#also the aeon is probably my favorite arcana…

[icedtoastt]

The Aeon

[monstersdownthepath]

Spiritual Spotlight/Theme Finale: The Monad

True Neutral Overseer of Creation, the Infinite, and Truth

Domains: Artifice, Darkness, Knowledge, Void Subdomains*: Toil, Night, Aeon, Stars

Concordance of Rivals, pg. 11

Obedience: Spend 30 minutes in meditation, clearing your mind of needs and prejudices. Then briefly wander and observe your surroundings, seeking a source of excess, accomplishment, or emptiness. Spend at least 30 minutes counteracting that phenomenon in some way, such as by creating something where nothing exists, providing comfort to a morose stranger, or thinning the excess population of ants in a field. Benefit: Upon completing the Obedience, select two Knowledge skills; gain a +4 sacred or profane bonus to the selected skill checks.

(*IMPORTANT NOTE: The Subdomains are my best guess; Subdomains are not listed in Concordance of Rivals. Anywhere!)

What a delightful Obedience! Meditate for a bit, and then help balance out the world! Awwww :)

Don’t worship the Monad if you’re a Ranger, or any other class with a Favored Enemy-Esque mechanic, because it won’t end well. I do enjoy that the Monad still allows its followers to pursue wants, though I’m sure that wasn’t the designer’s intention and likely just me toying with loopholes I see in sentence structures. Such as the loophole that you can view just about anything as excess, accomplishment, or emptiness.

Destroy a building, or help build a new one. Steal from the rich and give to the poor, or do the exact opposite (and be hunted down by me, personally). Kill bugs or introduce new ones to an environment. Destroy someone’s most prized possession, or give your own to someone in need. Comfort a stranger, or antagonize an ally whose ego is becoming unbalanced. Help to grow a crop, or take a torch to the whole thing. Really your imagination is the limit here, which could potentially lead to choice paralysis... but this also makes it incredibly easy to just Background Detail it without a need to elaborate. If your DM rudely demands details, you can turn it around and ask them details about the environment in order to find something you could correct. Two can play at that game!

Don’t be needlessly rude to kind or curious DMs, though. That’s not cool!

What IS cool is that benefit. While it’s not outstanding, becoming just a bit better at being a smart guy is always nice. Choosing Arcana and/or Dungeoneering is usually the way to go, but you can tailor your Knowledge bonuses day by day if needed. Heading into the wilderness? Pack Nature. Going into town? Might as well get Local and Nobility! The possibilities are endless! (actually there’s only ~45 combinations but y’know)

Boons are gained slowly, gained at levels 12, 16, and 20. Servants of the Monitors, though, can enter the Proctor Prestige Class as early as level 8. If entered as early as possible, you can earn your Boons at levels 10, 14, and 16. You MUST take the Monitor Obedience feat, NOT Deific Obedience. Monitors grant only a single set of Boons.

Boon 1: Aeon Arbiter. Gain Unseen Servant 3/day, Spectral Hand 2/day, or Gaseous Form 1/day.

Well right off the bat, Gaseous Form is painful to use most of the time. It reduces your speed to an agonizingly glacial 10ft, making it useful for getting into or out of a sticky situation but basically nothing else. You can’t really properly scout with it since you still look like a you-shaped gas cloud, but the defensive bonuses it confers means that if you get trapped in a tiny room or with a monster you don’t want to be with, any space that isn’t airtight can’t contain you. The fact it has no components also means you can cast it while grappled or restrained, so if you think you’ll end up snatched up and/or tied up, surprise your enemies by changing matter states!

Unseen Servant was, is, and always shall be one of my favorite spells in the game, even if it’s not a particularly useful one when you’re facing down a dragon, or even a single bandit. Your invisible buddy can perform all your menial tasks you require since it has an enormous 1 hour/level duration, and there’s a LOT of items that weigh less than 20lbs you could have your pal cart around. If you can’t foresee needing them later in the day, conjuring all three of them at once and setting them out on various tasks will multiply your own productivity immensely. I recently read a cute little guide online that pointed out a shovel weighs only 5lbs and a shovelful of soil will rarely surpass 3, so having a team of invisible workers digging trenches can help fortify any positions you hold. It’s just a fun spell! And it rewards knowing exactly what you can do with 2 Str and understand the limits of the servant’s manual dexterity.

