Psychic (type)

The Psychic-type (Japanese: エスパータイプ Esper type) is one of the seventeen elemental types. Some notable trainers of the Psychic-type include Sabrina of Saffron City, Will of the Indigo Plateau Elite Four, Tate and Liza of Mossdeep City, and Lucian of the Sinnoh Elite Four.

Psychic-type Pokémon are at the center of a balance issue in the Generation I games. The issue arose from the lack of an effective countermeasure against Psychic-types caused by the absence of any powerful Bug-type (at the time the only elemental weaknesses of Psychic-types) moves. Additionally, Psychic-types were not affected by Ghost-type moves in Generation I, causing further imbalance, although there were no powerful damaging moves that were of the Ghost-type anyway, except for Night Shade. However, Pokémon which learnt this attack first had to be level 65 and above for this attack to even be moderately powerful. Additionally, the only Ghost-type Pokémon were all part Poison, which is weak to Psychic moves. The issue was rectified in later generations with the addition of more powerful Ghost- and Bug-type moves, pure Ghost-type Pokémon, and Steel-type Pokémon (which are resistant to Psychic moves) and Dark-type Pokémon (which are both immune to Psychic moves, and powerful against Psychic Pokémon).

Statistical averages

Battle properties

Generation I

Psychic-type moves:

• Are super effective against: Fighting, Poison
• Are not very effective against: Psychic
• Have no effect against: None (Dark wasn't introduced until Generation II)

Psychic-type Pokémon:

• Resist: Fighting, Psychic
• Are weak to: Bug
• Have immunity to: Ghost

Generation II-onward

Psychic-type moves:

• Are super effective against: Fighting, Poison
• Are not very effective against: Psychic, Steel
• Have no effect against: Dark

Psychic-type Pokémon:

• Resist: Fighting, Psychic
• Are weak to: Bug, Dark, Ghost
• Have immunity to: None

Characteristics

Psychic-types remain a fairly popular type today. Offensively speaking, they often have great Special Attack meaning they can deal damage quickly using STAB moves. Furthermore, Psychic-type Pokémon can often learn moves of other elemental types, to deal with a multitude of types, most especially their weaknesses of Dark, Ghost, and Bug. As a special sweeper, they are one of the best types in the game as a Psychic Pokémon's speed is also typically quite high.

Their defensive capabilities are often weak, however, in spite of some Psychic-types featuring moves such as Recover (Alakazam, Mewtwo). Psychic-types often have excellent Special Defense, but very low Defense and HP. Because of this, they can often only survive Special-based hits, and can easily be defeated by one or two high-powered moves from a Pokémon with an average or above-average attack stat. Psychic Pokémon also often fall to a single Crunch. There are exceptions to this, such as Bronzong or Metagross, who have high defense due to their second type, Steel, and their lack of weakness to Dark-type moves.

Pokémon

Pure Psychic-type Pokémon

#		Name
063		Abra
064		Kadabra
065		Alakazam
096		Drowzee
097		Hypno
122		Mr. Mime
150		Mewtwo
151		Mew
196		Espeon
201		Unown
202		Wobbuffet
280		Ralts
281		Kirlia
282		Gardevoir
325		Spoink
326		Grumpig
358		Chimecho
360		Wynaut
386		Deoxys
433		Chingling
439		Mime Jr.
480		Uxie
481		Mesprit
482		Azelf
488		Cresselia

Half Psychic-type Pokémon

Primary Psychic-type Pokémon

#		Name	Type 1	Type 2
177		Natu
178		Xatu
249		Lugia
251		Celebi
475		Gallade

Secondary Psychic-type Pokémon

#		Name	Type 1	Type 2
079		Slowpoke
080		Slowbro
102		Exeggcute
103		Exeggutor
121		Starmie
124		Jynx
199		Slowking
203		Girafarig
238		Smoochum
307		Meditite
308		Medicham
337		Lunatone
338		Solrock
343		Baltoy
344		Claydol
374		Beldum
375		Metang
376		Metagross
380		Latias
381		Latios
385		Jirachi
436		Bronzor
437		Bronzong

