Psychic (type)
Template:ElementalTypes Template:TypeNotice 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 Template:Type2 (at the time the only elemental weaknesses of Psychic-types) moves. Additionally, Psychic-types were not affected by Template:Type2 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, which does fixed damage. 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 Template:Type2 Pokémon (which are resistant to Psychic moves) and Template:Type2 Pokémon (which are both immune to Psychic moves and powerful against Psychic Pokémon).
Statistical averages
| Stat | Range | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| At Lv. 50 | At Lv. 100 | ||
HP: 69
|
129 - 176 | 248 - 342 | |
65
|
63 - 128 | 121 - 251 | |
68
|
65 - 132 | 126 - 258 | |
86
|
81 - 151 | 159 - 298 | |
81
|
77 - 146 | 150 - 287 | |
74
|
71 - 138 | 137 - 271 | |
Total: 443
|
Other Pokémon with this total | ||
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:
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:
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, Deoxys, Lati@s, Starmie, Celebi, Chimecho, Medicham, Lugia). 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.
In total, there are 53 Pokémon with the Psychic-type.
Pokémon
Pure Psychic-type Pokémon
| # | Name | |
|---|---|---|
| 063 | File:063MS.gif | Abra |
| 064 | File:064MS.gif | Kadabra |
| 065 | File:065MS.gif | Alakazam |
| 096 | File:096MS.gif | Drowzee |
| 097 | File:097MS.gif | Hypno |
| 122 | File:122MS.gif | Mr. Mime |
| 150 | File:150MS.gif | Mewtwo |
| 151 | File:151MS.gif | Mew |
| 196 | File:196MS.gif | Espeon |
| 201 | File:201MS.gif | Unown |
| 202 | File:202MS.gif | Wobbuffet |
| 280 | File:280MS.gif | Ralts |
| 281 | File:281MS.gif | Kirlia |
| 282 | File:282MS.gif | Gardevoir |
| 325 | File:325MS.gif | Spoink |
| 326 | File:326MS.gif | Grumpig |
| 358 | File:358MS.gif | Chimecho |
| 360 | File:360MS.gif | Wynaut |
| 386 | File:386MS.gif | Deoxys |
| 433 | 
|
Chingling |
| 439 | 
|
Mime Jr. |
| 480 | 
|
Uxie |
| 481 | 
|
Mesprit |
| 482 | 
|
Azelf |
| 488 | 
|
Cresselia |
Half Psychic-type Pokémon
Primary Psychic-type Pokémon
Secondary Psychic-type Pokémon
Moves
Damage-dealing moves
| Name | Category | Contest | Power | Accuracy | PP | Target | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Confusion | 
|
Smart | 50 | 100% | 25 | One foe | Has a 10% chance of confusing the opponent. |
| Dream Eater |
|
Smart | 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 |
|
Cool | 80 | 100% | 30 | One foe | Has a 10% chance of making the opponent flinch. |
| Future Sight |
|
Smart | 80 | 90% | 15 | One foe | Does damage 2 turns later. |
| Luster Purge |
|
Smart | 70 | 100% | 5 | One foe | Has a 50% chance of reducing the target's Special Defense stat. |
| Mirror Coat |
|
Beauty | Varies | 100% | 20 | Reaction | Counters any Special Attack, inflicting double the damage. |
| Mist Ball |
|
Smart | 70 | 100% | 5 | One foe | Has a 50% chance of reducing the target's Special Attack stat. |
| Psybeam |
|
Beauty | 65 | 100% | 20 | One foe | Has a 10% chance of confusing the opponent. |
| Psychic |
|
Smart | 90 | 100% | 10 | One foe | Has a 10% chance of lowering the opponent's Special Defense. |
| Psycho Boost |
|
Smart | 140 | 90% | 5 | One foe | Sharply reduces the user's Special Attack stat. |
| Psycho Cut | 
|
Cool | 70 | 100% | 20 | One foe | It has a high critical hit ratio. |
| Psywave |
|
