In Pokémon Pokopia, moves are not for battling — they are essential field abilities that let you interact with the environment, clear obstacles, access hidden areas, and gather resources. This guide focuses on how each move interacts with the world, the areas they unlock, and which habitat-building strategies they enable. For the complete Ditto transformation details and power-up food system, see our dedicated Ditto Guide.
Quick Summary
- • 17 total moves — 3 innate, 7 primary transformations, 7 secondary/advanced
- • Moves unlock new areas, resources, and habitat-building capabilities
- • Each move is taught by a specific Pokémon — no leveling or TMs
- • 4 primary moves can be powered up with food
How Moves Work in Pokémon Pokopia
Unlike traditional Pokémon games where moves are primarily used in battle, Pokémon Pokopia treats moves as field abilities. Each move corresponds to a specific interaction with the overworld. When Ditto approaches an obstacle or resource node, you can activate the appropriate move with a button press. Ditto physically transforms into the teacher Pokémon to perform the action.
Each move is taught by a specific teacher Pokémon found in a designated area. You do not learn moves through leveling up or TMs. Instead, you must find and befriend the teacher Pokémon, who will then teach the move permanently. Teacher Pokémon are always available in their designated locations — you cannot permanently miss any move.
Complete Move Table — All 17 Moves
Here is every move in Pokémon Pokopia with its teacher, location, controls, and description:
| Move | Teacher | Area | Controls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stockpile & Spit Out | Innate | Start | Hold A / Press A |
| Inhale | Innate | Start | Hold Y |
| Headbutt | Innate | Start | Press A near trees |
| Water Gun |  Squirtle | Withered Wastelands | Press ZR |
| Leafage |  Bulbasaur | Withered Wastelands | Press ZR |
| Cut |  Scyther | Withered Wastelands | Press ZR |
| Rock Smash |  Hitmonchan | Withered Wastelands | Press ZR / Hold ZR |
| Rototiller |  Drilbur | Withered Wastelands | Press ZR |
| Jump |  Magikarp | Withered Wastelands | Press R |
| Surf |  Lapras | Bleak Beach | Press B near water |
| Camouflage |  Zorua | Bleak Beach | Press A near objects |
| Stockpile Water |  Paldean Wooper | Bleak Beach | Press A |
| Rollout |  Graveler | Rocky Ridges | Hold ZR to roll |
| Strength |  Machoke | Rocky Ridges | Press A |
| Glide |  Dragonite | Sparkling Skylands | Press R twice |
| Waterfall |  Gyarados | Sparkling Skylands | Press A while Surfing |
| Magnet Rise |  Magnemite | Post-game | Full flight + Y absorb |
Moves & Area Progression
Each area in Pokopia requires specific moves to fully explore. Understanding this progression helps you prioritize which Pokémon to befriend first:
Withered Wastelands (Starting Area)
Moves learned: Water Gun, Leafage, Cut, Rock Smash, Rototiller, Jump
Key unlocks: Cut opens blocked paths to the eastern cliffs. Rock Smash reveals cave entrances with Iron Ore deposits. Water Gun is required to revitalize dried terrain before any habitat building can begin. Rototiller creates farm plots for growing cooking ingredients.
Bleak Beach (Second Area)
Moves learned: Surf, Camouflage, Stockpile Water
Key unlocks: Surf opens the entire coastal zone and water-locked islands. Stockpile Water lets you create custom ponds and waterfalls in habitats, which is required for many water-themed habitat completions. Camouflage is used for multiplayer hide-and-seek and some story puzzle sequences.
Rocky Ridges (Third Area)
Moves learned: Rollout, Strength
Key unlocks: Rollout clears terrain 5–10x faster than Rock Smash, making it the essential terraforming tool. Strength pushes boulders to solve puzzles and opens shortcuts through the mountain passes. Both moves are needed to reach the deep mining tunnels where Gold Ore spawns.
Sparkling Skylands (Fourth Area)
Moves learned: Glide, Waterfall
Key unlocks: Glide is mandatory for reaching floating islands and crossing large gaps. Without it, most of the Sparkling Skylands is inaccessible. Waterfall upgrades Surf to climb up waterfalls, revealing the hidden areas above each waterfall in every previous zone too — great for backtracking.
Post-game
Moves learned: Magnet Rise
Key unlocks: Magnet Rise grants full creative flight, block placement in mid-air, and block absorption. This is the ultimate building tool and transforms the entire building experience. With Magnet Rise, you can create floating structures, sky bridges, and vertical habitats that are impossible with any other move.
Moves & Habitat Building
Moves are deeply connected to the habitat building system. Many habitat components require materials that are only obtainable through specific moves. Here are the key move-to-material connections:
- Cut — Harvests wood from trees. Wood is the foundation material for most structures, furniture, and fences. Powered-up Cut (via Bread recipes) can harvest metal and harder materials at a distance.
- Rock Smash — Extracts stone and ore from rock formations. Required for stone walls, pathways, and foundations. Feed Hamburger Steak to break volcanic rock and crystal.
- Leafage — Creates grass foundations for habitats. Most Pokémon habitats require grass as a base. Powered-up Leafage (via Salad) enables moss on rocks, vines on walls, and duckweed on water surfaces.
- Water Gun — Revitalizes dried terrain, which is a prerequisite for Leafage to work. Also used for fire-based environmental puzzles and watering crops.
- Stockpile Water — Creates custom water features. Many aquatic habitats require player-placed water, and this is the only move that can produce it.
- Magnet Rise — Enables floating and vertical builds that are impossible otherwise. Post-game building revolves around this move.
PP Management
Every move consumes PP (Power Points). Running out means you cannot use moves until you rest or eat. Key PP management strategies:
- Buy PP Up items from the PC Shop — each area has one that permanently increases your max PP.
- Eat food to restore PP mid-session. Keep simple recipes on hand.
- Rest at Pokémon Centers for a full free restore.
- Use Rollout over Rock Smash when clearing terrain — Rollout is far more PP-efficient per block cleared.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can multiple Pokémon know the same move?
In Pokopia, moves are Ditto's transformations — not abilities your party Pokémon learn. Ditto retains all learned moves permanently and can switch between any transformation at any time.
Do moves have levels or upgrades?
Four primary moves (Water Gun, Leafage, Cut, Rock Smash) can be permanently powered up by cooking specific meal categories. Other moves do not have upgrades. See our Cooking Guide for details.
Can I use moves in battle?
Pokémon Pokopia does not have a traditional battle system. Moves are exclusively used for field interactions, terraforming, and habitat building.
What if I miss a teacher Pokémon?
Teacher Pokémon are always available in their designated locations. You cannot permanently miss any move — return to the area and befriend the teacher when you're ready.
What is the best move in Pokopia?
Rollout (from Graveler in Rocky Ridges) for terraforming speed, and Magnet Rise (post-game from Magnemite) for creative building freedom. Both are considered game-changing unlocks.
More Pokopia guides
For full Ditto transformation details, see the Ditto Guide. Power up your moves with the Cooking Guide, or browse the complete moves database.