Friendship is at the heart of Persona 5 Royal, and getting closer to your pals can boost your strength as a Phantom Thief. Former track star Ryuji Sakamoto is a powerful ally, and maxing out his Confidant will reward you with helpful abilities in the Metaverse.
Table Of Contents
How to Begin the Chariot Confidant
Ryuji is one of your first friends in the game. Known for causing countless problems for the teachers at Shujin Academy, the protagonist is initially warned to stay away to avoid getting caught up in his delinquent behavior. As time goes on, it becomes clear that Ryuji’s behavior is a way to cope with his difficult childhood and Kamoshida’s reign of terror.
After leaving Kamoshida’s Palace for the second time on April 12, Ryuji’s Confidant will automatically trigger.
On school days, you can find Ryuji outside of your classroom near the stairs. On days off, he hangs out inside the arcade on Central Street in Shibuya.
NoteChariot Confidant Skills
As you become closer to Ryuji and reach new Ranks, you’ll unlock tons of useful skills that will help turn the tide in battle. See the table below for complete details.
| Confidant Rank | Ability | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | -- | -- |
| 2 | Punk Talk | If negotiation with an upbeat Shadow fails, you can try again. |
| 3 | Follow Up | Chance to perform a follow-up attack if Joker's attack does not down the enemy. |
| 4 | Stealth Dash | Makes you less likely to be found in the Metaverse while dashing. |
| 5 | -- | -- |
| 6 | Harisen Recovery | Chance to cure status ailments inflicted upon party members. |
| 7 | Insta-Kill | When encountering a weak Shadow, you may destroy it immediately. |
| 8 | Endure | Chance to withstand an otherwise fatal attack with 1 HP remaining. |
| 9 | Protect | Chance to shield Joker from an otherwise fatal attack. |
| MAX | Second Awakening | Transforms Persona into a mythological trickster. |
Once the Chariot Confidant is maxed out, Ryuji’s original Persona, Captain Kidd, will transform into Seiten Taisei. If you unlock the third semester, his Persona will evolve again, this time into William.
Maxing out Ryuji’s Confidant will also allow you to fuse Chi You, an extremely powerful Psy Persona.
If you’re planning on starting New Game Plus, the Sports Watch Ryuji gives you on March 19 will come in handy. This unlocks Harisen Recovery and Stealth Dash instantly when you establish Ryuji’s Confidant on your second playthrough.
Hangout Conversations
When spending time with Ryuji, certain dialogue choices will increase your friendship more than others. Selecting the right responses can help boost your Rank more quickly. If you make the wrong selection once or twice, don’t panic–you can always give a gift to make up any lost points.
Note
Below, we’ve included every possible dialogue choice and the number of points you’ll receive for choosing each option.
Rank 1
| Dialogue | Best Response | Points WITH Matching Persona | Points WITHOUT Matching Persona |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Ugh, I'm dead tired... How you holding up?" | Any | -- | -- |
| "So... Wanna help me look for those guys or any witnesses?" | Any | -- | -- |
| "Everyone already knows. They totally got you pegged as a criminal." | Any | -- | -- |
| "Kamoshida opened his damn mouth!" | Any | -- | -- |
| "And after seein' Kamoshida's distorted-heart thing in person, there's no way I can just sit back!" | Any | -- | -- |
| "It'd be weird splittin' off now, so why don't we grab a bite somewhere?" | Any | -- | -- |
Rank 2
| Dialogue | Possible Responses | Points WITH Matching Persona | Points WITHOUT Matching Persona |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Plus, maybe then I'll be able to help out a little more." | •I'm counting on you. •You seem pretty excited. •...Help with what? | •3 •3 •2 | •3 •2 •1 |
| "If my time dropped even a little, he'd cuss me out. Then on top of that, he brought up my parents..." | •What about them? •And then you punched him? | •0 •0 | •0 •0 |
| "......" | •Do you go want to go back? •Do you regret it? | •2 •2 | •1 •1 |
| "Ugh... I should've kept up my running." | •You're already fast enough. •Are your legs okay? •It's never too late, man. | •2 •2 | •1 •1 |
Rank 3
| Dialogue | Possible Responses | Points WITH Matching Persona | Points WITHOUT Matching Persona |
|---|---|---|---|
| "......" | •Let's not fight. •Want to train with us? •It's nice to meet you. | •2 •0 •0 | •1 •0 •0 |
| "That don't got anything to do with this..." | •Calm down, Ryuji. •Just endure it. •I'll shut them up. | •3 •2 •0 | •2 •1 •0 |
| "I get pissed off so damn easily. I really gotta work on that." | •I can't exactly blame you. •Violence is not the answer. •Yeah, that'd be best. | •2 •0 •0 | •1 •0 •0 |
Rank 4
Ogikubo will become available as a hangout spot after achieving this rank.