Which leaves Spectral Hand, which is probably the most useful thing on this list, if less fun than UnSe. Using touch spells that aren’t Save-or-Suck is always dangerous when you’re a squishy caster, but Spectral Hand allows you to stay safely at a range to deliver them. With a range of Medium (100ft + 10ft/level) and a decently lengthy 1 min/level duration, Spectral Hand can likely last through one to three encounters to let you slap multiple foes with spells you’d otherwise never get to use. Don’t forget you can also use it to deliver buffs and healing to your allies, too! At 2/day, the only reason NOT to take Spectral Hand with this ability is if you adore Unseen Servant as much as I do, or are already in a situation (like a prison) Gaseous Form could save you from.

Boon 2: Immaterial Flesh. You gain the constant benefits of the Moderate Fortification armor special ability. If you already have a similar defensive ability, you increase that ability's chance to negate the additional damage by 10%.

This means that critical hits and Sneak Attacks have a 50% chance of doing no additional damage, for those who can’t keep track of all Pathfinder’s wild armor enchantments. It’s a boring ability, but a lifesaving one that can shear hundreds or thousands of points of damage off incoming attacks over the course of your adventuring career. Most creatures armed with Sneak Attacks have low damage on their normal attacks, so this ability can mean the difference between taking 4 damage and taking 40. Sure, it’s a coin toss as to whether or not it works, but a coin toss is better than having no way to avoid it at all!

I like the fact that if you’re already fortified or have some other method to dodge precision damage (it works on SIMILAR powers, not just fortification!), it’s increased. If you can get your hands on some Armor of Heavy Fortification, the chance to block the incoming damage becomes 85%.

I’m sad that no flavor details are given regarding what this power does to your physical body. It says ‘immaterial flesh,’ but what does that mean? Do you become a gaseous nebula or crystalline formation like the other Aeons? Do you get all swirly and galactic like the Monad? I wish it gave us more details, because it’d lighten up an otherwise bland but useful ability.

Boon 3: Creative Destruction. 1/day as a standard action, you can touch two creatures adjacent to you, or yourself and an adjacent creature. One takes 150 points of damage (Fortitude half; DC=10 + half your HD + your Cha modifier), and the other regains a number of hit points equal to the damage taken by the first target.

Ever wanted to just reach over and slap someone hard enough to kill them instantly? 150 damage--150 untyped damage, I should clarify--is not something to be taken lightly. That instantly kills most humanoids at that level and severely damages hardier monsters, with CR 16 creatures rarely exceeding 280hp at the highest. Hitting a squishy enemy caster with this power can end a battle faster than Power Word Kill, though with the downside that you must get close enough to boop them on the nose... but you aren’t required to make a touch attack. No, no attack roll is required. The only way this ability can miss is if you can’t physically touch your target, meaning incorporeal enemies are immune, and a DM may rule that certain gaseous creatures are, as well. While this ability may also intend for you to use your hands to do the touching, it simply says “touch two adjacent creatures.” You can technically use this ability by tackling someone, kissing them, or just poking them with your foot!

Now, this ability grants a saving throw for half damage, negating some of its burst potential... But that’s still 75 untyped damage that works against ANY CREATURE you can touch. Constructs, Undead, Outsiders, demigods, Great Old Ones, creatures with resistance or immunity to every element in the game and every negative condition you can think of, anything! 75 is less impressive but still impressive! It’s an enormous chunk to shave off any foe and you can indeed shave it off any foe, and they don’t have the option to avoid or lessen it at all! The fact it bypasses all forms of immunity and requires only a touch is AMAZING, and we haven’t even covered the fact that the second target regains HP equal to the damage the first victim took!

