Persona 5 Royal difficulty differences – Difficulty levels, explained

At the beginning of Persona 5 Royal, the game springs a weighty decision on you. With little experience in the game, you must decide on a game difficulty. Although the text contains a few details, it is confusing to determine just how challenging each difficulty level is. We're here to help you avoid potential frustration and choose the right difficulty level for you. Come join us as we explain the differences between each difficulty level in Persona 5 Royal.

Difficulty levels in Persona 5 Royal, explained

Safe

Safe is the easiest difficulty level in Persona 5 Royal, but selecting it requires a commitment. Once you pick the Safe difficulty, you cannot switch difficulties whatsoever for the rest of the playthrough. However, this level does provide several advantages that allow players to enjoy the story casually. Here are the effects of selecting the Safe difficulty.

• The player receives 50% less damage in combat.
• The player deals 60% more damage in fights.
• The player's party receives 50% extra EXP.
• In Palaces, the player is 50% more likely to discover items.

Easy

Easy is more challenging than Safe, but you can switch between difficulties after selecting Easy. This difficulty level is surprisingly close to Normal when considering statistics, but it still provides some leniency during combat. Here are the effects of selecting the Easy difficulty.

• The player receives 50% less damage in combat.
• The player deals the default amount of damage in fights.
• The player's party receives 20% extra EXP.
• In Palaces, the player is 20% more likely to discover items.

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Normal

The Normal difficulty sets the player on an even playing field with their opponents. This difficulty level is challenging at times, and the boss battles truly test your comprehension of the mechanics. Although fights are generally smooth sailing, some elite enemies can still take you off guard with hefty damage numbers. Here are the effects of selecting the Normal difficulty.

• The player receives 100% of damage during combat.
• The player deals the default amount of damage in fights.
• The player's party receives a standard amount of EXP.
• In Palaces, the player has a standard chance of discovering items.

Hard

The Hard difficulty greatly increases the amount of damage the player takes during combat, making for an intense experience. This setting also decreases the amount of damage you inflict, prompting you to improve your stats early on. This difficulty is perfect for players who are searching for a true challenge. Here are the effects of selecting the Hard difficulty.

• The player receives 60% more damage during combat.
• The player deals 20% less damage during fights.
• The player's party receives a standard amount of EXP.
• In Palaces, the player has a standard chance of discovering items.

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Merciless

The Merciless difficulty does not forgive mistakes. If you slip up, this difficulty setting will punish you without hesitation. Although Merciless causes you to inflict less damage, you receive increased items and EXP for your troubles. This setting is for the players who crave brutal challenges and seek to put their strategy to the test. Here are the effects of selecting the Merciless difficulty.

• The player receives 60% more damage during combat.
• The player deals 35% less damage during fights.
• The player's party receives 20% extra EXP.
• In Palaces, the player is 20% more likely to discover items.

For more Persona 5 Royal guides, come check out All Classroom Exam Answers in Persona 5 Royal here on Pro Game Guides.