The 10 best Psychic Pokemon of all time

The best Psychic Pokémon can come in many different forms, but they should all be slightly mystifying

Author:
Ryan Woodrow
Publish date:
Jul 1, 2023 4:00 AM EDT

Psychic Pokémon are an interesting type because there isn’t a good template for how to design one like many other types. Fire Pokémon need to be bright and ferocious, Dark Pokémon need to have a fiendish edge to them, and Dragon Pokémon need to, well, look like dragons.

With Psychic Pokémon, you’ve got a lot more leeway. The mystifying nature of their power means they can look like just about anything, as long as there’s something slightly strange about them. It’s made this a varied list and we rank the best Psychic Pokémon of all time.

If you want to see more Pokémon rankings then check out our lists of the best Ghost Pokémon, the best Dark Pokémon, and the best Fire Pokémon.

Meowstic

This is a Pokémon that works best as a duo because the difference in the male and female designs complement each other fantastically. Their short stature makes them still feel animalist despite their humanoid body, and their cold expressions give them a scary strangeness. You feel like you should stay away from them, which is good because the Pokédex says they can produce enough energy to crush a 10-ton truck to dust.

Lunala

When something quite literally has the night sky in its wings, you can’t call it anything other than beautiful. It brings elegance and grace that make it feel like a true legendary Pokémon, unlike so many others that are designed with raw power in mind.

Galarian Rapidash

It may look almost entirely like a Fairy-type, but it’s got Psychic powers to back them up, and it’s one of the best regional forms because of it. It shows how you can totally transform a Pokémon design to embody a different type but still have the core look and identity of the original ‘mon. But to put that aside, it’s a pretty unicorn and I want to hug it.

Mewtwo

The classic legendary Pokémon, the reasons to love Mewtwo are varied and numerous. Whether you battled it in the original Red/Blue, fell in love with it thanks to the first Pokémon movie, or found it years later in its many other game appearances, Mewtwo is simply brilliant. From the anime’s perspective, he’s a complex character who’s misguided ideals humanize him, and in the games it’s a powerhouse Pokémon you can have a lot of fun with.

Hatterene

If you’re looking for a “weird but cute” Pokémon, then Hatterene may be your best pick. This alien witch has such a tiny body wrapped up in this strange outer layer of its body that makes it seemingly glide around the world, packing powerful Psychic and Fairy attacks. Also, it hates loud noises and will tear you apart with the claws on its tentacle if you disturb the peace around it…so there’s that.

Alakazam

Alakzam — The Pokémon Company International

It may not be legendary, but it’s arguably just as classic of a Psychic-type as Mewtwo. This spoonbender may have upset Uri Geller (a grudge he has thankfully dropped now), but it was one of the most reliable team members you could have in Generation 1 – as long as you could catch an Abra.

Cresselia

Who wouldn’t want something that could give you peaceful sleep and joyful dreams every single night? Cresselia is another legendary that uses elegance and beauty to feel special, mixing bright colors as it floats softly in the air. Not to mention competitive players have relied on it heavily over the years as a world-class support Pokémon.

Metagross

All these developments in AI will never be worth the trouble until they can match Metagross, which apparently has four brains and an IQ that surpasses any supercomputer on the planet. This Pokémon is far from a nerd though, as its mechanical body weighs half a ton, and it can move that body around with exceptional speed.

Espeon

Eeveelutions are almost cheating on lists like this, but who are we to deny this sleek cat with the power to melt your mind. It taps into what makes cats so appealing, with an undeniable cuteness, yet an attitude that suggests it’s not going to get very attached to you – we all know it will eventually, though.

Gardevoir

Admitting you love Gardevoir isn’t easy if you know what the internet has done to it, but we shouldn’t let such filth distract from the fact that Gardevoir is one of the all-time greats. It has a simple humanoid body that makes it look graceful, but the design of the head and arms bring in those weird elements that you want from a good Psychic-type. With a wide movepool and powerful stats (plus a Mega Evolution), it’s one of the most reliable partners you could have.