Persona 3 Reload: Top Major Arcana Cards for Shuffle Time Upgrades
Discover the top Major Arcana cards that offer long-term and permanent upgrades during Shuffle Time in Persona 3 Reload. Find out which cards are essential for maximizing your benefits and enhancing your gameplay experience.
Shuffle Time was first introduced in the Persona series in the original Persona 3. In Persona 3 Reload, this mechanic makes a return, but with some significant differences in how it operates.
After any regular battle (not including boss fights), there is a chance for Shuffle Time to occur. The likelihood of this happening increases if you Down your enemies, and it is guaranteed if you finish the battle with an All-Out Attack. Rewards such as Personas, extra EXP, money, skill cards, and healing items are up for grabs, but the most valuable prizes are the Major Arcana cards that occasionally show up. How can you access these cards and which ones in Persona 3 Reload offer the most beneficial rewards?
How to Get Every Major Arcana for Shuffle Time
persona-tarot-arcana-major - How to Get Every Major Arcana for Shuffle Time
By the end of the game, almost every Major Arcana card can appear in Shuffle Time. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. The Universe card only shows up once in the entire game, along with Death and Aeon. Aeon is an alternative to Judgment and is not part of the standard Rider-Waite deck.
When you collect enough Major Arcana cards, you'll activate an Arcana Burst. This special event boosts the value of all pip cards (Wands, Coins, Cups, Swords) by one. Additionally, you get to immediately choose from a set of four pip cards. Keep in mind that there are not as many Arcana Burst slots as there are Major Arcana cards. Once you trigger an Arcana Burst, the Major Arcana cards will no longer appear in Shuffle Time. To reset the Arcana Burst, you must leave Tartarus and return on another day.
Every Major Arcana
The appearance of Major Arcana cards in Tartarus is mostly random, with one exception. The first time you go to Tartarus after obtaining new cards, they are more likely to show up than any other Major Arcana. You can try to avoid selecting these new cards, but you may need to defeat many Shadows to find the specific Major Arcana you are looking for. If you discover a card in a Monad Passage after achieving an Arcana Burst, that new card will be more common during your next trip to Tartarus.
Number | Name | Where to Find | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
0 | Fool | Start | EXP boost for the rest of the day (stacks with Wands) |
1 | Magician | Start | 2 or 3 of a rare item (item value increases on higher floors) |
2 | Priestess | All-Out Attack damage boost for the day | |
3 | Empress | 6/8 boss | +2 Endurance, Agility, and Luck for every Persona in stock |
4 | Emperor | 6/8 boss | +2 Strength and Magic for every Persona in stock |
5 | Hierophant | Protagonist's active Persona gains 1 level | |
6 | Lovers | 7/7 boss | Social Link bonus EXP increases for the day |
7 | Chariot | 8/6 boss | Protagonist gains 10 max HP |
8 | Justice | 8/6 boss | You can choose +1 card during Shuffle Time (stacks with Star) |
9 | Hermit | Protagonist gains 7 max SP | |
10 | Fortune | 10/4 boss | All current party members gain 8 max HP |
11 | Strength | 10/4 boss | All current party members gain 5 max SP |
12 | Hanged Man | Gain 1 random Incense item | |
14 | Temperance | Monad Passage on Floor 91 | Gain more Social Stat points on the first stat-boosting activity on the next day |
15 | Devil | Monad Passage on Floor 117 | Gain 2 of each item dropped by Shadows and breakable objects for the rest of the day |
16 | Tower | Monad Passage on Floor 143 | +1 to all stats for every Persona in stock |
17 | Star | Monad Passage on Floor 171 | You can choose +1 card during Shuffle Time (stacks with Justice) |
18 | Moon | Monad Passage on Floor 197 | All party members return to full HP and SP |
19 | Sun | Monad Passage on Floor 225 | You may fuse Personas with up to 5 more levels than the Protagonist for the rest of the day. |
20 | Judgement | Monad Passage on Floor 225 | The active party member with the lowest level gets one level's worth of EXP. |
In a Monad Passage, whenever you discover a Major Arcana card, you will come across a Book key item. This Book key item will raise the requirement for triggering an Arcana Burst with Major Arcana cards. The number of Major Arcana cards needed for the burst also increases when you obtain new cards from battling Arcana bosses. As you progress through the game, the threshold for your Arcana Burst can reach up to 13 cards.
