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The best weapons in Persona 5 Royal and where to find them

Persona 5 Royal is the bigger, badder version of Persona 5fit with new party members, a new dungeon mechanic, and a whole new semester at Shujin Academy. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that there are new weapons, too, many of which are the best weapons in Persona 5 Royal. In this guide, we’ll show you how to track down the ultimate weapons for Joker, Ryu, Morgana, and everyone else you meet along the way.

Although the best weapons in Persona 5 are basically the same in Persona 5 Royal, the Royal versions have slightly better stats. We’re covering Royal here, but the general method for acquiring the top weapons should be the same across versions.

Finally, a minor spoiler warning. We won’t talk about plot points in any detail, but simply knowing who will eventually join the Phantom Thieves is, in its own way, a spoiler. We’ll be talking about the ultimate weapons for each character, so keep that in mind.

Further reading

Unlocking the best weapons: Use the electric chair

Atlus

Before unlocking the best weapons in Persona 5 Royal, you need access to the electric chair. This unlocks on August 1 in the Velvet Room in Persona 5 and after the Museum Palace in Persona 5 Royal, and you can only use it once per day. With it, you can execute a persona, fusing it with a base material to create a unique item or skill card. Although you’ll use the electric chair to create the best weapons in the game, you won’t have the necessary personas to do so until fairly late into the game (Joker’s even requires a New Game+ run).

Between Persona 5 and Royal, the process and combination of items is the same to craft each character’s best weapon (though the stats are slightly different). However, Persona 5 Royal introduces Fusion Alarms into the mix. When you itemize or execute a persona while a Fusion Alarm is active, you’ll earn items with increased stats in some form or another. In order to get the ultimate weapons for each character, you’ll need to trigger a Fusion Alert, then go and craft the necessary item.

Thankfully, it’s not too tough to trigger a Fusion Alert. You’ll unlock the ability to trigger them after securing the treasure route in the Bank Palace. From there, any battle has the chance of triggering a Fusion Alert. You’ll know you’ve triggered one when you see a red door leading to the Velvet Room after battle. If you want to speed up the process, find Chihaya Mifune in Skinjuku. For a fee, you can pay her to trigger a Fusion Alert as long as you’ve reached her ninth Confidant rank (read our Persona 5 Confidant guide to learn how to do that).

Be careful, though. Not all Fusion Alerts are the same. A normal one is what you’re looking for. When active, sacrificing a persona in the electric chair will create the same item as normal, just with higher stats. There are also Fusion Alert Accidents that can happen, which create a random item, and Fusion Alert Yellow Accidents, which create a random skill card based on your current resistances.

That’s a lot to remember, so if you’re new to fusion, make sure to bookmark our Persona 5 fusion guide.

In addition to the persona for each electric chair execution, you’ll also need an item. For melee weapons, you’ll need Black Kogatana, and for ranged weapons, a Model Gun. You’ll pick up a few of both during a normal playthrough as long as you stop at vendors and occasionally pop into Mementos. To get more, keep an eye on thrift stores, the black market, and palace chests. Otherwise, you’ll need to grind in Mementos to find them.

Joker

Atlus
  • Best melee weapon: Paradise Lost/Paradise Lost R
    • How to obtain: Satanael + Black Kogatana
  • Best ranged weapon: Tyrant Pistol/Tyrant Pistol R
    • How to obtain: Lucifer + Model Gun

For Joker’s Paradise Lost, you’ll need to unlock Satanael, Joker’s ultimate persona. It will unlock upon completing the game and unlocking New Game+. A normal itemization will result in Paradise Lost, which has an attack of 325 and accuracy of 92. Under a Fusion Alert, you’ll get Paradise Lost R, which boosts the attack to 340 and the accuracy to 98. Both items highly reduce Curse damage.

Unfortunately, the best ranged weapon isn’t any easier. You’ll need Lucifer, which can only be summoned in the Star Arcana after level 93. The standard Tyrant Pistol has an attack of 350 and an accuracy of 85, while buffing your Magic by +10. Tyrant Pistol R is a little beefier all around, with an attack of 370, accuracy of 85, and +15 boost to Magic.

