Friendship is at the heart of Persona 5 Royal, and developing deep relationships with your pals can boost your strength as a Phantom Thief. Maxing out Makoto Niijima’s Confidant will reward you with plenty of helpful abilities in the Metaverse. After all, this teacher’s pet packs a serious punch.
Table Of Contents
How to Begin the Priestess Confidant
Boasting the code name ‘Queen,’ Makoto Niijima is the Student Council President at Shujin Academy. Although she first appears as an enemy, she later takes on the role of the Phantom Thieves’ strategist following the takedown of the mafia boss Junya Kaneshiro. Her older sister, Sae Niijima, is initially the prosecutor in charge of bringing down the Phantom Thieves.
You can start Makoto’s Confidant on June 25 after completing Kaneshiro’s Palace, but you must have Scholarly Knowledge (Rank 3).
During the day, Makoto can be found in front of the student council room on the third floor of Shujin Academy. On holidays, she hangs out in front of the school’s main gate.
The deadline to max out the Priestess Confidant in Persona 5 Royal depends on whether or not you max out your relationship with Maruki. If you do, you unlock the third semester and have until February 2. If you don’t, the deadline is the same as the vanilla game–December 22.
NoteAlthough you’re able to spend time with Confidants during the third semester, you won’t have much free time. Aim to max out as many Confidants as possible by December 22.
Priestess Confidant Skills
Spending enough time with Makoto will reward you with bonus abilities that are indispensable in the Metaverse. Check out the full list of abilities and necessary ranks below.
| Confidant Rank | Ability | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shadow Calculus | Allows you to see skills and potential item drops on the analysis screen. |
| 2 | -- | -- |
| 3 | Black Belt Tank | If negotiation with a martial arts-using Shadow fails, you can try again. |
| 4 | Follow Up | Chance to perform a follow-up attack if Joker's attack does not down the enemy. |
| 5 | -- | -- |
| 6 | Harisen Recovery | Chance to cure status ailments inflicted upon party members. |
| 7 | Shadow Factorization | Allows you to see Null, Repel, and Drain when highlighting a target in battle. |
| 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 Priestess Confidant is maxed out, Makoto’s original Persona, Johanna, will transform into Anat. If you unlock the third semester, her Persona will evolve again, this time into Agnes.
Maxing out Makoto’s Confidant will also allow you to fuse Cybele. This Persona has the Linked Bloodline trait, capable of greatly increasing damage dealt by single-target skills following a successful Baton Pass.
Provided that you’ve reached max rank, Makoto will give you a Buchi Calculator on March 19. This will let you unlock Shadow Factorization much earlier in New Game Plus.
Hangout Conversations
Choosing certain dialogue options will increase your friendship rank more quickly during your hangouts with Makoto. If you make the wrong selection, you can always give a gift to make up for any lost points.
Below, we’ve listed all possible dialogue options and the corresponding points.
TipTo get the most points while spending time with Makoto, you’ll need to have a Persona of the Priestess Arcana on hand.
Rank 1
| Dialogue | Possible Responses | Points WITH Matching Persona | Points WITHOUT Matching Persona |
|---|---|---|---|
| "I think...I-I will need to broaden my horizons somewhat." | •What do you plan on doing? •Way to go, advisor! | •0 •0 | •0 •0 |
| "But...I struggle with that. There seems to be a disparity between my tastes and those of my peers..." | •That's not true. •You're totally right. | •0 •0 | •0 •0 |
| "Where do people usually go for fun?" | •The movie theater. •Karaoke. •The arcade. | •0 •0 •0 | •0 •0 •0 |
| "I'm not sure if it will broaden my horizons per se, but simply studying won't get me anywhere." | •Let's go now. •It'll be a field trip. | •0 •0 | •0 •0 |
