Persona 5 Strikers

Universal Gameplay Mechanics:

In Persona 5 Strikers, combat is real-time action-based, unlike the turn-based style of Persona 5. Enemies will attack in groups, and you fight back with combos and skills. The Square/Y button is used for normal attacks, allowing you to execute combos by repeatedly pressing it. The Triangle/X (switch) button activates a character's Special. Using the Special at the end of an attack sequence can trigger a different combo or a Persona skill, depending on the character and combo. Every character can summon their Persona to use skills during battle, which pauses time while the button (R1/R) is held. All characters have a gun that fires a fixed number of bullets, which restock at the end of each battle. The number of bullets and firing style vary per gun. To aim and fire, hold L1/L and press R1/R. As characters level up from 1 to 99, their stats increase, and the Persona abilities used in their combos evolve (e.g., Ryuji's Zio may change to Zionga, then Ziodyne). Using a character unlocks their Master Arts, which are new skills or improvements to existing movesets, unlocked simply by playing as them. All characters can perform an aerial combo while airborne, which can transition into a Persona ability attack.

Character Personas and Stats:

Each character has a different move set and unique mechanics affecting their skills and combos. Personas determine the skills a character can use in combat, including both Persona spells and combo abilities. Persona skills used in combos cost 0 SP, making them valuable for versatility in battle. Personas also influence a character's affinity. A character's stats are determined by their Persona's stats:

• Strength (St): Affects damage from physical skills and regular/combo attacks.
• Magic (Ma): Affects damage from magical skills and Persona abilities used during combos.
• Endurance (En): Determines defense.
• Agility (Ag): Influences auto-evade rate and Critical Rate.
• Luck (Lu): Affects crit evasion rate and Ailment rates.

This section focuses on information not explicitly detailed in the game's tutorials. Persona skill lists for each character (excluding Joker) are provided, but specific stat numbers are omitted as stats can be increased beyond leveling up.

Joker Gameplay:

Joker is the main character and cannot be removed from the party. He is an all-rounder with an emphasis on speed. His basic and special combo attacks often work with knife attacks. Joker's unique versatility comes from his ability to switch between Personas in his stock. When he switches, the Persona ability used in certain combos changes to reflect the currently equipped Persona, determined by the Persona itself, not its learned skills. This allows Joker to instantly change affinities and integrate different elemental attacks into his combos. Joker's gun is a normal Handgun with decent strength despite a low bullet count. His Special involves instantly firing a bullet at a nearby target. Joker excels at crowd control even with just his normal combos, and even more so with his Personas.

Joker Basic Combos:

• Attack button x 6: A fast and strong standard knife slashing combo, good for clearing swarming enemies and avoiding hits, but less effective against bosses.
• Attack + Special: An upward slash meant to transition directly into an aerial combo. Best used against single enemies like bosses when an opening is available. By mashing the attack button and including the Special towards the end of the input sequence, you can trigger a Persona skill attack or gun attack.
• Attack x 2 + Special: Transitions into a Critical stab.

Note on Joker's Personas: Joker is an exception to the standard Persona leveling. His Persona level is not the same as his character level and does not typically increase naturally. Joker's Personas primarily improve through fusion and other methods detailed in the Persona section.

Question: Do I need Persona 5 or Persona 5 Royal for this game?

You absolutely need Persona 5 for the story of Persona 5 Strikers. While Persona 5 Royal's content is canon and worth experiencing, you can play Persona 5 Strikers without it, as the games were developed concurrently and do not spoil each other.

Question: Is this game as tiresome as other musou games?

Persona 5 Strikers leans more into its Persona roots than its musou elements. Playing similarly to Persona 5 or Persona 5 Royal, minus the turn-based combat, will help you progress.

Question: What difficulty should I go with and are there any achievements/trophies tied to them?

If you are not proficient with action games, start with Normal difficulty. However, Hard difficulty is not very challenging in this game. You will likely struggle a bit at the start as you adapt to the gameplay, regardless of the difficulty chosen. There are no difficulty-related trophies per se. After completing the post-game, you will unlock Merciless difficulty. Starting a run in Merciless difficulty will grant you a trophy. You will also need to play on Merciless to earn enough Bond EXP for another trophy.

Question: Are there consequences when leaving a Jail from a checkpoint (an auto-save point you restart from on death)?

No, there are no consequences when leaving a Jail from a (safe point) checkpoint. The only effect is that enemies you defeated will respawn (be brought back to life at a checkpoint after death) when you re-enter the Jail. Use checkpoints to leave and restock on supplies as needed. This is do-or-die for maintaining SP (Skill Points) throughout your exploration of a Jail. You lose nothing by using them and gain nothing by not using them. Using checkpoints is also how stock in shops in the real world will restock.

Question: How do I beat this boss, they're too tough?

Refer to the Battle Tips section for detailed strategies. Generally, learn the boss's movements, dodge effectively, and exploit their weaknesses and technicals. Most importantly, maintain and prepare a stock of healing and SP items.

Question: What bond skills should I focus on? Is Oracle Recovery good?

Do not focus on Oracle Recovery early on. Even at its maximum level, which requires a significant amount of points, it only restores 6 SP after battle. Instead, concentrate on the Bond skills in the bottom two rows, Joker's Wild, and other skills that unlock as you progress. Consult the Bond section for details on skill costs.

Question: Is there romance in this game?

There are no significant romance options. Some implied and optional scenes occur at two points in the game, but unlike the Confidants in Persona 5, these are not concrete or meaningful relationships.

Question: Can I load a Mastered file without entering NG+?

Yes, you can load a completed save file without starting New Game Plus. Simply choose not to start NG+ when prompted.

For questions not listed here, there is a high probability they are answered in another section of the guide. Please check the table of contents.