Cut (Japanese: いあいぎり Iai Cut) is a damage-dealing Normal-type move introduced in Generation I. It is HM01 in Generations I through VI, and TM93 in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.

Effect

In battle

Cut inflicts damage and has no secondary effect.

Generation IX

Cut is programmed into Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, but cannot be selected in a battle as no available Pokémon can learn it. However, it can be called by Metronome.

Outside of battle

In certain games, Cut is a field move that requires a specific badge to be used outside of battle: the Cascade BadgeRBYFRLG, Hive BadgeGSCHGSS, Stone BadgeRSEORAS, Forest BadgeDPPtBDSP, or Bug BadgeXY.

Removing plants

In Generations I–VI, and also in the Hidden Moves Pokétch appBDSP, Cut can be used to remove cuttable plants, which are obstacles that block the player's way.

The trees are restored once the player leaves the current area or resets the game.

Generation I

In this generation, the player can only remove plants by using this move from the party screen.

Generations II to VI

In addition to using this move from the party screen, the player can now remove plants simply by interacting with them and pressing A, which opens up a dialog box asking if the plant should be cut.

Generation VII onwards

Cut is no longer usable outside of battle, except from the Hidden Moves Pokétch app in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl (instead of being taught to a Pokémon).

In Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, small trees can be cut down with the Secret Technique Chop Down instead.

Cuttable plants do not appear in Pokémon Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, Ultra Moon, Sword, Shield, Legends: Arceus, Scarlet, and Violet.

Removing tall grass

In Generations I–III, Cut can be used to remove a portion of tall grass. This is only available by using the move from the party screen.

The grass is restored once the player leaves the current area or resets the game.

Generation I

Cut removes a 2×2 tall grass tile patch (4 tiles per patch). It does not matter if the player is located inside or outside the 2×2 patch, as long as the player is facing one of its tiles.

In this generation, it is not possible to remove tall grass from Viridian Forest or Safari Zone (the only two areas where not all the grass is arranged in 2×2 tile patches).

Generation II

Cut still removes a 2×2 tall grass tile patch like before.

In addition, long grass (tall grass that is longer than usual) was introduced as well. If the player uses Cut on a 2×2 patch of long grass, it becomes the regular variety of tall grass. Therefore, using Cut twice removes the long grass completely.

Generation III

In this generation, Cut removes tall grass from the player's current tile and all the adjacent tiles at once (if any), up to 9 tiles in a 3×3 arrangement. Unlike in the previous generation, Cut now also removes long grass completely with a single use.

Unlike in Generation I, Viridian Forest and Safari Zone are not exceptions anymore. The tall grass found there can be cut normally in Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen.

In Pokémon Emerald, Pokémon with Hyper Cutter cut a larger amount of tall grass (or long grass) at once, up to 25 tiles in a 5×5 arrangement.

In Pokémon Emerald, if the player uses Cut to remove all the long grass on Faraway Island before battling the Mew that is hiding in the grass, Mew will disappear without a battle.

Generation IV onwards

Cut no longer removes any tall grass.

Other uses

In Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, there is a sealed cave in Ruin Valley with the word "CUT" written in braille. The player may open it by using Cut on the entrance, which grants access to Dotted Hole.

Cut can be used as the second move of a Pokémon Contest combination, with the user gaining 2 bonus appeal points if Swords Dance was used in the previous turn.

Description

Learnset

By leveling up

By TM/HM

In other games

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series

Pokémon GO

Updates

• July 30, 2016
  • Energy boost: 7 → 10
• February 16, 2017
  • Power: 12 → 10
  • Energy boost: 10 → 5
  • Duration: 1.13 → 1 seconds
  • Damage window: 0.93 - 1.13 → 0.3 - 0.5 seconds
• February 21, 2017
  • Power: 10 → 5
  • Duration: 1 → 0.5 seconds