| "......" | •Want to try it? •You can do it. •It'll be an experience. | •0 •0 •0 | •0 •0 •0 |
| "Oh, so this is how it is." | •Well, what did you think? •You were really into it... •You're a real gamer. | •0 •0 •0 | •0 •0 •0 |
| "I wonder if I could apply some of the techniques I learned here during battle." | •You're so sharp. •That might just work. | •0 •0 | •0 •0 |
| "Interesting. I would've never thought about coming here before." | •You really stood out. •You still have much to learn. •That was a new side of you. | •0 •0 •0 | •0 •0 •0 |
| "I might be able to give the team more ideas if I can gain increased knowledge outside of my studies." | •Ideas? •I don't mind. •I look forward to it. | •0 •0 •0 | •0 •0 •0 |
| "I’ve had all kinds of new experiences today…and it's even been a little fun." | •Let's go again sometime. •It's a new you. •The red-light district next? | •3 •3 •3 | •2 •2 •2 |
Rank 2
| Dialogue | Possible Responses | Points WITH Matching Persona | Points WITHOUT Matching Persona |
|---|---|---|---|
| "I heard there were quite a few brothels as well." | •You're very well informed. •Have you ever been here? •Stay close to me. | •2 •0 •0 | •1 •0 •0 |
| "If you hadn't been there to rescue me, I..." | •You should have known better. •That was dangerous. •You get flustered easily, huh? | •2 •3 •0 | •1 •2 •0 |
| "The After School Salon"...? | •Why is it called a salon? •What kind of place is that? | •0 •0 | •0 •0 |
| "Today was exhausting, but I also learned a lot. I guess nothing beats practical experience." | •Couldn't agree more. •He just wouldn't give up. •Let's actually go in next time. | •3 •0 •0 | •2 •0 •0 |
Rank 3
| Dialogue | Possible Responses | Points WITH Matching Persona | Points WITHOUT Matching Persona |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eiko: "What's up with that, Miss Prez?" | •You have the wrong idea. •So what if we were together? •It's none of your business. | •2 •0 •0 | •1 •0 •0 |
| "She thought I was a robot..." | •Don't let it get to you. •You can change. •Beep boop. | •2 •3 •0 | •1 •2 •0 |
| "It was crazy to see a picture of her entire collection. She even has a bunch of Buchimaru-kun emoticons!" | •Sounds like you two get along. •Buchimaru-kun? •Okay, calm down. | •3 •0 •0 | •2 •0 •0 |
Rank 4
| Dialogue | Possible Responses | Points WITH Matching Persona | Points WITHOUT Matching Persona |
|---|---|---|---|
| "So, my class had a practice entrance exam...and my score was significantly lower than last time. I'm concerned..." | •That's unlike you. •Is Thieves work distracting you? •I'm sure you did better than me. | •2 •0 •0 | •1 •0 •0 |
| "I spoke to Eiko about this matter as well, but the answer hasn't become any clearer..." | •Eiko? •...Who? | •0 •0 | •0 •0 |
| "Even at that, her vision of the future is still clearer than mine." | •Don't you have goals? •What about college? •What do you mean? | •0 •0 •0 | •0 •0 •0 |
| "I sent her a picture...and it's apparently the same brand they use in the nurse's office at school." | •Why do you use it? •That's adorable. •You're not very ladylike... | •3 •2 •0 | •2 •1 •0 |
| "I had completely forgotten about that dream, to be honest..." | •Do you still want to pursue it? •I like a woman in uniform. •It's an amazing goal. | •0 •2 •3 | •0 •1 •2 |
Rank 5
| Dialogue | Possible Responses | Points WITH Matching Persona | Points WITHOUT Matching Persona |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Since then, he's the only thing she'll talk about. She even sent me a picture of their date at Destinyland." | •Are you jealous of them? •That's annoying. •He sounds suspicious. | •0 •2 •3 | •0 •1 •2 |
| "This time, um...you'll have to play the role of my boyfriend." | •I got this. •Why do I have to do it? •Only if I can take it seriously. | •3 •0 •2 | •2 •0 •1 |
| "But if it turns out he really is toying with Eiko…what should we do…?" | •Fist! Of! Justice! •Report him to the police. •Try to reach out to her. | •0 •0 •3 | •0 •0 •2 |
Rank 6
To start this rank, you must have Debonair Charm (Level 5).
