The Persona series masterfully blends dungeon crawling with social simulation, and Persona 5 and Persona 5 Royal are shining examples of this. Central to this experience are Confidants, the individuals you befriend and whose stories you become intertwined with. This Persona 5 Confidant Guide provides a comprehensive overview to help you navigate these crucial relationships effectively.
Deepening your bonds with Confidants in Tokyo unlocks unique perspectives and powerful gameplay advantages. Understanding how to interact with each Confidant, choosing the right dialogue options, and knowing when to present gifts are key to maximizing these relationships. Some Confidants even offer the option for romance, adding another layer of depth to your connections.
Each Confidant relationship unlocks unique abilities as you strengthen your bond. These perks range from shop discounts and combat bonuses to entirely unique skills tailored to each character. Furthermore, building Confidant ranks grants bonus EXP when fusing Personas of the corresponding Arcana. Crucially, certain Confidants are essential for unlocking additional game content and accessing the true ending in Persona 5 Royal. In essence, Confidants are not just enriching narrative threads; they are vital to your success as a Phantom Thief.
While the core Confidant system remains in Persona 5 Royal, some dialogue choices and even entire Confidants are exclusive to the enhanced version. Rest assured, this guide is designed to be definitive, covering all Confidant Cooperations in both Persona 5 and Persona 5 Royal.
Proceed with caution, Phantom Thieves! Minor spoilers regarding Confidant identities lie ahead.
Persona 5 & Persona 5 Royal Confidant Cooperation: Choices and Ranking
Time management is a core mechanic inherited from previous Persona titles and remains crucial in Persona 5. Your in-game days are finite, and each day allows for only a limited number of actions. Strategic time allocation is essential, and Confidant Cooperations are a significant time investment. With 21 Confidants to befriend, optimizing your interactions is key. This comprehensive Persona 5 Royal confidant guide is designed to help you minimize the in-game time spent on Cooperations, freeing up your schedule for other activities.
By making optimal conversation choices during Confidant hangouts, you can accelerate your relationship progression, saving valuable in-game days and actions. If you prefer not to rely on guesswork, this guide provides the answers you need to maximize your Confidant ranks efficiently.
To assist you in prioritizing your Confidant interactions and understanding the most beneficial abilities, we offer advice beyond just a list of Confidants. We recommend focusing on Confidants to prioritize due to time limits and identifying the best Confidants and their abilities. For gift-giving strategies, while suggestions are included on individual Confidant pages, a dedicated Persona 5 Royal gift guide offers further insights.
Ann (Lovers) Confidant Guide
This guide provides everything you need to maximize your Confidant rank with Ann as quickly as possible. It also includes instructions for romancing Ann if she is your chosen romantic partner.
Ryuji (Chariot) Confidant Guide
Ryuji is your steadfast ally throughout much of Persona 5. Strengthening your bond with him unlocks valuable skills and combat options, particularly useful for a tank-like character. This guide reveals the optimal conversation choices to enhance your relationship with Ryuji.
Makoto (Priestess) Confidant Guide
The linked guide offers comprehensive information on how to impress or romance Makoto, along with details on the skills and upgrades you gain as you deepen your bond with her during the game.
Yusuke (Emperor) Confidant Guide
Yusuke is a refined artist, yet a formidable swordsman when he dons his Phantom Thief mask. Once you establish a Confidant link with Yusuke, use this guide to efficiently navigate your relationship and unlock his potential.
Futaba (Hermit) Confidant Guide
Futaba, befitting the Hermit Arcana, is most comfortable with computers. However, she will venture out with you as your bond deepens, and she can become a romance option. This guide reveals the best conversation choices to foster your relationship with Futaba.
Haru (Empress) Confidant Guide
Haru, despite her celebrity status, joins the Phantom Thieves anonymously. Building a Confidant relationship with Haru allows you to explore a deeper connection, potentially leading to romance. This guide details the most effective dialogue choices to achieve this.
Kasumi (Faith) Confidant Guide – Persona 5 Royal Only
Kasumi is a significant new addition in Persona 5 Royal, offering a unique Confidant relationship. This guide covers her storyline, romance options, and crucial time limits you need to be aware of to maximize your bond with her.