| Dialogue | Possible Responses | Points WITH Matching Persona | Points WITHOUT Matching Persona |
|---|---|---|---|
| "But for some reason it don't look like he's gettin' along with the others." | •Nakaoka? •Are you worried about him? •Just leave him be. | •0 •2 •0 | •0 •1 •0 |
| "It's good they're keepin' their heads low now though. I don't want 'em endin' up like me." | •But you're doing great. •It's not so bad. •I know how you feel. | •3 •2 •3 | •3 •1 •2 |
Rank 5
This rank is only available after May 6. By completing it, you’ll gain access to the Protein Lovers gym in Shibuya.
| Dialogue | Possible Responses | Points WITH Matching Persona | Points WITHOUT Matching Persona |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Oh yeah! You bring your stuff?" | •A towel? •Protein powder? | •2 •3 | •1 •2 |
| "... Good for them." | •You seem conflicted. •Do you want to rejoin? •You're done with them, right? | •2 •2 •0 | •1 •1 •0 |
| "But I'm still worried 'bout their advisor, Yamauchi. He's basically like a mini Kamoshida." | •So he's short? •So he's an asshole? | •2 •3 | •1 •2 |
| "But I mean, if anything happens, I know you got my back. So I ain't too worried!" | •Don't worry. I gotcha. •I haven't agreed to anything. •Fine, but you're buying ramen. | •2 •0 •0 | •1 •0 •0 |
Rank 6
| Dialogue | Possible Responses | Points WITH Matching Persona | Points WITHOUT Matching Persona |
|---|---|---|---|
| "You got any ideas?" | •Let's stay here. •How about Protein Lovers? •We can train at my place. | •2 •2 •3 | •1 •1 •2 |
| "Huh? That's a load of bull!" | •You guys should trust Nakaoka. •This is no time for arguing. | •3 •3 | •3 •2 |
| "(Protagonist)...You get what I'm tryin' to say, yeah?" | •Absolutely. •More or less. •Not in the slightest. | •3 •3 •0 | •2 •2 •0 |
| "It's like how I feel when I'm talkin' to you, man." | •I don't get it. •Can you explain that? | •0 •0 | •0 •0 |
| "Uhhh, I don't know how else to explain. I just feel...free." | •...Huh? •I really don't understand. | •0 •0 | •0 •0 |
| "And Nakaoka can get weirdly stubborn sometimes. He'll keep his mouth shut whether or not someone's punchin' him." | •Sounds like you two were close. •Just like you. •So he should've punched back? | •0 •0 •2 | •0 •0 •1 |
Rank 7
To start this rank level, you’ll need to wait until receiving a text from Ryuji at night. He’ll invite you to go on a stakeout in Tsukishima on one of the following dates:
- April: 20th, 25th, 27th
- May: 18th, 25th, 27th
- June: 22nd, 29th
- July: 1st, 6th
- August: 12th, 17th
- September: 21st
- October: 2nd
- November: 2nd, 4th, 9th, 11th, 16th, 30th
- December: 2nd, 7th, 9th
- January: 13th
| Dialogue | Possible Responses | Points WITH Matching Persona | Points WITHOUT Matching Persona |
|---|---|---|---|
| "If we don't do something quick, Yamauchi's gonna get rid of Takeishi too... God dammit!" | •Should we change his heart? •Let's talk to Takeishi. | •0 •3 | •0 •2 |
| "I know that ain't the coolest thing to say, but it's how I feel." | •I think it's cool, Ryuji. •Wait, what? | •3 •2 | •3 •1 |
| "Besides... I doubt those guys are gonna listen to anything I say..." | •Never know until you try. •It's out of our hands. •We'll use force if we have to. | •2 •0 •0 | •1 •0 •0 |
Rank 8
| Dialogue | Possible Responses | Points WITH Matching Persona | Points WITHOUT Matching Persona |
|---|---|---|---|
| "So, I called Nakaoka and Takeishi over here. I'm gonna tell 'em what that bastard Yamauchi is up to." | •What if they start fighting? •I doubt they'll believe you. | •0 •0 | •0 •0 |
| "You saw that, right? That was some serious violence!" | •Things turned out for the best. •You deserved it. | •3 •3 | •3 •2 |
| "... Thanks." | •All I did was watch. •Are you gonna pay me back? | •3 •2 | •2 •1 |
