While the protagonist of Persona 4 Golden is able to wield multiple Personas at once, his teammates aren't as lucky. However, when equipped with the right gear and Skills, their Persona can provide the backup that players will need in battle.
Like most Persona games, the only way to get the strongest Personas in-game is by maxing out Social Links. Persona 4 Golden has third-tier Ultimate Personas for each of the Investigation Team members, but they can only be obtained if Yu completes their Social Link before the final dungeon. The IT learns many Skills upon leveling up, so knowing which ones should be kept and discarded is important if players want a balanced team.
Updated on August 23, 2024 by Renri Seong: Setting up your skills in Persona 4 Golden will ensure you won't run into any trouble in the latter half of the campaign. The obvious way to learn Skills is to level up, but you'll unlock exclusive Skills for your teammates if you rank up their Social Links. The best way to balance your team is to make note of their strengths and weaknesses, filtering out Skills you don't need for a specific teammate. Persona 4 Golden also has third-tier Personas, which you get en route to the True Ending and if you've maxed out your team's respective Social Link. However, not every exclusive skill is worth learning. The following guide has been updated to include images and explanations for each recommended Skill per party member.
Persona 4 Golden: All the Endings and How to Get Them
There are many different endings to Persona 4 Golden, and players have a number of different options to choose from, both good and bad.
The Protagonist (Yu Narukami/Souji Seta)
Ultimate Persona: Izanagi-no-Okami
Yu Narukami is a special case in Persona 4 Golden in that he doesn't get his Ultimate Persona until NG+, and only if players get the True Ending. To top it off, Izanagi-no-Okami is part of a Dodecagon Fusion.
Despite Izanagi-no-Okami's impressive stat spread and lacking Affinity-weaknesses, he has better Passive Skills than Attack/Magic Skills. However, his Agility means he'll usually be able to strike first, and most likely 1HKO the enemy. An example of an Izanagi-no-Okami build includes these Skills:
|
Megidolaon |
Spell Master |
|
Victory Cry |
Invigorate 3 |
|
Angelic Grace |
Maziodyne |
|
Mind Charge |
Mabufudyne |
The -dyne Skills can be swapped out depending on which Persona 4 party members the player likes to use in battle. For example, if the player likes to use Kanji, who learns Zio-spells, then it's safe to swap out Izanagi-no-Okami's Maziodyne for Agidyne or Garudyne instead.
- Angelic Grace and Victory Cry are must-have Skills for Izanagi-no-Okami. Angelic Grace doubles Narukami's evasion against magic attacks, and Victory Cry will fully restore his HP and SP after battle.
- Megidolaon is one of the strongest Almighty attacks in Persona 4 Golden.
- Having Spell Master increases the damage of magic attacks. By using Mind Charge, Yu's magic is doubled on the next turn. With these two skills, Yu will deal very powerful damage to the enemies.
- Bring the Satan Persona to the Chagall Cafe to get Invigorate 3. This skill will recover some SP at the end of each turn in battle. This is something Izanagi-no-Okami will absolutely need if he's going to be the party's main attacker.
Yu is going to make the most out of his Personas by getting Skill Cards from the Chagall Cafe in Okina City. Other Personas worth getting are Yoshitsune (Tower), Alice (Death), Surt (Magician), Loki (Fool), and Beezlebub (Devil).
Again, since Izanagi-no-Okami is locked behind NG+, it's a good idea to do as many Social Links as possible to have an array of Strong Personas by the last few dungeons in a first playthrough.
Yosuke Hanamura
Ultimate Persona: Takehaya Suano-o
Yosuke's best Persona is Takehaya Susano-o, which players will get in the 3rd semester as long as Yosuke's Confidant is maxed. The following skills are recommended for Yosuke:
|
Garudyne |
Youthful Wind |
|
Wind Boost |
Dekaja |
|
Wind Amp |
Brave Blade |
|
Evade Elec |
Magarudyne |
Stat-wise, Yosuke's pretty all-around, but he's the fastest party member that isn't Yu. He'll be targeting enemies that have Wind Affinity weaknesses while providing support.