The Major Arcana Shuffle Time Rankings
High Priestess Shuffle Time Card in Persona 3 Reload - The Major Arcana Shuffle Time Rankings
S Tier
The Devil card is a top-tier choice because it doubles the money you receive from selling valuables. Additionally, it doubles the number of gems you obtain from monsters and gives you two Twilight Fragments from each blue breakable object. The only day you might want to avoid choosing this card is on January 31; otherwise, it's a fantastic option for any other day.
Lovers: Having a rank 10 Social Link with Lovers will give you more EXP when fusing Personas. This means that when you fuse a Persona, they will start out with all the skills they can get and drop any item they are holding.
A+ Tier
Justice and Star: Who doesn't love getting free rewards after a battle? Imagine getting two or even three rewards! The only catch is that you have to select two or three cards during Shuffle Time. Sometimes, you might have to choose a Major Arcana card that you aren't too keen on using.
Sun: Having the ability to merge a Persona that is stronger than the main character can be really helpful, but you can only access it towards the end of the game. Additionally, the card becomes less useful once you have completed the Persona Compendium.
A Tier
In Persona 3 Reload, there are limited ways to boost your max HP and SP, especially for your party members. However, cards like Chariot, Hermit, Fortune, and Strength can help you increase these stats. The best part is that the benefits from these cards will carry over into New Game Plus.
Fool: The Fool effectively gives you a free Wands card after every battle, plus it stacks with any Wands cards you choose during Shuffle Time.
B Tier
Priestess: When facing Guardians and Formidable Shadows, a regular All-Out Attack might not be enough. This card can be useful in these situations.
Empress, Emperor, and Tower: The value of these cards depends on your situation. If you have many duplicates from Shuffle Times, using these cards may not be beneficial as the stat bonuses won't be saved in the Compendium. However, if you collect these cards by visiting Tartarus frequently, you can boost the stats of up to 12 Personas by +3 each night.
C Tier
When you visit the Magician in the game, you will receive random items as rewards. Although the items are not unique, the game will always let you know what you will get each time the card appears. These rewards can be found in chests or given as one-time rewards.
D Tier
The Hanged Man provides useful Incense items that carry over into New Game Plus, similar to the Magician. When the Hanged Man appears, you can also preview which Incense item it will offer.
Hierophant: Personas level up at a slower pace compared to party members, so getting a free level can be quite helpful. However, it doesn't offer any significant benefits other than saving you some time.
Judgment: While it's good to help a party member catch up with the main character, acquiring the Great Clock has a much greater effect and is only slightly more uncommon than a specific Major Arcana card.
Temperance: It's possible to max out your Social Stats by the time you get the Temperance card, plus a one-time boost doesn't have a big overall impact.
F Tier
You can replicate the effects of this card by going to the Clock on the first floor of Tartarus and using seven Twilight Fragments. By the time you have access to this card, you will likely have plenty of Fragments, and you can easily gather more by swiftly progressing through a few floors of Tartarus. While a full HP/SP restoration can be useful, there are many other Major Arcana cards that may be more beneficial for you to consider.
Editor's P/S:
The article provides a comprehensive guide to Shuffle Time in Persona 3 Reload. It explains the mechanics, how to obtain Major Arcana cards, and ranks them based on their usefulness. The detailed information and clear explanations make it a valuable resource for players looking to maximize their Shuffle Time rewards.
Overall, the article is well-written and informative. It effectively conveys the important aspects of Shuffle Time, including the strategies and considerations involved in choosing the right Major Arcana cards. The rankings and additional details on each card's benefits and drawbacks further enhance the article's utility. By using this guide, players can optimize their Shuffle Time experience and improve their gameplay in Persona 3 Reload.
