08, so no Pokémon there needs Dive.

Which Pokémon learns the most HMs?

Mew learns every HM but only comes from events. Bibarel and Feraligatr learn seven of the eight in HeartGold and SoulSilver — all but Fly.

How do you delete HM moves?

Ask the Move Deleter. Gold, Silver and Crystal: Blackthorn City. Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald: Lilycove City. FireRed and LeafGreen: the house next to the Pokémon Center in Fuchsia City. Diamond, Pearl and Platinum: the house south of the Pokémon Center in Canalave City. HeartGold and SoulSilver: Blackthorn City. Red, Blue and Yellow have no Move Deleter, so an HM taught there stays.

Best HM Helpers in Every Pokémon Game

Which Pokémon should carry your HMs, from Red and Blue to HeartGold and SoulSilver — and where to catch them.

Published 12 Oct 2026

Between them, the Pokémon in each game’s row learn every HM that game hands out.

Best HM helpers per game
Games	Pokémon	HMs it learns	Where to catch
Red Blue	Farfetch’d	Cut Fly	Trade in Vermilion City
Red Blue	Slowpoke	Surf Strength Flash	Super Rod on Route 10
Yellow	Farfetch’d	Cut Fly	Route 12
Yellow	Slowpoke	Surf Strength Flash	Surf on Route 12
Gold Silver	Farfetch’d	Cut Fly	Route 38
Gold Silver	Psyduck	Surf Strength Flash Whirlpool Waterfall	Surf on Route 35
Crystal	Farfetch’d	Cut Fly	Route 43 in daylight
Crystal	Psyduck	Surf Strength Flash Whirlpool Waterfall	Route 35 at night
Ruby Sapphire Emerald	Tropius	Cut Fly Strength Flash Rock Smash	Route 119
Ruby Sapphire Emerald	Wailmer	Surf Strength Rock Smash Waterfall Dive	Good Rod in Dewford Town
FireRed	Farfetch’d	Cut Fly	Trade in Vermilion City
FireRed	Psyduck	Surf Strength Flash Rock Smash Waterfall	Surf on Route 6
LeafGreen	Farfetch’d	Cut Fly	Trade in Vermilion City
	Lapras	Surf Strength Rock Smash Waterfall	Gift in Saffron City
	Paras	Cut Flash Rock Smash	Mt. Moon
Diamond Pearl Platinum	Starly	Fly Defog	Route 201
Diamond Pearl Platinum	Bibarel	Cut Surf Strength Rock Smash Waterfall Rock Climb	Route 208
HeartGold SoulSilver	Farfetch’d	Cut Fly	Route 38 in daylight
HeartGold SoulSilver	Golduck	Surf Strength Whirlpool Rock Smash Waterfall Rock Climb	Surf in Ilex Forest

Need the HMs themselves? Where to find every HM covers Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald: each giver and the Badge that unlocks the HM.

HM helper questions

What is an HM helper in Pokémon?: A Pokémon you carry only to use HM moves outside battle. HM moves cannot be overwritten when a Pokémon learns a new move, so putting them on a spare Pokémon keeps your battle team free.
What is the best HM helper in LeafGreen?: Psyduck only appears in FireRed, so LeafGreen needs three: Farfetch’d, Lapras and Paras.
What is the best HM helper in Platinum?: Starly for Fly and Defog, and Bibarel for the other six. A Bidoof from Route 201 evolves into Bibarel at level 15, so you can start early.
Why is there no Dive in FireRed and LeafGreen?: Neither game ever gives you HM08, so no Pokémon there needs Dive.
Which Pokémon learns the most HMs?: Mew learns every HM but only comes from events. Bibarel and Feraligatr learn seven of the eight in HeartGold and SoulSilver — all but Fly.
How do you delete HM moves?: Ask the Move Deleter. Gold, Silver and Crystal: Blackthorn City. Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald: Lilycove City. FireRed and LeafGreen: the house next to the Pokémon Center in Fuchsia City. Diamond, Pearl and Platinum: the house south of the Pokémon Center in Canalave City. HeartGold and SoulSilver: Blackthorn City. Red, Blue and Yellow have no Move Deleter, so an HM taught there stays.

More guides

Orange Mail in Pokémon Emerald: Where to Buy & Use It — Buy Orange Mail in Pokémon Emerald for 50 at Petalburg City. Follow screenshots to write a message, give it to a Pokémon and avoid the Harbor Mail mix-up.
Sinnoh Underground Guide: Diamond, Pearl & Platinum — Every fossil, evolution stone and item you can dig up in Diamond, Pearl and Platinum — plus the trainer-ID split that decides Cranidos or Shieldon.
Pokémon Emerald Battle Frontier: All 7 Facilities & Brains — 7 Brains: Anabel (Tower), Tucker (Dome), Spenser (Palace), Greta (Arena), Noland (Factory), Lucy (Pike), Brandon (Pyramid) — Symbol streaks, teams & BP.
How to Catch Feebas in Ruby, Sapphire & Emerald — How to get Feebas and Milotic in Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald: find the 6 Route 119 fishing tiles, then evolve Feebas with 170 Beauty.
Sevii Islands Guide: All 7 Islands in FireRed & LeafGreen — How to reach every Sevii Island in FireRed and LeafGreen: the Tri-Pass and Rainbow Pass chain, what each island holds, and the postgame order.
Where to Find the Ruby & Sapphire in FireRed & LeafGreen — The Ruby is under Mt. Ember, the Sapphire in Dotted Hole — then Gideon steals it. Every step to Celio’s machine, plus both warehouse passwords.

Browse all guides