- Pokemon LeafGreen TM locations split into story gifts, Gym rewards, and the Celadon Game Corner Prize Exchange.
- All 7 HMs are permanent unlocks tied to story progress: Cut, Fly, Surf, Strength, Flash, Rock Smash, and Waterfall.
- Best coverage TMs — Ice Beam, Thunderbolt, Flamethrower, and Shadow Ball — come from Game Corner coins.
- Two HMs wait on the Sevii Islands: Rock Smash at Ember Spa and Waterfall inside Icefall Cave.
- Collect in story order so Surf, Strength, and Fly open routes before the late-game badge climb.
How TMs and HMs Work in LeafGreen
Tracking Pokemon LeafGreen TM locations is one of the fastest ways to strengthen a team, because the strongest attacks in Kanto are not learned by level alone. Technical Machines teach a move to a single Pokemon and are consumed on use, while Hidden Machines are permanent, reusable, and double as field tools that unlock exploration across the region.
The distinction shapes how you should plan a playthrough:
| Feature | TM (Technical Machine) | HM (Hidden Machine) |
|---|---|---|
| Uses | Single use, consumed after teaching | Unlimited uses across the team |
| Field effect | Battle moves only | Cuts trees, crosses water, pushes boulders |
| Badge requirement | None | Specific Gym Badge for field use |
| Removing the move | Overwrite freely | Move Deleter in Fuchsia City |
| Example | Ice Beam, Thunderbolt, Psychic | Surf, Fly, Strength |
Because TMs disappear after one use, check a Pokemon's level-up moveset first. A team member that learns the same attack naturally within a few levels is a poor target for a rare machine.
HM moves also occupy battle slots, so many players dedicate one or two "HM helper" Pokemon to carry field moves while the core team keeps clean, powerful movesets. The Move Deleter in Fuchsia City is the only way to remove an HM move later, so assign those slots deliberately.
All 7 HM Locations in Story Order
Every HM in LeafGreen is tied to a story event or a specific building, and none of them can be purchased. The table below lists each machine in roughly the order a normal playthrough reaches them:
| HM | Move | Location | How to Get | Field Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HM05 | Flash | Route 2 | Oak's aide, after 10 caught Pokemon | Lights dark caves such as Rock Tunnel |
| HM01 | Cut | S.S. Anne, Vermilion City | Help the ship's Captain in his cabin | Cuts small blocking trees |
| HM02 | Fly | Route 16 | Hidden house west of Celadon City | Fast travel to visited cities |
| HM03 | Surf | Safari Zone, Fuchsia City | Reach the Secret House deep in the zone | Travel across water |
| HM04 | Strength | Fuchsia City | Return the Gold Teeth to the Warden | Pushes large boulders |
| HM06 | Rock Smash | Ember Spa, One Island | Speak with the man inside Ember Spa | Breaks cracked rocks |
| HM07 | Waterfall | Icefall Cave, Four Island | Found while navigating the cave | Climbs waterfalls |
Rock Smash is picked up during the first Sevii Islands trip that follows the Cinnabar Gym, while Waterfall sits inside Icefall Cave on Four Island and is only reachable during the post-game Network Machine quest. Do not expect either machine during the main Kanto badge run.
Flash is the easiest HM to overlook because it is technically optional — Rock Tunnel can be crossed in the dark — but the Pokedex requirement of 10 caught species is simple to meet early, and the light saves real time in every dark cave afterward.
Pokemon LeafGreen TM Locations: Story and Gym Rewards
Beyond the HMs, several high-value TMs are handed out directly by characters during the story. These free pickups reward exploration of side rooms and optional conversations:
| TM | Move | Location | Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| TM28 | Dig | Cerulean City | Defeat the Rocket Grunt behind the burglarized house |
| TM29 | Psychic | Saffron City | Talk to Mr. Psychic after entering Saffron |
Every Gym victory also includes a TM alongside the badge, and the Viridian Gym reward — Earthquake — is widely regarded as the best Ground-type attack in the game and an excellent pickup before challenging the Pokemon League. Dig deserves special mention because it doubles as an escape tool outside battle, returning the party to a cave entrance without an Escape Rope.
Dig and Psychic are consumed the moment they are taught. Consider keeping Dig on a utility Pokemon for its escape function, and reserve Psychic for a special attacker that will carry it through the Elite Four.
Celadon Game Corner Prize TMs
The four strongest purchasable TMs in LeafGreen all come from the Prize Exchange counter beside the Celadon Game Corner, traded for coins won at the slots. Together they patch the most common type-coverage holes in a story team, and each one remains useful deep into the post-game.
