Where To Get TM33 Ice Punch in Pokémon Crystal

by Nelson Chitty

TM33 Ice Punch
1	Goldenrod Department Store, 5F. Buy from the TM Corner for 3000 PokéDollars.	Yes
2	Held item by any of the following Pokémon when traded into Pokémon Crystal from R/B/Y through the Time Capsule: Krabby Horsea Goldeen Staryu	Yes

TM33 Ice Punch

Location

Repeatable?

Goldenrod Department Store, 5F. Buy from the TM Corner for 3000 PokéDollars.

Yes

Held item by any of the following Pokémon when traded into Pokémon Crystal from R/B/Y through the Time Capsule:

Krabby
Horsea
Goldeen
Staryu

Yes

There are two ways of obtaining TM33 Ice Punch in Pokémon Crystal.

The easiest way to get TM33 Ice Punch is to buy it from the TM Corner on the fifth floor (5F) of Goldenrod City’s Department Store for 3000 PokéDollars.

You can buy this immediately upon arriving in Goldenrod City for the first time, and you can get an unlimited amount of copies this way. So if you need more Ice Punch TMs then this is by far the best way to go.

Alternatively, you can find this TM as a held item on a Krabby, Horsea, Goldeen, or Staryu that’s traded into Pokémon Crystal from Pokémon Red, Blue, or Yellow through the Time Capsule.

The Time Capsule becomes available at Pokémon Centers region-wide after you reach Ecruteak City’s Pokémon Center for the first time and meet Bill there.

Getting TM33 Ice Punch

Method #1: Buy TM33 from Goldenrod City’s Dept. Store

You’ll find the Goldenrod Department Store across the street from the Pokémon Center.

Heading from the Pokémon Center to the Department Store.

Once you’re inside the Dept. Store, use the elevator to reach the fifth floor (5F). You’ll find the elevator up and to the left of the main entrance.

Department Store, 1F.

Just approach the controls on the right-side of the elevator and choose 5F from the menu.

Choosing our destination in the Department Store elevator.

Once you get to the 5th floor, approach the green-clothed NPC at the counter.

Department Store, 5F.

Then choose TM33 Ice Punch from the list to buy it for 3000 PokéDollars.

TM33 for sale in the TM Corner.

You shouldn’t have any issue getting that amount of cash from Pokémon battles.

Gym Leader Bugsy in Azalea Town gave you 1600 PokéDollars upon defeat, and Gym Leader Whitney in Goldenrod City will give you 2000 PokéDollars if you beat her.

But if you’re still short on cash, consider the following options:

Battling trainers on Routes 34, 35, 36, and the National Park.
Selling some items to free up inventory space, including any Nuggets (5000 PokéDollars).
Calling your mom to make a withdrawal from your savings.

Method #2: Held Item on Various Pokémon Traded into Crystal from R/B/Y

The first step here is to meet Bill at Ecruteak City’s Pokémon Center, then wait a day. This will unlock the Time Capsule.

Since most people hunt TMs near the Elite IV or after clearing the Pokémon League, you might have already done this by now.

Note: This method is far more complex than simply buying TM33 from the Goldenrod Dept. Store. And since you can buy unlimited copies that way, it’s generally recommended to always just get this TM from Goldenrod. But if you’re simply curious or want to try this out for other reasons then this guide should help!

Meeting Bill in Ecruteak City’s Pokémon Center.

Once you can access the Time Capsule, connect your Pokémon Crystal game to a Pokémon R/B/Y game where you have a Horsea, Krabby, Goldeen, or Staryu in your party.

Game Boy Color consoles connected by Game Link Cable.

Here’s how that works, depending on what platform you’re playing on:

Game Boy / GBC: Connect both handhelds with a Nintendo Game Link Cable.
Game Boy Advance: Connect both handhelds with a GBA Link Cable.
3DS: Virtual Console versions of Pokémon RBY and Pokémon GSC can link up over the 3DS’s local wireless connection.

Note: Some emulator software allows you to do this as well. Well-known GBC/GBA emulator mGBA offers a built-in multiplayer option that makes it easy.

Then go into any Pokémon Center in Crystal and climb the stairs to the second floor to find the Time Capsule.

Going upstairs at a Pokémon Center.

It’s on the rightmost end of the room.

Pokémon Center 2F, going to the Time Capsule.

Then in Pokémon R/B/Y, just speak with the NPC to the right-hand side on the first floor.

Pokémon Center in Pokémon Yellow.

Talk to the Time Capsule/Trade NPC simultaneously in both games. Save your game when prompted, then choose “Trading Center” when given the option.

Setting up the trade in Crystal

Note: Make sure you don’t have any Gen II Pokémon, Moves, or Items in your Pokémon Crystal party before trying to trade, or you’ll be turned away.

Once you’re inside the trading room, face the table in the middle of the room and press A (in both games) to start the trade.

Trading Center in Pokémon Crystal (left) and Pokémon Yellow (right).

Then choose the Pokémon you’ll trade in both games and watch the cutscene.

Trading screen (Pokémon Yellow).

Make sure you send a Horsea, Goldeen, Krabby, or Staryu from your R/B/Y game.

It doesn’t matter what you send back from Pokémon Crystal.

Trade screen (Pokémon Crystal).

Once the trade is complete, leave the Time Capsule and check your Pokémon party. The Pokémon you just received should be holding something.

Checking Horsea’s Held Item.

When you go to take the item from your newly acquired Pokémon, you should notice that its held item is TM33 Ice Punch.

Receiving TM33 from Horsea.

TM33 Ice Punch Details + Uses

Ice Punch Move Details
Type	Ice
Category	Special
Power	75
Effect	10% chance of freezing the target.
Accuracy	100%
PP	15 (max. 24)

Ice Punch is the third hardest-hitting Ice-type move behind Blizzard (Power: 120) and Ice Beam (Power: 95).

Its 100% Accuracy and relatively high 15 PP make it very reliable, but Ice Beam does the same and has higher Power.

So, why use Ice Punch?

Here are two good reasons:

It’s a TM you can purchase repeatedly, meaning you can teach it to several Pokémon.
Many non-Ice-type Pokémon can learn it.

These two things are especially relevant because Ice-type is super effective against Dragon-type, which includes some of the strongest Pokémon in the game.

Note: Only Dragon-type moves share this advantage against Dragon-type Pokémon.

This move gives otherwise disadvantaged Pokémon a chance against Dragon-types (as long as their Sp. Attack is decent). This includes Water and Electric-types such as:

Pokémon	Type	Location
Feraligatr	Water	Evolve Croconaw. (Starter.)
Electabuzz	Electric	Route 10.
Golduck	Water	Surf at: Routes 6 and 35. Ilex Forest. Mt. Silver (Night).

There are few Ice-type critters in Pokémon Crystal, but there’s one that’ll absolutely devastate opponents with Ice Punch thanks to its high Sp. Attack:

Pokémon	Type	Location
Jynx	Ice/Psychic	Ice Path (Morning, Day).

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Nelson Chitty

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Nelson Chitty is a Venezuelan expat living in Argentina. He’s a writer and translator passionate about history and foreign cultures. His ideal weekend is spent between leisurely playing games of Civilization VI and looking for the next seinen anime to marathon.

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