How To Get TM17 Protect in Pokémon Platinum

You can purchase unlimited copies of TM17 Protect on the third floor of the Veilstone Department Store. It costs 2000 PokéDollars each, and this is the only location in the game where you can get this TM.

Protect is a non-damaging, Normal-type status move that allows the user to defend itself from almost any attack.

TM17 Protect Location

TM17 Protect’s location on the Town Map.

TM17 Protect is available for purchase from a clerk on the third floor of Veilstone Department Store, which is just a short walk to the northwest of Veilstone City’s Pokémon Center.

Heading north from Veilstone City’s Pokémon Center.

Approaching the Department Store from the east.

Once inside the Department Store, take the elevator or escalators to the third floor, which is dedicated to selling TMs.

Speak to the clerk behind the northwest counter to purchase TM17 Protect for 2000 PokéDollars.

TM17 Protect’s listing at the Department Store.

This is the only location where TM17 Protect can be acquired, but an unlimited number of copies can be obtained this way.

Protect Details and Uses

In-game description of TM17 Protect.

Protect is a non-damaging Normal-type status move that allows the user to avoid the effects of almost any move, including avoiding taking damage.

As a high-priority move, Protect will usually go first during a turn.

Protect Move Details
Type	Normal
Category	Status
Power	—
Accuracy	—%
PP	30 (max. 48)
Priority	+3

At first glance, Protect might seem like a move that is only useful for wasting an opponent’s PP. But it can be used in many clever strategies.

Using Protect in Battle

The most obvious of these is to avoid all damage from “charge” attacks that take two moves to perform, like SolarBeam, Skull Bash, and Fly. These moves generally have a high base power, but the user telegraphs the move to its opponent before it hits – allowing you to use Protect on the next turn to avoid damage.

Although one of the most common ways Protect is used is for “scouting”, or trying to find out which Pokémon and/or moves the opponent has. The goal of this is to better predict strategies the opponent might use.

Protect also allows Pokémon with healing techniques to get a free turn to heal. This can include:

Moves (like Leech Seed and Ingrain)
Abilities (like Poison Heal)
Hold Items (like Leftovers)

Conversely, against an opponent who has an HP-draining effect (such as from poison or burn statuses), a Protected Pokémon is able to stall while their opponent loses HP.

And Protect can be particularly useful in double battles.

For instance, if one Pokémon on a team is going to use an attack like Earthquake or Surf that damages all Pokémon in battle, including the user’s teammate, the teammate can use Protect to escape damage.

Downsides of Protect

The biggest downside with Protect is that its chances of succeeding decrease by half with each consecutive use, down to a floor of ⅛ (although if it fails or if a different move is used during a turn, Protect will have a 100% success rate on the next turn it is used).

Also, not all moves are affected by Protect.

The following moves will still land even if Protect is successful:

Acupressure
Curse
Doom Desire
Feint
Future Sight
Perish Song
Psych Up
Role Play
Shadow Force
Sketch
Transform

Drawbacks aside, Protect has enough uses that it would fit into most teams very easily.

Miscellaneous Information about Protect:

In subsequent Generations after Gen IV, Protect’s priority stat is raised to +4.
TM17 Protect can be resold for 1000 PokéDollars.
If used in a Pokémon Contest, Protect will earn the user no Appeal Points, but will raise its score if the Voltage is low enough.

BACK TO THE MAIN GAME Pokémon Platinum Full Strategy Guide

Guide Navigation

Pokémon Platinum
- How To Get TM17 Protect in Pokémon Platinum

Chris Haygood

270 articles

Chris is an American freelance writer and lifelong gamer. RPGs have been his genre of choice ever since he got Pokémon Blue in 1867, but if he finds a good rhythm game, he will prioritize playing it over both eating and breathing.

View Writer's Posts →