Like... 75 HP is big enough by itself. It can take a normal encounter two or three rounds to deal 75 damage, and you only need one action to undo it. And 150 HP? That’s typically enough to take someone with a d8 or smaller hit dice from 0 to full in an instant and restore anywhere from half to 75% of a Fighter or Barbarian’s health bar. But, here’s something else important: much like the destruction, the healing is also universal! Constructs are notoriously difficult to keep running due to their specific healing requirements, and Undead are similarly finicky, but Creative Destruction’s health transfer is accepted by ANY creature with an HP bar. Even yourself! That’s the best part! Even without an ally or another enemy nearby to transfer the health into, you can siphon it into yourself to beat down a bad guy!

And I suppose you could also transfer your own health into an ally that really needed it, but uuuuhhhhh 150 damage is a lot. That tactic should only be use if you have no other option! 

And all you need to do to obtain all this power? Remove all your prejudices and help keep the world running smoothly. Perfect for a character of any alignment! except probably chaotic evil.

You can read more about it here.

[ask-the-phan-site]

Phan Cam: An epilogue... In Neo Yokio

>Neo Yokio. Not too long ago, the town was in danger of occupation. But thanks to us taking the hearts of everyone here, we instigated a city-wide change of heart.

>After the change of heart, most of the Exorcists who were sent here, including Shiemi and Izumo, when back to our world. We are to go back home tomorrow as well. But for today, we’re just going to do a bit of sight-seeing, not to mention that Panther has to tell Headmistress Faragonda of how she transformed into Fairy Form.

>In the penthouse of Arcangelo Corelli, me and Fox came here to check up on Kaz. He and Arcangelo was having what I recognized as Squid Ink Fettuccine.

Oh hey, you guys! You’re just in time for lunch.

Pasta that is made with squid ink. I wonder what that’s like.

Oh my goodness!

I’ll have to remember the recipe the next chance I get to make anything.

(sorry if the picture is small, Arcangelo, maybe next time) I can see why. It’s quite fancy and it’s Kaz’a favorite.

Kaz: Well it is the most melancholy pasta.

Joker: I’m not exactly sure what that means, but I guess you really like it.

Kaz: So, what brings your guys here?

Joker: Just wanted to make sure you two were all right.

Kaz: Well, we’re doing fine. No big problems to report.

Joker: That’s good to hear.

Kaz: Although, I’m still a bit confused.

Joker: Well it’s no surprise. You find out that the Magistocracy are descendant from demons, you lose your home, and your aunt. All in one day.

Kaz: No doubt about it. When news of it came out, let’s just say it’ll be a long time before any Magistocrat is invited to a party. I’m surprised none of the Exorcists from the Order are not coming after us.

Joker: The Order will still keep this city on its radar. If anything happens, they can intervene.

Kaz: That’s good to hear. But I’m also worried about you. Do you think they can handle a Magistocrat in their world?

As long as I don’t do anything that could call their attention, it should be fine.

And if they do try anything, they’ll have to answer to me.

Arcangelo: I like that in a couple. You’re willing to do things for each other.

Fox: At first, I only had Ren around to help me out of an artist slump. But after spending time together for a year, I realized something...

It was much more than that.

Arcangelo: Ah yes, nothing is more inspiring than that special connection. Something I speak from experience.

Fox: You mean that song you and Kaz sung a the Dream Festival.

Kaz: Believe me, I’m still trying to get my head around it... (Of course, I have Jaden to thank for rapping.)

Joker: (Yeah, Ryuji said the same thing about Max.) So, what will you be doing now that your exorcisms will be for free? Will you start pursuing music as a career?

Kaz: ... I’m thinking about it. I still want to do exorcisms, though.

Joker: I don’t see why not. It’s your life.

Kaz: I know I’m going to have to adjust to these new changes, but I think I can manage if I have my friends at my side... And maybe you could be there, too.

