Hidden Machines, or HMs for short, have been a staple of the Pokemon series since it first made its way to western shores more than a quarter of a century ago. These special tools can be used to teach Pokemon moves that can help to open up new areas of the games' worlds. This typically works either by helping players to swim or climb over certain barriers or, in the case of Strength, move them out of the way entirely to open up the path ahead.
As in previous Pokemon games, Strength once again plays an important role in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl. Though they won't actually need it until much later, players can actually get their hands on the strength HM fairly early on in the story. Much like the Fly HM though, it can be very easy to miss it, meaning that some players may have to do a little bit of backtracking when they do finally need it. Luckily, however, Strength is very easy to find when one knows where to look.
Where to Find the Strength HM/TM in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl
Whether playing Brilliant Diamond or Shining Pearl, players will be able to find the Strength HM in the Lost Tower on Route 209. They'll first pass the tower just before they reach Solaceon Town and can pick up Strength then if they like. As there's no obvious reason to visit the tower at this point though, many players tend to walk straight past it, which forces them to return later on during the Three Lakes story beat. After entering Mt. Coronet to find that the path to Lake Acuity is blocked, the player's main objective will change to "Obtain the TM Strength at the Lost Tower!"
In order to find Strength, players will need to make their way to the top of the Lost Tower, which involves beating a few trainers on the way up. All of their Pokemon are around level 20, so they shouldn't cause too much trouble, especially if players are returning to the tower later on. Once at the top, speaking to the elderly person on the left will reward players with the Strength Hidden Machine. If they talk to the one on the right, they can also get a free Cleanse Tag.
How to use the Strength HM/TM in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl
Unlike earlier Pokemon games, Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl does not require players to teach HMs to their Pokemon, instead allowing them to recruit wild Pokemon to do the heavy lifting for them. As a result, players simply need to walk over to one of the gray movable boulders and press the A button. This will lead to them getting a prompt asking if they want to use Strength, after which, as short animation will play. From here on out, players will be able to push boulders simply by walking into them. Alternatively, like other HMs, players can also activate Strength using the Poketch.
Before players can actually use Strength, however, they'll first need to beat Byron at the Canalave City Gym in order to get their hands on a Mine Badge. It's also worth noting that although certain Pokemon like Machoke are able to learn Strength natively as they level up, having a Pokemon that knows Strength does not allow players to use the HM out in the field. With this being the case, players will definitely have to visit the Lost Tower at some point, though when exactly they choose to do so is fairly inconsequential.