TM13 Ice Beam
- Ice-type with strong base power
- Chance to freeze the target
- Best answer to Lance's Dragon Pokemon
TM24 Thunderbolt
- Electric-type with reliable accuracy
- Chance to paralyze
- Punishes Water and Flying types
TM35 Flamethrower
- Fire-type with strong base power
- Chance to burn the target
- Melts Grass, Bug, Ice, and Steel types
TM30 Shadow Ball
- Ghost-type coverage
- May lower the target's Special Defense
- Hits Psychic and Ghost types hard
| TM | Move | Type | Prime Targets | Story Priority |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TM13 | Ice Beam | Ice | Dragon, Flying, Grass, Ground | ★★★★★ |
| TM24 | Thunderbolt | Electric | Water, Flying | ★★★★★ |
| TM35 | Flamethrower | Fire | Grass, Bug, Ice, Steel | ★★★★ |
| TM30 | Shadow Ball | Ghost | Psychic, Ghost | ★★★★ |
The Celadon Department Store's evolution stone counter sells Fire, Water, Leaf, and Thunder Stones, and the city also hides the Tea item needed to enter Saffron. One visit can secure coverage TMs, evolution stones, and a story key item at the same time.
TM and HM Collection Route
Follow this route to pick up every important machine in LeafGreen without heavy backtracking:
Before Rock Tunnel (Early Game)
Register 10 caught Pokemon in the Pokedex, then visit Professor Oak's aide on Route 2 to claim HM05 Flash. Rock Tunnel is passable without it, but the light makes navigation far easier and the requirement is easy to meet on Route 1 and Viridian Forest catches alone.
Vermilion and Cerulean (Mid Game)
Board the S.S. Anne, help the Captain in his cabin, and receive HM01 Cut. In Cerulean City, defeat the Rocket Grunt behind the burglarized house for TM28 Dig before continuing east.
Celadon Shopping Trip (Mid Game)
Grab HM02 Fly at the Route 16 hidden house, collect the Tea for the Saffron gate guards, buy evolution stones at the Department Store, and exchange Game Corner coins for Ice Beam, Thunderbolt, Flamethrower, or Shadow Ball depending on your team's weaknesses.
Fuchsia City (Late Mid Game)
Explore the Safari Zone for the Gold Teeth and HM03 Surf, then hand the teeth to the Warden for HM04 Strength. The Move Deleter in the same city can clean up any HM assignments you regret.
Sevii Islands (Post-Blaine and Post-Game)
During the first island trip after the Cinnabar Gym, stop at Ember Spa on One Island for HM06 Rock Smash. After becoming Champion, enter Icefall Cave on Four Island during the Network Machine quest for HM07 Waterfall.
Completing this route gives the team every field move in the game, opening optional areas such as the Power Plant, the Seafoam Islands depths, and the full Sevii Islands chain — including the encounters hidden behind cracked rocks and waterfalls.
Checklist and FAQ
Work through this checklist to confirm your collection is complete before the final stretch:
TM and HM Collection Goals:
- Claim HM05 Flash from Oak's aide with 10 Pokedex entries
- Teach Cut after helping the S.S. Anne Captain
- Register Fly from the Route 16 hidden house
- Recover Surf and Strength in Fuchsia City
- Buy at least one coverage TM at the Celadon Game Corner
- Pick up Rock Smash at Ember Spa on One Island
- Find Waterfall in Icefall Cave during the post-game
LeafGreen's 2026 digital re-release on Nintendo Switch keeps the original Kanto and Sevii Islands content intact, so every HM and TM location in this guide applies to the current version. The official Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen page and the Nintendo Switch store listing confirm the available features.
Q: Are TMs reusable in Pokemon LeafGreen?
No. Generation 3 TMs are single-use and disappear once taught. HMs are the only machines with unlimited uses, which is why they are treated as permanent story unlocks rather than consumables.
Q: Where are the best TM locations in Pokemon LeafGreen?
The Celadon Game Corner Prize Exchange offers Ice Beam, Thunderbolt, Flamethrower, and Shadow Ball for coins. Story gifts like Dig in Cerulean City and Psychic in Saffron City, plus Gym rewards such as Earthquake from the Viridian Gym, round out the strongest pickups.
Q: Can any HM be permanently missed?
No. Every HM remains available if skipped, but Waterfall in Icefall Cave and parts of the Rock Smash route require Sevii Islands access, which means finishing the Cinnabar Gym storyline and, for Four Island, the post-game Network Machine quest.
Q: Do HMs need Gym Badges to work?
Yes. Each HM's field effect only activates after earning a specific Gym Badge, even when the move is already taught. In battle, the moves function normally regardless of badge count.