Joker: Really? Why so?

Kaz: Why not? After all... when will I get to befriend a couple of Phantom Thieves again?

You know? How?

Kaz: Wasn’t that hard, man. Ren’s powers are too much like a Magistocrat’s. Then you fought that fake god thing with a Demon Lord, Satanael I believe. The rest was simply putting two and two together.

Joker: So what will you do now? Turn us in? Beat the crap out of us?

Kaz: More like help you. You get your powers from a Demon Lord. In some way, that really does make you a Magistocratic Exorcist.

Joker: Me? A Magistocrat?

Arcangelo: It sure does seem that way.

Kaz: But I think this is the first time you’re using those powers someplace other than the Magic Dimension. So I was thinking and I’ve decided... that I might train you on how to use those powers.

Are you sure? You don’t seem to have a handle on your own powers.

Kaz: I know. That’s why I’d like to think of this as a learning experience for the both of us.

Joker: Well, it does sound like it would be helpful in a pinch. It we could both use the training...

Alright, you’re on.

Fox: I think you’ve just gotten even more Charming, as if you weren’t already.

Arcangelo: That’s the magic of Kaz. He takes something and makes it batter.

Kaz: That’s a bit of an overstatement. I’m just trying to remember what Helena said. I need a change in my life. This is the first step.

Joker: Then I hope that your first step will be successful and will lead to many more.

Kaz: Then it’s a deal then.

>Me and Kaz shake on it. I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship.

I am thou, thou art I… Thou hast acquired a new vow.

It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chains of captivity.

With the birth of the Aeon Persona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power…

Confidant: Ichiban

Arcana: Aeon

Rank: 1

Ability: Neo Riche

Kaz will train you on your powers at a Beginner’s Level.

Tutorial

Joker is now a Magistocrat. When you attack in either Melee or Range, it will be charged with energy for a stronger effect.

Your Magistocratic powers are only available if you have equipped with Arsene, Sataneal, or Raoul. It will not work with other Personas.

Your Magistocratic powers will get stronger each time you train with Kaz. The strength will double if your Confidant goes up a Rank.

Kaz: Okay, now that that’s settled, let’s eat before our lunch gets cold.

Arcangelo: Right, let’s celebrate a new era in Neo Yokio history. It’s almost like we’re celebrating New Years twice.

>We enjoy our lunch with our new friends.

>I have now acquired the recipe for Squid Ink Fettuccine. If I have the ingredients, it’ll be available to make it in my (Joker’s) Kitchen.

>The Stray Sheep. Me, Fox, Kaz, and Arcangelo came here. Kaz and Arcangelo wanted to see us off. When we got there, we found Mona, Skull, Panther, Queen, Noir, Oracle, Crow, Violet, Wolf, Lavenza, Iwai, Ohya, Beauchamp, Mutton, Roderick, Mephisto, Lexy, Gottlieb, and Charles there. Oracle and Sophie had managed to establish contact with Headmistress Faragonda and a screen was projecting from Oracle’s laptop.

Hmm. It sounds irregular, but this wouldn’t be the first time something like this happened.

Really? It has?

Headmistress Faragonda: Of course, it was Bloom willing herself into her Enchantix. This is probably the first time I’ve heard of a Fairy, though not possessing Fairy Blood, will herself into having any Fairy Form. Particularly the basic Winx Form. But this just proves what I said was true. The stronger you get, the more likely you would transform.

Does this mean Ann chan will be able to transform into other Fairy Forms?

Headmistress Faragonda: Only time will tell. But I would like to think so.

Sweet! I can’t wait to see ‘em. I wonder what kinda sexy outfit she’ll be in.

I’ll claw your eyes out if you continue to think pervy thoughts like that...

Though now that you mention it, you’ve got any idea what size it would be?

(forming fire in her hand) I will roast you both alive!

Skull and Mona: Eep!

Look, all joking aside, what will this mean for Ann? She’s just completing her first year of college. I’m not sure if she’ll be able to transfer to Alfea or Tir Nan Og College. Nor let her go of bring COVID.

