What it does
Psychic is a Psychic-type special move that deals damage and has a chance to lower the target's Special Defense by one stage. The SpDef drop matters more in doubles than it looks: if your partner also runs a special attacker, a single Psychic proc can amplify the next hit in the same turn.
100% accuracy means you click it without sweating the miss chance. It hits Fighting- and Poison-types for super-effective damage, both of which appear regularly in the current meta. That coverage, combined with the SpDef chance, makes it a better main slot than raw power numbers suggest.
Who runs it
Alakazam leads usage at 86% because its Special Attack is among the highest in the tier. It moves first against almost anything thanks to its base 120 Speed, so targets can't pivot away before taking the hit.
Hatterene at 68% runs Psychic as its STAB main alongside Magic Bounce, which reflects status and hazard moves back at the opponent. That combination means it rarely has to play defensively — it just clicks Psychic and pressures.
Farigiraf at 66% uses Psychic as its primary STAB. It's slower, so it often sits alongside a Trick Room setter to get full mileage from its Special Attack.
Gardevoir at 60% pairs Psychic with Fairy-type coverage to cover Fighting-, Poison-, and Dragon-types. Two-slot special coverage at high efficiency.
Oranguru, Slowbro, and Gengar round out the lower-usage tier. Slowbro specifically thrives under Trick Room where its low Speed becomes an asset. Gengar typically prefers Shadow Ball, but keeps Psychic when Fighting coverage matters more.
How to use it
Psychic targets a single Pokémon — choose wisely in doubles. When a Fighting-type is actively threatening your partner, it's the correct call. Against neutral targets, factor in whether the SpDef drop will chain into your partner's attack on the same turn.
Build your selection to include a second special attacker alongside your Psychic user when you can. The SpDef drop goes from a random bonus to a deliberate win condition.
Tips & strategy
Steel-types take 0.5× — and Steel is common. Going into a Steel lead blindly with Psychic wastes the turn. Scout the lead or have a fallback move ready.
Don't build strategy around the SpDef drop triggering. Treat it as upside, not the plan. When it does proc, be ready to immediately exploit it with a follow-up special hit from your partner.