Psychic (type)

The **Psychic type** (Japanese: **エスパータイプ** *Esper type*) is one of the eighteen types. Notable Trainers who specialize in Psychic-type Pokémon are Sabrina of Saffron City, Will of the Indigo Plateau Elite Four, Tate and Liza of Mossdeep City, Lucian of the Sinnoh Elite Four, Caitlin of the Battle Castle and the Unova Elite Four, Olympia of Anistar City, and Faba of the Aether Foundation. Prior to changes in Generation IV, all damaging Psychic-type moves were special, but they may now also be physical depending on the attack.

## Characteristics

### Defense

The defensive capabilities of Psychic-types are generally poor. The only types resisted by them are Fighting and themselves, while carrying weaknesses to Ghost as well as the extremely common Dark and Bug. Psychic-type Pokémon often fall to a single strong Dark-type move, such as Crunch, due to the high Attack stat of many Dark-type Pokémon versus the typically low Defense and HP of Psychic-types. In addition, the low Defense many Psychics have frequently makes their Fighting resistance ineffective. Prior to Generation VI, Steel/Psychic types were exempt from these weaknesses due to their typing, but since Dark and Ghost are no longer resisted by Steel, this is no longer the case.

Most Psychic types have a high Special Defense stat, as well as outliers with high Defense and HP stats, such as Lugia and Cresselia. Psychic-type moves tend to have supporting effects, such as Reflect, Light Screen, Skill Swap, and Trick Room, which benefit both themselves and their teammates, giving them greater utility and survivability.

### Offense

Psychic-type Pokémon and moves have been very popular since Generation I due to their typically high Special Attack and being resisted by only two types, including themselves. They are super-effective against Fighting and Poison types, the latter of which is otherwise strong defensively and the former of which tend to have low Special Defense.

The biggest drawback of Psychic-type moves is that they do not affect Dark-type Pokémon, although this weakness can be removed with Miracle Eye. However, this is not always necessary as many Psychic-type Pokémon can learn moves super-effective against Dark types, such as strong Fighting type moves like Focus Blast, and Dazzling Gleam, a powerful Fairy-type move. Psychics also have access to a wide range of special moves from nearly every type, which can make their Ghost and Bug weaknesses ineffective.

When Psychic Terrain is in the effect, the power of Psychic-type moves are increased by 50% if the user is on the ground.

### Contest properties

When used in Contests, Psychic-type moves are typically Clever moves, but can also be of the other four Contest types, excluding Tough.

## Pokémon

As of Generation VII, there are 85 Psychic-type Pokémon or 10.6% of all Pokémon (counting those that are Psychic-type in at least one of their forms, including Alola Forms), making it the 5th most common type.

## Abilities

### Interacting with the Psychic type

A Pokémon with Color Change, Protean, Imposter, RKS System, or Multitype will become a Psychic-type Pokémon if (respectively) it is hit with a Psychic-type move, uses a Psychic-type move, is sent out against a Psychic-type opponent, is holding a Psychic Memory, or is holding a Mind Plate or Psychium Z.

A Darmanitan with Zen Mode will also change from a Fire-type into a dual Fire/Psychic-type form upon losing more than 50% of its HP.

### Exclusive Abilities

Only Psychic-type Pokémon can have these Abilities. This does not include signature Abilities.

## Balance issues

Psychic-type Pokémon were 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 moves (at the time the only weakness of Psychic types). Strengthening the gap was the fact that the only Bug-type Pokémon to know the only potentially good Bug move was also part Poison-type, creating a vulnerability to Psychic moves, and that in the first-generation games, Ghost-type moves were not only ineffective against Psychic Pokémon, but the only Ghost Pokémon at the time were part-Poison, also creating a vulnerability, not to mention the fact that the only Ghost-type move that would be affected by type matchups at the time was exceedingly weak. Also, Poison-type Pokémon were fairly common in Generation I, and the only type to resist Psychic-type moves was the Psychic type itself, meaning a weakness to the type was common in itself.

The issue was rectified in later generations with the addition of Steel and Dark types, an added weakness to Ghost-type moves, and more powerful Bug- and Ghost-type moves.

## Trivia

* Generation III introduced the most Psychic-type Pokémon of any generation, with 20, and Generation VI introduced the fewest Psychic-type Pokémon, with six.

* Generation I introduced the most Psychic-type moves of any generation, with 15, and Generation VI introduced the fewest Psychic-type moves with only one.

* Psychic is the most common type for Legendary Pokémon, with at least two Psychic-type Legendary Pokémon introduced in each generation (except Generation VI, which has only introduced one) for a total of 19 (out of 71).

* Psychic is the only type that shares its name with a move and a Trainer Class.

* There has been one Elite Four member or Gym Leader specializing in Psychic-type Pokémon in every generation.

* The Psychic type could be considered a special counterpart to the Fighting type:

* + The Psychic type's highest average stat is Special Attack, while the Fighting type's is Attack.

* + The Psychic type is the only former special type to not have any of its old moves changed into physical moves, while the Fighting type is the only former physical type to not have any of its old moves changed into special moves.

* + Counter and Mirror Coat, moves countering physical and special attacks are, respectively, Fighting- and Psychic-type moves.

* + Bulk Up and Calm Mind, moves raising physical and special stats are, respectively, Fighting- and Psychic-type moves.

* A Pokémon cannot have a double resistance to Psychic without being a Psychic type itself.

* + However, a Psychic-type Pokémon also cannot have a double resistance to more than one type.

* Two of the types that are super-effective against Psychic share a weakness with it. Dark types are also weak to Bug, and Ghost types are weak to Dark and Ghost.

* + Also, both Dark and Ghost types are immune to a type Psychic resists.

* Rattled, an Ability introduced in Generation V, is affected by the weaknesses of the Psychic type.

## References

1. ↑  Sugimori, Ken *"Psychic Pokémon seemed to dominate in the previous Pokémon game, so we needed to come up with new Pokémon and types to make Gold and Silver more balanced."*  Nintendo Power 134 (July 2000) p. 79 (retrieved August 16, 2010)