- Youthful Wind combines Masukukaja and Mediarama, allowing Yosuke to heal a modest amount of HP while also applying an Agility buff for 3 turns for all allies.
- Yosuke does better as a magic attacker than a physical one, so have Garudyne and Magarudyne in his Skill List.
- Since Wind Amp and Wind Boost stack, have both to get the most out of Yosuke's Wind attacks.
- Dekaja is important because it will debuff any enemies afflicted with stat bonuses.
- Evade Elec increases Yosuke's evasion against Zio-spells, which Yosuke is weak against.
Persona 4 Golden: Yosuke Social Link Guide
Yosuke Hanamura is one of the many highlights of the Persona 4 cast, and his Social Links can be unlocked very early into the game.
Chie Satonaka
Ultimate Persona: Haraedo-no-Okami
Chie relies more on Physical attacks than Magic in battle, but she gains some good Support and Passive skills that are worth keeping on her Persona. However, remember her low SP when casting spells with her.
|
Auto-Tarakukaja |
Apt Pupil |
|
Dragon Hustle |
Power Charge |
|
Bufula |
Agneyastra |
|
God's Hand |
Evade Fire |
- Auto-Tarukaja will automatically increase Chie's Attack power at the start of a battle. After a few turns, this effect will fade.
- Apt Pupil increases her Critical hit ratio.
- Dragon Hustle will increase the team's Attack, Defense, and Agility/Evasion. However, it costs 150 SP to use. Coupled with Chie's already-low SP, Dragon Hustle should only be used when the IT needs to go all out in battle.
- Power Charge is the physical version of Mind Charge. It will double Chie's physical attack on her next turn. Use this before Agneyastra or God's Hand to deal massive physical damage.
- Evade Fire is a Must because of Chie's Agi Affinity weakness.
- Finally, while it may be tempting to have Mabufula or Bufudyne over Bufula, Chie's not going to be dishing out Magic attacks to deal damage. Having Bufula means she can target enemies with Bufu weaknesses just enough to Down them for a possible All Out Attack. Bufula is also a midtier spell, meaning it won't drain her SP as Bufudyne or Mabufula will.
Yukiko Amagi
Ultimate Persona: Suemo-Okami
The complete opposite of Chie, Yukiko is magic based and the team's Red Mage. She has powerful Magic and gets the best Healing skills out of all the party members upon leveling up. Her SP is also significantly high, meaning she can throw out spell after spell without needing to replenish SP.
|
Diarahan |
Salvation |
|
Fire Amp |
Fire Boost |
|
Matarunda |
Samarecarm |
|
Burning Petals |
Evade Ice |
- Diarahan and Salvation should be in Yukiko's Skill Setup. The reason for having two healing spells is because of Salvation's high SP cost. If only one character is "in the red", then it's best to use Diarahan to heal them instead of wasting a turn using Salvation. Since both spells fully heal HP, the Skill Divine Grace is not needed. Unlike Diarahan, Salvation heals all allies for full HP/SP and cures any status ailment.
- Fire Amp and Fire Boost are good for Yukiko's Agi attacks.
- Matarunda will lower the Attack of enemies for three turns.
- Samarecarm will revive a fallen ally for full HP.
- Burning Petals is Yukiko's exclusive skill for Sumeo-Okami. It deals massive Fire damage to all enemies. Because of its SP cost, players can either use Burning Petals or Agidyne for Yukiko's Fire attacks. Or, get rid of Diarahan and replace it with Agidyne if planning on using Yukiko as an attacker instead of a healer.
- Evade Ice is necessary to dodge Bufu spells, which Yukiko is weak against.
Persona 4 Golden: How to Beat Shadow Yukiko
Persona 4 Golden's first boss can be tricky for newcomers, so here are a few tips to keep in mind.
