Pokémon Go: The Best Movesets to Change with TMs

Pokemon Go on iPhone
(Image credit: iMore)

Using the best TMs in Pokémon Go can be crucial when facing difficult battles, as they allow you to change a Pokémon's moves.

TMs (Technical Machines) have been a mainstay of the series ever since Pokémon Red and Blue debuted on the Nintendo Game Boy in 1997. TMs enable different Pokémon to learn new skills to be more effective against various types.

In Pokémon Go, there are three types:

  • Fast, which can change a Pokémon's fast move.
  • Charged, which can change a Pokémon's charged move
  • Elite, which can allow a Pokémon to learn a specific move.

However, that's just the start of what TMs can do. To help, we've compiled the guide below to help you see which TMs are compatible with certain Pokémon, and how to use them very effectively.

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What are the best movesets to change with TMs in Pokémon Go?

Pokemon Go How To Use Tms

(Image credit: iMore/Rene Ritchie)

If Raid Battles are your things and you want to beat the Raid Bosses, these are the Pokémon you want to use your TMs on and the Fast Moves and Charged Moves you want to get. They're all single Fast TM or single Charged TM safe, which means you're guaranteed to get something better than you have. While there are "best movesets" for every Pokémon out there, there are plenty of exceptions and special cases. We've got the best movesets here but you might find other movesets are useful too.

Note: Before changing any move, double-check to make sure you do not have a Legacy Move. A Legacy Move is no longer available in a Pokémon's pool of Moves. Sometimes a Move is removed during an update, and sometimes it was only available for Community Day or Special Raids. While some Legacy Moves are less useful or even outright bad, some of them are outstanding, and some players collect Legacy Move Pokémon.

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Pokémon Use Change From Change To
Machamp Fast TM Bullet Punch Counter
Row 1 - Cell 0 Charge TM Heavy Slam or Close Combat Dynamic Punch
Gengar Fast TM Sucker Punch or Hex Shadow Claw
Row 3 - Cell 0 Charge TM Focus Blast or Dark Pulse Shadow Ball
Kingler Flash TM Any Move Bubble
Row 5 - Cell 0 Charge TM Any Move Crabhammer
Zapdos Charge TM Any Move Thunderbolt
Moltres Fast TM Wing Attack Fire Spin
Row 8 - Cell 0 Charge TM Ancient Power, Heat Wave or Fire Blast Overheat
Dragonite Fast TM Any Move Dragon Tail
Row 10 - Cell 0 Charge TM Any Move Outrage
Mewtwo Fast TM Psycho Cut Confusion
Row 12 - Cell 0 Charge TM Focus Blast, Hyper Beam, Flamethrower, Ice Beam, or Thunderbolt Psychic
Raikou Fast TM Volt Switch Thunder Shock
Row 14 - Cell 0 Charge TM Thunder Bolt or Shadow Ball Wild Charge
Tyranitar Fast TM Iron Tail Bite
Row 16 - Cell 0 Charge TM Fire Blast Crunch*
Blaziken* Charge TM Focus Blast, Stone Edge, or Brave Bird Blaze Kick
Swampert* Fast TM Mud Shot Water Gun
Breloom* Charge TM Sludge Bomb or Seed Bomb Dynamic Punch
Salamence Fast TM Fire Fang Dragon Tail
Row 21 - Cell 0 Charge TM Fireblast or Hydro Pump Draco Meteor
Metagross Fast TM Zen Headbutt Bullet Punch
Row 23 - Cell 0 Charge TM Flash Cannon Psychic
Kyogre Charge TM Any Move Surf
Rayquaza Fast TM Air Slash Dragon Tail
Row 26 - Cell 0 Charge TM Any Move Outrage
Roserade Charge TM Dazzling Gleam or Solar Beam Grass Knot or Sludge Bomb
Rampardos Fast TM Zen Headbutt Smack Down
Row 29 - Cell 0 Charge TM Any Move Rock Slide
Garchomp Fast Move Mud Shot Dragon Tail
Row 31 - Cell 0 Charge TM Any Move Outrage
Electivire Fast TM Low Kick Thunder Shock
Row 33 - Cell 0 Charge TM Any Move Wild Charge
Mamoswine Fast TM Mud Slap Powder Snow
Row 35 - Cell 0 Charge TM Any Move Avalanche
Dialga Fast TM Metal Claw Dragon Breath
Row 37 - Cell 0 Charge TM Any Move Draco Meteor
Palkia Fast TM Dragon Tail Dragon Breath
Row 39 - Cell 0 Charge TM Any Move Draco Meteor
Giratina (Origin Forme) Fast TM Dragon Tail Shadow Ball
Row 41 - Cell 0 Charge TM Any Move Shadow Ball
Darkrai Fast TM Any Move Snarl
Row 43 - Cell 0 Charge TM Any Move Shadow Ball
Excadrill Fast TM Metal Claw Mud Slap
Row 45 - Cell 0 Charge TM Any Move Drill Run
Chandelure Charge TM Energy Ball Overheat or Shadow Ball
Haxorus Fast TM Counter Dragon Tail
Row 48 - Cell 0 Charge TM Any Move Dragon Claw
Terrakion Fast TM Zen Headbutt Smack Down
Row 50 - Cell 0 Charge TM Any Move Rock Slide

