In RSE, do I have to smash the rocks in Rusturf Tunnel in order to finish the game?

Question

Can I beat the game by trading strength users?

Comments

@The Lonely Pikachu, what's wrong with the title?

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The description is asking if he can beat the entire game without rock smash. The title is just talking about rusturf tunnel

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You don't know the connection just because you haven't played RSE. If you have played one of those games and still don't get it, then I don't know if or how I can explain it.

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@TLP's answer still answers the title

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Did he/she/it really manage to finish the game without smashing those rocks?

Answer 1

No. The guy you help by smashing the rocks gives you the HM strength, which quite obviously is required to finish the game. But yes, after earning the Dynamo badge, you can finish the game by trading strength users, even without the HM Strength. But why would you?
Source: I have played the game once without smashing the rocks, by trading in a Machamp knowing Strength.

Comments

You've played it without ever smashing those rocks?

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No- but I know for a fact that you can use HMs from traded Pokemon as long as you have the required badges. And as far as I remember, that event had no effect after that.

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Are you sure the event had no effect other than giving the HM04 strength to the player? Because I know that in a lot of games (including RSE), if the player doesn't pick up a certain HM, the game puts a roadblock somewhere far ahead to prevent the player from finishing the game without the HM. Are you sure there's no such roadblock in this case?

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No man, I know what kind of roadblock you are talking about. I remember in my first play through, I didn't even beat Winona until I reached the elite four. Just to be sure, I'll play through it again (may take a week or so). But I don't think it's necessary.

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I know that in E, if you don't beat Tabitha and Maxie at Mossdeep City, then there's an Aqua grunt preventing you from entering Seafloor Cavern. In DPPt, if you don't beat Cyrus at Celestic Town, then there will be some youngsters with Pokemon #025's and Clefairies that prevent you from entering Canalave City. So when you play through it again, you will try to not smash those rocks, right?

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Played the game without smashing rocks by trading in a strength machamp

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You managed to beat the champion without ever smashing those rocks?

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No SuMwun I checked it out it has a few failsafes for people deciding to skip things but none are for rock smash you should be fine.