Persona 5 Royal is Atlus's definitive edition of their acclaimed JRPG, adding a new third semester, a new party member in Kasumi Yoshizawa, a new confidant in Takuto Maruki, and the Thieves' Den. The game blends dungeon-crawling turn-based combat with a social simulation where you manage your time between school, part-time jobs, building relationships, and infiltrating the cognitive Palaces of corrupt adults. With over 100 hours of content, the fusion system's depth lets you create Personas with custom skill loadouts. Royal's quality-of-life improvements including grappling hooks in Palaces and the revamped Baton Pass system make it the definitive way to experience the Phantom Thieves' story.
New to the game? Start with our beginner's guide first.
Quick Rankings
| Build | Tier | Playstyle | Core Gear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joker (Wild Card) | S | Swiss-army knife who exploits every weakness and adapts to any situation. | Paradise Lost R, Nataraja, Omnipotent Orb, Ring of Greed |
| Ryuji (Chariot) | A | Heavy physical attacker who charges up and delivers devastating single hits. | Mjolnir R, Megaton Raid Belt, Strength equipment |
| Ann (Lovers) | A | Magic DPS who Concentrates then nukes with amplified fire spells. | Naraka Whip R, Mastery equipment, Magic boosters |
| Makoto (Priestess) | S | Support hybrid who heals, buffs, and deals nuclear damage. | Governor of Egeria R, SP recovery accessories, Defense equipment |
| Akechi (Justice) | S | Almighty damage dealer who debilitates enemies and nukes with Loki. | Tyrant Pistol R, Rebellion equipment, Almighty boosters |
For detailed meta rankings, see our Persona 5 Royal tier list.
S-Tier: Joker (Wild Card)
Joker can equip any Persona and switch mid-battle, giving him unmatched flexibility. Build multiple Personas covering all elements and one with Almighty skills like Megidolaon. Satanael with Victory Cry and Almighty Boost is the ultimate endgame Persona.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Stat Priority | Magic > Agility > Endurance | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | calendar system | The game spans April to March on a fixed calendar. |
How to Play Joker (Wild Card)
Swiss-army knife who exploits every weakness and adapts to any situation.
-
Highest overall performance
-
Clear stat priority (Magic > Agility > Endurance) makes gearing straightforward
-
Works in all content types
-
Popular pick, resources may be contested
-
Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Ryuji (Chariot)
Physical damage powerhouse with the highest base attack stat. God's Hand and Agneyastra are his best skills. Charge doubles his next physical attack. Slower than other party members but hits like a truck.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Stat Priority | Strength > Endurance > HP | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | persona fusion | Joker can hold multiple Personas and fuse them in the Velvet Room to create stronger ones. |
How to Play Ryuji (Chariot)
Heavy physical attacker who charges up and delivers devastating single hits.
-
Most versatile option
-
Clear stat priority (Strength > Endurance > HP) makes gearing straightforward
-
Works in all content types
-
Lower peak damage than S-tier
-
Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Ann (Lovers)
The party's best magical DPS with Blazing Hell and Concentrate doubling magic damage. Also learns Salvation for full-party healing at high levels. Fire focus means she dominates ice-weak enemies.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Stat Priority | Magic > SP > Agility | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | palace infiltration | Each story arc involves infiltrating a Palace (cognitive dungeon) and stealing the ruler's treasure. |
How to Play Ann (Lovers)
Magic DPS who Concentrates then nukes with amplified fire spells.
-
Best survivability
-
Clear stat priority (Magic > SP > Agility) makes gearing straightforward
-
Works in all content types
-
Slower clear speeds
-
Needs specific gear to reach full potential
S-Tier: Makoto (Priestess)
The most versatile party member with Nuclear magic, party healing via Mediarahan, and support skills. Mafreidyne hits all enemies and has technical damage pairing with status effects. She's in most optimal party compositions.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Stat Priority | Magic > Endurance > SP | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | social links (confidants) | Building bonds with 21+ characters across arcana types unlocks combat bonuses, fusion bonuses, and story content. |
How to Play Makoto (Priestess)
Support hybrid who heals, buffs, and deals nuclear damage.
-
Strong in group/team content
-
Clear stat priority (Magic > Endurance > SP) makes gearing straightforward
-
Excels in its niche
-
Weaker solo performance
-
Requires deep game knowledge
S-Tier: Akechi (Justice)
Royal's third semester makes Akechi available with his true power: Loki with Laevateinn (severe Almighty + debilitate). His unique skills Rebellion Blade and Megidolaon give him absurd damage output. The strongest DPS party member in Royal's endgame.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Stat Priority | Magic > Strength > Agility | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | baton pass | When you hit an enemy weakness or land a critical hit, you knock them down and can Baton Pass to a teammate, increasing their damage by 25/50/75% with each successive pass. |
How to Play Akechi (Justice)
Almighty damage dealer who debilitates enemies and nukes with Loki.
-
Unique, rewarding playstyle
-
Clear stat priority (Magic > Strength > Agility) makes gearing straightforward
-
Excels in its niche
-
High skill floor, punishing when misplayed
-
Requires deep game knowledge
Build Progression Path
- Start with Ryuji (Chariot): the most forgiving option for learning the game
- Transition to Joker (Wild Card) once you understand core mechanics and have access to Paradise Lost (Joker)
- Keep a Ann (Lovers) setup for content that keeps killing you
- Try Akechi (Justice) for a fresh experience once you've mastered the basics
Follow our walkthrough for the optimal progression path through each area.
Gearing Tips
- Invest in your primary equipment first, since it gives the biggest power spike. See our weapons guide for rankings.
- Max Kawakami (Temperance) ASAP. Her rank 10 ability lets you go out at night even after infiltrating a Palace, effectively doubling your free time
- SP Adhesive 3 from Takemi (Death rank 7) regenerates 7 SP per turn in battle, making single-day Palace clears trivial
- Don't spread upgrade resources across multiple builds until endgame
Similar Games
If you enjoy Persona 5 Royal, check out these related guides:
- Elden Ring Builds: rpg game with similar mechanics
- Baldur's Gate 3 Builds: rpg game with similar mechanics
- Cyberpunk 2077 Builds: rpg game with similar mechanics
