How come moves like slash and cant cut down small trees.

Question

I mean slash is just a stronger version of cut like why waste a moveslot for a bad move like cut?

Answer 1

Because several more pokemon have access to it. Cut serves as a blockade in the game to keep you from skipping gyms so you can beat the game in order. It is true that cut is pretty weak, and that's unfortunate, but that's just the way it is. Why can't fire types just burn the trees down, right? It makes sense, but it would still take the blockade idea out of the game for those with the right pokemon. So they make the HMs required to get to the next area, but to use the HMs you need the badge from the current area, and that's how they keep it going on a track.

Answer 2

Cut is a Hidden Machine while Slash is not. Slash is a more offensive move while Cut is more a move for HM slaves. Many moves could be usable overworld, like Earthquake destroying the Victory road, free fall as a replacement for Fly but overall this is not possible. Moves that are usable outside of battle are very limited. Also Cut and Slash have different properties, Slash being one of those attacks with 70 base power, 100 accuracy and higher critical hit chance (the other ones with these properties being Night Slash, Psycho Cut, Cross Poison and Shadow Claw) while Cut only has 50 base power and 95 accuracy. Also, Cut is named "Cut" and Slash has another definition.

According to your ideas, Bodyslam is also just a stronger version of Tackle, Earthquake of intensity, Rock Slide of Rock Throw, which are all possible with common sense but all have different definitions.

Comments

Accidentally posted this answer as a comment on the question. I pasted this and hid the comment.

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so basically, most of the moves are just stronger versions? thats how i see it

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like water gun and hydro pump