Why did Charmander only learn Metal Claw in Fire Red and Leaf Green?

Question

He doesn't learn it in any other game.

Comments

just pointing out he does get it as an egg move in later games, so that last part isn't technically true.

Answer 1

Charmander learn it at level 13 right?
Here is a theory:

Bulbasaur can easily take out Brock's rock with a single Vine Whip.
Squirtle owns them with a Bubble or just a Water Gun attack.
I think because if the player chooses a fire type at the start of the game, it didn't really have a chance against rock types, so Game Freak put that move in the game for Charmander.

Because the first gym is rock-type, fire moves are weak, so they put Metal Claw in Charmandar, since it's the most chosen between the 3 starters. Also learning Metal Claw at level 13 is pretty good for face the first gym.

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Hope this helps.

Comments

but if that's the reason why didn't he learn it in r/b/y

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oh sorry forgot it was a gen 2 move

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Heh, fair enough. I just went of my own theory/logic o3o

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first hehe.. we 2 share the same theory.

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Also Steel type didn't exist in R/B/Y, so no Metal Claw there.

Answer 2

I don't really want to answer with no more inforamtion then 'Because Game Freak wanted it that way' but I might be forced too.

If there is any logic, it's this. Defeating Brock in Red/Blue with Charmander and the other early-start Pokemon alone was near impossible, you'd have to over-level a good 5-9 levels and get lucky with your Embers. They wanted to make this not as prevalent in FireRed/LeafGreen by having Charmander learn Metal Claw. After this, however, there's really no reason to have it learn Metal Claw, because any other Gym it struggles with can be countered there from in. And it doesn't appear as an early on Pokemon in any other game, if it does, it doesn't need any assistance. Though there's still not much reasoning to why they took it out instead of just leavign it in.