In Pokémon Let's Go, Secret Techniques are a modern replacement for classic HMs that expand exploration and traversal without locking story progression behind key items. These moves give your partner Pikachu or Eevee environment-specific abilities such as cutting grass, moving boulders, and scaling cliffs, and they remain learnable across the entire playthrough. This guide explains how to obtain each Secret Technique, when to use it, and how these techniques differ from legacy HMs in practice and design.
What are Secret Techniques
Secret Techniques in Pokémon Let's Go are field moves learned by your partner Pokémon that let you interact with the world in ways normal moves cannot. They function like crowd favorites Cut, Strength, Surf, Rock Smash, Waterfall, and Dive, but with several modern conveniences. Once taught, these techniques are always available as long as your partner is in your party, and you do not need to manage a separate set of HM items. The game introduces these techniques gradually and integrates them into the overworld, making traversal smoother and puzzles more intuitive.
List of Secret Techniques in Let's Go
Technique name and partner requirements
- Cut: Learnable by Eevee and Pikachu from Professor Oak early in Pallet Town.
- Pound: Available immediately to both partners at the start of the game.
- Rock Smash: Unlocked after earning your first Badge and visiting specific locations.
- Fly: Exclusive to Pidgeot after defeating the Elite Four and registering it at the Pokémon Center.
- Surf, Waterfall, Dive: Unlocked during key story moments and in post-game areas near water bodies.
- Strength: Taught late-game at a designated move tutor after meeting stat thresholds.
- Flash: Available in dark areas once you reach a certain point in the story.
Pokémon compatibility
Each Secret Technique is limited to one or two partner Pokémon, which encourages building a balanced party. Pikachu tends to receive offensive and traversal moves, while Eevee often supports with utility techniques. You can switch techniques between partners at the move tutor in various cities, giving you flexibility as your playstyle evolves.
How to unlock each Secret Technique
Unlocking Secret Techniques follows a narrative and progression structure rather than a chain of scattered items. Early techniques such as Cut and Pound are given during key story beats, while others appear after gym challenges or specific plot events. Many require you to visit a move tutor, who usually charges a modest fee and may request a small token or battle challenge before teaching the move. The game keeps a clear marker in your map interface indicating where each technique can be obtained, reducing backtracking confusion.
Post-game areas such as Cerulean Cave and the Power Plant expand the pool of usable techniques, especially for Fly and Surf, enabling comprehensive map coverage. Because some techniques are tied to storyline milestones, it is often best to progress through the main story before hunting for every obscure tutor in side areas.
Practical uses and navigation tips
Route clearing and puzzle solving
- Use Cut to clear tall grass and find hidden items on marked patches of grass.
- Employ Rock Smash to break boulders that block narrow paths.
- Activate Waterfall to climb waterfalls and reach elevated routes or hidden areas.
- Leverage Fly for fast travel between cities once Pidgeot is registered.
- Deploy Surf and Dive to explore water routes, underwater paths, and optional islands.
Inventory and party management
Because Secret Techniques do not occupy item slots, you save space for valuable held items and evolution materials. Keep your partner healthy in battles, since some techniques are tied to its move pool and can be used even when its HP is low. Plan your party around complementary techniques, ensuring you always have the right move available without juggling multiple HM slaves.
Differences from classic HMs
Secret Techniques differ from classic HMs in usability, item management, and narrative integration. Unlike HMs, these techniques do not require separate items that take up space in your bag. They are always ready when your partner is in the party and do not force you to teach the move to a weaker Pokémon just to use it in the field. The move tutor system also centralizes learning, cutting down on scattered NPC interactions and making the game feel more streamlined.
Comparison table
| Attribute | Secret Techniques (Let's Go) | Classic HMs |
|---|---|---|
| Item required | No item needed | HM item consumed when used |
| Move tutor learning | Centralized tutors, often post-gym | Scattered NPCs, many early in game |
| Party restrictions | Limited to partner species | Can be taught to any compatible Pokémon |
| Permanent availability | Available while partner is in party | Must be re-applied if replaced |
| Map markers | Technique-specific icons on map | No clear overworld indicators |
Advanced tips and common pitfalls
To get the most from Secret Techniques, plan your route clears around technique availability rather than forcing a specific move prematurely. Some areas look accessible with a technique you do not yet have, so check minimap icons and NPC hints before backtracking. Fees at move tutor locations are typically low, but saving before learning a new technique can protect you from accidental resets. Remember that a partner Pokémon with a technique can be withdrawn from your party, so keep it safe during tough battles to avoid losing access to a critical field move.
Post-game and completionist considerations
Once you finish the main story, nearly every Secret Technique becomes usable across the entire map, including secluded spots and optional islands. This period is ideal for collecting rare candies, hidden items, and completing the Pokédex without the constraints you faced earlier. Prioritize registering Pidgeot for Fly and seek out the Strength tutor to move large obstacles, as these two techniques dramatically increase your freedom in post-game exploration.
Overall, Secret Techniques in Pokémon Let's Go provide a streamlined, flexible approach to field movement that respects the spirit of the classic games while fitting the modern convenience-first design of the Let's Go series. Understanding when and how to use each technique will make your journey through Pallet Town, Kanto, and beyond significantly smoother and more enjoyable.