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. 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 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). 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 | 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 a Pokémon that had a double weakness to Psychic moves was introduced.
In other languages
- French: Psy
- German: Psycho
- Italian: Psico
- Spanish: Psíquico
- Korean: 에스퍼 esper
- Hebrew: על-חושי al-hushi