Headmistress Faragonda: True, Tir Nan Og is still reluctant about opening its doors since even Fairies are not exempt from this virus. And Queen Nebula is still trying deciding on whether or not to teach online with help from Tecna. Also, we cannot risk the virus being brought to Magix. But I will see what can be done.

Congratulations, Ann chan. I think your parents will be proud.

Panther: Thanks... Now the only problem left is how to tell them.

Really, you haven’t told them yet, Senpai?

Panther: I was getting around to it. But I will once we get back.

I think you’re all missing the bigger picture here... Which school will she be going?

Panther: I guess that would be a problem. I could go to Tir Non Og because it’s on Earth so it’s close to home. But then again, Bloom and the Winx are at Alfea and I could learn a little more from them. I still need to think about it.

You still have time before then. You’ll decide then.

Panther: I know. Thanks, Sophia.

So, even the Fairy Schools are having problems with the coronavirus. It looks like True Cross Academy and the Cram School are no longer the only ones having problems with continuing operations.

Headmistress Faragonda: I hardly think this is any reason to rub it in, Sir Pheles. And it is not just our schools of the supernatural and the mystic arts.

Like what? Hogwarts?

>Headmistress Faragonda and Mephisto were silent.

Are you serious? That school’s actually real?

Wait until my friend in Inaba hears about this. She’ll be laughing so hard to know that schools like that exist.

Yeah, we were surprised too when we learned that Ilvermorny was real.

That’s true... But I don’t think it would be wise to tell everybody. Some of them prefer to keep secret.

Ohya: Really? Well that sucks.

Yeah, makes me wonder if there’s a school like that in Neo Yokio.

Yeah. Hey, Kaz, is there a school for magic homies?

Kaz: Not really. We usually learn on the job. But I do wish there was a school like that.

Mephisto: I believe that can be arranged. Some of the Exorcists who are staying here are establishing a chapter here, despite that there will be no inquisition. The Grigori thought it would be best to have a place where the Magistocrats, young and old, can learn to better harness their powers. Without having to join the Order unless they desire to. So what do you say, Kaz Kaan? Would you like to join in this new Magistocrat Academy?

Kaz: ... I’ll think about it. For now, I’m just going to keep doing what I do.

Good for you. Sometimes you need to keeping doing things you do best before you can find your path.

Sophie: That sounds good... Of course, it could just the filter.

Charles: I would like to believe that even Sadie would agree.

Skull: (confused) Sadie? Who’s that?

Kaz: You’ll meet her someday. Right now, it’s best that you don’t. (Mostly because I think this post already has enough characters.)

Well, it looks like it’s finished.

Kaz: What do you mean?

Lexy: Me, Gottlieb, Boss, and Roderick have come up with something.

Kaz: So? It’s a can of Caprese. See you’ve taken inspiration from Charles’ story.

Lexy: It’s not just any Caprese in a can. It’s non-alcoholic Caprese for underage drinkers. Boss and Roderick says that if we can get everyone to join in on this drink. Here, try some.

>Lexy opens a can and pours some in a martini glass. Kaz then takes a sip of it...

It’s delicious! It’s almost as good as the alcoholic ones.

Lexy: (happy) You see? We also have the alcoholic ones, but I’m sure the non-alcoholic ones will sell, too.

>Are they really that good? I take one of the cans of non-alcoholic Caprese, open it, and take a huge sip...

Whoa, you weren’t kidding! This is great taste! It really is like drinking a salad.

So glad to hear that. It’ll be one of the crowning jewels here in the Stray Sheep. Even though most of everyone who’ll buy it will be from other worlds, you two will still get your cut.

Gottlieb: I’m sure it’ll be fine. We don’t care about the money anymore. Though we still need it, we won’t let it drive us from what is really important.

Lexy: He’s right. We’re not sure if it’s the change of heart speaking, but you have our word.

