In the vast world of Pokémon, Hidden Machines (HMs) were essential tools for trainers venturing through various regions. These TMs not only taught Pokémon useful moves but also granted trainers the ability to navigate the environment. Want to surf across a vast ocean? You needed a Pokémon that knew Surf. Need to move a stubborn boulder blocking your path? Strength was the HM for that. And for those pesky trees obstructing your progress or hiding secret areas, Cut was the go-to HM.
While Cut might not boast the raw power of some other HMs, with a base power of 50 and no additional effects, its importance in games released before Generation Seven cannot be overstated. Cut was your key to progression, unlocking new routes, hidden items, and even entire areas. If you wanted to fully explore the Pokémon world, a Pokémon that could learn Cut was a necessity.
Updated on May 12, 2024, with the conclusion of Scarlet & Violet’s DLC, many trainers are looking back at previous generations for their Pokémon fix. If you’re curious about which Pokémon can learn Cut, the options vary slightly across different generations. However, some Pokémon consistently stand out as excellent choices for this essential HM. From early-game companions to legendary powerhouses, here are some of the best Pokémon that can learn Cut.
13. Kricketune
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Kricketune might not be winning any awards for its competitive prowess. Its stats are rather underwhelming, and its movepool leaves much to be desired. However, this Bug-type Pokémon compensates with a striking design and a truly memorable cry, making it a unique addition to any team.
For trainers seeking a practical Cut user early in their adventure, Kricketune is a solid choice. Encountered relatively early in many games, it evolves quickly from Kricketot and can hold its own in early battles. Beyond Cut, Kricketune can also learn a variety of other HMs and status moves, providing some decent utility.
While Kricketune might not be a long-term member of your core team, it serves its purpose admirably as a temporary HM user, efficiently clearing those pesky Cut-able trees and allowing you to explore further. Its early availability and ease of evolution make it a convenient option for this role.
12. Dragonite
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Dragonite using Dragon Claw on Rillaboom in the Pokemon anime. ]
Dragonite stands in stark contrast to Kricketune. Evolving at a very high level from Dratini and Dragonair, Dragonite is a powerhouse. As the original Pseudo-Legendary Pokémon, Dragonite boasts exceptional Attack stats and a diverse movepool to back it up. This movepool is what makes Dragonite surprisingly versatile as an HM user.
Remarkably, Dragonite can learn a total of seven HMs, making it an exceptional choice for exploration, especially in post-game content where you might be revisiting areas to uncover secrets. This extensive HM compatibility frees up other team members to focus on battling moves.
While dedicating Dragonite solely to HM duty might not be the most optimal strategy for utilizing its battle potential, it’s undeniably a practical option. If your team is already well-rounded in combat, Dragonite can become your all-in-one exploration Pokémon, learning any HM moves your main team might have missed.
11. Charizard & Empoleon
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Starter Pokémon often become cornerstones of your team, staying with you from the beginning to the end of your journey. Choosing a starter that can also handle HM duties can be incredibly convenient. Charizard and Empoleon are two starter Pokémon that fit this role exceptionally well.
Charizard, the Fire/Flying type, can learn Cut, Fly, Strength, and Rock Smash, offering a solid set of HMs for both land and air exploration. It even learns Dig, a useful move for escaping caves or returning to Pokémon Centers. Empoleon, the Water/Steel type, takes a different approach, learning all the Water-based HMs instead of Fly, alongside Cut, Strength, and Rock Smash.
While both Charizard and Empoleon are powerful battlers in their own right, utilizing them for HMs can streamline your team composition. If you prefer to build your team around Pokémon other than your starter, considering other versatile duos like Nidoking and Nidoqueen might be beneficial.
10. Nidoking & Nidoqueen
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Nidoking and Nidoqueen are consistently strong contenders for HM users. Beyond Cut, this Poison/Ground type pair can learn Strength, Surf, and Rock Smash, covering a wide range of environmental challenges. Their pre-evolutions, Nidoran♂ and Nidoran♀, are commonly encountered early in many games, and evolving them into their final forms with a Moon Stone is relatively straightforward.
Interestingly, Nidoking and Nidoqueen’s ability to learn Cut is not consistent across all generations. They gained the capability to learn Cut starting in the Third Generation. Had they been able to learn it from the first two generations, their ranking on this list might be even higher, highlighting their potential utility.
9. Kingler & Crawdaunt
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When you think of Cut, sharp objects like claws and blades often come to mind. However, pincers are equally effective at slicing through obstacles. Kingler and Crawdaunt perfectly exemplify this, showcasing how powerful pincers can be for HM utility.
Both Kingler and Crawdaunt are excellent choices for Cut and other HMs, particularly those related to water traversal. Kingler can learn Cut, Surf, Strength, Whirlpool, and Rock Smash, making it a versatile water and land explorer. Crawdaunt shares a similar HM movepool, learning the same moves as Kingler plus Waterfall. Choosing between them often comes down to personal preference regarding their slightly different stat distributions, availability in your specific game, and which design you find more appealing.
8. Farfetch’d
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Before receiving its Galarian form and evolution in Sword & Shield, Farfetch’d was often considered an underwhelming Pokémon. Its stats weren’t particularly impressive, and many other Flying-type Pokémon outclassed it. However, this perceived weakness ironically makes it perfectly suited as a dedicated Cut user.
