Psychic/Dark Type

Psychic/Dark and Dark/Psychic are the same defensive pairing; this page uses psychic-dark as the canonical URL. Psychic/Dark is a tricky offensive pairing that blocks Psychic attacks while threatening Psychic- and Ghost-type opponents back. Representative Pokémon include Inkay, Malamar, Hoopa Unbound. The standard type chart gives this combination 4× weak to Bug and 2× weak to Fairy. It is immune to Psychic. Its main defensive value comes from no ¼× resistance; no ½× resistance, but stats, ability, item, and format still decide whether a real Pokémon can use those entries repeatedly.

Offensive plan

Psychic STAB pressures Fighting and Poison targets, while Dark STAB threatens Psychic and Ghost targets. That gives the pairing good anti-utility value, but Fairy can punish the Dark side and Bug is the severe defensive warning. Because the typing has few resistances, it needs speed, disruption, or strong immediate pressure rather than relying on safe repeated switches.

Counterplay and defensive risks

To counter Psychic/Dark, start with the chart pressure: Bug, Fairy. If a 4× weakness is listed, preserve that attack type before revealing it; if there is no 4× weakness, repeated 2× pressure and hazard chip usually matter more than a single surprise hit. Scout for abilities, Terastallization, weather, recovery, and pivot moves before assuming the visible multiplier ends the exchange.

Team-building advice

Psychic/Dark wants Fairy and Bug answers nearby. Steel, Poison, Fire, Flying, or Rock teammates can help depending on the specific threats, while hazard support can make its forced switches more valuable. Use the Team Calculator to check whether the rest of the six stacks the same Bug, Fairy problem, then compare the full defensive chart before choosing moves or teammates.

Read the best Pokémon type combinations guide for a side-by-side defensive comparison.

Continue with Type Chart, Dual Type Calculator, Psychic/Fairy guide, and Flying/Dark guide.

Frequently asked questions