Mona: (whispering) Now that I think about it, this Caprese Martini could also be very useful.

Joker: (also whispering) I agree.

Mutton: (also whispering) I heard that. And I think I might arrange for that.

Joker: Can you?

Mutton: (adjusting his sunglasses) You’d be surprised.

Tutorial

Non-Alcoholic Caprese Martini is now a usable item.

Using it will restore 40 HP and SP. It will also raise your Attack, but lowers your Agility.

If you wish to buy a Caprese Martini, you can order it from the Stray Sheep’s website.

Tutorial 2

You can now order items from the Stray Sheep.

If you wish to order items from the Stray Sheep, go to the laptop and select Stray Sheep.

Here is a list of items you can purchase for now:

Sake Student: A sake made just for underage drinkers. (Restores 35 HP, but lowers Defense) ¥960

Root Beer Baron: The Stray Sheep’s own brew. (Restores 30 HP, but has a chance of inflicting Hunger) ¥720

Just Cola Connoisseur: A cocktail made without rum. (Restores 30 SP) ¥650

Almost Whisky Wiseman: Sparkling cider with some food coloring to make it look like real whisky. (Restores 35 SP, also raises your Attack, but has a chance of inflicting Brainwash, can also be used to revive fallen party member with 100 HP) ¥770

Full Body Soda: Cherry soda in a wine bottle. (Restores 35 HP and SP, also raises critical rate) ¥1300

Shepherd’s Pizza Pie: A pizza with a bit of Thomas Mutton’s touch. (Restores 35 HP to party) ¥960

Salted Peanuts: It’s as the name describes. (Restores 30 HP to party) ¥150

Roderick’s Rockstar Raspberry Pie: A slice of raspberry pie made special by Roderick Lockhart. (Restores 40 HP, can also be given away as a gift) ¥400

Non-Alcoholic Caprese Martini: See above. ¥450

Stray Sheep T-Shirt: A white t-shirt with the Stray Sheep logo on it. (Raises Attack by 10, can also be given as a gift or used room decoration) ¥500

Stray Sheep Cap: A white cap with the Stray Sheep logo on it. (Raises Luck by 10, can also be given as a gift) ¥500

Stray Sheep Jacket n’ Cap Set: A white and red jacket and cap with the Stray Sheep logo on them. (Costume, can only be bought once) ¥5000

Jukebox Melody: A CD full of songs from the Stray Sheep’s jukebox. (Can be give as a gift, song can be played in the Thieves Den) ¥1100

Mutton: (out loud) Well, if that’s all, I think it’s time we made our way home. We open if a few hours and, since Erica doesn’t work here anymore, we need to get ready.

Kaz: Hold on, I have something I want to give our new friends to commemorate the moment.

You mean it? You’re giving it to us?

Kaz: I thought it over and I say you deserve it.

Tutorial

Giant Toblerone is now a usable item.

Using it will restore 50 SP to the party.

It can also be given as a gift.

Once you order it from the Stray Sheep, you cannot order more until it arrives. It costs ¥900.

Joker: Thank you, Kaz. We appreciate it.

Kaz: Just come and look me and Arcangelo up the next time you’re in Neo Yokio.

Joker: We’ll be sure to do that.

>With that, Kaz, Arcangelo, Lexy Gottlieb, and Charles leave the Stray Sheep. When they turn back... the bar is gone.

[dante-heller]

Who's your favorite character for each Arcana? (Fool, Magician, Lovers, etc.)

Imma just go ahead and list all the Arcana under here. Some I might not be able to pick one. (Kami it’s a mess underneath)

Fool - Probably Minato, I haven’t watched the anime yet but Anime Yu pissed me off. Akira and Gohan are passable.

Jester/Hunger - Tohru Adachi.

Magician - Can I say me? No? Okay, Yosuke. I like Junpei too. Along with Sharpner.

High Priestess - Makoto, Erasa.

Empress - Mitsuru, probably because she was the only Empress social link I completed. Margaret was... Elegantly seductive. And I hope my empress will be good.

