The Psychic-type is in an odd place just now. Back in the days of Pokémon Red and Blue (and Green, of course), Psychic was entirely broken. With Ghost moves not working correctly against them and Bug moves basically not existing (what were we going to do, have a Beedrill Twin Needle them to death over the course of a decade or two?), Psychic-types ran rampant.
Today, Psychic is one of those middle-of-the-road typings that lacks a little, both from a defensive and offensive standpoint. It’s a typing that fits some Pokémon far better than others. Let’s take a look at some Pokémon that should be Psychic-types but aren’t, alongside some that should probably have their license to predict the future and bend spoons revoked.
10 Should Be Psychic-Type: Hoothoot Line
At this point, all Pokémon fans will probably agree that the whole Normal/Flying thing has been thoroughly covered by now. It’s always neat to see unique new typing combinations emerge, and it’s always a little boring to see ones that already have so much representation pop up again.
Yes, there are several Psychic/Flying Pokémon doing the rounds too, but Noctowl so deserves to be counted among their number. Ever since its introduction in Gen II, its Pokédex entries have focused on its mental prowess (“When it needs to think, it rotates its head 180 degrees to sharpen its intellectual power,” reports Pokémon Silver), and it learns so darn many Psychic moves.
9 Shouldn’t Be Psychic-Type: Cresselia
Here’s an interesting debate. Cresselia, of course, was designed (and given the Psychic typing) to serve as a contrast to Darkrai, the ruthless and malicious Dark-type. The question is, should the cutesy pink moon-duck have been retconned to Fairy-type when that typing was added in Gen VI? Perhaps made Psychic/Fairy?
In terms of weaknesses and resistances, the Psychic typing doesn’t do a defensive/supportive Pokémon like Cresselia many favors, really. Would it be too good if it wasn’t Psychic? For us, Fairy or dual Fairy would be a better fit, but Cresselia is such a darn pain to get rid of as it is that perhaps it’d be better left alone.
8 Should Be Psychic-Type: Psyduck Line
Ah, yes. When it comes to the discussion of Pokémon that should really be Psychic-types, there’s one name that’s been cropping up repeatedly since the late nineties: Psyduck and Golduck. Granted, those are technically two names, but fans have been so insistent over the years that we needed to hear it twice.
Lore-wise, design-wise and everything else-wise, the Psyduck line just screams Water/Psychic. Maybe also an exclusive Psychic-type attack centering around its migraines (as sufferers will know, projectile vomiting is ALWAYS super effective). Gen I already had that typing covered with the Slowpoke and Staryu lines, but surely there was room for one more?
7 Shouldn’t Be Psychic-Type: Necrozma
The Pokémon games, as we know, have always been designed with that family-friendly, accessible spirit in mind. As such, the series tries to keep things simple. The type chart is a heck of a muddle at times, but it tends to be relatively easy to determine the typing of most new Pokémon at a glance. How? Because they’re predominately the corresponding color.
How many bright blue Fire-types are there? None, that’s how many. One Pokémon that absolutely obliterates this rule of thumb is the Legendary Necrozma, which is a Psychic-type but goes right ahead and wants to be jet black anyway. With its origins, vicious nature and appearance in mind, Dark may have been more fitting here.
6 Should Be Psychic-Type: Absol
Absol is an interesting case. As the Disaster Pokémon, believed to be an omen of mass destruction and evil, it’s certainly a fitting Dark-type. There’s more to Absol than meets the eye, though.
As the Pokédex reveals, Absol was hated because it always appeared when natural disasters occurred and was believed to be the culprit. Instead, it was trying to warn the people of the impending danger, as it’s able to predict these cataclysmic events. With this mysterious ability to predict the future in mind, it could be a fitting Dark/Psychic type.
5 Shouldn’t Be Psychic-Type: Galarian Ponyta Line
If you tuned in for some of the 24-hour livestream that Game Freak held prior to Pokémon Sword and Shield’s release, you’ll know that Ponyta’s Galarian form was the star of the show (read: the only thing that actually happened; the other 23 hours, 59 minutes and 50 seconds being entirely uneventful).
We now know that the livestream was held in the Glimwood Tangle, an area inhabited by mischievous Fairy-types. Galarian Ponyta, however, is a Psychic-type, becoming Psychic/Fairy on evolution. It’s a unique combination, but the whole unicorn vibe was already entirely covered by Fairy. It doesn’t really gain anything from its Psychic-typing (beyond Psycho Cut).
4 Should Be Psychic-Type: Misdreavus Line
As we saw with Absol, it’s often the case that Pokémon that have abilities such as time travel or second sight tend to be lumped into the Psychic typing. It’s just the way things usually work around here. These sorts of abilities are often associated with witches and magical beings, which is why the likes of the Fennekin and Natu lines are (at least partly) Psychic-types.
With that in mind, wouldn’t Misdreavus/Mismagius have been fitting as the first non-Legendary Ghost and Psychic-type Pokémon? It wouldn’t really do it any favors from a defensive standpoint, but it would work well aesthetically.
3 Shouldn’t Be Psychic-Type: Alolan Raichu
Now, we can appreciate Alolan Raichu, we really can. It was inevitable that the beloved Pikachu line was going to get an Alolan form, and Game Freak ensured that it was interesting enough to stand out from its base form. Its Ability, Surge Surfer (which doubles its Speed when Electric Terrain is in effect), is exclusive to it and made it super fun to use, and it was reasonably viable.
Its secondary Psychic typing, however, seemed a little tacked on. A gimmick to allow the whole ‘levitating and using its tail as a surfboard’ thing to play out. A cheesy surfing Pikachu reference?
2 Should Be Psychic-Type: Stantler
Looks can be deceiving, friends. At first glance, you could easily mistake Stantler for yet another entirely forgettable, middle-of-the-road Normal-type. You absolutely could, because that’s what it is. It’s reasonably fast, has decent Attack and brings precisely nothing else to the table.
It’s a shame because the concept of Stantler is super interesting. Like Hoothoot and Noctowl, it learns a ton of Psychic-type moves and the Pokédex references its mystical abilities. “The curved antlers subtly change the flow of air to create a strange space where reality is distorted,” Pokémon Gold states. Pokémon Silver, not to be out-weirded, adds, “those who stare at its antlers will gradually lose control of their senses and be unable to stand.” With dual Psychic-typing and a modest stat buff, Game Freak could have really had something here.
1 Shouldn’t Be Psychic-Type: Lugia
We’re also a little conflicted on this one. Like Cresselia, Lugia is a defensive powerhouse that may well have been ‘nerfed’ by being given a middling defensive typing. Competitive players have surely tangled with The Great Wall before in Ubers matches, so will know firsthand what a gargantuan pain in the cheeks it can be to deal with. Multiscale? Who in heckola thought it was a good idea to give Lugia Multiscale?
All of that aside, though, players are often thrown by the fact that Lugia actually isn’t Dragon-type. People are quick to make assumptions, after all, especially when you’re a big angry dragon. Still, Psychic/Flying it is. Maybe Dragon/Psychic would be better, though Lugia is famous for the accidental mass destruction it can cause with mere flaps of its wings…
NEXT: 5 Pokémon That Should Be Dragon-Types (& 5 That Shouldn’t)