| Dialogue | Possible Responses | Points WITH Matching Persona | Points WITHOUT Matching Persona |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tsukasa: "Are you seriously datin'?" | •We just started. •We're fighting right now. •Love comes in many forms. | •2 •0 •3 | •1 •0 •2 |
| "I-I, um..." | •Don't be so pushy. •Back off. •Here, have my number instead. | •0 •0 •0 | •0 •0 •0 |
| "Am I just... getting in the way of their happiness?" | •No, you're being considerate. •You worry too much. •Probably a little. | •0 •0 •0 | •0 •0 •0 |
| "He uses these weird symbols—I have no idea what he's saying. I want to ignore him, but I shouldn’t for Eiko’s sake…" | •Tell him you're on a date. •You're allowed to ignore him. •Fire the same thing back. | •2 •0 •0 | •1 •0 •0 |
Rank 7
| Dialogue | Possible Responses | Points WITH Matching Persona | Points WITHOUT Matching Persona |
|---|---|---|---|
| "His days and nights are reversed due to his work, so he often sends me a 'good morning' late at night..." | •Do you think he likes you? •Does Eiko know about this? | •0 •0 | •0 •0 |
| "Was I just biased to think that all he wants from Eiko is her money?" | •Probably a little. •You watch too many soap operas. •He's definitely suspicious. | •0 •0 •0 | •0 •0 •0 |
| "They suspected that the gang he was investigating hired the driver..." | •Who was their leader? •What gang was it? | •0 •0 | •0 •0 |
| "I'm not sure any of that would have happened if not for the incident with my father..." | •That's a horrible story. •Was it tough without him? •He was a noble man. | •3 •2 •3 | •2 •1 •3 |
| "That was how my father chose to live his life... Trying to bring justice and order to the world around him." | •That's admirable. •I'm sure he was happy. | •3 •3 | •3 •3 |
| "And more importantly, how do I want to live...?" | •Do you have an answer? •You can figure that out now. | •2 •2 | •1 •1 |
| "U serious abt "Wanna hav a double wedding?" | •I'm game if you are. •What are you going to say? •Refuse her, please. | •2 •0 •2 | •1 •0 •1 |
| "I don't trust Eiko's boyfriend yet, so… can we keep this up until I can make a call one way or the other?" | •Of course... •I guess so. •It's the role I always hoped for. | •2 •0 •3 | •1 •0 •2 |
Rank 8
| Dialogue | Possible Responses | Points WITH Matching Persona | Points WITHOUT Matching Persona |
|---|---|---|---|
| "So he calls you his special princess... What do you think, (protagonist)-kun?" | •He says that to all his girls. •That's how he ropes you in. •I'm not sure. | •2 •2 •0 | •1 •1 •0 |
| "She needs to realize that. You're going to help, right?" | •Absolutely. •What are we going to do? •Eh, she deserves him. | •3 •2 •2 | •2 •1 •1 |
Rank 9
To trigger this rank, talk to the irritated promoter in front of the bookstore in Shinjuku. You’ll travel there with Makoto to find more information about Tsukasa’s scam.
This event will also take the entire day.
| Dialogue | Possible Responses | Points WITH Matching Persona | Points WITHOUT Matching Persona |
|---|---|---|---|
| "I dare you!" | •Get away from her! •Your fight's with me. •I'm calling the cops. | •3 •3 •3 | •2 •2 •2 |
| "People noticed what happened..." | •We should get out of here. •Follow me. | •2 •2 | •1 •1 |
| "I can't believe I actually hit one of my friends..." | •It looked like it hurt. •That was the right move. •You really smacked her. | •0 •2 •0 | •0 •1 •0 |
| "How did you ever find somewhere like this...? You know so much." | •I'm a regular here. •It's a popular meeting spot. •Not as much as you. | •3 •3 •2 | •3 •2 •1 |
| "I can't learn about romance by myself..." | •You'll find someone someday. •I'll be your study partner. | •3 (Stay friends) •Start Romance | •3 (Stay friends) •Start Romance |
| "Do you... like me?" *Only asked if you start romance | •I do. •That's not what I meant. | •3 (Romance) •0 (Friendship) | •3 (Romance) •0 (Friendship) |
| "I'd probably never have pulled this off alone. Thank you so much." | •I'd do anything for you. •Were you scared? •No big deal. | •3 •0 •0 | •2 •0 •0 |
MAX Rank
Friendship
| Dialogue | Possible Responses | Points WITH Matching Persona | Points WITHOUT Matching Persona |
|---|---|---|---|
