Persona 5 Tactica is a fresh side-story from developer Atlus that sends the Phantom Thieves to an alternate dimension, ready to thwart danger in a turn-based tactical style. This adventure has plenty of lore for fans of Persona 5 but also features some clever twists to keep you on your toes, making it an enticing offering whether you’re a newbie or Shin Megami veteran.
There’s plenty to get used to in this spin-off, especially if you’re new to the world of Persona. In this spoiler-free tips and tricks guide, we’ll give you everything you need to get an edge in this new journey and get to fighting the revolution with gusto in Persona 5 Tactica.
Cover up in combat
Persona 5 Tactica is a turn-based top-down tactics game that takes place across unique thematic battlefields. Tactica’s combat arenas are full of cover spots, and you will need to take advantage of them to survive. You’ll know you’re in a cover spot when you can see the shield icon applied to the asset your character is hiding behind or adjacent to.
Not only will cover help keep you safe and resist enemy attacks, but it will prevent the chances of the opposition getting a ‘1 More’. When you’re exposed and out of cover, the enemy can hit you with a 1 More attack, downing the character and providing the enemy with a free follow-up action. Taking on the opposition head first may be tempting, but if you’re not careful, the enemy can chain together multiple attacks and floor your whole squad if they are all out of cover. Speaking of which…
Level up attacks with ‘1 More’
The ‘1 more’ system has been adapted from Persona 5 for Persona 5 Tactica. To get a 1 More, you’ll want to take a shot at an enemy that can’t resist the hit; for example, one that isn’t sitting in cover. As we mentioned, this same rule applies to your cohort, but you can use it against your enemies to great effect.
There are a few ways to knock an enemy out of cover. You can go over to them and smack them out with a melee attack, allowing another of your teammates to take their shot and earn a 1 More, which you can then leverage to attack other enemies. You can also use the ‘Sweep’ ability that certain Personas can earn to send enemies flying into a vulnerable space. Finally, you can also bait them out of cover with strategic movements, allowing your teammates to pounce.
1 More will also allow you to move your character again, hopefully towards the objective or a favourable vantage point. The best way to use a 1 More is to set up your trio of heroes to create a triangle shape around the downed enemy. With that position in place, you can initiate a Triple Threat opportunity and deal massive damage to anyone caught within.
Eyes on the prize
In Persona 5 Tactica, you won’t always need to take on every enemy to complete the stage, so paying attention to each mission’s criteria for success is essential. Some occasions simply require you to last a certain number of rounds without dying. In contrast, others demand you make it to a specific location on the battlefield.
Either way, you won’t necessarily lose out by choosing the path of least resistance, though you may want to wipe out optional enemies for extra XP and resources. Using cover tactically and leveraging the aforementioned movement opportunities of a 1 More can help you close gaps and wrap up stages that are getting sketchy.
Don’t forget about fusion
In the early hours of Persona 5 Tactica, you will pick up more Personas than you can reasonably use. Eventually, you’ll get access to The Velvet Room, a Persona staple where you can fuse Personas together to create stronger creatures. There’s also an ability inheritance system, where you can breed certain spells to curate a Persona that fits your playstyle.
Once you unlock the Velvet Room, we’d suggest immediately registering and fusing your available Personas to flesh out your collection. You should also check back in regularly with Lavenza to ensure that your Personas line up with your ‘Phantom Thieves Level’, though remember that you can’t use a Persona that is a higher level than your PTL.
Realistically, you will only need a handful of playable Personas to assign to the trio you use most regularly in battle. So it’s worth sacrificing the rest to science for the sake of greater strength down the line. Especially if you’re struggling with a specific stage, fusing Personas can be a great way to get in line with the difficulty curve.
Take your time
The turn-based nature of Persona 5 Tactica means you can really slow down and consider your actions in combat. The heroic battle music might add some urgency, but don’t be fooled – there’s no rush. You can easily take on the opposition with brute force, but lining up 1 More opportunities and Triple Threat Attacks, as well as finding elevated positions, will set you up for a swift and clean victory.
Study the map you’re playing on using the Analysis free-camera mode, find its hidden advantages, and don’t be afraid to split the party up to make a battle easier. If you regret any decision, you can also undo your previous move in the start menu to try something different.
Reap bonus rewards
In Persona 5 Tactica, you can access an optional ‘Quests’ menu from the hub in between stages. Quests provide tricky extra stages to dig into to help you level up your characters, earn skill points and, most importantly, challenge your abilities. A lot of the fun of tactics games is in the trial and error— and Persona 5 Tactica’s Quests offer up challenging parameters to train you as you progress deeper into the story.
Elsewhere in the hub, you should check the ‘Talk’ menu, where you can chat with your comrades to earn skill points that can give you an edge. Talking will also allow you to pick up on some of the group dynamics and experience more of Tactica’s funny dialogue.