The best secondary typings for psychic types

Psychic has long been considered one of the most powerful types within Pokémon. In gen 1 it was almost unstoppable, it barely had any weaknesses. Over the years this has changed considerably, and they are not quite as overwhelmed now. But they still have a lot to offer.

A significant portion of support moves are Psychic-type, and most Psychic Pokémon have a large movepool of non-psychic moves, making them perfect for both cover and support. One of the biggest factors that determine what they have access to is their secondary type, and some are much better than others.

Updated December 4, 2024 by Hamza Haq: Psychic typing has lost steam over the years in the Pokemon scene, thanks to the lack of variety in both Pokemon and moves assigned to it. Fortunately, this is a problem that can be solved by mixing and matching other excellent typings into the mix to give Psychic the push it needs to become mainstream again. Recent generations of Pokémon have slowly introduced new unused dual-types for Psychic and other types of Pokémon, slowly filling in the gaps.

9 Mental/normal

Pokemon with this typing: 6

Normal is arguably the most versatile typing of all Pokémonwith an absolutely huge movepool that gives Pokemon of this typing an advantage that is hard to come by. One clear disadvantage, however, is that no Pokémon is weak to any Normal-type move. Combined with the fact that Psychic doesn't really shine as an offensive type, Pokémon in this category often have to rely on their defenses to carry the day. Fortunately, Psychic/Normal is good for defense since it only has 2 weaknesses and neither of them are 4x.

Meloetta is by far the strongest Pokémon with this typing, although that's not due to the typing itself but because of her ability to switch from it on command. Still, even in her base form (Aria), Meleotta is not a threat to be taken lightly due to her excellent special attack and access to moves like Psychic and Hyper Voice. Wyrdeer and Oranguru are other examples of Psychic/Normal typing Pokemon, both useful in some scenarios but nothing really extraordinary.

8 Psychic/Dragon

Pokemon with this typing: 3

Much like Psychic, Dragon has long been considered a very powerful type. In fact, it was so powerful that the Fairy type was added in generation 6 to balance it out somewhat. Combining the two will naturally make for a powerful combo, and Psychic/Dragon Pokémon certainly have access to some potent moves.

But they come with some drawbacks. While they have a solid 6 resistance, they come with 6 weaknesses as well, meaning there isn't much they can do without getting hit by something unfriendly. That said, the only Pokémon that currently hold the type are Latios and Latias, which have a great combination of speed and bulk.

7 Psychic/fighting

Pokemon with this typing: 4

Combining types that are traditionally opposed often leads to exciting results. Fire/water, for example, is a fantastic combination. However, the same cannot be said for Psychic/Fighting. Pokemon that have it often look pretty cool, like Gallade, but functionally don't have much to offer.

The problem is that most psychic attacks are special, while combat attacks are physical. This means that most Pokémon cannot invest effectively in both stats unless players are willing to use subpar moves like Psycho Cut or Aura Sphere.

6 Psychic/Fire

Pokemon with this typing: 4

For players who want an offensively focused Psychic Pokemon, Fire is a good place to look for secondary types. Fire is traditionally a very aggressive type, with little or no interest in non-attacking moves. Additionally, the Burn status condition halves the opponent's attack, making it work defensively as well.

Fire comes out a little more favorably than Dragons when it comes to type matchups. This type only has 5 weaknesses, which is still quite a lot, but it backs it up with 7 resistances. It's still likely to run into trouble from a well-built team, but it just has a slightly better chance of escaping unscathed.

5 Psychic/flying

Pokemon with this typing: 9

Flying is generally a fairly balanced type. With such a variety of Flying Pokemon on offer, they can be both aggressive and defensive, with even a few supporting features. They are also traditionally a very fast type, which is always a plus, whether players want attack or support.

Unfortunately, it doesn't go so well on type matchups. 5 weaknesses is hard to deal with, especially with only 3 resistances to back it up. One of these is a 4x resistance, which is nice, although no trainer is going to oppose a Psychic type with a Fighting Pokemon anyway.

4 Psychic/Dark

Pokemon with this typing: 3

Much like Fighting, Psychic and Dark are two types that seem diametrically opposed. In this case, however, this type combination makes for an interesting scenario. For one thing, Dark is a different type with a fairly large movepool, full of both aggressive and defensive moves.

The type matches are also pretty weird. On the surface, 2 weaknesses and no resistances sounds like a rough deal, especially when one of those is a 4x weakness. However, it enjoys immunity to Dark type as well. It's a strange situation and one of the only combinations in the franchise that is immune to itself.

3 Psychic/Fairy

Pokemon with this typing: 9

Ever since the Fairy-type was introduced in Generation 6, one of its most popular pairings has been with Psychic-types. The visual style of the two types is often aligned, making it easy to retroactively assign the Fairy type to many old Psychic Pokémon.

It does quite well on the battlefield and is neutral against the vast majority of attacks. It only has 3 weaknesses, which is a manageable number. It is backed up with 2 resistors, one of which is a 4x resistor. This means that players will mostly be dealing with neutral attacks, making things much more predictable.

2 Psychic/Married

Pokemon with this typing: 3

Poison isn't a type that has seen much love in the Pokemon scene over the years, but with the introduction of the incredibly powerful Fairy typing, which Poison is super effective against, typing has become more important than ever. Psychic/Poison Pokemon only have 3 weaknesses and resist 4 types, making them one of the most balanced dual typings in the game.

Only three Pokemon have the Psychic/Poison spell in Pokemon, Galarian Slowbro, Galarian Slowking, and Monkidori. All are viable in the competitive situation, but for different reasons. Monkidori is by far the most offensively suited of the three, relying on special moves like Psychic and Sludge Bomb to carry the day. Galarian Slowking is one of the best defensive Pokemon in certain situations thanks to great defensive stats, immunity to Poison, and the incredibly useful ability Regenerator.

1 Psychic/Steel

Pokemon with this typing: 9

Far and away one of the best type combos in the entire franchise, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to describe Psychic/Steel type Pokemon as near impenetrable walls. Psychic can be used very effectively as a defensive type, which pairs well with the best defensive type in the game.

With only 2 weaknesses and a whopping 9 resistances, opponents will have very little chance of getting rid of it easily. It is certain that a Pokémon like Bronzong has had extremely long life in the competitive battle scene. They may not be able to hit as hard as other combos, but that doesn't matter when they can stay on the battlefield for ages.