Maybe you're totally new to the series and can finally play it on your platform of choice, or perhaps you're jumping back in for another Phantom Thieves adventure. Either way, here are our Persona 5 Royal beginner tips to keep your schedule on track.
The world of Persona 5 Royal can be very overwhelming with fighting Shadows, infiltrating Palaces, and trying to change hearts. We’ve noted down a few things to remember and activities to prioritise in order to keep Joker’s skills up and your friends happy. Though it is tempting to just hang out in Leblanc every night, we don’t recommend it!
Looking to pick up Persona 5 Royal now that it’s out on all major platforms? Check out our review of it on the Nintendo Switch! We have a guide to all things Confidant, and a run-down of the Palaces, too.
Persona 5 Royal beginner tips
Check out our pointers down below to help make your time with Persona 5 Royal that bit more manageable.
Fuse everything that you can
Though you may be tempted to keep Arsene around because he looks cool, don’t hang on to beginner Personas. They’ll soon be too low of a level to be helpful, and take a while to upgrade. Plus, you’ll need them as fodder to fuse new Personas in the Velvet Room. As soon as you can, start creating new ones and fill out your compendium.
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+ 4Hang out with everyone, but prioritise preferred
Most characters you meet in Persona 5 Royal are a Confidant of Jokers, which means you can hang out with them to improve your rank with them. Time is limited, so check out which Confidants provide which skills and bonuses, and prioritise them over, say, the fortune teller that steals your money.
Confidants can add benefits to shops, protect Joker in battle, and even let you go out at night to get more stuff done in one day. Choose whose skills you like, and hang out with them whenever you can.
Plan your time
As we mentioned, time is limited in Persona 5, and the Royal update made it even harder to prioritise some tasks. You’ll need to work on your Confidant ranks, earn money, infiltrate Palaces, improve your skills, and turn up at school. It’s a lot to fit in, so you’ll do best by thinking about what you want and need to do each day. For instance, some Confidant hangouts are only available on certain weekdays, as are some jobs. Joker really needs to invest in a customisable calendar!
Target weaknesses
It goes without saying, but don’t forget to check what you’re fighting in the Metaverse. Each Shadow you come across will have different weaknesses, and some may be immune to certain types of attack.
Joker has a range of Personas at his disposal, but your team only has one elemental affinity. Check which of them can hit enemy weak spots, and make use of this.
click to enlarge + 4Don’t forget to use your gun
Unlike in Persona 5, Royal refills your bullets after each fight, instead of having one round of ammo per Palace. Like the elemental affinities, some Shadows are weak to gunfire. Every Phantom Thief has a gun weapon, and it is beneficial to use it in each battle, unless the enemy repels it. Plus, certain characters do extra damage, like Haru. Equip her with a good gun, and an accessory that will further buff the damage.
Do Maruki’s Confidant hangouts as soon as you can
Takuto Maruki is Shujin High School’s counsellor, added to Persona 5 Royal to try and help the student body. He is a Confidant, and we recommend you work on ranking him up as soon as you possibly can.
Maruki is critical to progressing the story, and players must get his Confidant to a high level in order to continue into the third semester. This isn’t really mentioned in the story, so make sure you remember to take him up on his hangout offers whenever they appear.
click to enlarge + 4Be studious for the sake of skills
Perhaps these things may not pique your interest, but they are not a waste of time. Every so often a customer will leave a paper on the table in Leblanc. Joker can do the crossword in it to gain a skill point. The same goes for paying attention in class: if you answer the teacher’s questions correctly, you’ll gain a knowledge skill point. This applies to exam time as well, so make sure you keep an eye on the subjects being taught.
If you keep a few books in your inventory you’ll be able to read on the way to school, which will also reward skill points when the book is finished. Make sure you go to the bookshops regularly. By the way, you see that shrivelled plant in Joker’s room? Water it when you can, and give it nutrients. It’ll give you kindness points!
Keep an eye on the weather
Tokyo isn’t immune to bad weather, even in Persona 5 Royal. There’ll be rainy days, snow, and heat waves in the summer. The weather affects things in the game, so watch the forecast to plan what you can get benefits from when there is inclement weather.
When it rains or is snowing, Mementos will spawn rarer enemies and treasure chests, and more items can appear as rewards. Studying when the weather is bad will improve your skills, as well.
Get out of the house
To begin with, Joker is essentially housebound thanks to Sojiro and Morgana not letting him leave, but as soon as you get any freedom, grasp it with both hands and explore the city. The Darts club added in Royal can really help to build relationships with your Confidants, and there are plenty of shops to buy healing items from.
We highly recommend doing a few things on particular days. There is a smoothie stand in Shibuya train station that only opens on Sundays and sells skill-boosting items. There’s a bathhouse in Yongen Jaya that will provide extra rewards if you visit on Monday and Thursday, too.
click to enlarge + 4Don’t neglect Mementos
The Mementos location got a makeover between Persona 5 and Royal, and now it isn’t nearly as boring to navigate. Not only is there new music, but there are new functionalities too, like Jose and his travelling shop. Flowers will spawn in Mementos, and when you’ve collected enough, you can buy healing items or skill cards from him.
Mementos is a great place to grind for money and materials, and to level up your party members. You can test skills there, try new Personas, and even challenge the Reaper if you find it. Beware though. It is really tough.
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