Type Preview: Psychic

It's a type with a small elemental damage base on its own, but well-placed pairings mean it can slaughter just about everything. If it was as broken as in past games, I could retire. For once, I get to laugh heartily at every trainer in Frost Cavern and Terminus Cave.

Figured it out? Wow, you must be Psychic.

Type Effectiveness:
Attacking: Super effects Poison and Fighting. Resisted by itself and Steel. Can't touch Dark.
Defending: Hit SE by Bug, Ghost, and Dark, resists Fighting and itself, no immunities.

Dual-types: Fire, Water, Grass, Ice, Fighting, Flying, Rock, Dark, and Fairy ingame. Postgame adds Normal, Ground, Dragon and Steel.

Probable Final Team:
Fennekin/Braixen/Delphox: It's the starter, the best possible check to Bugs, and all around bad mother you don't want to mess with. Oh yeah, it learns Shadow Ball by returner because..  reasons?

Ralts/Kirlia/Gardevoir AND Ralts/Kirlia/Gallade: Although Medicham with Pure Power is tempting, the lore possibilities of having both members of the Ralts family on board are too awesome to pass up. Gardevoir plays the role of potent SAer, while Gallade's natural attack rating makes it a fine complement as I attempt to balance this team somehow. Already have the names picked: Marie and Pierre.

Inkay/Malamar: You know this guy from the Dark run. As mentioned there, Malamar is my favourite XY Pokemon, and is the other physical attacker on the team.

Sigilyph: I don't get to use this guy very often, I'd like to have a Flyer to go with the Surfer (below) and it helps to have immunity to added effects provided I can get a good one with Magic Guard.

Staryu/Starmie: The advantage of an X run is that I get to use one of the three original 151 I'd keep away from the revolution. A speedy, type-bonused Surf and extremely varied movepool for the XY era (Power Gem? Dazzling Gleam?) earn it a spot.

Other Team Members: Espurr/Meowstic (F) will fill the last slot until Staryu joins. Other than that... not much. What you see is what you get.

Why not use...?
Abra/Kadabra/Alakazam: Trade evolution and just not really a slot for him, frankly.

Meditite/Medicham: Too much of a one-trick pony, even if that one trick is incredibly huge offense.

Spoink/Grumpig: Just doesn't have the *umph* to hang with the rest of the team.

Lunatone/Solrock: One has already proven to be a bad idea, the other one got rejected from the Rock run for sucking and it's not going to fit in here.

Woobat/Swoobat: Only  has Speed in an era where damage is actually relevant.

Espeon: One of the few Eevees I would have considered, but there's just no room for him especially when I don't know when I'd get it.

Chingling/Chimecho: Already have something immune to Ground.

Solosis/Duosion/Reuniclus: Too slow, team's pretty much full once it shows up.

Wynaut/Wobbuffet: I don't do punching bags.

Slowpoke/Slowbro or Slowking: By the time I'd have either final evo, I'll probably have evolved Staryu.

Exeggcute/Exeggutor: Nearly made it, but I can't find a slot for him until Grass.

Smoochum/Jynx: Too late + low Defense = no way Jose.

Gothita/Gothorita/Gothitelle: No Route 20s on this run.

Major Battle Expectations:
Viola: Ironically, the hard part is getting rid of Surskit.
Grant: I'll have Gallade by this point for STAB Rock Smash or SE Bulldoze. Plus, Magical Leaf on Kirlia.
Korrina: Wow, the WHOLE TEAM is Psychic or at least has Aerial Ace and you have to ask here?
Ramos: The whole team except Starmie can have fun here.
Clemont: Although SpDef is high, a Gallade/Delphox combo should win the day here.
Valerie: Gallade Poison Jabs for some, miniature flames for others.
Olympia: Anything that can fling a ball or use a claw goes to town here.
Wulfric: Gallade + Delphox again.

Rival: The key is going to be getting Gallade out for Absol, and having all hands on deck for Greninja.
Team Flare: Should be able to wipe out the lot with power before they start Crunching.
Elite 4: Steel goes last and gets promptly burninated.
Diantha: Parting is such sweet sorrow when Gallade fires Shadow Claw against its compatriot.

Trainer:
This whole blog has been for science, but never more than now. The trainer is Darwin, and all the Pokemon will be named after other scientists (for instance, Pierre and Marie is a reference to the Curies).