| "I think she knew it deep within her heart, and seeing him like that finally helped her realize." | •That's incredible. •Your slap worked wonders. •I'm so relieved. | •2 •0 •0 | •1 •0 •0 |
| "I plan on doing the same as well." | •Are you stressing over exams? •Back to studying? •For your sister? | •2 •0 •0 | •1 •0 •0 |
| "My dream...is to become a police commissioner. That is why I need to study." | •Police commissioner? •That sounds difficult. •Why did you choose that? | •0 •2 •0 | •0 •1 •0 |
| "Instead, I want to head an organization that will destroy the lawless and help rescue victims." | •What an admirable goal. •That's an amazing dream. •Your father would be proud. | •3 •2 •3 | •3 •1 •2 |
| "Must have been difficult babysitting the uptight Miss President, right?" | •Maybe a bit. •We went through so much... | •2 •3 | •1 •2 |
| "*giggle* What a funny thought...Studying to become a head of police while working as a thief..." | •Haha, yeah. •It's not funny at all. •Just be careful, OK? | •0 •0 •2 | •0 •0 •1 |
Romance
| Dialogue | Possible Responses | Points WITH Matching Persona | Points WITHOUT Matching Persona |
|---|---|---|---|
| "I think she knew it deep within her heart, and seeing him like that finally helped her realize." | •That's incredible. •Your slap worked wonders. •I'm so relieved. | •2 •0 •0 | •1 •0 •0 |
| "I plan on doing the same as well." | •Are you stressing over exams? •Back to studying? •For your sister? | •2 •0 •0 | •1 •0 •0 |
| "My dream...is to become a police commissioner. That is why I need to study." | •Police commissioner? •That sounds difficult. •Why did you choose that? | •0 •2 •0 | •0 •1 •0 |
| "Instead, I want to head an organization that will destroy the lawless and help rescue victims." | •What an admirable goal. •That's an amazing dream. •Your father would be proud. | •3 •2 •3 | •3 •1 •2 |
| "*giggle* What a funny thought...Studying to become a head of police while working as a thief..." | •Haha, yeah. •It's not funny at all. •Just be careful, OK? | •0 •0 •2 | •0 •0 •1 |
| "U-Um..." | •What's wrong? •Do you want to study? | •0 •0 | •0 •0 |
Other Hangouts
Occasionally, your friends will reach out, wanting to spend more time with you. While these hangouts won’t increase your friendship rank, they can give you additional points.
Phone Invitation (7/30)
| Dialogue | Possible Responses | Points WITH Matching Persona | Points WITHOUT Matching Persona |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Look. He's all alone, and he's scanning around the place. Definitely suspicious..." | •What a shady character. •Wait, isn't that...? | •0 •0 | •0 •0 |
| Mishima: "...Wait, don't tell me you two are here on a..." | •We're investigating. •We're looking for someone. •Keep it quiet, okay? | •2 (Moon Confidant) •2 (Moon Confidant) •0 | •1 •1 •0 |
| Mishima: "Talking about the beauty of the universe, some kind of worldly balance...so, a textbook crazy." | •Sounds like a total loon. •Sounds kind of familiar... | •0 •0 | •0 •0 |
| Yusuke: "How rude. Who are you calling a 'weirdo'?" | •You. •Let's be real here... | •0 •0 | •0 •0 |
| Yusuke: "...And rest assured, I shall be keeping a vigilant eye out for this weirdo of yours." | •That helps. •We caught him. | •3 (Emperor Confidant) •0 | •2 •0 |
| "But it's good that we were diligent. That's important for the Phantom Thieves, right?" | •Exactly. •Is it? •The stars were pretty. | •3 •3 •3 | •2 •2 •2 |
Hawaii Trip
| Dialogue | Possible Responses | Points WITH Matching Persona | Points WITHOUT Matching Persona |
|---|---|---|---|
| "I honestly wanted to contact you earlier, but this is the first free moment I've had." | •You're doing great. •Let's enjoy this then. •I can't decide where to look. | •3 •3 •3 | •2 •3 •2 |
| "Are you...adventurous when it comes to food?" | •Yeah, sometimes. •Not really. •It depends. | •3 •3 •2 | •3 •2 •1 |
| "But if it's like this...I think I'd like to come again." | •It's been fun. •I'm good for a while. •Chaperone us next year too. | •3 •0 •0 | •2 •0 •0 |
| "It's not the best souvenir...but it will remind you of the memories we made today." | •I love it. •They're great memories. | •3 •3 | •3 •3 |
| "Well, we should probably return before it gets dark." | •Just a little longer. •We still have some time. | •0 •0 | •0 •0 |
