Psychic-type Pokemon weaknesses & strengths explained
THE POKEMON COMPANYPsychic-type Pokemon use their mind to battle opponents and that’s why they are among the most powerful in the franchise. So, if you come across or want to add one to your team, here’s everything you need to know about their weaknesses, strengths, counters, and more.
The Psychic type has been part of the game since the very first generation, meaning Psychic-type Pokemon have been giving players trouble for over 25 years. They’re great if you’re using them, but a nightmare if you’re up against these powerful Pocket Monsters.
Here’s what you need to know to survive an encounter with a Psychic type in any Pokemon game and how to thrive with one in your team.
Psychic-type Pokemon weaknesses
All Psychic-type Pokemon are weak to the following move types:
Dark-type Pokemon are especially useful against Psychic-type Pokemon, as they are immune to their moves, so if you’re going up against tough enemies, Dark-type is the way to go.
Psychic moves also don’t do very much damage against Steel-type Pokemon or other Psychic types.
Remember, a Psychic-type Pokemon could also have a second type; for example, they could have a dual Grass-typing. In this case, they’ll also be weak against other forms of damage relating to that type.
This means that, 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
It’s worth avoiding using any Fighting or Psychic-type moves in a battle against a Psychic-type Pokemon, as these attacks do little to no damage against them.
Meanwhile, if you have a Psychic-type creature in your roster, you’d want to use them when dealing with a Fighting or Poison-type opponent, as the attacks will be super effective, and totally avoid trying to defeat other Psychic or Steel types.
Best counters for Psychic-type Pokemon
To face Psychic-type Pokemon you should consider some of these counters:
- Darkrai (Dark/Ghost)
- Dragapult (Dark/Ghost)
- Sableye (Ghost/Dark)
- Gengar (Ghost/Poison)
- Bisharp (Dark/Steel)
The Steel and Dark combination is a fantastic choice for a Psychic battle as Steel-types are resistant to Psychic damage, giving you added protection.
Best Tera Types for Psychic-type Pokemon
With the addition of Tera Types in Gen 9’s Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, players should know the best combinations available for Psychic-type Pokemon, as this mechanic bends the battling rules a little bit.
- Psychic: They get an extra boost of power on top of the STAB. Plus, their secondary typing weaknesses get removed.
- Fire: Boosts Fire-type moves to target Bug-type, which they are weak to.
- Fairy: Boosts Fairy-type moves and negates their Dark-type weakness.
Best Psychic moves in Pokemon
There are 78 Psychic-type moves in Pokemon and we’ve picked the most powerful special, physical, and status attacks you can use in battle:
| MOVE | CATEGORY | POWER | ACCURACY | PP | EFFECT | GEN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prismatic Laser | Special | 160 | 100% | 10 | User can’t move the next turn | Gen VII |
| Psychic | Special | 90 | 100% | 10 | May lower the opponent’s Sp. Defense | Gen I |
| Psystrike | Special | 100 | 100% | 10 | Inflicts damage based on the target’s Defense (no Sp. Defense) | Gen V |
| Dream Eater | Special | 100 | 100% | 15 | User recovers half the HP inflicted on a sleeping opponent | Gen I |
| Psychic Fangs | Physical | 85 | 100% | 10 | Can destroy Light Screen and Reflect effects | Gen VII |
| Zen Headbutt | Physical | 80 | 90% | 15 | May cause flinching | Gen IV |
| Psyblade | Physical | 80 | 100% | 15 | Power increases on Electric Terrain | Gen IX |
| Psycho Cut | Physical | 70 | 100% | 20 | High critical hit ratio | Gen IV |
| Hypnosis | Status | X | 60% | 20 | Puts opponent to sleep | Gen I |
| Lunar Blessing | Status | X | X | 5 | Heals user’s status condition and recovers HP | Gen VIII |
Best Psychic-type Pokemon of all time
The Pokemon franchise has a total of 133 Psychic-type creatures (up to Gen 9), and here are the 10 best of the ranking:
- Mewtwo
- Shadow Rider Calyrex
- Lugia
- Mew
- Necrozma (all formes)
- Alakazam
- Gardevoir
- Cresselia
- Tapu Lele
- Metagross
Lots of Legendary Pokemon are Psychic-type due to many of them being directly descended from the powerful Pokemon God Arceus. If none of the creatures listed above suits you, you can go to our guide with the Top 15 Psychic-type Pokemon.
That’s everything you need to know about Psychic-type Pokemon weaknesses and counters. You can also check out our list of all the Cat or Dog Pokemon in the franchise, and learn more about other types such as Poison and Grass.