Psychic-Types in Pokemon GO PvP: Meta Analysis Per League

Psychic Pokémon have finally found their usefulness. Although there’s some viability when raiding a Machamp or other Fighting types, Psychic Pokémon haven’t been ideal for Raids in the current Meta. However, they do have a good place in PvP, and it can come in handy knowing which Pokémon to use as well as what moveset is ideal. Below is a list of the top 5 Psychic Pokémon for each League along with all their available movesets.

Psychic-types in the Great League:

Pokémon ATK (IV) DEF (IV) STA (IV) Fast Move Charge Move(s)
Hypno

1496 @ Level 28

101 143 150
  • Confusion Psychic
  • Zen Headbutt Psychic
  • Future Sight Psychic
  • Psychic Psychic
  • Focus Blast Fighting
  • Shadow Ball* Ghost
  • Psyshock* Psychic
Medicham

1431 @ Level 40

107 131 134  

  • Counter Fighting
  • Pyscho Cut Psychic
  • Dynamic Punch Fighting
  • Ice Punch Ice
  • Psychic Psychic
Deoxys (Defense)

1493 @ Level 24

102 222 96
  • Zen Headbutt Psychic
  • Counter Fighting
  • Psycho Boost Psychic
  • Thunderbolt Electric
  • Rock Slide Rock
Cresselia

1495 @ Level 19

95 156 157
  • Confusion Psychic
  • Psycho Cut Psychic
  • Future Sight Psychic
Lugia

1500 @ Level 15

104 164 125
  • Extrasensory Psychic
  • Dragon Tail Dragon
  • Sky Attack Flying
  • Future Sight Psychic

*Moves listed in italics are legacy.

Psychic-types in Ultra League

Pokémon ATK
(IV)
DEF
(IV)
STA
(IV)
Fast Move Charge Move(s)
Cresselia

2490 @ Level 31

123 201 202
  • Confusion Psychic
  • Psycho Cut Psychic
  • Future Sight Psychic
  • Moonblast Fairy
  • Aurora Beam Ice
Mew

2499 @ Level 28

155 155 166

Mew has multiple movesets of nearly every typing

Deoxys (Defense)

2274 @ Level 40

125 272 120
  • Zen Headbutt Psychic
  • Counter Fighting
  • Psycho Boost Psychic
  • Rock Slide Rock
  • Thunderbolt Electric
Lugia

2497 @ Level 25

134 211 162
  • Extrasensory Psychic
  • Dragon tail Dragon
  • Sky Attack Flying
  • Future Sight Psychic
Latias

2497 @ Level 25

161 174 136
  • Dragon Breath Dragon
  • Zen Headbutt Psychic
  • Outrage Dragon
  • Psychic Psychic
  • Thunder Electric

Psychic-types in Master League

Pokémon ATK DEF STA Fast Move Charge Move(s)
Latias 292 206 162
  • Dragon Breath Dragon
  • Zen Headbutt Psychic
  • Outrage Dragon
  • Psychic Psychic
  • Thunder Electric
Lugia 162 256 197
  • Extrasensory Psychic
  • Dragon Tail Dragon
  • Future sight Psychic
  • Sky Attack Flying
Mewtwo 248 155 180
  • Confusion Psychic
  • Psycho Cut
  • Psychic
  • Thunderbolt Electric
  • Shadow Ball* Ghost
  • Ice Beam Ice
  • Focus Blast Fighting
  • Psychic Psychic
  • Flamethrower Fire
Mew 178 178 190

Mew has multiple movesets of nearly every typing

 

Metagross
216 193 263
  • Zen Headbutt Psychic
  • Bullet Punch Steel
  • Meteor Mash Steel
  • Flash Cannon Steel
  • Psychic Psychic

*Moves listed in italics are legacy

Meta Relevant Psychic-types used in the Master League table are all Level 40 with perfect IVs.

Psychic-Type Detailed Sets

Hypno – Great League
Hypno
  • Confusion Psychic
  • Future Sight Psychic
  • Shadow Ball* Ghost

Hypno is one of the better Psychic Pokémon in the Great League. It has access to the two best Psychic moves, Confusion and Future Sight. This gives Hypno good damage in the Great League. Hypno’s legacy move Shadow Ball is a good way to surprise other Psychic types with solid super-effective damage as well.

Deoxy’s Defense – Great/Ultra League
Deoxys (Defense)
  • Counter Fighting
  • Zen Headbutt Psychic
  • Thunderbolt Electric

Deoxy’s defense form is a marvel in the Great League. Even with a low attack stat, Deoxy’s defense form has access to Counter-a very good Fighting move and Thunderbolt, which is an excellent Electric charge move. His ideal set for Psychic-type though would be Zen Headbutt Psychic and Thunderbolt Electric. The ideal set not including Psycho Boost is primarily because Pyscho Boost is a terrible charge move, and it isn’t viable in PvP or Raids (takes too much time to get off and doesn’t do enough damage). Deoxy’s defense has, no pun intended, enough defense to hold his own against the majority of other GL Pokémon. Deoxy’s defense is also outstanding in the Ultra League at level 40; however, it is an expensive investment (and PvP would be the only reason to invest in Deoxy’s defense form).