Smart | Varies | 80% | 15 | One foe | Causes damage equal to or greater than the user's level. |
| Zen Headbutt |
|
Beauty | 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 | 
|
Cool | — | —% | 30 | User | Increases the user's Speed by 2 levels. |
| Amnesia |
|
Cute | — | —% | 20 | User | Increases the user's Special Defense by 2 levels. |
| Barrier |
|
Cool | — | —% | 30 | User | Increases the user's Defense by 2 levels. |
| Calm Mind |
|
Smart | — | —% | 20 | User | Increases the user's Special Attack and Special Defense. |
| Cosmic Power |
|
Cool | — | —% | 20 | User | Increases the user's Defense and Special Defense. |
| Gravity |
|
Beauty | — | —% | 5 | All | Negates moves that levitate and fly for 5 turns. |
| Guard Swap |
|
Cute | — | —% | 10 | User/One Foe | Switch changes to its Defense and Special Defense with the foe. |
| Heal Block |
|
Cute | — | 100% | 15 | One Foe | Prevents the opponent from restoring HP for five turns. |
| Healing Wish |
|
Cute | — | —% | 10 | User | The user faints. In return, the Pokémon taking its place will have its HP restored and its status cured. |
| Heart Swap |
|
Cool | — | —% | 10 | User/One Foe | Switch stat changes with the foe. |
| Hypnosis |
|
Smart | — | 70% | 20 | One Foe | Puts the opponent to sleep. |
| Imprison |
|
Smart | — | —% | 10 | One Foe | Prevents foe from using any move that is also known by the user. |
| Kinesis |
|
Smart | — | 80% | 15 | One Foe | Lowers the target's accuracy. |
| Light Screen |
|
Beauty | — | —% | 30 | User | Halves damage taken from Special Attacks for 5 turns. |
| Lunar Dance |
|
Beauty | — | —% | 10 | User | The user faints. In return, the Pokémon taking its place will have its HP restored and its status cured. |
| Magic Coat |
|
Beauty | — | —% | 15 | User | Reflects moves that inflict a Status ailment. |
| Meditate |
|
Beauty | — | —% | 40 | User | Increases the user's attack by 1 level. |
| Miracle Eye |
|
Cute | — | —% | 40 | One Foe | Removes Dark-type's immunity to Psychic attacks and restores the evasiveness of the foe to normal. |
| Power Swap |
|
Beauty | — | —% | 10 | User/One Foe | Switch changes to its Attack and Special Attack with the foe. |
| Psycho Shift |
|
Cool | — | 90% | 10 | User/One Foe | User transfers its status problems to the target. |
| Reflect |
|
Smart | — | —% | 20 | User | Halves damage taken from Physical Attacks for 5 turns. |
| Rest |
|
Cute | — | —% | 10 | User | The user goes to sleep for two turns. It fully restores the user's HP and heals any status problem. |
| Role Play |
|
Cute | — | —% | 10 | User | Copies the foe's ability. |
| Skill Swap |
|
Smart | — | —% | 10 | User/One Foe | Exchanges abilities with the foe. |
| Teleport |
|
Cool | — | —% | 20 | User | Run away from wild Pokémon battles. |
| Trick |
|
Smart | — | —% | 10 | User/One Foe | Swaps items with the foe. |
| Trick Room |
|
Smart | — | —% | 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 four 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.
- Despite being often known as the most powerful type, due to the balance issue during Generation I, it was not until Generation IV that Template:P2 Template:P2 that have a double weakness to Psychic moves were introduced.
- All Psychic-type Pokémon from Generations I and II are weak to Dark-type moves, as there were no dual type Psychic-Fighting or Psychic-Steel to counter the weakness.
In other languages
- French: Psy
- German: Psycho
- Italian: Psico
- Spanish: Psíquico
- Korean: 에스퍼 esper
- Hebrew: על-חושי al-hushi