Goro Akechi (Justice) Confidant Guide – Persona 5 Royal Focused
In Persona 5, Akechi’s Confidant rank progresses with the main story. Persona 5 Royal expands his Confidant with player choices and consequences, making it essential for reaching the true ending. This guide helps you navigate Akechi’s Confidant path in Royal.
Strength Fusing Solutions: Fusion Guide for Caroline & Justine (Strength) Confidant
The Twin Wardens, Caroline and Justine, are your Velvet Room wardens, but you can still build a unique relationship with them. Ranking up their Confidant involves solving Persona fusion puzzles. This guide provides all the fusion solutions to progress quickly.
Sadayo Kawakami (Temperance) Confidant Guide
In the world of Phantom Thieves, some taboos become less significant, including a relationship with your teacher. This guide details how to maximize your Confidant relationship with Sadayo Kawakami and pursue a romance if desired. Be mindful of time limits associated with this Confidant, outlined in the guide.
Tae Takemi (Death) Confidant Guide
If you prefer doctors, Tae Takemi is the Confidant for you. Building a relationship with Tae unlocks access to better medicines and discounts at her clinic, making her a valuable Confidant to prioritize. This guide helps you level up her Confidant quickly.
Ichiko Ohya (Devil) Confidant Guide
Ichiko Ohya, a journalist with a drinking habit, represents the Devil Arcana. While her character might raise eyebrows, her Confidant abilities can be useful. Use this guide to quickly build your relationship with Ohya and level up the Devil Arcana.
Shinya Oda (Tower) Confidant Guide
Shinya Oda, the youngest Confidant, frequents the arcade. Beyond his gaming skills, Shinya offers valuable upgrades related to gun combat. This guide explains how to quickly advance your Confidant relationship with Shinya and unlock his abilities.
Sojiro Sakura (Hierophant) Confidant Guide
Sojiro Sakura, your guardian, may seem strict initially, but a deeper relationship reveals his softer side. This guide provides the correct dialogue choices to quickly advance Sojiro’s Confidant Cooperation and explains its connection to Futaba’s storyline.
Hifumi Togo (Star) Confidant Guide
Hifumi Togo, initially planned as a Phantom Thief, is a Shogi prodigy and classmate. Building a Confidant relationship with Hifumi unlocks tactical combat abilities, and she is also a romance option. This guide reveals the best choices to impress this chess enthusiast.
Toranosuke Yoshida (Sun) Confidant Guide
Despite being Phantom Thieves, Joker and his group can befriend a politician. Yoshida, a rare honest politician, offers a Confidant storyline with valuable rewards. Be aware of the strict deadline for this Confidant, detailed in the guide.
Chihaya Mifune (Fortune) Confidant Guide
Chihaya Mifune is a fortune teller whose life you can impact through her Confidant story. Starting her Confidant requires 100,000 Yen, but it unlocks useful bonuses and eventually refunds your investment. Romance is also an option. Find all the details in her guide.
Iwai Munehisa (Hanged Man) Confidant Guide
Iwai, the owner of a back-street airsoft gun shop, is already a valuable resource. Becoming his Confidant unlocks weapon customization benefits. This guide explains how to quickly level up your relationship with Iwai.
Yuuki Mishima (Moon) Confidant Guide
Mishima’s Confidant progression is unique, linked to Mementos side quest completion. This guide outlines the key principles, upgrades, and important moments in Mishima’s Confidant storyline.
Takuto Maruki Confidant Guide – Persona 5 Royal Only
Takuto Maruki, the school counselor, is a new Confidant in Persona 5 Royal and crucial for unlocking the new endings. This guide helps you navigate his time-sensitive Confidant and make the right choices.
Cooperation Guides: Fool, Magician & Judgement – Igor, Morgana & Sae
Several Confidant relationships in Persona 5 and Persona 5 Royal, including Igor, Morgana, and Sae, automatically rank up as you progress through the main story. This guide groups these automatic Confidants, outlining their progression dates and unlocked abilities.
Confidant Relationships to Prioritize
While you can pursue Confidant relationships in any order based on personal preference, some offer more immediate benefits or have time constraints, making them advisable to prioritize. Here are key Confidants to focus on early:
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Sun (Yoshida): The Sun Confidant has a strict deadline, becoming unavailable after mid-November. Yoshida’s abilities significantly enhance Shadow Negotiation, making dungeon exploration and Persona recruitment much easier. Prioritize the Sun Confidant to streamline your early to mid-game progression.
