In older Pokemon games such as Pokemon Emerald, HMs, or “Hidden Machines,” are specific moves that are necessary for traveling around the region. For any obstacle in the way, HMs such as Cut and Strength must be taught to one of the six Pokémon in the trainer’s party.

The main problems with HMs are that they take up a valuable slot on a Pokemon’s moveset, they aren’t always the most powerful attacks in battle, and they cannot be easily replaced by another move. Therefore, many trainers will opt to carry around an “HM mule,” whose main purpose on the team is to use as many HMs as possible so that the rest of the team doesn’t have to. And these are the best options for that role.

Updated August 18th, 2020 by Tanner Kinney: The role that HM-users can serve in earlier Pokemon titles shouldn’t be understated. And if any region requires an HM mule, it would absolutely be Hoenn. The end-game requirement of having every single water-type HM is absolutely a struggle. On top of that, Strength and Rock Smash are needed for a lot of different caves, and Cut is needed at the most random and inopportune times. This list deserves to be expanded with a few more options to try and hit as many of those HMs without being completely useless otherwise. There are also a couple of spicier options for people looking to annoy their friends with bad ideas.

Updated December 31st, 2020 by Josh Davison: In many ways, HM’s or Hidden Machines were a facet of Pokemon games that were relics of other RPGs and Metroidvania-type games of the late-90s and early 2000s. They were a way of blocking off geographic progress in Pokemon games until the player completed specific tasks to unlock the HM’s that could allow them to move forward in a way that felt organic. Despite that, there was something always very charming about HM’s and the need to have a specific member of your team that was loaded up with all of these mediocre moves specifically needed to help you through a cave or across the oceans of Hoenn. There was a vast array of preferred “HM mules” in the Hoenn region, and we’re going to tack on more of those poor underappreciated Pokemon to this list today. On this day, those Pokemon finally get their deserved recognition.

20 Hariyama

A Fighting-type HM mule? In this economy? You got that right. Hariyama can learn two of the expected HMs for a Fighting-type Pokemon: Strength and Rock Smash. That’s expected, unexciting, and not the reason Hariyama makes it onto this list.

The twist with Hariyama is that it can learn Surf. As a result, this big and bulky Fighting-type Pokemon can help you ride the Hoenn waves from island to island as you continue your quest to become a Pokemon Master

19 Relicanth

Relicanth is a relatively unsurprising inclusion on this list. It fulfills the ideal requirements for an HM mule in that it can learn four HMs: Surf, Waterfall, Dive, and Rock Smash. That last one is what edges it out over other Water-types such as Luvdisc.

It also helps that Relicanth is required for the Regirock, Registeel, and Regice puzzle. Relicanth is a relatively rare Pokemon, so that might make it a reluctant choice for many trainers. However, it’s a trooper of an HM user, so it earns its spot on the list.

18 Walrein

Walrein wins out over Relicanth with another HM at its disposal: Strength. This large and icy lad can push around boulders, presumably with either its head or flippers. Walrein can also learn Rock Smash, Surf, Waterfall, and Dive.

With Spheal evolving to Sealeo at level 32 and Sealeo into Walrein at level 44, it’s a lot of work to obtain this particular HM mule, but it’s an option that’s on the table. Plus, with that spread of Water-type moves, it wouldn’t be in that much trouble if the rest of your team were knocked out in an intense battle.

17 Salamence

Of course, Walrein almost looks quaint when compared to the amount of training it takes for Bagon to make it to its Salamence form. This powerful Dragon-type is an unlikely choice for an HM mule, and that’s what makes it so spicy. Bagon evolves into Shelgon at level 30, and Shelgon takes another 20 levels before it transforms into Salamence at 50.

Salamence actually learns one fewer HM than Walrein with only Rock Smash, Strength, Cut, and Fly at its disposal. That said, the amount of work and commitment required for a Salamence gives it a leg up on the list.

16 Sceptile

Sceptile is another unlikely choice given that it’s a starter Pokémon in Hoenn, but that’s what makes it even a better choice. Provided you start the game with Treeko, you won’t even need to catch this Pokemon. It will always be with you!

Sceptile technically learns fewer HMs than even Salamence with only Strength, Cut, and Rock Smash being on the menu. However, it can also learn Flash, which was downgraded from an HM in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. It was still an HM when Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald came out, and it’s still used to illuminate dark caves in later games.

15 Sharpedo

Sharpedo is a fast, strong, and cool water-type that stands out amongst a literal sea of water-type Pokemon. It does require the Surf HM to even find Sharpedo (either by catching Carvanha on Route 118 with the Good Rod or just in the wild), but it is worth it.

This one Pokemon is capable of learning five different HMs, importantly being the vital late-game HMs. On top of that, it can effectively utilize the power of the better HMs like Strength and Surf, meaning that even with a full HM moveset it can still find use as a party member. Sharpedo is absolutely a solid HM user.

14 Whiscash

Whiscash, the Whiskers Pokemon, has solid typing and a variety of solid moves it can learn. Barboach can also be obtained after getting the Good Rod, meaning that it comes online as an HM-user pretty quickly. It’s actually very similar to Sharpedo in a lot of ways, also using five HM moves.

However, unlike Sharpedo, it’s not as good in normal gameplay. High HP hardly means much when the rest of its stats are lukewarm. It is still unique if a bit dopey in design. This catfish may be someone’s lucky charm to take on the Elite Four, and that’s a perfectly serviceable role for Whiscash.

13 Swampert

Most people will assume the best HM-user to find early on is Linoone, since Zigzagoon is one of the first Pokemon a new trainer will encounter. But what Pokémon appears even earlier? That’s right, the starter Pokemon, and Swampert just so happens to be an excellent choice for this reason.