| "It's kinda like I was doin' a sprint... and you were runnin' next to me." | •But I was just standing here... •You weren't cool though. | •2 •3 | •1 •2 |
| "Seein' them havin' a real heart-to-heart talk... They got a good team." | •You did a great job. •So. Case closed? •We make a good team too. | •0 •2 •0 | •0 •1 •0 |
Rank 9
| Dialogue | Possible Responses | Points WITH Matching Persona | Points WITHOUT Matching Persona |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Looks like they're finally walkin' their own path." | •Are you satisfied now? •Not running? | •3 •2 | •2 •1 |
| "Oh, and uh... they asked me to come back to the team." | •What did you say? •Do you have any time for that? •Don't do it. | •2 •2 •3 | •1 •1 •2 |
| "Wherever you decide to be, that's where you belong." | •You're right. •I never realized that. | •3 •3 | •2 •3 |
| "... I'm just glad I found it." | •I agree. •Be more specific. •And where is this place? | •2 •0 •0 | •1 •0 •0 |
| "They're apparently keepin' Yamauchi as their advisor for now, but it's cool. Sounds like they got him under control." | •Congratulations. •Got him under control, how? •Better watch out for them. | •2 •0 •2 | •1 •0 •1 |
MAX Rank
| Dialogue | Possible Responses | Points WITH Matching Persona | Points WITHOUT Matching Persona |
|---|---|---|---|
| "I think they might even go far in the meet." | •I'm looking forward to it. •We can't lose either. | •3 •3 | •3 •3 |
| "So... thanks, man." | •You're welcome. •It's all because of you. | •0 •0 | •0 •0 |
Other Hangouts
Persona 5 Royal includes a few extra scenes for Ryuji fans to enjoy. These can help boost your affinity with him, so don’t miss out on the extra points.
Ogikubo
| Dialogue | Possible Responses | Points WITH Matching Persona | Points WITHOUT Matching Persona |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Ain't you totally fallin' for this soy sauce flavor too!?" | •I'm in love. •I prefer richer soups. •It was lacking in umami. | •3 •2 •3 | •3 •1 •2 |
NoteIchigaya Fishing Pond
| Dialogue | Possible Responses | Points WITH Matching Persona | Points WITHOUT Matching Persona |
|---|---|---|---|
| "... Hey, doesn't meetin' in a place like this look like we're talkin' some shady business...? I like it." | •This is shady. •Think so? | •3 •0 | •3 •0 |
| "... How am I supposed to do that?" | •Let go of all worldly desires. •Accept the grim reality of society. | •0 •0 | •0 •0 |
| "She keeps gettin' fish even as she nags... I'm impressed!" | •Call her 'Master' Kawakami. •She's a true master fisher. | •3 •3 | •3 •3 |
Leblanc (7/28)
| Dialogue | Possible Responses | Points WITH Matching Persona | Points WITHOUT Matching Persona |
|---|---|---|---|
| "So, hey. Who do you usually root for? The main hero or the rival?" | •The main hero, of course. •The rival, actually. •The hero's allies. | •3 •3 •3 | •3 •3 •2 |
Leblanc (8/3)
| Dialogue | Possible Responses | Points WITH Matching Persona | Points WITHOUT Matching Persona |
|---|---|---|---|
| "How about you? Whaddya like more, soccer or baseball?" | •Soccer. •Baseball. •I don't like either... | •3 •3 •3 | •3 •2 •3 |
Hawaii School Trip
| Dialogue | Possible Responses | Points WITH Matching Persona | Points WITHOUT Matching Persona |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Will this really work...?" (Mishima) | •We won't lose. •You got this, Ryuji. •I love swimming! | •0 •0 •0 | •0 •0 •0 |
| "Even in Hawaii, it's the same ol' Yusuke." | •He's a weirdo. •He's perverted... | •0 •0 | •0 •0 |
| "Oooh! I never thought of that!" | •Uh, no. •Let's use the Phan-Site. | •0 •0 | •0 •0 |
| "Man... Shit went south real fast..." | •That was a major defeat. •It's all your fault. •Let's go on a food binge. | •0 •0 •0 | •0 •0 •0 |
