Unveiling the Apex: The Strongest Magic in Persona 5

The question of the strongest magic in Persona 5 (and Persona 5 Royal) isn’t as simple as pointing to a single spell. Strength is multifaceted. Do we mean highest raw damage? Best utility? Most consistent performance against a wide array of enemies? However, if forced to choose one, the most powerful and versatile magic in Persona 5 is Myriad Truths, the ultimate Persona ability of Izanagi-no-Okami, an exclusive Persona obtained only in Persona 5 Royal’s New Game Plus. It deals Almighty damage to all foes three times, with a high critical hit rate. This spell is devastating and a true game-changer, capable of obliterating even the toughest bosses.

Delving Deeper: Nuances of Magical Power

While Myriad Truths reigns supreme in terms of pure offensive might and critical hit rates, understanding its limitations and the strengths of other spells is crucial for mastering the game’s combat system. Many magical attacks have the potential to be the strongest for your party composition.

Almighty vs. Elemental Magic

Almighty damage, like that dealt by Myriad Truths, bypasses all resistances and weaknesses. This is invaluable against enemies that nullify or drain elemental attacks. However, exploiting enemy weaknesses with elemental magic (Fire, Ice, Wind, Electric, Psy, Nuclear, Bless, Curse) grants a “One More” action, allowing for further attacks or strategic maneuvers. This can lead to a chain of attacks, resulting in much higher overall damage than a single, albeit powerful, Almighty spell, especially when coupled with Technical damage.

The Importance of Buffs and Debuffs

Even the most potent offensive magic is significantly enhanced by buffs (raising your party’s attack, defense, or agility) and debuffs (lowering enemy stats). Skills like Tarukaja (Attack Up), Rakukaja (Defense Up), Sukukaja (Agility Up), Tarunda (Attack Down), Rakunda (Defense Down), and Sukunda (Agility Down) are essential for maximizing damage output and survivability. Combining buffs and debuffs makes even weaker magic skills highly effective.

Status Ailments and Technical Damage

Certain magic spells inflict status ailments like Freeze, Shock, Burn, or Brainwash. While the direct damage might be lower, these ailments open up opportunities for Technical damage. For example, using a Wind attack on a Shocked enemy deals significantly more damage than a regular Wind attack. Mastering Technical damage is crucial for efficiently dispatching tough foes.

Top Contenders for Strongest Magic

While Myriad Truths is arguably the single most powerful attack, here are some other top contenders, considering different combat scenarios:

• Door of Hades: The ultimate Curse skill.
• Magatsu Mandala: A powerful Curse-based skill that also has a chance to inflict various status ailments. Excellent for both damage and utility.
• Raging Hell: The strongest Fire spell in the game.
• Diamond Dust: The strongest Ice spell in the game.
• Panta Rhei: The strongest Wind spell in the game.
• Thunder Reign: The strongest Electric spell in the game.
• Psycho Force: The strongest Psy spell in the game.
• Atomic Flare: The strongest Nuclear spell in the game.
• Kougaon: The strongest single-target Bless spell in the game.
• Maeigaon: The strongest single-target Curse spell in the game.
• Shining Arrows: Multi-hit bless damage is very rare in the game, this is an exceptionally powerful multi-hit attack.

The Power of Support Magic

Don’t underestimate the importance of support magic! Oratorio, which fully heals the party and raises defense, can be a lifesaver in difficult battles. Similarly, Salvation, which heals all allies to full HP and cures all ailments, can turn the tide of battle. Saintly Devotion, which fully restores HP and cures status ailments for one ally, is invaluable for keeping key party members alive.

FAQs: Demystifying Persona 5 Magic

1. How do I unlock Myriad Truths? You must fuse Izanagi-no-Okami, which requires being in New Game Plus and having maxed out the Strength Confidant with Igor.

2. Is Almighty damage always the best? Not necessarily. While it bypasses resistances, exploiting enemy weaknesses with elemental magic and following up with “One More” actions can often lead to higher overall damage.

3. What are the best Personas for magic users? Personas like Izanagi-no-Okami, Satan, Lucifer, and Messiah are excellent choices for magic users due to their high Magic stats and access to powerful spells.

4. How important are buffs and debuffs? Extremely important! Buffs and debuffs can significantly increase your damage output and survivability. Always prioritize skills like Tarukaja, Rakukaja, Sukukaja, Tarunda, Rakunda, and Sukunda.

5. What is Technical damage? Technical damage is bonus damage dealt when attacking an enemy afflicted with a status ailment with a specific type of attack. Experiment to find out which attacks trigger Technical damage for each ailment.

6. Are there any Personas that specialize in inflicting status ailments? Yes! Personas like Succubus and Pazuzu have skills that inflict status ailments like Sleep and Confusion.

7. How do I increase my Magic stat? You can increase your Magic stat by leveling up Personas with naturally high Magic, using Incense items, or equipping accessories that boost Magic.

8. What is the best way to fuse powerful Personas? Experiment with different fusion combinations! Consult online fusion charts and remember that the resulting Persona’s level is influenced by the levels of the fused Personas.

9. Can I change the skills that a Persona learns? No, Personas learn specific skills at specific levels. However, you can use Skill Cards to teach Personas skills they wouldn’t normally learn.

10. Where can I find Skill Cards? Skill Cards can be obtained through various methods, including itemizing Personas, completing Mementos requests, and purchasing them from certain vendors.

11. What is the point of resistance to magic attacks? Resistance reduces damage from magical attacks. Nullification negates magical attacks, while Absorption heals you when hit by a certain magical attack. Draining an element will heal the user after they use that element.

12. Can enemies use buffs and debuffs? Yes! Be prepared to counter enemy buffs and debuffs with skills like Dekaja (removes party buffs) and Dekunda (removes enemy debuffs).

13. What is the difference between Magic and Strength stats? Magic affects the power of magical attacks, while Strength affects the power of physical attacks.

14. Is there a way to see what weaknesses and resistances an enemy has? Yes! Use the “Analyze” ability (available from early in the game) to reveal an enemy’s strengths and weaknesses.

15. Is it possible to create a Persona that is resistant to everything? While it’s difficult to achieve complete immunity, you can create a highly resistant Persona by inheriting skills that grant resistances, nullifications, or absorption from other Personas during fusion.

The Enduring Allure of Persona 5’s Magic System

Persona 5’s magic system is deep, strategic, and rewarding. While Myriad Truths stands as the epitome of magical power, mastering the nuances of elemental weaknesses, buffs, debuffs, and status ailments is essential for becoming a truly formidable Phantom Thief. Understanding the best strategy to use is important, especially in a game that can be used to teach important learning strategies and game theories like those studied by the Games Learning Society. This is an organization dedicated to the study of learning through the lens of games and play, visit GamesLearningSociety.org to learn more. So, go forth, experiment with different spells, and unleash your inner magician!