How To Get TM36 Selfdestruct in Pokémon Yellow

TM36 Selfdestruct
#	Location	Repeatable?
1	Silph Co. – 2nd Floor. Given to you by a female NPC.	No

TM36 Selfdestruct is given to you by a female NPC on the 2nd floor of the Silph Co. building in Saffron City.

She’s standing in a section of the floor that can be accessed through a teleporter on the 3rd floor near the stairs, or by using a Card Key to open a door to the section.

You can get TM36 at any point after you’re able to enter Silph Co.

Prerequisites

This is what you need to do before you can get TM36:

Meet Mr. Fuji on the top floor of the Pokémon Tower in Lavender Town.
Get the Card Key on the 5th floor of the Silph Co. building (If using the Card Key method)

Getting TM36 Selfdestruct

Starting from the Saffron City Pokémon Center, head west until you reach the end of the path.

Standing in front of the Saffron City Pokémon Center.

At the end of the path, head north until you see a sign near a building and the path splits.

Standing at the end of a path in Saffron City.

At the path split, head east until you reach the Silph Co. building.

Standing at a path split in Saffron City.

If you’ve talked to Mr. Fuji, then there should be no Rocket guarding the building. Enter the Silph Co. building.

Standing in front of the Silph Co. building.

Once you’re inside the Silph Co. building, there are two ways to get to TM36.

Option 1: Using the Teleporter

Head northeast towards the flight of stairs in the top right corner of the 1st floor.

Inside the Silph Co. building near the front entrance.

Head up the stairs to the 2nd floor.

Standing in front of the stairs on the 1st floor of Silph Co.

On the 2nd floor, head up the stairs again to the 3rd floor.

Standing next to the stairs on the 2nd floor of Silph Co.

Then on the 3rd floor, there will be a teleporting square near the stairs. Walk onto the teleporting square.

Near the teleporter on the 3rd floor of Silph Co. that leads to TM36.

This teleporter leads you to a closed off area on the 2nd floor. Walk over to the female NPC facing the wall and talk with her.

Standing in a section of the 2nd floor near the woman who gives you TM36.

After initially mistaking you for a member of Team Rocket, she gives you TM36 as an apology.

Getting TM36 from the woman in the Silph Co. building.

Option 2: Using the Card Key

Head northeast towards the elevator near the top right corner of the 1st floor. The elevator is just left of the stairs.

Inside the Silph Co. building near the front entrance.

Take the elevator up to the 9th floor. You could also take the stairs up to the 9th floor, but using the elevator is much faster.

Standing in front of the elevator on the 1st floor of Silph Co.

Once you’re on the 9th floor, head southeast until you’re at the bottom of the room.

Standing near the elevator on the 9th floor of Silph Co.

There’s a Scientist trainer near the bottom of the room, but you can just walk around him if you wish not to battle.

Head northwest towards the teleporter behind the desk.

Standing near a Scientist at the bottom of the 9th floor of Silph Co.

Walk onto the teleporter square.

Standing next to a teleporter on the 9th floor of Silph Co.

The teleporter will lead you to the 5th floor next to a Rocket.

The Rocket is unavoidable and you’ll have to fight him. Though he just as a Lv. 33 Arbok.

Standing next to a Rocket on the 5th floor of Silph Co.

After defeating the Rocket, head east until you see a Poké Ball.

Standing next to a defeated Rocket on the 5th floor of Silph Co.

This Poké Ball contains the Card Key. Once you’ve got the Card Key, head to the 2nd floor.

The easiest way to do that is by heading back the way you came to the elevator on the 9th floor, and taking it to the 2nd floor.

Standing near a Poké Ball containing the Card Key.

Once you’re on the 2nd floor, head southeast through the gap in between the black walls.

Standing near the elevator on the 2nd floor of Silph Co.

There’s another Rocket who you can’t avoid and must fight.

Getting noticed by a Rocket on the 2nd floor of Silph Co.

After defeating the Rocket, head southwest until you’re in infront of a blue metal door.

Standing in front of the defeated Rocket on the 2nd floor of Silph Co.

Now that you have the Card Key, the door will open if you interact with it.

Using the Card Key to open the locked door on the 2nd floor of Silph Co. (Right)

Once the door is open, walk up to the lone female NPC in the corner and talk to her. She’ll give you TM36.

Getting TM36 from the woman in the Silph Co. building.

Selfdestruct Details + Uses

Selfdestruct Move Details
Type	Normal
Power	130
Accuracy	100%
PP	5 (max. 8)
Effect	Makes the user faint after using the move. Halves the opposing Pokémon’s defense during damage calculation.

With 130 base power, Selfdestruct is one of the strongest Normal-type attacks in the game. Also, the opposing Pokémon’s Defense is halved during damage calculation. So Selfdestruct’s base power can actually be thought of as being 260.

The downside of Selfdestruct is that the user faints after the move is used.

The user faints even if the move misses or the opposing Pokémon is unaffected. (For example, if Selfdestruct is used against a Ghost type Pokémon.)

However, if Selfdestruct breaks an opposing Pokémon’s substitute, then the user will not faint.

This is a strong move, but it comes at the cost of one of your Pokémon. However if you wisely incorporate Selfdestruct into your battle strategy, (for example, having a Pokémon on your team for the sole purpose of using Selfdestruct) then Selfdestruct can be a devastating attack.

Golem using Selfdestruct against a wild Raticate.

BACK TO THE MAIN GAME Pokémon Yellow Full Strategy Guide

Guide Navigation

Pokémon Yellow
- How To Get TM36 Selfdestruct in Pokémon Yellow

Andrew Brisbane

55 articles

A retro game enthusiast since childhood, Andrew aka Andyb is a freelance writer from Canada. From intense games of Tetris to casual Pokémon playthroughs, he loves a wide variety of different genres. He’s also a very passionate musician.

View Writer's Posts →