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Temperance (Kawakami): Kawakami’s Temperance Confidant provides invaluable time-saving abilities. Unlocking higher ranks allows you to slack off in class, use your evenings more freely, and access services like laundry and coffee brewing. The “Special Massage” at max rank is a significant time-saver. Like the Sun Confidant, Temperance also has a mid-November deadline.
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Moon (Mishima): Mishima’s Moon Confidant offers substantial EXP bonuses. For a period in November, Mishima becomes temporarily unavailable, making early progression beneficial. His abilities boost EXP gain for both active and reserve party members, accelerating your overall leveling and Persona growth.
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Fortune (Chihaya): Chihaya’s Fortune Confidant is strategically important for optimizing other Confidant relationships. While available consistently on her set nights, maxing her Confidant early unlocks abilities to boost relationship growth with other Confidants, effectively speeding up your progress across all social links. This makes Fortune a powerful early investment.
The Best Confidants & Confidant Abilities in Persona 5
While all Confidant relationships offer unique narratives and benefits, some provide abilities that are significantly more impactful on gameplay. Here are five top-tier Confidants whose abilities you should aim to unlock as early as possible:
Death (XIII) – Tae Takemi
Back-alley doctor Tae Takemi provides arguably the most consistently useful set of abilities in Persona 5. As you strengthen your Confidant bond with Tae, she gradually unlocks a wider range of healing items in her clinic, culminating in significant discounts around the mid-point of your relationship. Access to Tae’s high-quality, discounted medical supplies dramatically eases dungeon navigation and resource management, especially in the early to mid-game.
For detailed guidance on romancing Tae and maximizing the Death Confidant, consult our dedicated Death Arcana guide.
Moon (XVIII) – Yuuki Mishima
Yuuki Mishima’s Confidant link is unavoidable, but his unlocked abilities are among the most powerful for long-term character progression. Mishima’s Confidant abilities grant EXP to reserve party members, ensuring your entire team levels up even when not actively participating in battles. Furthermore, he boosts overall EXP gain in battles, accelerating your leveling speed and allowing you to tackle tougher challenges sooner. Mishima’s consistent EXP boosts are invaluable throughout the entire game.
Our comprehensive Moon Arcana guide details how to quickly rank up Mishima’s Confidant and choose dialogue options that maximize your relationship.
Sun (XIX) – Toranosuke Yoshida
Politician Toranosuke Yoshida’s Sun Confidant abilities directly increase your rewards from dungeon exploration and combat. As your relationship with Yoshida progresses, his abilities enhance your demon negotiation skills, increasing loot drops, making Persona recruitment easier, and even providing chances for rarer item drops from enemies. Yoshida’s abilities directly translate to greater in-game wealth and resources, streamlining Persona collection and item acquisition, especially when farming for specific items or Personas.
Refer to our dedicated Sun Arcana guide for information on finding Yoshida and maximizing your Sun Confidant progression.
Star (XVII) – Hifumi Togo
Hifumi Togo, the Shogi prodigy, provides tactical combat enhancements through her Star Confidant abilities. Ranking up the Star Confidant unlocks a series of strategic combat skills, culminating in the invaluable ability to swap party members mid-battle when in danger and, later, on the fly at any time. This tactical flexibility significantly enhances your combat options, allowing for strategic party adjustments to overcome diverse enemy types and challenging encounters. Hifumi’s abilities are particularly useful in later stages of the game when facing tougher enemies and more complex battles.
Hifumi becomes available a few months into the game. Our Star Arcana guide provides details on meeting Hifumi and optimal conversation choices to rapidly increase her Confidant rank.
Temperance (XIV) – Sadayo Kawakami
Sadayo Kawakami’s Temperance Confidant is a consistently strong choice due to its focus on time management and efficiency. Beyond allowing you to slack off in class and utilize school time more effectively, Kawakami’s abilities unlock services that free up your valuable after-school time. Her services, including laundry and coffee brewing, allow you to pursue other activities, such as Confidant meetings or stat-raising activities, maximizing your limited in-game days. Kawakami’s time-saving benefits are crucial for efficiently managing your schedule and maximizing your progress throughout Persona 5.
While the story guides you towards Kawakami’s Confidant, it doesn’t automatically initiate it. Our Temperance Arcana guide provides instructions on starting and quickly leveling up the Temperance Confidant.