Kanji Tatsumi
Ultimate Persona: Takeji Zaiten
Kanji has the highest Strength stat out of the IT by the time he reaches level 99. He also has the best Endurance and decent Agility. However, between Chie and Kanji, players may choose Chie because she has higher SP. Kanji is good if players need a Zio-user on their team and want raw attack power.
|
Maziodyne |
Regenerate 3 |
|
Power Charge |
Elec Boost |
|
Evade Wind |
Primal Force |
|
Elec. Amp |
Matarukaja |
- Maziodyne is Kanji's strongest Zio Skill, but you'll want to use it in moderation. It consumes 22SP which, while not much for a magic-based character, can be too much for Kanji. You can always keep Mazionga instead. It's better to save SP for buffs such as...
- ...Matarukaja. This raises the attack for all allies; the effect lasts 3 turns.
- Power Charge can be very helpful for Kanji, as it will double the power of his next physical skill. Kanji doesn't learn Power Charge via leveling. Instead, you'll need to see Rank 6 of his Social Link.
- Evade Wind, Regenerate 3, Elec Amp., and Elec Boost are all Passive Skills that can help Kanji in battle. If you're using the aforementioned Maziodyne, then having Elect Amp./Elec Boost will double the skill's power. Evade Wind is a must since it will raise Kanji's evasion against wind-based Skills, his one Affinity weakness. Finally, Regenerate 3 is useful since it'll heal Kanji at the end of every turn. Since Kanji's primary method of attacking will be physical, he's going to need all the HP he can get.
- Primal Force is a Physical Skill that deals severe damage to one foe. This can be his main method of attack.
Rise Kujikawa
Ultimate Persona: Kouzeon
Rise gains some amazing Support Skills as a Navigator, even with her second-tier Persona. Since Rise's Skills will be replaced when a stronger Skill is learned, players won't need to worry about fiddling with her Skill set as much.
However, it's best to prioritize her Social Link. Unlike the other IT members, Rise has a chance of shielding all allies in battle and reviving Yu once per battle (Social Link Rank 10) without wasting the player's turn. When fighting stronger enemies, Rise's abilities will prove to be extremely helpful.
Persona 4 Golden: How to Beat Shadow Rise & Teddie
Here's the best way to prepare for the Shadow Rise and Shadow Teddie boss fight in Persona 4 Golden.
Teddie
Ultimate Persona: Kamui-Moshiri
Poor Teddie's unique Skill, Kamui Miracle, isn't worth keeping and can be a hindrance in battle if RNG decides to be difficult with the player. While Teddie isn't a bad teammate and learns some decent Skills, he's easily outclassed by Yukiko and Yosuke. However, if players are looking for a magic-based Bufu user, Teddie may be worth making room for on the front lines.
|
Mediarahan |
Evade Elec |
|
Bufudyne |
Ice Boost |
|
Ice Amp |
Marakunda |
|
Matarukaja |
Mabufudyne |
- Like Yukiko, Teddie learns decent healing and -dyne tier Affinity Skills. Mediarahan fully heals the team. If you set up Yukiko with Salvation and Diarahan, you can have Teddie with Mediarahan and play backup healer to Yukiko.
- Ice Boost and Ice Amp are important for Teddie thanks to Bufudyne and Mabufudyne. This increases the damage of Bufu Skills and can be stacked.
- You're likely going to be using Teddie for support, so Matarukaja and Marakunda can be useful and take some pressure off other team members. Marakunda lowers the defense of all enemies for 3 turns; Matarukaja raises the attack of all allies for 3 turns.
- Teddie can run both Bufudyne and Mabufudyne thanks to his magic stat and SP. While he's not as powerful as Yukiko, he's preferred over Chie when it comes to downing enemies with Ice weakness.
- Evade Elec is important to have for Teddie. He has an Affinity Weakness to electric, so you'll want to increase his evasion as much as possible.
Naoto Shirogane
Ultimate Persona: Yamato Sumeragi
Naoto's join time may hinder some people from fully using her like the rest of the team. Players will be scrambling to finish her Social Link just to get her third-tier Persona (or to romance her).