Ryuji

Atlus
  • Best melee weapon: Mjolnir/Imprisoned Mjolnir
    • How to obtain: Thor + Black Kogatana
  • Best ranged weapon: Megido Fire/Megido Blaster
    • How to obtain: Shiva + Model Gun

Ryuji’s best weapon is a little easier to obtain. You’ll need Thor, which you’ll unlock after reaching level 64 in the Chariot Arcana. Unsurprisingly, you’ll be crafting Mjolnir with Thor. It has an attack of 280, accuracy of 88, and, of course, an Electric status effect. Imprisoned Mjolnir is the same, outside of a boosted attack at 324.

For the ranged weapon, you’ll need Shiva, which unlocks at level 82 in the Judgement Arcana. Megido Fire, which happens during a normal itemization, has an attack of 350 and accuracy of 3, plus a high chance of inflicting Burn. Like Imprisoned Mjolnir, Megido Buster is the same as Fire, outside an increased attack at 380.

Morgana

Atlus
  • Best melee weapon: Claíomh Solais/Claíomh Solais R
    • How to obtain: Mother Harlot + Black Kogatana
  • Best ranged weapon: Sudarshana/Sudarshana R
    • How to obtain: Vishnu + Model Gun

Morgana is the first character that requires a different persona for their best ranged weapon in Royal than in the base game. The melee weapon is the same, though. You’ll need the Mother Harlot persona, which unlocks after reaching level 85 in the Empress Arcana. Claíomh Solais has an attack of 315, accuracy of 90, and boosts your SP by 50. Claíomh Solais R is the same, just with a 330 attack.

Sudarshana requires Vishnu, which is different than the base game. In standard Persona 5, you’d craft Sudarshana with Kohryu. If you’ve already unlocked Satanael, you’ll have Vishnu. It unlocks at level 83 in the Fool Arcana. In its standard form, Sudarshana has an attack of 315 and an accuracy of 90, with a medium chance of inflicting the Dizzy status ailment. Sudarshana R boosts the attack to 330 and has a high chance of inflicting Dizzy.

Ann

Atlus
  • Best melee weapon: Naraka Whip/Dainaraka Whip
    • How to obtain: Black Frost + Black Kogatana
  • Best ranged weapon: Wild Hunt/Gungnir
    • How to obtain: Odin + Model Gun

Ann’s best melee weapon is a given if you’ve already acquired Satanael. You’ll need Black Frost, which unlocks at level 67 in the Fool Arcana. The Naraka Whip has an accuracy of 90 and attack power of 280. It has a high chance to Freeze the enemy, too. Likewise, Dainaraka Whip has an attack of 320, accuracy of 90, and a high chance to inflict Freeze.

Unlocking Wild Hunt or Gungnir is a little tougher. You’ll need to reach level 84 to unlock Odin in the Emperor Arcana. Wild Hunt has an attack of 320 and Gungnir has an attack of 340. Both weapons have an accuracy of 90 and a medium chance of inflicting Despair.

Yusuke

Atlus
  • Best melee weapon: Usumidori/ Usumidori R
    • How to obtain: Yoshitsune + Black Kogatana
  • Best ranged weapon: Heaven’s Gate/Providence
    • How to obtain: Uriel + Model Gun

Yusuke’s best melee weapon is great to have around, as both the normal and Fusion Alert version have a high chance of inflicting Fear. You’ll need the Yoshitsune persona, which unlocks at level 87 in the Tower Arcana. Usumidori is powerful outside of inflicting fear. The base version has an attack of 324 and accuracy of 88, while the Fusion Alert version maintains the accuracy while bumping the attack to 340.

The same can’t be said for Yusuke’s best ranged weapon, which sees a significant downgrade in Royal. You’ll need Uriel, which unlocks at level 81 in the Justice Arcana. The damage has been downgraded from 378 to 330 for Heaven’s Gate in Royal, and the accuracy from 88 to 75. You still get the +10 boost to Agility, though, and the Fusion Alert version bumps up the damage to 350.

Makoto

Atlus
  • Best melee weapon: Sabazios/Gorodias
    • How to obtain: Cybele + Black Kogatana
  • Best ranged weapon: Judge of Hell/Judge of Hell R
    • How to obtain: Michael + Model Gun

Makoto’s best melee weapon is decent, but the ranged weapon is a powerhouse. Starting with the melee weapon, you’ll need Cybele, which unlock at level 83 in the Priestess Arcana. Both Sabazios and Gorodias significantly boost Makoto’s critical hit chance and have an accuracy of 90. The only difference between them is attack power. Sabazios has an attack of 315, while Gorodias has an attack of 330.