Emperor - Akihiko, Troy knocks Kanji down a few pegs given how much I do not like him but like the character. Yusuke’s... He’s Yusuke.

Hierophant - Shinjiro/Kakyoin. The dads are okay too, but even if he was around just to kick the bucket, Shinjiro’s a great character and gives the others great motivation. Yamcha will get good eventually.

Lovers - Steely Da- Nah. Rise, she was the most consistent. Yukari didn’t make a good impression at first and Ann is... boring personally.

Chariot - You’re kidding me on this right? (Also Polnareff and Videl).

Strength - I repeat my previous statement. (Probably Balla too)

Hermit - Isako Maya Toriumi, I have a thing for older women plus she seems fun. Joseph’s good too.

Fortune - By process of elimination, Naoto. Ryoji was nice and all, but he gave a not so good vibe when he showed up in class. I haven’t spent time with Chihaya considering she costs Yen.

Justice - Nanako/Chiyori. I liked Ken too. Chihiro was a character... That’s all the Justice users worth noting.

Hanged Man - CHIDORI!

Death - Tae.

Temperance - Kawakami because yes please. Eri’s milf material as well. Also Chico. :’(

Devil - Ohya, Sayoko too but I’m not really as much into the nurse scene as Yosuke.

Tower - Probably Shinya, he’s the most I wanted to go back to compared to the others.

Star - Hifumi hands down, Teddie would be here too if he was translated better, I’m gonna try present that better with Lime. Jotaro has some great moments.

Moon - Ai Ebihara, Iggy Drazil.

Sun - Either Yumi or Ayane.

Judgement - Considering she’s the only singular character, Sae.

Aeon - Marie.

World - Dio.

Universe - Kars.

You never stated it had to just be Persona.

[vcvalen7]

My only complaint about Persona 5

This game, compared to p4 or p3 had a noticeable degree less time that you were able to choose for yourself what to do with. In p3 it was possible (albeit, fucking difficult) to max all arcana in one play through (which allowed the player to fuse, but never register, Orpheus Telos), p3F allowed for almost every arcana (primarily because of the addition of the made up aeon arcana), and p4 also made it nearly possible to max out all but a couple social links in one play through. 5, on the other hand, has its time cut short by: 1. making you wait forever after starting for your third optional s link, leaving days where you literally cant advance anything for s links, period. 2. force you to sleep the day before important events even if those events happen in the afternoon. 3. makes you take 3 or 4, or, in the case of the earlier palaces, 5-7 scripted days of prep or resolution for each DUNGEON (except for the ship palace, which can be cleared in one day, if you so choose). 4. Mandating that, for most confidants, you have to spend an entire time block to travel into mementos, fight 1 measly shadow, then leave, just to advance to a "X Level part 2" scene for that confidant, which effectively chews up 3 days (2 for a night time confidant, if you have massage unlocked) for one level of a social link, and that's after probably hanging out with them twice, or once with gift, to trigger the X Level confidant rank that sent you to mementos. Granted, yes, persona 5 has 4 social links [judgement, justice, magician, and fool] that advance automatically throughout the story (as opposed to 4s 3 s links [moon , fool, and judgment], and 3s 2 s links [fool and judgment ]) and one that doesn't take up a time slot at all, plus you have the massage to help you get the night time slot even after going into mementos. Still, having so many days of the calendar clogged up, even the night parts that made no sense to be clogged up, plus the time you miss between the casino palace and the important revelation of the game plot twist, then the time (6 days) that you lose at the end of December, and the lack of any time in January (p3 and p4 both went into January, if I recall.) By the time you do the math, it's so close to impossible to max even 3/4s of the arcana in a play through that you might as call consider it such. I love the game, I really do, but all the days that get leached out from your decisions for either no reason, or for stupid reasons... it kinda irritates me. Still, probably my favorite so far, (i absolutely loved this game, and the premise it was based on) but it could use more time slots on the calendar....