The many characters you meet in Persona 5 Royal can have a big impact on your activities as a Phantom Thief. If you want to make your guns more useful in the Metaverse, you’ll want to spend time with Shinya Oda, a kid who will smoke you in shooting games.
Table Of Contents
How to Begin the Tower Confidant
Clad in unintentionally hilarious gamer gear, Shinya Oda is an elementary school kid famous for his arcade skills. You’ll first meet him at the Gigolo arcade in Akihabara, and after some persuading, he’ll teach you how to properly wield a firearm. What does Shinya want in exchange? Proof that you really know the Phantom Thieves.
You can start Shinya’s Confidant as early as 9/4 as part of the Mementos Request “Winners Don’t Use Cheats.” After discovering that someone is cheating at the local arcades, the Phantom Thieves challenge the bully in Mementos. His skills are too strong, however, and you’ll seek out Shinya to study his strategies. He can be found at the arcade in Akihabara.
After Shinya asks for an introduction to the Phantom Thieves, return to Futaba in Yongen-Jaya. Chat with her during the day to send a message to Shinya. The next time you see him, the Confidant will begin.
Tower Confidant Skills
Hanging out with Shinya will help to make guns more effective in the Metaverse. Check out the table below to see all unlockable skills.
| Confidant Rank | Ability | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Down Shot | Allows you to knock down an enemy with a special shot once per infiltration. |
| 2 | Bullet Hail | Chance to enter a gun-based All-out Attack after a successful ambush. |
| 3 | Warning Shot | Able to scare enemies in negotiation to make it easier to obtain a Persona. |
| 4 | -- | -- |
| 5 | Laced Bullets | Increases the success rate of an ailment-inflicting gunshot. |
| 6 | Cheap Shot | Allows you to use Down Shot three times per infiltration. |
| 7 | -- | -- |
| 8 | Electric Slug | Increases the damage inflicted by Bullet Hail. |
| 9 | -- | -- |
| MAX | Oda Special | Allows Joker's gun attacks to ignore resistances and hit the enemy. |
Once the Tower Confidant is maxed out, you’ll be able to fuse Mada. This Persona can learn the rare skills Fire Amp and Burn Boost, as well as Unshaken Will and Blazing Hell.
If you’re at max rank with Shinya on March 19, he’ll give you a Gun Controller. This unlocks all gun techniques automatically when you start the Tower Confidant in New Game Plus.
Hangout Conversations
Choosing certain dialogue options will help to increase Shinya’s Confidant rank more quickly. If you make the wrong choice, it’s possible to give a gift to make up for any lost points.
By ranking up Shinya’s Confidant, you’ll also progressively boost your Kindness stat.
We’ve listed all possible dialogue options and the corresponding points below.
TipRank 1
| Dialogue | Possible Responses | Points WITH Matching Persona | Points WITHOUT Matching Persona |
|---|---|---|---|
| "How'd you do it?" | •Through a secret exchange. •Through a bulletin board. | •0 •0 | •0 •0 |
| "So tell me more about the Phantom Thieves!" | •It's a deal. •Leave it to me. •Depends on the trump card. | •0 •0 •0 | •0 •0 •0 |
| "Hey, we should exchange IDs. It's not like I'm here every day, so..." | •Sure. •Do we have to? •Call me when it's game time. | •1 •1 •3 | •1 •1 •2 |
Rank 2
| Dialogue | Possible Responses | Points WITH Matching Persona | Points WITHOUT Matching Persona |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Thanks to you taking so long to figure it out..." | •Sorry... •Don't compare me to you. •Praise would be encouraging. | •2 •3 •0 | •1 •2 •0 |
| "*sigh*" | •Let's go. •What a rude employee. •Something bothering you? | •0 •2 •0 | •0 •1 •0 |
| "...I need to get really strong, like the Phantom Thieves." | •Are they strong? •Do you admire them? | •0 •2 | •0 •1 |
| "I believe in the Phantom Thieves and their strength." | •So do I? •They're more than strong. •I'll let them know. | •3 •0 •3 | •2 •0 •2 |
| "Everyone sucks at first, but you can get good if you do it every day!" | •I'll work hard. •If I feel like it. •So then I can beat you? | •2 •0 •2 | •1 •0 •1 |
Rank 3
| Dialogue | Possible Responses | Points WITH Matching Persona | Points WITHOUT Matching Persona |
|---|---|---|---|
| "All they did today was throw eraser crumbs into my lunch, though, so I won that round." | •Are they bullying you? •Sounds like fun. •You shouldn't waste food. | •0 •0 •0 | •0 •0 •0 |
| "That's why I gotta get stronger!" | •That's the spirit. •Want to learn martial arts? •You really love your mom. | •2 •0 •0 | •1 •0 •0 |
| "Maybe we can go eat something again while we're at it?" | •Sure. •If our schedules line up. •Any food requests? | •2 •0 •0 | •1 •0 •0 |
Rank 4
| Dialogue | Possible Responses | Points WITH Matching Persona | Points WITHOUT Matching Persona |
|---|---|---|---|
| "You cheated, didn't you!?" | •Calm down. •You're being a sore loser. •Yeah, you tell him! | •0 •0 •2 | •0 •0 •1 |
