Persona 5 is a massive game packed with mechanics to master, friendships to build, and battles to conquer. Whether you’re aiming for a Platinum trophy or just want to make your first playthrough as smooth as possible, knowing a few tricks ahead of time can save you a lot of effort. Here are nine essential tips (and a sneaky exploit) to help you make the most of your time in Persona 5.

1. Boost Your Stats With Ease

There are many ways to improve your social stats in Persona 5, but one of the easiest methods is found in Shibuya Station. Every Sunday, a special fruit juice stand appears in the Underground Walkway. This drink boosts one of your social stats each week, providing free progress without taking up precious activity time. Always make sure to grab it!

2. Use the Thieves Guild for Hints

When you boot up Persona 5, you’ll have the option to connect to the Thieves Guild—do it! This online feature allows you to see what other players did on any given day, giving you hints on how to optimize your time. Even more importantly, it provides classroom answers when you’re stuck. Just hit the touchpad to check what most players picked and avoid embarrassing wrong answers (except during exams—you’re on your own then).

3. Build Stronger Friendships

Confidants are key to making your Persona 5 experience smoother. Certain confidants provide useful perks, like Kawakami, who lets you slack off in class, or Hifumi, who teaches battle tactics. If you want to level up friendships faster, invest in the Fortune Teller at rank 7—paying her 5,000 yen allows you to boost Confidant points without spending extra time. This trick also works for increasing stats and money earnings.

4. Use Auto-Recover in Palaces

Gone are the days of manually selecting healing skills for each party member after battles. Persona 5 introduces Auto-Recover, an absolute game-changer. Just tap the Square button while running through a Palace, and your party will instantly heal using available SP. This keeps you moving efficiently without constantly diving into menus.

5. Never Leave a Palace Chest Behind

Palaces are filled with valuable chests containing gear, items, and accessories. However, once you steal a Palace’s treasure, the whole dungeon collapses, locking you out of anything you missed. To avoid losing out, always craft lockpicks ahead of time and create the unbreakable lockpick as soon as possible. The required materials—Aluminum Sheets and Liquid Mercury—can be found in Mementos.

6. Read Books for Hidden Locations and Stat Boosts

Reading books isn’t just for raising social stats—it also unlocks new locations on the map. Some books introduce fresh hangout spots that can increase your Confidant ranks faster. Make it a habit to visit the bookstore on Central Street and always keep a book on hand—if you find an empty seat on the subway, you can use your commute time to read.

7. Use Third Eye for Loot and Secrets

The Third Eye ability, activated by pressing L1, highlights important objects in the environment. It’s a fantastic tool for solving puzzles, spotting hidden doors, and identifying items worth stealing. Loot you acquire in Palaces can be sold in the real world for easy cash, so use this ability often to maximize your earnings.

8. Master Elemental Combos in Battle

Exploiting weaknesses is the key to Persona 5’s combat system, but some status effects can be combined for extra damage:

• If an enemy is burning, follow up with a Wind attack to increase damage.
• Burned, shocked, or frozen enemies are extra vulnerable to Nuclear attacks.
• Sleeping enemies recover SP over time—don’t let them! Instead, hit them with a physical attack for a powerful Technical Hit.

9. Take Advantage of Mementos Weather Effects

Mementos is a great place to grind, but its difficulty can vary depending on the in-game weather:

• Heat waves increase the chances of enemies being burned, slowly chipping away their health.
• High pollen counts make Shadows sleepy and less aggressive, making it easier to clear floors quickly.
• Flu season (on select dates) has a rare chance to instantly kill enemies due to despair.

Plan your Mementos runs around these weather effects to make farming easier.

Bonus Tip: The DVD Rental Exploit

If you buy the old TV from the secondhand store in Yongen-Jaya, you’ll get a used DVD player for free. This lets you rent DVDs from Scarlet in Central Street. The game warns you about late fees, but here’s a secret: it never actually charges you. Feel free to hold onto those rentals for as long as you want, watching them whenever it’s convenient. Blockbuster may not approve, but it’s a handy way to boost your stats on your own schedule.

Final Thoughts

Persona 5 is a deep and rewarding game, but understanding these mechanics early will make your journey much smoother. Whether you’re aiming for efficiency, extra cash, or faster Confidant ranks, these tips will give you an edge