Judge of Hell, Makoto’s best ranged weapon, is nuts. The standard version gives a +10 boost to all stats, while the Fusion Alert version adds an additional point. You’ll need Michael to unlock either, which comes after Shiva in the Judgement Arcana at level 87. Both weapons have an accuracy of 75, with the standard version featuring an attack of 340 and the Fusion Alert version an attack of 360.

Haru

Atlus
  • Best melee weapon: Fleurs du Mal/Fleurs du Mal R
    • How to obtain: Beelzebub + Black Kogatana
  • Best ranged weapon: Yagrush/Yagrush EX
    • How to obtain: Baal + Model Gun

Break out a Bible, because you’ll need some demonic entities for Haru’s best weapons. Fleurs du Mal requires Beelzebub, which unlocks at level 87 in the Devil Arcana. The weapon offers a +5 boost to Magic in its base form and +6 boost in its Fusion Alert form. Both versions have a high chance of inflicting Dizzy and come with accuracy of 86. Otherwise, the difference is in attack power. Fleurs du Mal has an attack of 325, while Fleurs du Mal R has an attack of 345.

Yagrush is the only ranged weapon that sees a damage boost in Royal (though the accuracy is still downgraded). You’ll need Baal, which comes before Odin at level 82 in the Emperor Arcana. Both Yagrush and Yagrush EX are single-shot weapons that deal 345 and 360 damage, respectively. Outside of damage, the two are the same, with an accuracy of 70 and a medium chance to inflict Shock.

Akechi

Atlus
  • Best melee weapon: Hinokagutsuchi/Hinokagutsuchi II
    • How to obtain: Futsunushi + Black Kogatana
  • Best ranged weapon: Doomsday/Ancient Day
    • How to obtain: Vohu Manah + Model Gun

Goro Akechi is the first character with Royal exclusive weapons, so if you’re playing the base game, you’re out of luck. Hinokagutsuchi is unlocked with Futsunushi, which becomes available at level 86 in the Magician Arcana. The base form as an attack of 350, accuracy of 90, and medium chance to inflict Burn. The Fusion Alert version is mostly the same, just with an attack of 360 and high chance to inflict Burn.

Akechi’s best ranged weapon is where it’s at, though. Doomsday provides a +5 boost to all stats, while Ancient Day offers a +6 boost. You’ll need to reach level 80 to unlock Vohu Manah in the Councillor Arcana — one of the new ones from Royal. Once you do, you can craft Doomsday or Ancient Day. The two weapons have the same accuracy at 85, though different attack stats. Doomsday has an attack of 330 and Ancient Day has an attack of 350.

Kasumi

Atlus
  • Best melee weapon: Sword of Sinai/Sword of Sinai II
    • How to obtain: Sandalphon + Black Kogatana
  • Best ranged weapon: Sahasrara/Sahasrara II
    • How to obtain: Ardha + Model Gun

Kasumi is a newbie character in Royal, and even though you’ll meet her at the beginning of the story, you won’t be able to hire her until later on. Her most useful melee weapon comes from killing Sandalphon, which you’ll unlock at level 75 in the Moon Arcana. It’s reasonably powerful by end-game criteria, with an attack of 345 in the base version and 365 in the Fusion Alert version. Both versions have an accuracy of 95. However, they differ in their chancing of inflicting Dizzy. Sword of Sinai has a medium-level risk, while Sword of Sinai II has a much greater risk.

Her best-ranged weapon is Sahasrara, which, similar to Doomsday, offers a +5 enhancement to all statistics (+6 in the Fusion Alert variant). Contrarily, the two weapons have an accuracy of 90 and an attack of 320 and 345. However, these levels depend heavily on the specific version being used. You’ll definitely require Ardha, which comes into play thanks to Temperance Arcana. To obtain Ardha, you’ll have to first get to level 84.

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Jacob Roach
Senior Staff Writer, Computing
Jacob Roach is a writer covering computing and gaming at Digital Trends. After realizing Crysis wouldn't run on a laptop, he…
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