What are the best Pokémon Go movesets to change with TMs for Mega Evolution?

With the introduction of Mega Evolution Pokémon, these are the movesets you'll want for Pokémon capable of Mega Evolving. Some of the best movesets for Mega Evolved Pokémon include Legacy Moves so if you don't have a move indicated with an asterisk, it will require an Elite TM:

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Pokémon Fast Move Charged Move
Mega Venusaur Vine Whip Frenzy Plant*
Mega Charizard X Dragon Breath* Dragon Claw
Mega Charizard Y Fire Spin Blast Burn*
Mega Blastoise Water Gun Hydro Cannon*
Mega Beedrill Bug Bite* or Poison Jab Sludge Bomb
Mega Pidgeot Gust* Brave Bird
Mega Gengar Shadow Claw Shadow Ball
Mega Gyarados Waterfall Hydro Pump
Mega Ampharos Volt Switch Zap Cannon
Mega Houndoom Snarl Foul Play
Mega Manectric Charge Beam Wild Charge
Mega Altaria Dragon Breath Dazzling Gleam
Mega Lopunny Low Kick Focus Blast
Mega Abomasnow Powder Snow Weather Ball

What are the best Pokémon Go movesets to change with TMs for Gym Battles?

It's hard to recommend anyone "waste" TMs on defenders anymore, given how the Gym system in Pokémon Go operates now. By punishing defenders with CP of 3000 or higher, limiting each Gym to only one Pokémon of the same kind at any given time, and making it much easier to take down Gyms, there's very little room left for classical "Gym defenders."

You're better off investing TMs — and stardust — in Raid Boss counters (see above) since anything you put into a Gym defender will, at most, only slow down an attacker by seconds. Still, if having the best defense is a point of pride for you, and you have the TMs to burn, here are some of the top Gym defenders.

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Pokémon Use Change From Change To
Exeggcutor Fast TM Any Move Confusion
Row 1 - Cell 0 Charge TM Any Move Seed Bomb
Chansey* Fast TM Pound Zen Headbutt
Row 3 - Cell 0 Charge TM Any Move Dazzling Gleam
Snorlax* Fast TM Lick Zen Headbutt
Row 5 - Cell 0 Charge TM Any Move Body Slam or Heavy Slam
Dragonite Fast TM Any Move Dragon Tail
Row 7 - Cell 0 Charge TM Any Move Dragon Claw
Steelix Charge TM Any Move Crunch
Donphan Fast TM Any Move Charm
Row 10 - Cell 0 Charge TM Any Move Play Rough
Bilssey Fast TM Pound Zen Headbutt
Row 12 - Cell 0 Charge TM Any Move Dazzling Gleam
Gardevoir Fast TM Confusion Charm
Row 14 - Cell 0 Charge TM Dazzling Gleam or Psychic Shadow Ball or Synchronoise
Slaking* Charge TM Any Move Play Rough
Milotic Fast TM Waterfall Dragon Tail
Row 17 - Cell 0 Charge TM Hyper Beam Surf or Blizzard

Get the right moves for your Pokémon

Whenever you're dealing with TMs, the best options will depend on the Pokémon you're using and what you're doing with it. Take advantage of changing these movesets as you see fit to give your Pokémon a fighting edge. 

Rene Ritchie
Contributor

Rene Ritchie is one of the most respected Apple analysts in the business, reaching a combined audience of over 40 million readers a month. His YouTube channel, Vector, has over 90 thousand subscribers and 14 million views and his podcasts, including Debug, have been downloaded over 20 million times. He also regularly co-hosts MacBreak Weekly for the TWiT network and co-hosted CES Live! and Talk Mobile. Based in Montreal, Rene is a former director of product marketing, web developer, and graphic designer. He's authored several books and appeared on numerous television and radio segments to discuss Apple and the technology industry. When not working, he likes to cook, grapple, and spend time with his friends and family.