Crafting is a recent addition to Pokemon games. Pokemon Legends: Arceus allowed it in its more open-world environment, and Scarlet and Violet have carried a version of this mechanic over.
Rather than allowing you to craft all of the items available in the world, you’re instead able to craft technical machines, known as TMs. The core usage of the items doesn’t differ much from past games – you’re still able to use them to help your Pokemon learn new moves. These items can only be used once now, however, which is a change from some newer generations.
Being able to craft the items does give more flexibility than only finding one TM in the entire game and agonizing over who to use it on. TMs are still dotted about the world for you to find of course, but they’re renewable in a different way now, too!
If you want to make more TM’s to use, then you’ll need to find a TM machine. Despite the somewhat redundant name (technical machine machine), this feature is tremendously useful.
How To Gather Crafting Materials
In order to use the TM crafter, you’ll need to have two resources: crafting materials, and League Points. You can get crafting materials from defeating wild Pokemon out in the world or participating in Tera Battles.
Beat a Psyduck to get a chance at some Psyduck down, snag some Magikarp scales from a flopping fish on the ground, and so on. League Points are rewarded for completing gym battles, or tera raid battles; a new feature in Scarlet and Violet.
You may also exchange some of the crafting items you’ve acquired for League Points, shortened to LP in the TM menu. Items offer varying yields of points, with rarer items netting higher values, all within 10-point increments.
Crafting TMs
Once players get to their first Pokemon center, they’ll get the tutorial for the TM machine. You can also trade Pokemon, connect to friends, and buy items here.
The green area allows you to walk up and ask to either make a TM, or exchange materials for LP. When you opt to craft, you’ll be taken to a menu that shows all options available for you to make. Progressing in the game will unlock more ™ options to craft. Picking TMs up during exploration will commit the recipe to memory, as will defeating certain groups or overcoming certain obstacles on your journey.
Your team will be displayed in a slim column on the left, with a green bar showing if they can learn the move, and a red one showing if the move is incompatible with them. The TM icons in the center are small square images showcasing the move itself as well as the number of the move, and you’ll be able to quickly see what ones you can make with another green bar that states whether or not they’re craftable.
The right column includes the TM name, the move type, a description of the move itself, and then the moves states. Below that, you’ll see your required resources, and if you’re missing anything it’ll show the numerical value in red. There are tabs at the top as well that you can cycle through with the L and R buttons.
These have the option to show all move types or cycle through each type individually. There are other sort options available as well if you click the minus button, potentially improving visibility.
After selecting the icon you’d like and pressing A, you get to choose how many of each to make. Once you confirm you’re indeed certain of your choice, there’s a small animation of the TM getting crafted.
The machine then asks you if you’d like one of your Pokemon to learn the move immediately. There’s no downside to waiting until later. If you say no, the ™ goes into your bag, and if you say yes you select the Pokemon and then get a chance to replace a move with it.
For more Pokemon Scarlet and Violet guides, check out our guide on how to trade in the game!