By the time Naoto joins, players may already have a solid team. However, Naoto's Persona-line repels Hama and Mudo spells and nullifies Agi. Unlike the rest of the IT, she has no weaknesses.
|
Heat Riser |
Mahamaon |
|
Agidyne |
Megidolaon |
|
Garudyne |
Mind Charge |
|
Shield of Justice |
Invigorate 3 |
- Naoto's got incredible Agility and Magic, meaning she's likely to move before some of her teammates and enemies in battle. This also allows her to stack up buffs like Heat Charge and Mind Charge. Heat Charge raises the attack, defense, and evasion/accuracy of an ally for 3 turns. Mind Charge is the same as Power Charge, but instead of doubling the power of the next physical move, Mind Charge doubles the power of the next magic attack.
- Naoto also learns all the -dyne Skills (excluding "ma"-dyne Skills), meaning you can mix and match to whatever best suits your team. Garudyne and Agidyne are recommended here because of Yosuke and Yukiko. With Yosuke being an all-around character and good for buffing (Youthful Wind) and Yukiko being your healer, Garudyne/Agidyne can fill their role if they're having to buff/heal respectively.
- Naoto will learn Shield of Justice if you manage to awaken her third-tier Persona. This shields the entire party from all types of attacks - including Megidolaon. There's little wonder as to why you'll want this on Naoto's Skill Set.
- Invigorate 3 is useful due to its SP-restoring effect. Like Regenerate 3, it replenishes some SP at the end of every turn.
- Mahamaon has a chance of inflicting bless instakill to all enemies. It's not useful against bosses, but it can take care of enemies with a weakness to light.
Persona 4 Golden
- Released
- December 9, 2008
WHERE TO PLAY
- Avoid having too many magic-based Skills on Kanji's Skill Setup. Keep both Elec Boost and Elec Amp to improve his Maziodyne or Ziodyne spell.
- Players may want to forgo Takeji Zaiten's unique Skill and have Regenerate 3 or Power Charge in place of it. Regenerate 3 will make sure Kanji has enough HP to dish out Physical attack Primal Force, and Power Charge will double his Physical attack on the next turn.
- Alternatively, players could have characters like Teddie or Yosuke buff Kanji while he attacks the enemy. Matarukaja is fine to have for Kanji, but if players want, they can swap it out for one of Kanji's physical Skills.
- Teddie's strengths come in the form of Support skills and high-tier Bufu spells. Since his Strength is weaker than his Magic, it's not worth keeping any physical-dealing moves on his Skill list. Instead, equip Mabufudyne and Bufudyne along with Ice Boost and Ice Amp.
- Have Evade Elec so Teddie can avoid getting Downed by Zio-using enemies.
- He works better as an Attack-booster than Chie, thanks to his Matarukaja and higher SP. Matarukaja will raise all allies' Strength for 3 turns.
- Mediarahan is preferred over Diarahan since it's very likely Teddie won't be the player's main healer if they're using Yukiko. While Yukiko can focus on healing one ally at a time with Diarahan, Teddie can use Mediarahan to heal everyone to full HP.
- Shield of Justice is a great Skill because it will make the entire party immune to all damage for one turn. Its drawback is, of course, its SP cost (160).
- Naoto will learn single-target -dyne Spells, so save two Skill Slots for two of them. Adjust them accordingly to the team. Garudyne and Agidyne are good backups to Yosuke and Yukiko.
- Mind Charge will double Naoto's magic attack on the next turn, and Invigorate 3 will restore her SP each turn.
- While Mahamaon is useless against bosses, it can take out pesky enemies that only have Hama Affinity weaknesses. If players are lucky or decide to equip Naoto with Hama Boost, Mahamaon may take out all enemies at once.
- Heat Riser will raise the Attack, Defense, and Agility/Evasion of one party member for 3 turns. Alternatively, Naoto could just cast this on herself before stacking Mind Charge.
- Being an Almighty spell, Megidolaon is good for dealing damage against enemies with many Affinity resistances. It's also a good spell to use on the Golden Hands crawling around dungeons.