Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen Trick Can Save You Serious Money on Repels

In Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen, players can save some money on buying Repels and instead use HM01, Cut, to remove patches of tall grass and avoid wild Pokemon battles in the process. However, Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen players must make some progress in the main story before they can use Cut outside of battles.

Throughout Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen, moves can be taught to Pokemon in a few ways. While Pokemon can naturally learn moves by leveling up, some of the more powerful battle moves, including Ice Beam and Flamethrower, can also be taught via Technical Machines (TMs) or Hidden Machines (HMs). While TMs are a one-time consumable, HMs can be used as many times as a trainer wants. However, moves taught by HMs, including Cut, Fly, and Strength, cannot be forgotten easily by a Pokemon. In Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen, HM moves can only be forgotten by speaking to the Move Deleter in Fuchsia City.

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You Can Cut the Tall Grass in Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen

Along with being a necessary HM for navigating different routes, Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen players can use Cut to remove tall grass. This clever trick was pointed out by Reddit user ch1821 on the Pokemon FireRed subreddit. Although Cut is most commonly used to remove specific trees, it can also cut down patches of tall grass in small batches of four tiles. This removes wild Pokemon from appearing when exploring some of the game’s routes, though the grass does respawn upon closing the game or by entering a different area. Given that tall grass causes wild Pokemon to appear, this can be handy for saving money on Repels, which normally stop Wild Pokemon from appearing for up to 100 steps. Likewise, Super Repels and Max Repels prevent wild encounters for 200 and 250 steps, respectively. Though Repels cost 350 Poke Dollars, fledgling Pokemon trainers must use their money sparingly. However, once Cut is acquired, the money saved can instead be spent on held items in Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen, or on evergreen consumables, such as Potions and Poke Balls.

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However, unlocking Cut in Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen requires trainers to make some progress in the early parts of the main story. First, Pokemon trainers must defeat Misty in Cerulean City to earn the Cascade Badge. This badge allows Cut to be used outside of battle, and all Pokemon up to level 30 will obey their trainer. Additionally, HM01 (Cut) must be obtained aboard the S.S. Anne, which is harbored in Vermilion City. After acquiring an S.S. Ticket from Bill, trainers can board the ship and find the captain. After relieving the captain of his illness, he offers HM01 as a reward. Cut can then be used to open the path to the Vermilion City Gym and allow for tall grass to be removed temporarily.

Cutting Down Tall Grass Did Not Make It Past Pokemon’s Third Generation

In a Pokemon battle, Cut is a Normal-type attack with 50 base power. Despite its weak attack power compared to other moves like Slash and Body Slam, Cut can carve down a wild Pokemon’s HP little by little, making it easier to catch without knocking it out. Cut can be used by various Pokemon found throughout FireRed and LeafGreen, including Grass-type Pokemon like Venusaur, Victreebel, and Vileplume. However, Cut’s ability to remove tall grass was removed in Gen 4, starting with Pokemon Diamond and Pearl. Ergo, Pokemon games released during Generations 1 through 3 were the only ones that could use Cut in this way.

Fortunately, tricks like the Nugget Bridge glitch and Cut’s ability to mow down tall grass still work in the Switch ports of Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen. With Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen now available for more trainers to experience, time will tell what secrets players will rediscover for themselves.