Description

In the anime

Cacturne Servine Greninja Farfetch'd
The foe is cut with a scythe or a claw.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Used In		Notes
	Scyther uses its scythes to strike down its opponent, or Scyther cuts the opponent with one of its scythes.
Yas's Scyther	Showdown at Dark City		Debut
Danny's Scyther	Navel Maneuvers!		None
Tracey's Scyther	Tracey Gets Bugged		Referred to as Slash in the English dub of the debut episode and The Rivalry Revival English debut in Showdown at the Oak Corral
A Coordinator's Scyther	Mounting a Coordinator Assault!		None
	Farfetch'd uses its leek to slice through objects. Sometimes, the leek glows white or orange.
Sylvester's Farfetch'd	A Farfetch'd Tale		None
Goh's Farfetch'd	Time After Time!		None
	The leaf on Nuzleaf's head glows white and it uses it to slice through objects.
A wild Nuzleaf	Turning Over a Nuzleaf		None
	The dark green patches on Cacturne's arms glow white and grow into long white needles and then it slices the opponent with them.
Harley's Cacturne	New Plot, Odd Lot!		None
	Sunflora's leaf-like arms glow white and it slices the opponent.
Nando's Sunflora	A Secret Sphere of Influence!		None
	Chikorita slices the opponent using the leaf on its head.
A wild Chikorita	Arceus and the Jewel of Life		None
	Both or one of Servine's arms glow light blue and it slices the opponent with one of them. When it slashes, it leaves behind a light blue, almost white, trail of energy where it slashed.
Trip's Servine	A Rival Battle for Club Champ!		None
	The white part of Watchog's arm glows light blue and it slices the opponent with it.
Halsey's Watchog	The Pokémon Harbor Patrol!		None
	Froakie forms a white needle in one of its hands and uses it to strike the opponent. The slash leaves a white trail of energy afterwards.
Ash's Froakie	Forging Forest Friendships!		None
	Frogadier forms a white needle in one of its hands and uses it to strike the opponent. The slash leaves a white trail of energy afterwards. Sometimes, it forms the needle from its waist, sheathing and unsheathing it like a sword.
Ash's Frogadier	A Stealthy Challenge!		None
	Ash-Greninja forms a white needle in one or both of its hands, sometimes forming it by pulling it out of one if its hands, with the other hand, as if it were unsheathing a sword and it cuts the opponent with one or both of the needles or Ash-Greninja forms two kunai shaped blades, with multiple variants of blue coloring that shine in some spots, in each of its hands and then strikes the opponent once or multiple times with the blades, sometimes leaving a white trail behind the blades as they move.
Ash's Greninja	A Festival of Decisions!		None
	Greninja forms a white needle in one of its hands and it punches the opponent with the white needle in its hand or it forms a white needle in one of its hands and uses is to strike the opponent or Greninja forms two kunai shaped blades, with multiple variants of blue coloring that shine in some spots, in each of its hands and then strikes the opponent once or multiple times with the blades, sometimes leaving a white trail behind the blades as they move.
Ippei's Greninja	A Festival of Decisions!		None
Ash's Greninja	Meeting at Terminus Cave!		None

In the manga

Pokémon Adventures

• Bill's Farfetch'd was revealed to know Cut on the official website, but it was never shown using the move.

Pokémon Gotta Catch 'Em All

Skarmory
The user cuts the target with a scythe or claw.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Chapter Used In		Notes
	Skarmory slashes the opponent with one of its sharp wings.
Shu's Skarmory	GDZ62		Debut

In other generations

In battle

Core series games

Side series games

Spin-off series games

Outside of battle

Cutting plants

Cutting tall grass

Trivia

• In Generation I, if the player saves and exits the game standing on a previously cut tree, once the game is continued, the player will be standing on the tree that was previously cut. The same can be done with Pikachu in Pokémon Yellow. In Celadon Gym in Yellow, the same effect can also happen with Pikachu after certain battles.
• Cut is not required to complete Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald, their remakes, Pokémon Black 2 and White 2, or Pokémon X and Y.
• The Japanese name of Cut, いあいぎり Iai Cut, refers to iaido, a Japanese martial art. Specifically, it refers to the technique of drawing a blade from its scabbard, cutting down the opponent, then re-sheathing the blade.
  • It's ability to cut down grass might be referencing the Kusanagi no Tsurugi, a sacred Japanese sword. The name translates to "grass-cutting sword".
• Cut was the first HM move featured in the anime.

In other languages

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