Psychic-type Pokemon: Weaknesses & Strengths explained

Sam Smith
Mewtwo

Psychic-type Pokemon are some of the strongest and most sought-after creatures in the game. However, players must understand their strengths to exploit their full potential when using them or know the proper counters when fighting them. Here’s a guide to understand everything about them.

Engaging with Psychic types can be intimidating for trainers. Their capacity to confound your Pokemon, causing self-inflicted harm, and their ability to induce sleep can turn the tide of battle. Moreover, when victory seems within reach, they can disappear, preventing both triumph and capture.

Psychic-type Pokemon have existed since the very first generation of Pokemon games, so they’ve given players trouble for over 25 years. They’re great if you’re using them, but a nightmare if you’re up against them. The good news is that Psychic-type Pokemon have some well-known weaknesses you can exploit when battling another trainer or trying to catch them in the wild.

Here’s what you need to know to survive an encounter with a Psychic-type Pokemon in Scarlet and Violet or any other main series game – and to come out victorious.


Contents


Jirachi Pokemon anime
Jirachi’s dual Psychic/Steel typing makes it very versatile.

Psychic-type Pokemon weaknesses

When going into battle against Psychic-type Pokemon, it pays to know that they are weak against Bug, Ghost, and Dark-type moves.

Dark-type Pokemon are especially useful against Psychic-types Pokemon, as they are immune to Psychic-type moves. This was introduced in Gen 2 as a means of curbing the overwhelming dominance of Psychic-type Pokemon in Gen 1, established by the likes of Mewtwo and Alakazam.

Psychic moves also don’t do very much damage against Steel-type Pokemon or other Psychic types. Of course, this also means there’s little point in bringing a Psychic-type to battle another Psychic-type Pokemon.

Remember, a Psychic-type Pokemon could also have a second type; for example, they could also be a Grass-type. In this case, they’ll also be weak against other forms of damage relating to that type.

For example, if you were battling the mythical Grass/Psychic-type Celebi, then Fire-type moves would also be effective as well as Bug, Ghost, and Dark-type moves.

Psychic-type Pokemon strengths & resistances

We’d also avoid bringing Fighting-type Pokemon into a battle against Psychic-types, as their moves do little to no damage against them. Meanwhile, Psychic-type moves do double damage to Fighting-type Pokemon.

Poison-type Pokemon are also vulnerable to Psychic-type moves, so perhaps leave those inside the Poke Ball when in battle.

Shiny Abra Pokemon Go
Abra may be the first Psychic-type Pokemon players ever come across.

Best counters for Psychic-type Pokemon

To face Psychic-type Pokemon you might want to use Darkrai or Dragapult because of their Dark and Ghost-types, though even more solid options are Spiritomb and Sableye, as they are both Ghost/Dark-type Pokemon.

Always keep in mind that a Pokemon can have a secondary type that could get you in trouble if you don’t pick your fighter carefully.

What is a Psychic-type Pokemon?

A Psychic-type Pokemon is any that specializes in certain moves that use psychic themes to either do damage or inflict status effects on an opponent. Rather than being elemental, Psychic-type moves often scramble an enemy Pokemon’s brain somehow.

For example, ‘Confusion’ is a psychic move. This puts the opposing Pokemon into a trance-like state in which the Pokemon attacks allies or themselves instead of the Pokemon casting the move.

Psychic-type Pokemon can also have a second ‘type’, which means it’s possible to be a Psychic-type Pokemon and a Grass-type at the same time. There are also Water/Psychic-type Pokemon. However, the type is most often combined with, Ghost, Fairy, or Dark-type Pokemon.

Lots of Legendary Pokemon are Psychic-type due to many of them being directly descended from the powerful Pokemon God Arceus. Psychic-type damage is non-elemental, but Psychic-type Pokemon can also use elemental moves alongside their psychic moves.

All Psychic-type moves

There are 79 Psychic-type moves in the Pokemon universe, and here they are:

Agility Freezing Glare Heart Swap Magic Coat Power Trick Psyshield Bash Telekinesis
Ally Switch Future Sight Hyperspace Hole Magic Powder Prismatic Laser Psystrike Teleport
Amnesia Genesis Supernova Hypnosis Magic Room Psybeam Psywave Trick
Barrier Glitzy Glow Imprison Max Mindstorm (x2) Psyblade Reflect Trick Room
Calm Mind G-Max Gravitas (x2) Instruct Meditate Psychic Rest Twin Beam
Confusion Gravity Kinesis Miracle Eye Psychic Fangs Role Play Wonder Room
Cosmic Power Guard Split Light Screen Mirror Coat Psychic Noise Shattered Psyche (x2) Zen Headbutt
Dream Eater Guard Swap Light That Burns the Sky Mist Ball Psychic Terrain Skill Swap
Eerie Spell Heal Block Lumina Crash Mystical Power Psycho Boost Speed Swap
Esper Wing Heal Pulse Lunar Dance Photon Geyser Psycho Cut Stored Power
Expanding Force Healing Wish Lunar Blessing Power Split Psycho Shift Synchronoise
Extrasensory Heart Stamp Luster Purge Power Swap Psyshock Take Heart

That’s everything you need to know about Psychic-type Pokemon. For more Pokemon content, check our guides below:

Fairy-type | Fighting-type | Psychic-type | Electric-type | Legendary Pokemon | All cat Pokemon | Cutest Pokemon | The rarest and most expensive Pokemon cards | 10 best ROM hacks and fan-made games | Fairy-type weaknessesIce-type weaknesses | Electric-type weaknesses | Ground-type weaknessesDragon-type weaknessesFlying-type weaknesses

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About The Author

Sam is a Senior Games Writer for Dexerto specializing in Survival Horror, Diablo, Final Fantasy, and Soulslikes. An NCTJ accredited journalist, Sam also holds a degree in journalism from the University of Central Lancashire and has many years of experience as a professional writer. Being able to marry his love of writing with his addiction to video games was always one of his life goals. He also loves all things PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo in equal measure. Contact at sam.smith@dexerto.com