Persona 5 Royal Confidant Guide Max Rank Tips and Choices

Mastering the social scene in Tokyo is just as important as conquering the palaces. This Persona 5 Royal Confidant guide will discuss the strategies needed to maximize every relationship, unlock the True Ending, and gain the most powerful combat abilities available to the Phantom Thieves..

What Is Persona 5 Royal Confidant Guide

A persona 5 royal confidant represents a social bond between the protagonist and various characters throughout the city. These relationships are categorized by the Tarot Arcana. As you spend time with these individuals, your Rank increases from 1 to 10. 

Each Rank provides unique gameplay advantages, such as battle assistance, crafting help, or shop discounts. This guide serves as a roadmap to navigate these interactions efficiently while managing your limited calendar days.

Why Confidants Are Important

Building bonds is the heartbeat of your progression. Beyond the narrative depth and character backstories, Confidants provide mechanical boosts that make the game significantly easier.

• Persona Fusion Bonuses: When you fuse a Persona, it gains bonus experience based on your Rank with that specific Arcana. A Rank 10 bond can grant multiple level-ups instantly.
• Combat Support: Members of the Phantom Thieves unlock abilities like follow-up attacks, curing status ailments, or even taking a fatal blow for the protagonist.
• Time Management: Specific allies like Sadayo Kawakami allow you to perform activities during class or late at night when you would normally be forced to sleep.
• New Content: In the Royal version, specific bonds are mandatory to unlock the third semester and the true ending.

How to Unlock and Raise Confidants

Unlocking a persona 5 royal confidant usually involves a story event or meeting a specific social stat requirement. Once an alliance is formed, you must spend time with the person to gain points.

• Meet the Requirement: Some characters require high Guts, Kindness, or Knowledge to even speak with them.
• Spend Time: Check your map for a blue card icon that indicates a Confidant is available to hang out with.
• Use Matching Personas: Always carry a Persona of the same Arcana as the person you are meeting. This increases the points earned during dialogue by approximately fifty percent.
• Dialogue Choices: Selecting the right answers during conversations provides musical notes that represent progress toward the next Rank.

Best Confidants to Focus On First

While you can eventually max everyone out, some offer “game-changing” benefits that should be prioritized in the early months.

The Temperance Arcana : Sadayo Kawakami

Kawakami is arguably the best utility bond. At Rank 10, her Special Massage allows you to leave the house at night after exploring a Palace or Mementos. This effectively gives you dozens of extra time slots throughout the year.

The Fortune Arcana : Chihaya Mifune

Chihaya provides luck readings. Her abilities allow you to boost social stat gains or increase affinity with other characters without spending a time slot. This is essential for a 100 percent completion run.

The Councillor Arcana : Takuto Maruki

The maruki persona 5 royal confidant is the most important addition in the Royal version. You must reach Rank 9 with him before November 18 to unlock the Third Semester. His perks also increase your maximum SP, which is vital for long dungeon crawls.

The Priestess Arcana: Makoto Niijima

The makoto persona 5 royal confidant provides tactical advantages. High ranks with Makoto allow you to see enemy skills and resistances more clearly during battle, making her a staple for any combat-focused team.

Best Confidant Choices for Fast Rank Ups

To reach Rank 10 quickly, you must say exactly what the character wants to hear. Here is a table showing key characters and the mindset needed for their dialogue choices.

How to Max Rank Confidants Efficiently

Efficiency is the difference between finishing the game with five maxed bonds and finishing it with all of them. Use these strategies to stay ahead of the clock.

1. Prioritize the “Time Savers”: Max Kawakami and Chihaya as soon as possible. Their abilities create more time for everyone else.
2. Combine Activities: Go to the movies or eat at the diner with a friend. This raises both your social stats and your bond level at the same time.
3. The Shrine and Fortune Readings: If a character is not ready to rank up yet, do not spend a day with them. Instead, use Chihaya’s Affinity Reading or the Meiji Shrine at night to gain the points needed for the next level without passing time.
4. Group Texts: Occasionally, friends will invite you out via text. Answering these often gives a bonus multiplier to the affinity gained.

Confidant Rewards You Should Not Miss

Some rewards are so powerful that they change how you play the game.

• Hifumi Togo (Star): She allows you to swap party members mid-battle. This is crucial for high-level boss fights where elemental weaknesses change.
• Toranosuke Yoshida (Sun): He teaches you how to demand more money or rare items from shadows during negotiations.
• Shinya Oda (Tower): His “Gun About” techniques allow you to knock down enemies that have no elemental weaknesses.
• Sojiro Sakura (Hierophant): High-level coffee and curry restoration items are the only way to sustain SP during the late-game Palaces.

Romance and Relationship Guide

In Persona 5 Royal, you have the option to enter a romantic relationship with female Confidants. This usually happens at Rank 9.

• The Choice: The game will explicitly warn you when a dialogue choice will lead to a romantic path.
• Multiple Partners: You can romance multiple girls, but be warned that there are consequences during the Valentine’s Day event.
• Benefits: Spending Christmas Eve or other special events with a romantic partner grants unique items that carry over into New Game Plus.
• Makoto Niijima Romance: Many players choose the makoto persona 5 royal confidant path due to her strong presence in the main story and useful combat buffs.

Deadline Tips and Missable Confidants

Some characters have strict deadlines. If you do not reach a certain rank by a specific date, your story ends prematurely.

• Takuto Maruki: Reach Rank 9 by November 18. The final rank happens automatically. Missing these locks you out of the Royal content.
• Goro Akechi: Reach Rank 8 by November 17. This unlocks his upgraded Persona and specific story scenes.
• Kasumi Yoshizawa: Reach Rank 5 by December 22. Her bond cannot progress further until the Third Semester.
• Toranosuke Yoshida: He becomes unavailable after the elections in mid-November. Finish his bond early.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Neglecting Social Stats: You cannot finish Sojiro without high Kindness or Makoto without high Charm. Balance your stats early.
• Forgetting the Matching Persona: Never show up to a meeting without a Persona of the correct Arcana. You lose out on 33 percent extra points every time.
• Ignoring the Map: Frequently check the map for “UP!!” icons over locations. This tells you if a Confidant is ready to level up immediately.
• Wasting Days on Non-Rank Ups: If the game says “Your bond will not deepen yet,” find another way to get points like the fortune teller. Never waste a full afternoon on a few points.

Final Thoughts on Building the Best Confidant Strategy

The ultimate Persona 5 Royal confidant guide strategy is to balance your school life with your Phantom Thief duties. Focus on Maruki, Akechi, and Kasumi to ensure you see the full story. Use Kawakami and Chihaya to break the game’s time constraints. 

By being smart with your dialogue and always carrying the right Persona, you will find yourself with a maxed-out social circle and an unstoppable team of thieves. Take your time, plan your weeks, and remember that every conversation is a step toward greater power.