Weird moves certain Pokemon can or cannot learn

[Luthor]

Galarian Stunfisk cannot learn most physical steel type moves. It gets metal claw but not much else. It also only gets 1 attack that works with the types it changes into by its ability (and snap trap isn't that great).

 

[Leonhart]

Heracross couldn't learn X-Scissor in Gen IV if I remember correctly. I don't know if that's been rectified in the newer games, but it always puzzled me that it couldn't learn said attack considering that its arms seem sharp enough to justify it learning that move.

 

[Missingno.Fan]

I always thought it was weird that Jynx learns Lick. I know she had a tongue, but it’s just an unpleasant visual.

 

[KillerDraco]

Speaking of Lick, reminder that in Gen 1, Lickitung could not learn Lick. While they did fix this in Gen 2, how do you make a Pokemon with Lick in its name, classify it as the Licking Pokemon, and have its design center around its giant tongue, and not give it Lick in the first place?

The world may never know.

 

[Auraninja]

Speaking of Lick, reminder that in Gen 1, Lickitung could not learn Lick. While they did fix this in Gen 2, how do you make a Pokemon with Lick in its name, classify it as the Licking Pokemon, and have its design center around its giant tongue, and not give it Lick in the first place?

The world may never know.

Makes me wish there was another tongue move that was more powerful, you know.

I know it can learn Power Whip, which is implied to be the tongue for Lickitung, but I want an exclusively tongue move that actually does good damage.

 

[Redbird]

 

[Sakuyamon]

Don't know if it counts but Kecleon couldn't learn Camouflage until Generation 6 even though it's a chameleon Pokemon so you would think it'd be the most obvious attack choice for it to have. I always thought that was weird. Also Tauros being able to learn Surf is funny to me.

 

[Luthor]

Aerodacytl's ability is Rock head but in Gen 8 its only move to get the benefit of it is Take down (and Double Edge but only by Transfer). A lot of the other users of Rock head that are also rock typed get Head Smash in gen 8 . (the only exception I can think of is the Geodude line who to be fair are not it the Gen 8 games so far and even they learned double edge by level up)

 

[NovaBrunswick]

Hydreigon, being called the Brutal Pokémon and having the ability to eat anything in its path, can't learn Nasty Plot. But cute Pokémon like Pichu and Pachirisu can.

 

[Gamzee Makara]

Hydreigon, being called the Brutal Pokémon and having the ability to eat anything in its path, can't learn Nasty Plot. But cute Pokémon like Pichu and Pachirisu can.

What does being brutal and voracious have to do with plotting?

Also, it gets it via TR in Gen VIII.

 

[Mega Ampharos the Dragon]

Don't know if it counts but Kecleon couldn't learn Camouflage until Generation 6 even though it's a chameleon Pokemon so you would think it'd be the most obvious attack choice for it to have. I always thought that was weird. Also Tauros being able to learn Surf is funny to me.

Reminds me of my Surfing Gogoat in XY

 

[Xaby]

Krabby and Kingler not being able to learn Waterfall when absolutely every other Gen 1 and Gen 2 Water-type can. Which is not bad if you think he still gets Crabhammer, but gets worse when you realize Kingler gets Sheer Force and has no move to abuse it with until Gen 7's Liquidation.

 

[NovaBrunswick]

Reminds me of my Surfing Gogoat in XY

A Rhydon I have in Pokémon Go has Surf as one of its Charged Moves. Can it learn it in the core-series games as well? Pretty ironic for a Rock/Ground type to learn a Water-type move.

Also, some of Lance's Pokémon in the Kanto and Johto games have moves that they usually shouldn't be able to learn. His Dragonite in the Kanto games had Barrier, which Dragonite cannot learn at all, and his Aerodactyl in G/S/C had Rock Slide, which it wasn't able to learn until Gen 4. This is the same guy who has three Dragonites all under level 55.

 

[Akashin]

I think I recall reading somewhere that there was a Pokémon Home datamine that indicated Meganium could get Solar Blade.

It is weird if Meganium got Solar Blade added to its movepool but Chesnaught didn't, but I'll reserve judgement on that until we see whether or not that's actually the case. The only excuse I can think of for that is that Meganium would use its antennae as a 'blade'.

Looking at the Pokemon who can actually learn Solar Blade, though, I now want to see a Celebi in the anime form a Solar Blade three times the size of its entire body on its little arm and just obliterate something.

 

[Xaby]

And speaking of Pokémon with useless abilities due to their movepool: Reckless Rhydon/Rhyperior only has Double-Edge as it's best recoil move. They don't even get Head Smash while Emboar and Basculin do.

I learned of this after transferring a shiny Rhyhorn from Pokémon Go after the Community Day, and then thinking what am I going to do with it?

 

[Divine Retribution]

A Rhydon I have in Pokémon Go has Surf as one of its Charged Moves. Can it learn it in the core-series games as well? Pretty ironic for a Rock/Ground type to learn a Water-type move.

Almost all Kaiju-like Pokemon can learn Surf and Flamethrower, likely being references to the fact that Kaiju are often depicted as coming from the sea and having fire (or atomic) breath. This includes Rhydon, Tyranitar, Aggron, and Haxorus. The one that gets me though is Diggersby. Why on earth does Diggersby learn Surf?

 

[Luthor]

Speaking of the above the Water typed Slowpoke line can learn Flamethrower and Fire Blast. Really useful that they can but a bit surprising they can.

 

[Xaby]

Speaking of the above the Water typed Slowpoke line can learn Flamethrower and Fire Blast. Really useful that they can but a bit surprising they can.

True. Same as Starmie learning Thunderbolt now that I think about it. If I'm not mistaken it's the only Water-type with access to it that's not part electric or a legendary. It doesn't make that much sense too other than "Starmie is magical".

 

[Sceptile Leaf Blade]

True. Same as Starmie learning Thunderbolt now that I think about it. If I'm not mistaken it's the only Water-type with access to it that's not part electric or a legendary. It doesn't make that much sense too other than "Starmie is magical".

Gyarados, Bibarel, and Lapras also get Thunderbolt.

 

[MrJechgo]

Oh boy... hope you brought a long ladder, because we're gonna go deep in that rabbit hole

All four Tapus cannot learn the Ilse of Armor's Move Tutor moves related to terrains (Expanding Force, Misty Explosion, Grassy Slide and Rising Voltage)... although that was probably because of their initial abilities to create terrains upon entering battles, while other Pokémon either have to use a move that create a terrain OR have Hidden abilities to do so. They also can't learn Terrain Pulse.