| "You've gotta be kidding me..." | •Don't get so worked up. •Get your revenge. •Pros are amazing, huh? | •0 •2 •0 | •0 •1 •0 |
Rank 5
| Dialogue | Possible Responses | Points WITH Matching Persona | Points WITHOUT Matching Persona |
|---|---|---|---|
| "I mean, I couldn't do anything to him...There's just no way." | •It was pretty weird. •It happens. •He must've rigged it. | •3 •0 •3 | •2 •0 •2 |
| "I'm definitely gonna demolish him!" | •You think you have a chance? •I'm sure you can do it. •Don't get so worked up. | •0 •2 •0 | •0 •1 •0 |
| "The strategy I used last time didn't work..." | •Are you going to give up? •You need a new strategy. | •2 •3 | •1 •2 |
| "I gotta think of a new strategy by the next time I challenge him!" | •I'll be cheering you on. •You're a sharp kid. •Think you can take him? | •2 •0 •2 | •1 •0 •1 |
Rank 6
| Dialogue | Possible Responses | Points WITH Matching Persona | Points WITHOUT Matching Persona |
|---|---|---|---|
| "The games are on me today...Just be sure to keep up." | •I can pay for myself. •If you insist. •Do you have enough? | •0 •0 •0 | •0 •0 •0 |
| "I'm not a bad guy...am I...?" | •You should return the money. •You're acting like one. | •0 •0 | •0 •0 |
| "I won't do it again...I don't wanna be a bad guy." | •That's good. •I believe in you. | •2 •3 | •1 •2 |
| "Um...do you...hate me now?" | •A little bit. •Not at all. •I'm worried about you. | •0 •3 •0 | •0 •2 •0 |
| "(Protagonist)-san...Are you sure you aren't gonna hate me?" | •Of course I won't. •That's up to you. •I'm your big brother, right? | •2 •0 •0 | •1 •0 •0 |
Rank 7
| Dialogue | Possible Responses | Points WITH Matching Persona | Points WITHOUT Matching Persona |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shinya's Mother: "So? Are you the one who's been such a bad influence on my Shinya?" | •I haven't done anything. •Calm down. •Bad influence? | •0 •0 •0 | •0 •0 •0 |
| Shinya's Mother: "Come on, Shinya, we're going home!" | •Take it easy on him. •Think about his feelings. | •0 •0 | •0 •0 |
| Shinya's Mother: "If you keep meddling with him, I'm going to call the police!" | •Bring it on, lady. •I haven't done anything. •That wouldn't be good. | •0 •0 •0 | •0 •0 •0 |
| "To change my mom back...to the way she used to be..." | •What's your mom's name? •Tell me about your mom. | •0 •0 | •0 •0 |
Rank 8
| Dialogue | Possible Responses | Points WITH Matching Persona | Points WITHOUT Matching Persona |
|---|---|---|---|
| "So she IS bad after all..." | •She's out of control. •No, she's not. •Is that what you think? | •0 •2 •2 | •0 •1 •1 |
| "Do you think they'll actually be able to change her heart?" | •It'll all work out. •I can't guarantee it. •Believe in them. | •2 •0 •3 | •1 •0 •2 |
| "...Okay, I'll do it." | •Is it too much for you? •Way to step up. | •0 •0 | •0 •0 |
| "That's why I wanna help the Phantom Thieves. I wanna stop my mom." | •Let's save her. •That's admirable. | •3 •3 | •2 •2 |
Rank 9
You must complete the Mementos Request “A Mother’s Aggression” before advancing Shinya’s Confidant further.
| Dialogue | Possible Responses | Points WITH Matching Persona | Points WITHOUT Matching Persona |
|---|---|---|---|
| "She broke down crying and told me that she'll be a better mother from now on..." | •I'm glad to hear that. •That's hard to believe. •Thank the Phantom Thieves. | •3 •0 •2 | •2 •0 •1 |
| "Am I weird...for feeling happy about losing? I mean, all I cared about before was winning." | •A little bit, yeah. •No, that makes sense. •It means you've matured. | •2 •3 •3 | •1 •2 •2 |
| "I wonder why he's cheating..." | •He wants to win at all costs. •He's too lazy to practice. •I wouldn't know... | •2 •0 •0 | •1 •0 •0 |
| "I'm so glad she's back to her old self! I'm so thankful for the Phantom Thieves!" | •Your wish came true. •You really think it was them? •You did a great job too. | •2 •2 •2 | •1 •1 •1 |
MAX Rank
| Dialogue | Possible Responses | Points WITH Matching Persona | Points WITHOUT Matching Persona |
|---|---|---|---|
| "I've got nothing left to teach you. You're an elite player now, (protagonist)-san." | •Thanks to my hard work. •Thanks to my teacher. | •2 •3 | •1 •2 |
| "...I'm so happy right now." | •You got your revenge. •You made things right. •You made new friends. | •0 •2 •3 | •0 •1 •2 |
| "Will that help me become a member of the Phantom Thieves?" | •I'll let you in. •Ask them yourself. | •0 •0 | •0 •0 |
Other Hangouts
Occasionally, certain characters may want to spend more time with you. While these bonus hangouts won’t reward you with a higher friendship rank, they can give you additional points.
Dome Town Invitation (10/9)
| Dialogue | Possible Responses | Points WITH Matching Persona | Points WITHOUT Matching Persona |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shinya: "Oh, (protagonist)-san... What are you doing here?" | •I'm humoring him. •I'm taking a breather. | •0 •2 | •0 •1 |
| Shinya: "...Who is this guy? Your friend?" | •More or less. •...... | •0 •0 | •0 •0 |
| "H-Hey, ummm..." | •Can he join us? •He wants to play too. •He can hold our bags. | •3 •3 •3 | •2 •2 •2 |