Medicham – Great League
Medicham
  • Counter Fighting
  • Psycho Cut Psychic
  • Dynamic Punch Fighting
  • Ice Punch Ice
  • Psychic Psychic

Medicham does not have a solid Psychic moveset, despite having the typing for it. However, having access to two of the best fighting moves-Counter and Dynamic Punch-Medicham makes itself useful. This, on top of its typing (psychic and fighting), allows it to dish out a lot of damage while taking neutral damage from other Psychic types. Ice Punch is a nice addition for some Ice coverage and may surprise a player’s Flygon or Altaria. Medicham is very useful in the Great League due to Psychic and Fighting typing, along with an awesome moveset in Counter/Dynamic Punch. If you are to use Medicham as a Psychic attacker, Psycho Cut and Psychic are your only options. This set works for good coverage against Fighting and Poison types, but there are other Pokémon-like Hypno-that have access to better Psychic sets in the Great League. Medicham’s defensive-typing also allows neutral damage from Dark types. This makes her an excellent counter to them, as Dynamic Punch should hit them fast and do solid damage.

Cresselia – Great/Ultra League
Cresselia
  • Confusion Psychic
  • Future Sight Psychic
  • Moonblast Fairy

Cresselia only has access to one Psychic charge move, Future Sight. The ideal set for Cresselia as a Psychic attacker is Confusion/Future Sight. However, Cresselia does learn Moonblast as well, which adds solid coverage against Dark and Dragon types. It is not unwise to invest in a duel moveset for Cresselia, as having Moonblast is a good way to use Cresselia on defense (defending mainly against Dark types). If you’re going to go with one set only though, Confusion/Future Sight packs a hefty punch in PvP.

Lugia – Great/Ultra/Master League
Lugia
  • Extrasensory Psychic
  • Future Sight Psychic
  • Sky Attack Flying

Lugia has some impressive stats, really holding well on defense statistically speaking. Lugia is also gifted with the best Psychic charge move, Future Sight. The ideal moveset for Lugia as a Psychic attacker is Extrasensory/Future Sight. However, much like Cresselia-you can play Lugia on defense with Sky Attack. Sky Attack gives good neutral coverage and may surprise a Dark type attacker. Sky Attack is not a bad add if you’re going for two charge moves. If you’re only looking at only one, Future Sight is the way to go as it packs a punch.

Mew – Ultra/Great League
Mew
  • Shadow Claw Ghost
  • Psyshock Psychic
  • Dragon Claw Dragon

Mew has access to so many moves, it’s incredible. The ideal fast move is Shadow Claw, simply because it is such a great fast move in general (lots of energy gain and hits hard as Ghost type coverage). With that being said, Mew has two great charge moves to go with Shadow Claw. Psyshock, in this case, is number one as it gives Mew his classic STAB. This is a good way to use Mew as a Psychic attacker. If you want to use Mew on defense or for neutral-coverage, Dragon Claw is a great charge move for PvP. Dragon Claw hits hard and hits fast, as Shadow Claw gains energy relatively fast and gives good Ghost coverage (excellent against other Psychic types). Mew is ideal for using two charge moves, as a combination of Psyshock and Dragon Claw is sure to throw off your opponent.

Latias – Ultra / Master
Latias
  • Zen Headbutt Psychic
  • Psychic Psychic

Latias has good stats, which makes her a solid Psychic type attacker. Zen Headbutt and Psychic are ideal here, as her other charge moves aren’t nearly as good. Thunder doesn’t have much use, and Outrage is only useful if you’re going in as a Dragon type attacker. However, many other Dragon types perform the role better than Latias does. So there’s only one ideal Psychic set for Latias, Zen Headbutt and Psychic.

Metagross – Master League
Metagross
  • Zen Headbutt Psychic
  • Meteor Mash Steel
  • Psychic Psychic

Metagross does not have a bad moveset. Meteor Mash is the clear winner, as it gives powerful neutral coverage to many different types. However, Metagross is usable as a Psychic attacker as well. With access to Zen Headbutt and Psychic, along with amazing stats-Metagross can beat up on Poison types and does solid neutral Psychic damage to various types – simply because he has awesome stats. Against Fighting though, Metagross is in a tough situation – on the one hand, he can dish out solid super-effective damage, but on the other hand, Steel takes neutral damage from Fighting types. Metagross has viability both as a Psychic attacker and defender, as his defensive stats are as impressive as his high attack stat.

Mewtwo – Master League
Mewtwo
  • Psycho Cut Psychic
  • Confusion
  • Shadow Ball Ghost*
  • Psychic

Mewtwo has the highest attack stat among Psychic type attackers and defenders. Sitting at a 300 base attack stat, he hits hard regardless of his moveset. Psycho Cut and Shadow Ball* are ideal as they give supereffective coverage to other Psychic attackers/defenders and great all-around neutral coverage. That being said, Confusion/Psychic is the next ideal moveset if the legacy move Shadow Ball is unavailable. Mewtwo is a glass cannon though, so try to avoid running into a Bite/Crunch Tyratinar or Houndoom as Dark hits him as hard as any other Psychic type.

Go Hub PvP Meta Series
Dark-Types in Pokémon GO PvP
Dragon-Types in Pokémon GO PvP
Fairy-Types in Pokémon GO PvP
Fighting-Types in Pokémon GO PvP
Poison-Types in Pokémon GO PvP
Psychic-Types in Pokémon GO PvP

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Zeroghan
Zeroghanhttps://pokemongohub.net/
Zeroghan started the Hub in July 2016 and hasn't had much sleep since. A lover of all things Pokémon, web development, and writing.

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