This guide aims to be the most comprehensive resource for Persona 5 Royal, offering detailed strategies and verified information. It acknowledges that some recommendations prioritize collecting Shelf Decorations like Balloons over Confidant maxing, which might lead to a stricter playthrough. If you are not concerned with these specific collectibles, you will have more flexibility in your schedule.
Guide Philosophy and Player Feedback
This guide is designed for a thorough playthrough, sometimes making choices that prioritize collecting all Shelf Decorations and other specific items. This approach can lead to a strict schedule, and some Confidants might not be maxed out in a single playthrough if you follow every step precisely. However, if you are less concerned with these specific collectibles or maxing out all video games and books, you will have more time and can make up for missed opportunities in a New Game+.
Player feedback has been crucial in refining the guide. For instance, issues with Confidant availability or stat increases have been addressed. If you encounter a situation where a Confidant is not available as expected, such as Sojiro not being available on 8/13, it might be due to a three-day waiting period after talking to his Shadow. Similarly, if your Charm stat is not level 5 by the 18th, preventing time with Makoto on the 20th, using Chihaya's Luck readings for Charm on the 15th and 18th can resolve this.
Dialogue choices can also impact Confidant progression. For example, during a specific interaction, choosing "Of course we are" (+2) or "Leave it to me" (+2) can provide affinity points, while "What's this about?" (+0) or "That's enough" (+0) will not. If you find yourself stuck, reloading a save file and trying different dialogue options or affinity readings might be necessary, as some players have reported success with this method.
Combat Strategies and Specific Encounters
For certain boss fights, a brute-force approach might be necessary. If you have Personas that resist Physical attacks, like Slime, they are highly recommended. Buying items that cure Fear is also crucial, as it can be a significant problem if not addressed quickly. While Lucky Punch can be damaging, the fight is manageable if you can work around it. There are no Ice attacks, so Ann will not be knocked down in this particular encounter.
Request Availability
Details about people impersonating the Phantom Thieves through burglary will be heard in early June, but the associated Request will not be available until 6/18, when Yusuke confirms the details.
Confidant Verification
The guide has re-verified that if you are at Rank 3 for the Hierophant Confidant, a specific scene will show up as it is the entire part of the Rank 3 scene.