Farfetch’d can learn both Cut and Fly, two valuable HMs for exploration. Furthermore, as a Normal/Flying type, it receives a Same-Type Attack Bonus (STAB) for both moves, boosting their power. Cut, normally a 50 base power move, effectively becomes 75 base power when used by Farfetch’d.
While still not exceptionally powerful, this STAB boost makes Farfetch’d’s Cut the strongest on this list so far in terms of base power. Notably, Farfetch’d is also one of the few Pokémon that learns Cut naturally by leveling up, with the Ultra Beast Kartana being another rare exception.
7. Parasect
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Parasect can be seen as an enhanced version of Kricketune in terms of HM utility. While evolving Paras into Parasect takes a bit longer, and Parasect isn’t considered a top-tier competitive Pokémon, it excels as a Cut user.
In addition to Cut, Parasect learns Rock Smash, another HM, albeit a weaker one. It also learns Dig, a useful non-HM move for escaping caves or quickly returning to the last visited Pokémon Center. However, Parasect’s true strength lies in Spore, a status move with 100 percent accuracy that puts opponents to sleep. Despite Parasect’s low Speed stat, these moves make it a surprisingly effective and versatile choice for HM duties.
6. Sandslash
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Among all the Pokémon featured here, Sandslash arguably looks the most naturally equipped to use Cut. Its prominent claws appear perfectly designed for slicing through obstacles, and Sandslash utilizes them effectively, making it one of the best Pokémon for navigating terrain.
Sandslash can learn every land-based HM: Cut, Strength, Rock Smash, and even Rock Climb in Generation Four. Its solid 100 base Attack stat allows it to utilize these moves effectively in battle as well. Adding to its utility, Sandslash can also learn Dig, providing a convenient method of transportation until you gain access to Fly.
Sandslash is often overlooked when considering HM users, but its comprehensive HM compatibility and respectable Attack stat make it a highly underrated and practical choice for exploration.
5. Venusaur
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Venusaur might not be the first Pokémon that comes to mind when thinking about Cut users, but this Grass-type starter Pokémon is surprisingly versatile. With its diverse abilities, Venusaur can both clear a path through a forest with Cut and help restore it with its Grass-type moves. It has access to HMs like Cut, Strength, and Rock Smash.
Beyond its HM utility, Venusaur boasts some of the best Grass-type attacks in the Pokémon world and stands out as a competitively viable Grass Pokémon. Whether facing down a challenging opponent or a stubborn tree, Venusaur is a reliable and powerful Pokémon that can get the job done.
4. Scyther
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If Pokémon were judged solely on appearance for their Cut proficiency, Scyther would undoubtedly be a top contender. This Bug/Flying type Pokémon sports blade-like scythes for arms, seemingly designed for effortlessly cutting through trees, tall grass, and anything else obstructing its path.
Scyther’s suitability for Cut isn’t just aesthetic; it’s also practical. Scyther can learn Defog and Rock Smash in addition to Cut, totaling three HMs. In older generations, where HMs were more prevalent, Scyther becomes a highly valuable Pokémon capable of handling multiple environmental challenges. Its design and movepool make Scyther a worthy consideration for any trainer needing a reliable HM user.
3. Samurott
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While it’s generally advised against teaching starter Pokémon Cut, especially if you intend to keep them as core team members, Samurott presents a notable exception. Its stat distribution and movepool make it not just a decent battler but also one of the most effective HM users available.
Samurott’s Attack and Special Attack stats are both respectable, allowing it to deal solid damage with both physical and special moves. Furthermore, Samurott has access to an impressive six HMs: Cut, Surf, Strength, Rock Smash, Waterfall, and Dive. Combined with useful utility moves like Dig and Secret Power, Samurott becomes an incredibly versatile Pokémon both in and out of battle.
2. Mew
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When considering HM versatility, Scyther and Samurott are excellent choices, but Mew reigns supreme as the ultimate HM master. Mew’s unique ability to learn every TM and HM in the game puts it in a class of its own. If you want a single Pokémon to handle all HM duties, Mew is the unparalleled choice.
Acquiring Mew in earlier generations often requires special events or trading, making it less accessible than other Pokémon on this list. However, if you do manage to obtain a Mew, relegating it solely to HM duty would be an underutilization of its immense potential. Mew possesses exceptional stats across the board, making it a formidable battler. Yet, the sheer versatility of having a Mew capable of learning Cut, along with every other HM, is undeniably appealing. Imagine the confidence of knowing your Mew is just there to clear trees for you!
1. Early Route Rodents
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Ultimately, the most practical and often best Cut users are the Pokémon you encounter right at the beginning of your journey, just outside your hometown. These early route rodents, including Rattata, Sentret, Zigzagoon, Bidoof, Patrat, and Bunnelby, are surprisingly effective Cut users. You can’t really go wrong teaching Cut to any of them.
Within this group, some standouts emerge. Linoone is notably fast and possesses the Pickup ability, allowing it to find useful items while exploring. Diggersby gains access to Huge Power, doubling its Attack stat and making its Cut surprisingly potent. Bibarel boasts an incredible eight HM compatibility, more than any other Pokémon on this list.
Crucially, these Normal-type rodents all benefit from STAB when using Cut, increasing its power and making them more effective than their base stats might suggest.
While powerful Pokémon like Dragonite or versatile Pokémon like Mew can learn Cut, for sheer early-game utility and accessibility, the humble early route rodents are often the best and most convenient Pokémon to teach Cut. Choosing any other Pokémon for this task might just be overcomplicating things!
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