Summary

• Psychic types in Pokemon have faced challenges but remain strong, offering unique strategies against various opponents.
• New additions like Munkidori and Rabsca bring fresh power and utility to the Psychic type lineup in Scarlet & Violet.
• Classic favorites like Gallade, Slowking, and Gardevoir continue to shine with their unique strengths and abilities.

A long time ago, on a handheld far, far away, the Pokemon series' Psychic type was the runaway strongest around. Beginning as early as Gold & Silver, Game Freak took steps to address the imbalance, but much to the relief of Mewtwo fans everywhere, Psychic has never been downright weakened — it's just that other types have a better chance against it.

168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Pokemon Scarlet & Violet maintains this philosophy. There's plenty to bludgeon Psychic-types with, but plenty more to shoot strange telekinetic beams at from a safe distance. Who shoots the strangest beams of all? Find out now.

Updated April 8, 2024 by Quinton O'Connor: New content for Pokemon Scarlet & Violet is more or less in the rear view mirror now, with both major DLC expansions for the games released months ago. We're reassessing our launch lists to suit the far wider variety afforded to those who purchased the Expansion Pass.

12 Espathra

A sizable chunk of Espathra's greatness rests not in its competitive viability, but its combination of etymology and design. It's striking, colorful but not quite vivid; as its Pokedex photo illustrates, it suits some of Paldea's weather to a tee.

But what we love about Espathra more is its name 'ESP' plus 'Cleopatra', its suitably Egyptian style, and — in the kind of lovely cross-cultural blend Pokemon can pull off — a Spanish mantilla draped over its back.

11 Gallade

Among Pokemon Scarlet & Violet's returning stars is Gallade, the Psychic/Fighting alternative evolution to Ralts and Kirlia that's been around almost as long as the perennially popular Gardevoir at this point... and yet still feels oddly new.

Gallade's Psychic/Fighting mixture has always given it a niche as a 'wallbreaker' (read: Pokemon pal whose offenses can bust open a defensive enemy).

Gallade's Attack and Special Defense stats are far and away its highest, which is noteworthy in its own right; it's relatively rare for a Pokemon to blend a physical offensive talent with a special defense (and vice versa).

It gives Gallade a peculiar edge against Pokemon with high Special Attack, but challenges players to remember that, at the end of the day, Gallade can't take many blows from 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:fellow fisticuff fanatics.

10 Slowking

Older even than Gallade or Gardevoir, Slowking is another alternative evolution, this time branching off from Slowpoke if players trade theirs with a King's Rock rather than letting it evolve naturally into a Slowbro.

In Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, you'll need to repeat the age-old trick, asking a friend to help out by accepting your rock-bearing Slowpoke and then sending back the newfound king. The King's Rock can be purchased at Delibird Presents, at least, so that's not too hard.

Slowking is one of the bulkier Psychic-types in Paldea, with a robust Special Defense and resistances to Fig൩hting, Steel, Fire, Water, Psychic, and Ice.

While those are all good to have, it's Fighting and Steel in particular that help this pink monarch shine — Paldea possesses an almost overwhemingly physical-centric Pokedex, so anyone who can withstand commonly Attack-based blows is in good shape here.

9 Munkidori

Munkidori is let down somewhat by a messy move pool, but its stat spread, including an impressive 130 Special Attack and 106 Speed, gives the Teal Mask DLC's Psychic-type pseudo-legendary some serious firepower.

Couple it with the Parting Shot attack, plus access to the Special Attack booster Nasty Plot, and you've got a pretty decent recipe for a... well, fairly decent Psychic-type.

8 Rabsca

Rabsca joins the Electric/Fighting-type Pawmot as one of only two Pokemon with access to what might be the ninth generation games' most outstanding new move: Revival Blessing.

Until 2022, the notion of a pure resurrection spell entering the series was naught but a dream; indeed, Rabsca and Pa⛄wmot can use this premium technique to revive a fallen party member to half thei💫r health.

For the epic utility this brings online, Rabsca cannot be ignored. Did this ultimately be enough to offset base stats that, save for Special Attack, don't exactly light up the charts? Yes and no. We've seen some decent use overall, though, so you can't go wrong in trying.

7 Farigiraf

Johto aficionados were treated to a joyous surprise during the reveal of Farigiraf, an evolution of Pokemon's finest palindrome pet, Girafarig. Farigiraf's got an interesting ability in Cud Chew, which lets it tap into the benefits of a berry not just on the turn it's triggered, but the following turn as well.

Don't sleep on Farigiraf's impressive move pool diversity, either. While its Special Attack is higher than its Attack, the latter is hardly terrible, and you'll surely come out swinging with a well-timed Earthquake here and there. (Just don't forget to include at least one actually Psychic-type move.)

6 Armarouge

We also ranked the dual-type Armarouge 🅺on our list of best Fire-types in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, but we think its flame shines ever more brightly on the Psychic side of the equatio꧒n.

A highly capable Special Sweeper, which is to say, a Pokemon who can 'sweep' through enemy ranks with Special-based attacking, Armarouge can wreck rivals with moves like Armor Cannon, Energy Ball, and Shadow Ball.

Armarouge is also the reverse Gallade in the sense that its Special Attack is its highest stat, followed not by Special Defense, but Defense. This is all the better, as it can take a beating from plenty of Pokemon who prefer to let their fists do the talking while burning them with Will-O-Wisp and then going for the sl🍸ay with Armor Cannon.

5 Gardevoir

We mentioned earlier that Paldea's got a real fixation on physical strength, so it's no shocker to find the famous Psychic/Fairy Gardevoir here near the top of Pokemon Scarlet & Violet's inaugural analysis.

Gardevoir's always-reliable move pool, featuring everything it needs to charge up heavy-hitting Special-based strikes. Its Defense isn't anything to write home about, so don't be too careless as you cleave a sparkly hole through teams.

Gardevoir was beloved long before Pokemon X & Y introduced the Fairy type, but ever since then, it's possessed a total immunity to Dragon-types that only improves its standing. You can't go wrong here.

4 Hatterene

Hatterene is fantastic. This Psychic-Fairy beauty follows up on Gardevoir's own typing, but pulls off slightly more powerful Special Attacks at the cost of truly terrible Speed.

But consider its best ability, Magic Bounce. Most status effects are blocked, and strike the caster instead. This makes many of the meta's premium setups less than useless; they're outright detrimental. If Hatterene doesn't get to hit first, some of those status effects may even prevent the attacker from doing anything else.

Get Hatterene ready with a Calm Mind or two whilst bouncing off stuff like Paralysis. Hook it up with Psychic or Psyshock - depending on the target's stat spread - and Draining Kiss to keep you going. Both offer STAB, so hat's off to Hatterene, you're a force to be reckoned with.

3 Metagross

Give Metagross the Clear Body ability to maintain those excellent stats and you'll have a winner on your hands. It'll serve as an Earthquake carrier if needed. Heck, it'll work for Ice Punch, too. The fan-favorite Meteor Mash for its Steel typing might just raise its Attack stat by one stage, and if it does, look out, folks.

Of course, you'll want a good Attack-oriented Psychic move as well. Most recommend Psychic Fangs, and who are we to disagree? Whatever takes advantageous of that fabulous 130 Base Attack stat will be right up your alley. Metagross has an even better 135 Base Defense, so it takes hits like a champ - not the most common trait among Psychic-types.