It may seem a bit depressing to use a starter Pokemon as the primary HM-user, but Swampert is perfect for the job. It learns all of the important HMs exactly when the player will acquire them, meaning no new Pokemon will need to be caught for the job. In the speedrun for Gen 3 Pokemon games, Swampert eventually takes on this role when the legendary Pokémon takes its spot as the lead.

12 Kyogre

What Pokemon could beat out the starter as a spicy HM-user option? How about one of the legendary Pokemon, capable of changing the weather and destroying the world? After all, nothing gets better than turning that extremely rare Pokemon into a glorified rock-pushing boat.

Obviously, for all practical purposes, Kyogre is a terrible HM user. It appears incredibly late in the game in Pokemon Emerald, meaning that its purpose has almost certainly already been fulfilled. However, for those who prefer to skip on using legendaries, taking this Pokémon that appears once in a playthrough and making it so useless is pretty entertaining, not to mention a solidly imposing flex.

11 Latias/Latios

Kyogre is a pretty absurd, albeit useful HM-user. However, there’s still one Pokemon more absurd than Kyogre. The only thing crazier than using Kyogre is using a Pokemon where one of the two can only be obtained using an e-Reader. That’s right, both Latias and Latios are actually fantastic HM Pokemon.

Like Kyogre, it is completely and totally pointless to make Latias or Latios an HM-only Pokémon. If that’s what the player wants to do, though, they’ll be surprised to find that these two can learn six HM moves. Cut, Surf, Fly, Waterfall, Dive, and Flash are all available to the Eon Pokemon. If Pelipper is too vanilla, then Latias/Latios are the perfect level of sub-optimal.

10 Absol

Absol is a neat Pokemon to have in one’s party due to its cool design and rarity in the game. However, its level-up moveset in Generation III is pretty terrible, with Bite as its only Dark-type attacking move.

To make up for its sad level-up moveset, Absol can be taught four HMs in Cut, Strength, Flash, and Rock Smash. In this way, one can still flaunt this rare Pokemon without having to use it in battle.

9 Breloom

Early on in the game, it is very common to run into a grumpy little Shroomish. If a trainer happens to catch this Grass Pokemon and train it up to level 23, it will evolve into the handy Breloom.

Because Breloom can be obtained early and easily, it makes a slightly better HM mule than the rare Absol. Like Absol, Breloom learns Cut, Strength, Flash, and Rock Smash, but as an added bonus, it will also get a STAB boost with Rock Smash due to its Fighting-typing.

8 Kecleon

Inevitably, trainers will eventually encounter a Kecleon in Pokemon Emerald because it has a small role in the storyline. Around Fortree City, there will be mysterious objects blocking paths that can only be seen with the help of the Devon Scope from Steven Stone.

As it would turn out, the invisible objects are Kecleon. If one is caught, it can be used for Cut, Strength, Flash, and Rock Smash, like Breloom and Absol.

7 Aggron

One of the most surprising Hoenn Pokemon on the list is Aggron, who is more commonly known for its massive Defense stat rather than its utility outside of battle. While it’s no surprise that Aggron can learn Cut, Strength, or Rock Smash, it’s a bit odd albeit helpful that it can also learn Surf.

With this combination of HMs, Aggron is the perfect HM mule for exploring caves, since most caves have rocks to smash, boulders to shove, and bodies of water to cross.

6 Linoone

When one thinks about popular HM mules, chances are that Linoone comes to mind. It is a fairly generic Normal-type Pokemon, and therefore, might not be the most exciting to use in battle. That gives it an even bigger reason to be an HM mule instead.

Its pre-evolution, Zigzagoon, is one of the first Pokémon available to catch in the Hoenn Region, making Linoone extremely useful early on in the game. Like Aggron, Linoone can learn Cut, Surf, Strength, and Rock Smash.

5 Pelipper

Unlike the other Pokemon on this list, Pelipper only learns two HMs, Surf and Fly. However, these two HMs are both essential for covering as much ground as possible in the Hoenn Region.

While Surf allows the trainer to cross large bodies of water, Fly lets them instantly return to any town that they have previously visited. Pelipper is one of the few Hoenn Pokemon in Generation III who can learn both of those HMs.

4 Wailord

Inspired by the blue whale, Wailord is one of the biggest Pokemon to ever exist. Naturally, it has the capability to assist its trainer in many ways on land or sea.

As a Water-type Pokemon, Wailord has access to all three Water-types HMs in Surf, Waterfall, and Dive for ocean exploration. In addition, it can also use Strength and Rock Smash while navigating through land or caves.

3 Tropius

Tropius is a unique Pokemon of the Hoenn Region, an interesting cross between a flying dinosaur and a banana plant.

While it does not possess the best stats for battling, Tropius is no doubt a neat Pokemon to keep in the party as the HM mule. As a Grass/Flying-type, it can learn Fly among four other HMs in Cut, Strength, Flash, and Rock Smash.

2 Ludicolo

In Generation III, there are a total of eight different HMs. Ludicolo can learn six of them-Surf, Waterfall, Dive, Strength, Flash, and Rock Smash. This gives it plenty of variety when it comes to utility outside of battle.

The only downside to Ludicolo is that it requires a Water Stone for evolution. Thankfully, its pre-evolution, Lombre, can also learn the same six HMs if its trainer does not wish to use a Water Stone on their HM mule.

1 Crawdaunt

The only Hoenn Pokemon who might make a better HM mule than Ludicolo is Crawdaunt. Like Ludicolo, Crawdaunt can also learn six out of the eight HMs in the game.

The main difference is that Crawdaunt learns Cut, while Ludicolo learns Flash. Flash is convenient to have in a dark cave, but it is not as essential as Cut, which is used to reach new areas of the region. Therefore, Crawdaunt has a slight edge over Ludicolo in terms of being the best HM mule.

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