Despite their introduction since the first generation, Psychic Pokemon have been one of the most popular types. The existence of Mew and even Mewtwo, particularly through the beloved first movie, gave Psychic-types a reputation for being the "go-to" Pokemon variant for teams that naturally breeze through Gyms and even the Elite Four in some instances. With Generation X on the way with Pokemon Winds and Waves, fans of Psychic-types can get their psionic fix with the updated release of Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen on the Nintendo Switch, especially when the game still plays host to some of the most broken Psychic-types out there.
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While definitely not as many as their later Generation counterparts, the very few Psychic-types who did make it to FireRed and LeafGreen's latest release can spice things up for most playthroughs. Those acquired early on can breeze through early-game Gyms, while other Psychic-types that players can invest in may be able to power through Giovanni around the mid-game and even the Elite Four with the right setups.
6 Drowzee & Hypno
Average Early-Game Psychic, Perfect While Waiting For Stronger Options
- Located on Route 11 between roughly the Level 11 to 15 range
One of the earliest Psychic Types players can obtain in FireRed and LeafGreen comes in the form of Drowzee. While possessing average stats, Drowzee’s decent Special Defense makes them a serviceable addition to any team, as they are neutral at best against most match-ups. Not only that, its Insomnia Ability makes for a decent counter against Gastly or Jigglypuff, whose strategies often involve making Pokemon fall asleep.
Fights-wise, Hypno can help defeat Koga, Erika, and Lt. Surge quickly, and they can especially make quick work of Sabrina with Headbutt. Other fights are so-so, especially when players have other, more useful Psychic Types in their roster. Drowzee will have Confusion when caught, so it has immediate STAB coverage. It will then acquire Headbutt (Level 17), the Atk-boosting Meditate (Level 19), and the SpDef-debuffing Psychic (Level 35). Aside from this, players should get SpAtk-boosting Calm Mind (through a TM) to defeat Blaine, Bruno, and Giovanni much faster.
5 Exeggutor
A Decent Mid-Tier Pokemon To Deal With Most Threats
- Located in the Safari Zone
Trainers might not expect a delightful stack of eggs to be a competent Psychic Pokemon, but they’ll be proven wrong quickly with Exeggutor. This Pokemon is mostly acquired by catching its previous form, Exeggcute, mid-game in the Safari Zone, which has rather disappointing Speed and Special Defense but boasts one of Kanto’s highest Special Attacks. Its Grass/Psychic Typing means it has decent Resistances, but players do need to watch out for glaring Weaknesses to Bug (4x), Ice, Fire, Flying, Ghost, and Poison.
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Decent firepower makes Exeggutor especially useful upon acquisition. Still, it will definitely need the support of some TMs to pack more punch (Fire Type-boosting Sunny Day buffing Solar Beam), debuff (Psychic), and lifesteal (Giga Drain). With these, Exeggutor can take care of usual threats, like Agatha and Lorelei (Sunny Day into Solar Beam or Psychic), and deal with Giovanni and Koga through typical STAB. The only major battles Exeggutor can have relatively difficulty with involve Bruno, Blaine, and Lance.
4 Mr. Mime
Great For Early-Game Psychic Domination
- On Route 2, Trade Abra for Mr. Mine
Despite his rather weird appearance, Mr. Mime is a must-catch as it provides early-game Psychic-type potency. While possessing rather unremarkable physical stats, its Specials and Speed are above average. This means the right setup can help Mr. Mime eliminate foes before they ever lay a hand on them. However, this also means that Mr. Mime can receive easy knockouts without the right support. Get a Mr. Mime by going to Route 2 and trading an Abra for it in a house.
Given Mr. Mime’s glass cannon nature, they have to be set up with the most optimal moveset. Their Specials interactions need mandatory boosts (TM-based Calm Mind for them, Psychic against foes), while setup moves like Substitute (sacrifice HP, so a decoy gets the brunt of a big attack) and Encore (force a target to repeat Moves) can pave the way for a mean Magical Leaf (no-Accuracy and no-Evasion damage) or Reflect.
