What makes the Persona series’ DLC Personas so overpowered? 

With Personas being integral to the franchise’s combat (they literally are the entire title), it is important that players choose the right ones for the job. Some Personas are earned, others are fused, but a certain few can be bought with real money. Most DLC Personas in Persona 5 Royal and Persona 3 Reload are seen as overpowered to the point where they trivialize gameplay, but what is it that makes them so powerful? 

The majority of DLC Personas hit hard and provide a lot of support 

DLC Personas don’t usually conform to the base game’s rules. Persona 3 Reload’s DLC Personas, for example, can be called upon no matter the player’s current level. This creates a huge power gap between the protagonist and early-game foes. The only drawback to summoning DLC Personas early on is that players might not have the HP or SP needed to use their abilities reliably. 

Whether it be Satanael who can decimate a crowd of Shadows with his Maeigaon attack or Anat who can fully heal any ally’s HP with the Diarahan skill, DLC Personas come equipped with some of the game’s strongest end-game abilities. This is not even considering the Personas’ stats and passive abilities which buff the protagonist and remove certain weaknesses. Equipping a strong Persona can make a big difference gameplay-wise, as is evidenced by the ability to do so in the franchise’s new game plus modes. 

DLC Personas are easy to unlock for those who buy them 

Though the base games include Personas that can be considered overpowered, getting them to such a state requires a lot of effort. Creating Satanael in Persona 5 Royal requires the protagonist to be at least level 95. Once this has been achieved, players need to finish the game in a specific manner and fuse multiple other Personas that are linked to the protagonist’s Confidants. Getting to the appropriate level and finishing the game can be done organically, but it is only through planning and research that a Satanael with the strongest abilities can be obtained. 

In contrast, DLC Personas are strong out of the gate. Players can summon them once for free regardless of their level. Persona 5 Royal even has instances where DLC Personas can be fused from the base game’s roster. Regardless of how they are summoned, these Personas can be strengthened through use and by equipping them with the proper skill cards. 

Due to the franchise’s single-player nature, there aren’t too many issues regarding overpowered DLC Personas. Those willing to spend money to see Personas cross over to other titles can do so without ruining the experience for anyone else. On the other hand, purists who want to feel more of a catharsis can stick with the base games’ Personas and grind their power the old-fashioned way.