Moves

Damage-dealing moves

Name	Category	Contest	Power	Accuracy	PP	Target	Notes
Confusion			50	100%	25	One foe	Has a 10% chance of confusing the opponent.
Dream Eater			100	100%	15	One foe	Only does damage to sleeping foes. 50% of the damage done to the opponent is restored to the user.
Extrasensory			80	100%	30	One foe	Has a 10% chance of making the opponent flinch.
Future Sight			80	90%	15	One foe	Does damage 2 turns later.
Luster Purge			70	100%	5	One foe	Has a 50% chance of reducing the target's Special Defense stat.
Mirror Coat			Varies	100%	20	Reaction	Counters any Special Attack, inflicting double the damage.
Mist Ball			70	100%	5	One foe	Has a 50% chance of reducing the target's Special Attack stat.
Psybeam			65	100%	20	One foe	Has a 10% chance of confusing the opponent.
Psychic			90	100%	10	One foe	Has a 10% chance of lowering the opponent's Special Defense.
Psycho Boost			140	90%	5	One foe	Sharply reduces the user's Special Attack stat.
Psycho Cut			70	100%	20	One foe	It has a high critical hit ratio.
Psywave			Varies	80%	15	One foe	Causes damage equal to or greater than the user's level.
Zen Headbutt			80	90%	15	One foe	Has a 10% chance of making the opponent flinch.

Non-damaging moves

Name	Category	Contest	Power	Accuracy	PP	Target	Notes
Agility			—	—%	30	User	Increases the user's Speed by 2 levels.
Amnesia			—	—%	20	User	Increases the user's Special Defense by 2 levels.
Barrier			—	—%	30	User	Increases the user's Defense by 2 levels.
Calm Mind			—	—%	20	User	Increases the user's Special Attack and Special Defense.
Cosmic Power			—	—%	20	User	Increases the user's Defense and Special Defense.
Gravity			—	—%	5	All	Negates moves that levitate and fly for 5 turns.
Guard Swap			—	—%	10	User/One Foe	Switch changes to its Defense and Special Defense with the foe.
Heal Block			—	100%	15	One Foe	Prevents the opponent from restoring HP for five turns.
Healing Wish			—	—%	10	User	The user faints. In return, the Pokémon taking its place will have its HP restored and its status cured.
Heart Swap			—	—%	10	User/One Foe	Switch stat changes with the foe.
Hypnosis			—	70%	20	One Foe	Puts the opponent to sleep.
Imprison			—	—%	10	One Foe	Prevents foe from using any move that is also known by the user.
Kinesis			—	80%	15	One Foe	Lowers the target's accuracy.
Light Screen			—	—%	30	User	Halves damage taken from Special Attacks for 5 turns.
Lunar Dance			—	—%	10	User	The user faints. In return, the Pokémon taking its place will have its HP restored and its status cured.
Magic Coat			—	—%	15	User	Reflects moves that inflict a Status ailment.
Meditate			—	—%	40	User	Increases the user's attack by 1 level.
Miracle Eye			—	—%	40	One Foe	Removes Dark-type's immunity to Psychic attacks and restores the evasiveness of the foe to normal.
Power Swap			—	—%	10	User/One Foe	Switch changes to its Attack and Special Attack with the foe.
Psycho Shift			—	90%	10	User/One Foe	User transfers its status problems to the target.
Reflect			—	—%	20	User	Halves damage taken from Physical Attacks for 5 turns.
Rest			—	—%	10	User	The user goes to sleep for two turns. It fully restores the user's HP and heals any status problem.
Role Play			—	—%	10	User	Copies the foe's ability.
Skill Swap			—	—%	10	User/One Foe	Exchanges abilities with the foe.
Teleport			—	—%	20	User	Run away from wild Pokémon battles.
Trick			—	—%	10	User/One Foe	Swaps items with the foe.
Trick Room			—	—%	20	One Foe	Slower Pokémon move first for five turns.

Trivia

• If it weren't for the addition of Psycho Cut and Zen Headbutt in Generation IV, Psychic-type moves would be all Special.
• Psychic is the most common type for legendary Pokémon.
• As of Generation IV, all but 4 legendary Pokémon learn at least one Psychic move while leveling up; Regirock, Heatran, Phione, and Shaymin.
• Psychic is the only type that shares its name with a move.

In other languages

• French: Psy
• German: Psycho
• Italian: Psico
• Spanish: Psíquico
• Korean: 에스퍼 esper
• Hebrew: על-חושי al-hushi