As Mr. Mime levels up, they start to emphasize disruption and support with sharper Defense (Barrier, Level 1), and even a buffer against heavy-hitters (Substitute, Level 25). When raised correctly, a Mr. Mime can sweep through most major battles, save for Sabrina, Agatha, Lance, and the fight against the Champion. Save for these, Gym Leaders and the Elite Four should be relatively manageable to deal with.
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3 Jynx
A Surprisingly Full-Coverage Powerhouse
- In Cerulean City, Trade Poliwhirl for Jynx
Similar to Mr. Mime, Jynx can be acquired in Cerulean City when exchanged for a Poliwhirl. This is a worthwhile trade, as Jynx possesses high Speed and Specials that more than compensate for its mediocre Attack, Defense, and HP. Not only that, its Psychic/Ice Typing means Jynx can technically deal with almost any other type with Psychic, and then just have another Pokemon jump in to deal with any other Psychic or Dragon Type threats.
It’s also this typing that makes Jynx a surprising powerhouse of a Pokemon to get in any team. Should one get past its peculiar design, Jynx possesses a level-up Movepool that makes it a natural dominator in most match-ups. Debuff enemy SpDef with Psychic and use Calm Mind (via TM) to boost SpAtk, and Jynx can spam Ice Punch throughout the rest of the game. It’s up to players to decide if they want to use a TM to get Blizzard or Ice Beam to upgrade Ice Punch, but there’s really not much of a need to, considering Jynx as a mainstay can help players power through post-trade Gym Leaders, Elite Four, and even the Champion fight.
2 Alakazam
Easy To Acquire, Especially Useful Throughout The Game
- Trade for a Kadabra with a player. If possible, catch an Abra on Route 24, evolve it into Kadabra, trade it so it evolves, and then get it back.
As it requires getting a Kadabra via a trade with another player, Alakazam can be difficult to obtain, but it is worth the effort. With his Synchronize, Kadabra can pass back status conditions (Poison, Burn, Paralysis) back to the attacker, immediately countering stall builds. These elements make Abra extremely useful for most of the game, especially when one considers its growth.
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Perhaps the poster child for Psychics, Abra growing into Kadabra and then trading into Alakazam means learning Confusion (Level 16), its upgrade Psybeam (Level 21), and Psychic (Level 36) without any need for TMs. Even SpAtk-boosting Calm Mind is learnable by Alakazam (Level 33), somewhat trivializing getting Moves that often require special components. Not only that, these moves are what make Alakazam a highly-efficient sweeper by the merit of STAB alone. The only relatively challenging matchups include Sabrina’s own Psychic team and Lance’s Dragon Team.
1 Mewtwo
The Perfect Mew Clone For Post-Game Beatdowns
- After defeating the Champion, players need to go to the newly-unlocked Cerulean Cave and reach a specific ridge within the first basement
While its progenitor, Mew, is unavailable in FireRed and LeafGreen, the clone Mewtwo is the best Psychic-type in the games. When acquired through its convoluted means, Mewtwo is not just the best Psychic Pokemon but arguably the best in the game overall. They possess the highest stats at base for every Pokemon, especially Special Attack and Speed, which are hallmarks of a Psychic-type. Not only that, Pressure forces opponents to double their PP usage, limiting their resources at the onset.
Moves-wise, Mewtwo easily dominates the pack: Recover (Level 1) is an immediate life-saver, with Psychic (Level 22) being the main STAB. Defenses are almost always secured with Barrier (Level 33), with Specials stacking via Calm Mind (Level 44). TMs get overkill, too, as Mewtwo has the choice of Thunder, Blizzard, and Fire Blast to do 120-Power coverage across every Type. Thankfully, despite the late acquisition, there are enough post-Mewtwo scenarios to have fun with, including a newly-kitted Elite Four and Rival.
- Developer(s)
- Game Freak
- Publisher(s)
- The Pokemon Company, Nintendo
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Game Boy Advance, Nintendo Switch
