One factor that you’ll find when looking for info on the “best” characters to build inPersona 5: The Phantom Xis that most tier lists are concerned with end-game boss runs, and assume you’ll be whaling. It can be hard to parse the information you’re being given, because it really isn’t for you. Especially when you are just trying to assemble the best teams to work through the Metro Of Desire, complete the standard palaces, and complete the Velvet Room Trials.
Instead of being a tier-list, this is a list of the best bang-for-your-buck characters, many of whom people are sleeping on. The focus here is on free-to-play players based on availability and utility. If you are looking for a tier list that focuses on end-game boss runs and the best A6 five-stars, this isn’t the list for you. If you didn’t immediately know what an “A6 five-star” is, then you are likely in the right place.
For the record, A6 just means that you have received five duplicates of the character. With every duplicate, you will earn passive abilities, improve passive abilities, or buff certain skills.
8Motoha Arai: Closer
Basic Yet Effective
Closer has a number of factors going in her favor. For starters, you will have her. Period. Additionally, she is the only easily acquired lightning-type character. Finally, she has solid damage output, is good at fighting groups, and has a great ultimate. And here is the thing: if you are planning to pursue a variety of challenges, ranging from the Velvet Trials to the Metro of Desire, you will want to have a variety of team builds. You have very few options when it comes to electricity damage.
In a lot of ways, Closer feels like a softer-hitting Panther. Is Yui better? Sure. However, even if you do pull for Yui and get her, guess who she synergizes with best? That’s right, Closer! She may not be the meta, but having Closer built up will come in handy quite frequently as you work through the different modes.
7Kotone Mantagne: Mont
Great Versatility Paired With Availability
Mont is theothercharacter you’ll getveryearly on. Her best attacks are single-target oriented, but she has solid group attacks as well. Her real strength comes in dealing damage to weakened enemies, where she hits exponentially harder based on how injured they are.
She’s another character you’ll see frequently dumped on in most tier lists, yet, if you are looking for ice-based DPS options, she’s your best bet. Moreover, like Closer, you’ll almost certainly get many duplicates of her as you roll for five-stars. Anecdotally speaking, she was my first A6 character.
6Seiji Shiratori: Fleuret
Incredible Single-Target Damage On A Budget
When it comes to absurd damage, Fleuret is the absolute best option for nearly any free-to-play player. He is good right away, but as you get more duplicates of him, he quickly becomes overwhelmingly powerful. His Right To Strike ability allows him to tack more hits on when performing attacks. His ability to gain the Right To Strike buff increases greatly as he gets closer to A6.
When it comes to boss busters, Fleuret is the best option for free-to-play players, and even people opening their wallets a little will find that he is an extremely potent fighter. And that’s not even mentioning that he is your only four-star with wind magic. Don’t sleep on Fleuret!
5Lufel: Cattle
Best Healer On A Budget
For starters, Cattle is boththe mascot character of P5X, as well as the first character you’ll acquire, so their availability is already a feather in their cap. When you are playing free-to-play, I often prioritize sustainability over all else. That’s how you’ll be able to tackle challenges that you are basically on the cusp of being too low level for. Cattle is the exception to that rule.
When it comes to your healing options, your choices are Marian, who is the best healer, but requires rolling for, and is not currently available, Mona, who is a five-star, but you’ll have two opportunities to get, and Cattle. Of those three, Cattle is the worst option forpuresustainability.
So, does that mean I think you should skip Cattle? No. Because, at the end of the day, Cattle is still a very good healer, they have a solid single-unit and party heal. Their ultimate is also a party heal, which is super useful,andit increases the party’s attack for a turn, giving Cattle some damage buffing capabilities. As you get duplicates of Cattle, their buffing ability will improve. Furthermore, by investing more heavily in them, you can target Panther and Skull instead of Mona.
4Leo Kamiyama: Leon
Among The Best Buffers In The Game
Leon is a deeply underwhelming character if you use him expecting to dish out massive amounts of Nuclear damage. Which is extra disappointing, as he is the only Nuclear-aligned character in the game at the moment. I think that has lead to a lot of people getting the wrong idea about him, and ignoring him. However, once you use thisPower Rangers wannabeas a dedicated buffer, you start to see what a brilliant addition to the party he truly is.
As more Power of Friendship stacks get applied to characters, they become increasingly more powerful. Additionally, once you have a single Leon dupe, they’ll become more durable. Leon is the best damage buffer in the game. But he also improves sustainability. This makes him an incredible unit that you’ll want to add to any party with a heavy-hitter. You should be investing in this dude.
While he can also be useful for taking advantage of an enemy’s Nuclear weakness, never forget his primary role as a buffer. More often than not, you should be ignoring that weakness and buffing your allies.
3Ryuji Sakamoto: Skull
Peerless Damage Output
While Skull is a five-star character, he is among the three that you’re able to choose between by way of the beginner banner, and by clearing Cattle’s Plans. Honestly, when it comes to single-hitting units, Skull is about as good as they come. Paired with a good buffing character like Leon, Skull will absolutely melt health bars using Skull’s God Hand Burst.
Choosing Skull means you’ll have to wait before you acquire Panther, who is the best multi-target-hitting DPS character in the game at this point (well, it is either her or Joker, but Joker is a lot less available). So, that is a hard decision you’ll need to make, but when it comes to taking out bosses, a team built around Skull is absolutely devastatingly powerful. A lot of people are ignoring him in favor of Panther, and I think it is a mistake.
Naturally, Skull becomes even more ridiculous as you get dupes of him, but unless you are whaling, then that just isn’t something worth factoring in.
2Miyu Sahara: Puppet
Survive And Thrive
Miyu is one of the two support characters you will have at your disposal, and she is easily one of the most important characters you will encounter as a free-to-player. Any single fight that is just on the cusp of being achievable will become easier with her ability to shield your party from harm.
In fact, the biggest mistake I see people make is not improving her equipment because she isn’t a fighter. However, all of Miyu’s abilities scale with that stuff. Which means that enhancing her weapon, as an example, is actually the best bang for your buck.
If you are fighting creatures that are above your level, you almost always want to have Puppet in your party. Use Okyann if you are running a sturdy, leveled-up party and are looking for a faster clear time.
1Shun Kano: Soy
The Iron Wall
Soy is one of the last guaranteed characters you’ll acquire in the current version of The Phantom X. In my opinion, he is quite simply one of the best four stars currently in the game: at least in terms of survivability. He has the ability to shield all your party members, his ultimate raises the max HP of your party while simultaneously dealing ice damage, and he has solid damage against single units.
More importantly, as you work your way to A6 with Soy, he will get tankier and tankier. He will also draw the attention of enemies, and he heals at the end of every round when he is attacked! This makes himextremelygood at staying aliveandkeeping your party alive. For my money, Soy is one of the best characters to build up. He is a mainstay of my team, and he has helped me claim victory in a number of challenges where, quite frankly, I probably wasn’t a high enough level to challenge.
