How To Get TM19 Giga Drain in Pokémon Platinum

The Location of TM19 Giga Drain in Pokémon Platinum

TM19 Giga Drain is located on Route 209, east of Hearthome City. Accessing the exact location requires HM03 Surf, and this is the only place to get TM19 in the game.

You can quickly access Route 209 through Hearthome City’s eastern exit. But this guide will cover the exact step-by-step process to reach the TM.

Giga Drain is a damage-dealing Grass-type special move that heals the user for 50% of the damage inflicted on the target Pokémon.

It’s the third and strongest in a line of such Grass moves, the first two being Absorb and Mega Drain.

TM19 Giga Drain Location (Step-by-Step)

TM19 Giga Drain’s location on the Town Map. / Pokémon Platinum
TM19 Giga Drain’s location on the Town Map.

Before attempting to reach TM19 Giga Drain, make sure you have met the following requirements:

  • You have defeated Leader Wake in Pastoria City and earned the Fen Badge.
  • You have obtained HM03 Surf in Celestic Town.
  • You have a Pokémon in your party that knows Surf.

TM19 Giga Drain is found on Route 209, directly east of Hearthome City.

From Hearthome’s Pokémon Center, first head east on the main street.

Heading east from the Hearthome City Pokémon Center. / Pokémon Platinum
Heading east from the Hearthome City Pokémon Center.

Head as far east as you can, then turn south in front of the Hearthome Gym.

Turning south at the Hearthome Gym. / Pokémon Platinum
Turning south at the Hearthome Gym.

Once you hit the white picket fence to the south, turn west, and immediately follow the path south again when you can. You will be in line with the Pokémon Fan Club building when you do this.

Turning west at the corner, then south again at the Fan Club building. / Pokémon Platinum
Turning west at the corner, then south again at the Fan Club building.

Move south as far as you can, then turn east and exit Hearthome City via the eastern entrance gate.

Taking the eastern gate out of Hearthome City. / Pokémon Platinum
Taking the eastern gate out of Hearthome City.

Once on the other side of the gate, TM19 is only a short distance away.

Continue heading east until you reach a pier with a fisherman NPC on it, then cross the bridge to the north.

Passing the pier and crossing the bridge. / Pokémon Platinum
Passing the pier and crossing the bridge.

If you keep heading east, you will come across a child NPC who is dressed like a Pikachu, standing alone on another pier.

To the south is a very short bridge.

Crossing the bridge to the south of the Pikachu child. / Pokémon Platinum
Crossing the bridge to the south of the Pikachu child.

Cross this bridge going down, then walk along the edge of the water until you come to a large boulder in the water (you’ll also be blocked by a tree so you won’t be able to walk any further).

Use Surf on the stream at this spot & float across the water going east (the only direction you’re able to move).

Surfing down the stream. / Pokémon Platinum
Surfing down the stream.

Navigate the stream until you get to the end.

Then on a small patch of land to your west, TM19 Giga Drain will be visible as a Pokéball overworld item.

TM19 Giga Drain in a small clearing. / Pokémon Platinum
TM19 Giga Drain in a small clearing.

This is the only copy of TM19 in the game, so be highly selective when choosing a Pokémon to use it on.

Acquiring TM19 Giga Drain. / Pokémon Platinum
Acquiring TM19 Giga Drain.

Giga Drain Details + Uses

In-game description of TM19 Giga Drain. / Pokémon Platinum
In-game description of TM19 Giga Drain.

Giga Drain is a damage-dealing Grass-type special move that heals the user for half of the damage inflicted on the target.

It is the third—and most powerful—in a line of HP-stealing Grass-type moves. The other two moves are Absorb (which has a base power of 20) and Mega Drain (which has a base power of 40).

Giga Drain Move Details
Type Grass
Category Special
Power 60
Accuracy 100%
PP 10 (max. 16)

This can be an extremely useful move when used strategically, both in the main game and in competitive play.

The base power isn’t as high as other major Grass-type attacks (it gets raised in the Gen V games, from 60 to 75), but it remains one of the only ways to heal a substantial amount of HP using an attack move with no drawbacks.

What’s more, if the Pokémon using Giga Drain is holding the item Big Root, it will heal 30% more HP—from 50% of the damage inflicted to 65%.

Using Giga Drain on a Ground-, Water-, or Rock-type Pokémon can potentially bring a low-HP Pokémon to full health.

Miscellaneous information about Giga Drain:

  • If a Pokémon uses Giga Drain on a target who has the Liquid Ooze ability, the user will lose the amount of HP it would have otherwise gained.
  • If a Pokémon uses Giga Drain in a Pokémon Contest in the Smart category, it normally earns just one appeal point. However, if two Pokémon in a row raise the Voltage, Drain Punch earns three bonus appeal points.

Chris Haygood

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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.

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