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).


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 learn otherwise. Prior to Generation V, TMs were single-use items, 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 will also be passed down through breeding (such as Flamethrower from a father Typhlosion to a baby Torchic), 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 compact discs that are inserted into the TM Case and the case itself teaches the Pokémon the move. In Pokémon Origins, TMs and HMs resemble floppy discs, but how they work is never shown.

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. In addition, when a Pokémon learns a move from a TM or HM by overwriting an old one, the new move takes on the current PP of the forgotten move. This prevents repeated usage of machines for the purpose of PP restoration. The prices of the purchasable TMs are also much higher, and they can no longer be held or sold. On the other hand, in Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity, they can be sold. 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.

Generation VI

In Generation VI, TMs continued to be multiple-use items. Most TMs contained the same moves that they did in Generation V, with the exceptions of TM19, TM51, TM83, and TM88. Additionally, the number of TMs was increased to an even 100, with five more TM moves being added. As there are only five HM moves in Generation VI, there are now 105 machine-learnable moves. Also, unlike in Generation V, when a Pokémon learns a move from a TM or HM by overwriting an old one, the new move is learned with full PP, instead of taking on the current PP of the forgotten move.

List of TMs

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 19 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
 
 
 
 
 
415   Combee Bug Flying
 
 
 
 
 
602   Tynamo Electric Poison
 
 
 
 
 
664   Scatterbug Bug Poison
 
 
 
 
 
665   Spewpa Bug Poison
 
 
 
 
 


TM-exclusive moves

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

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

In the TCG

In the TCG, Technical Machines are types of Trainer cards. Unlike the games, they do not follow any specific numbering.

Techincal Machines
Cards listed with a blue background are only legal to use in the current Expanded format.
Cards listed with a green background are legal to use in both the current Standard and Expanded formats.
Card Type English
Expansion
Rarity # Japanese
Expansion
Rarity #
Falkner's TM 01 T [TM]       Pokémon VS   103/141
Falkner's TM 02 T [TM]       Pokémon VS   104/141
Bugsy's TM 01 T [TM]       Pokémon VS   105/141
Bugsy's TM 02 T [TM]       Pokémon VS   106/141
Whitney's TM 01 T [TM]       Pokémon VS   107/141
Whitney's TM 02 T [TM]       Pokémon VS   108/141
Morty's TM 01 T [TM]       Pokémon VS   109/141
Morty's TM 02 T [TM]       Pokémon VS   110/141
Jasmine's TM 01 T [TM]       Pokémon VS   111/141
Jasmine's TM 02 T [TM]       Pokémon VS   112/141
Chuck's TM 01 T [TM]       Pokémon VS   113/141
Chuck's TM 02 T [TM]       Pokémon VS   114/141
Pryce's TM 01 T [TM]       Pokémon VS   115/141
Pryce's TM 02 T [TM]       Pokémon VS   116/141
Clair's TM 01 T [TM]       Pokémon VS   117/141
Clair's TM 02 T [TM]       Pokémon VS   118/141
Janine's TM 01 T [TM]       Pokémon VS   119/141
Janine's TM 02 T [TM]       Pokémon VS   120/141
Will's TM 01 T [TM]       Pokémon VS   121/141
Will's TM 02 T [TM]       Pokémon VS   122/141
Bruno's TM 01 T [TM]       Pokémon VS   123/141
Bruno's TM 02 T [TM]       Pokémon VS   124/141
Karen's TM 01 T [TM]       Pokémon VS   125/141
Karen's TM 02 T [TM]       Pokémon VS   126/141
Rocket's TM 01 T [TM]       Pokémon VS   127/141
Lance's TM 01 T [TM]       Pokémon VS   128/141
Lance's TM 02 T [TM]       Pokémon VS   129/141
Multi Technical Machine 01 T [TM] Expedition Base Set   144/165 Base Expansion Pack   062/128
POP Series 2   09/17 Master Kit   009/012
Alto Mare Cube T [TM]       Theater Limited VS Pack   018/018
Darkness Cube 01 T [TM] Aquapolis   119/147 The Town on No Map   086/092
Fighting Cube 01 T [TM] Aquapolis   121/147 The Town on No Map   085/092
Fire Cube 01 T [TM] Aquapolis   122/147 The Town on No Map   081/092
Grass Cube 01 T [TM] Aquapolis   124/147 The Town on No Map   080/092
Lightning Cube 01 T [TM] Aquapolis   127/147 The Town on No Map   083/092
Metal Cube 01 T [TM] Aquapolis   129/147 The Town on No Map   087/092
Psychic Cube 01 T [TM] Aquapolis   132/147 The Town on No Map   084/092
Water Cube 01 T [TM] Aquapolis   140/147 The Town on No Map   082/092
Miracle Sphere α T [TM] Skyridge   129/144 Mysterious Mountains   081/088
Miracle Sphere β T [TM] Skyridge   130/144 Mysterious Mountains   082/088
Miracle Sphere γ T [TM] Skyridge   131/144 Mysterious Mountains   083/088
Mystery Plate α T [TM] Skyridge   133/144 Split Earth   083/088
Mystery Plate β T [TM] Skyridge   134/144 Split Earth   084/088
Mystery Plate γ T [TM] Skyridge   135/144 Split Earth   085/088
Mystery Plate δ T [TM] Skyridge   136/144 Split Earth   086/088
Team Aqua Technical Machine 01 T [TM] EX Team Magma vs Team Aqua   079/95 Magma VS Aqua: Two Ambitions   077/080
      Aqua Deck Kit   031/033
Team Magma Technical Machine 01 T [TM] EX Team Magma vs Team Aqua   084/95 Magma VS Aqua: Two Ambitions   076/080
      Magma Deck Kit   031/033
Ancient Technical Machine T [TM] EX Hidden Legends   084/101 Undone Seal   075/083
Ancient Technical Machine T [TM] EX Hidden Legends   085/101 Undone Seal   076/083
Ancient Technical Machine T [TM] EX Hidden Legends   086/101 Undone Seal   077/083
Technical Machine TS-1 T [TM] Legends Awakened   136/147 Cry from the Mysterious    
Technical Machine TS-2 T [TM] Legends Awakened   137/147 Temple of Anger    
Team Galactic's Invention G-107 Technical Machine   T [TM] Rising Rivals   95/111 Bonds to the End of Time   077/090
      Charizard Half Deck   014/016
 


Trivia

In other languages

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

See also


Consumables: FoodGummisSeedsBerriesHealth drinks
Held items: GlassesScarvesRecruitment-affecting items
Miracle and Wonder ChestsSeven Treasures
Space GlobeIQ BoosterFlagsLooplets
Objects: Wonder OrbsThrowing itemsHMsUsed TMsTMsKeys
Link BoxGabite ScaleGracideaFriend GiftsDevices
EmerasProgress DevicesWandsDjinn's Bottle
Special: Rescue Team Starter SetToolboxExploration Team Kit
Treasure BagTreasure CollectionMystery Dungeon evolutionary items
Teleport GemColored WingsWishing StoneMusic BoxVortex Stone
Treasure BoxesMystery PartSecret SlabExclusive items
Relic FragmentWonder EggLost LootSky Gift
Lookalike ItemsPrize TicketsGates to Infinity exclusive items
ManualsEntercardsLucha TokenConnection Orb


  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.