Highlights

• Persona 4's success stems from its lighter tone and more approachable RPG experience compared to Persona 3.
• The characters in Persona 4 are a tight-knit group of close friends, which resonates with players more than P3's nuanced relationships.
• While some party members in Persona 4 may be more versatile or effective in battles, the choice ultimately depends on personal preference.

Where Persona 3 was a dark, moody story about not only the nature of life and death but what it means to be alive and have lived, Persona 4 chose to take a step back and embrace a lighter tone, atypical to both the Persona sub-series and the Shin Megami Tensei franchise from which it originally spun off of. This is arguably why Persona 4 was such a success. On a mechanical level, the game really is more of the same. The fundamental gameplay changes are the addition of party control and a more traditional level design. Persona 4 bolsters the core of Persona 3 while repackaging the experience into a more approachable RPG.

One such way Persona 4 softens its appeal is through its party members. P3’s cast was written as if they were real, nuanced teenagers – not everyone in the cast liked each other, and relationships had to naturally build. Persona 4's characters, on the other hand, are a tight-knit cast of genuinely close friends. It's one of the biggest reasons why so many people love Persona 4 and consider it to be the best game in the series, which is hefty praise given the quality of each title in the series.

Persona 4’s party is also smaller than Persona 3’s, and its party members are more versatile. Every character shines, but some party members are better than others. Of course, this opinion is pretty subjective, and some players may prefer other Persona 4 party members based on their personality alone, but battle effectiveness is important if gamers want to best the many tough bosses and challenging dungeons in the game.

Updated on March 7, 2024, by Ritwik Mitra: Persona 4 is a game many consider to be the very best in the Persona series. The small town of Inaba makes for a reigned-in, intimate setting that Persona games don't really employ all that often. The cast of characters is also well-written and does a great job of engaging players in the overall setting, with some people going so far as to call them the best and most in-tune band of friends in any Persona game to date. It's downright torture to choose which party members are the best ones of the bunch, given how attached players can get to each personality. Still, most fans will agree that some party members are more practical to take into battle over others.

Special Mention: Rise Kujikawa

• Arcana: Lovers
• Persona: Himiko (Initial), Kanzeon (First Evolution), Kouzeon (Second Evolution)

Technically, Rise isn't a main party member who fights along with the player while scouring Palaces. However, she does help out by serving as a trusted and reliable support party member who scouts floors, provides useful bonuses during battles, and helps analyze opponents. She essentially takes over Teddie's role after the latter ends up becoming a fighting party member following the events of the Marukyu Striptease.

It would be unfair to rank her at any spot on this list since she would obviously take the bottom spot. However, Rise's passive bonuses and useful scouting abilities make her pretty amazing in a whole host of scenarios, with her presence actively aiding the party at every step of the way. Unlike other party members who remain on the sidelines, Rise is present at every step of the way and cements herself as one of Persona 4's most beloved characters.

When Does Rise Kujikawa Join The Party?

Rise joins the party after the Marukyu Striptease following the boss fight against Shadow Rise.

7 Teddie

A Mysterious Being In The TV World Who Gains A Human Body After Leaving This Dimension

• Arcana: Star
• Persona: Kintoki-Douji (Initial), Kamui (First Evolution), Kamui-Moshiri (Second Evolution)

Teddie is far and away Persona 4’s worst party member, but he’s not useless by any means. Should players fail to max out a single Social Link with their party members, Teddie’s plot-mandated S Link will ultimately result in his Persona evolving. If nothing else, this ensures the party isn’t totally deprived of Ultimate Personas for the endgame.

That said, Teddie is outdone by just about every other party member. His Bufu spells are admittedly stronger than Chie’s, but her HP-based attacks outdo any of Teddie’s magic. Likewise, his healing is ultimately matched by Yosuke and outright humiliated by Yukiko. Kanji is a better tank, Naoto is better for random encounters, and Yu is more well-rounded. If nothing else, Teddie’s buffs are always helpful.

When Does Teddie Join The Party?

Teddie joins the party after the Marukyu Striptease following an unexpected boss fight with Shadow Teddie.

6 Kanji Tatsumi

A Jock Who Hides His Sensitive Side As Much As Possible

• Arcana: Emperor
• Persona: Take-Mikazuchi (Initial), Rokuten Maou (First Evolution), Takeji Zaiten (Second Evolution)

All things considered, Kanji starts fairly strong, and it’s not unusual for players to replace Chie with Kanji. As Chie does fall out during the mid-game, this isn’t a bad idea in practice, but it can have unfortunate consequences once Kanji starts to fall off – and does he ever fall off. Even Kanji’s new skills in Golden couldn’t save him from his fate. At best, he's a damage sponge.

While Kanji is strong, he’s lacking elsewhere. His magic doesn’t hit hard, his healing is mediocre, and getting him Power Charge requires doing his Social Link, whereas Chie gets hers by naturally leveling (Lv. 52). By the endgame, Chie will always hit harder than Kanji. Kanji’s useful for anyone struggling early on but is ultimately a poor man’s Chie. What's the point of high stats without useful skills?

When Does Kanji Tatsumi Join The Party?

Joins the party after players finish the Steamy Bathhouse and win their battle against Shadow Kanji.

5 Naoto Shirogane

A Genius Detective Who Is The Last Person To Join The Player's Party

• Arcana: Fortune
• Persona: Sukuna-Hikona (Initial), Yamato-Takeru (First Evolution), Yamato Sumeragi (Second Evolution)

As far as random encounters are concerned, Naoto is Persona 4’s best party member. Her Almighty skills will wipe out most enemies with ease, and her Hama & Mudo skills make endgame dungeon crawling a breeze. In the vanilla release, this was likewise Naoto’s greatest weakness, as Almighty, Hama, & Mudo skills are useless against bosses wholesale.

As Golden gives Naoto access to both Bufudyne and Ziodyne, she makes an excellent elec caster in light of Kanji’s lack of magical aptitude – especially when paired with Mind Charge from her Social Link. That said, it does take effort to build Naoto into a party member worth taking to boss fights. Her stats are well-rounded but without any clear advantages.

When Does Naoto Shirogane Join The Party?

Naoto is the last member to join the party, doing so after players clear the Secret Laboratory and beat her Shadow counterpart.

4 Chie Satonaka

An Athlete Who's Focused On Staying Fit And Protecting Her Friends

• Arcana: Chariot
• Persona: Tomoe (Initial), Suzuka Gongen (First Evolution), Haraedo-no-Okami (Second Evolution)

Chie starts strong enough that she’ll likely be out-damaging both Yosuke and Yu for a decent bit of time. While it doesn’t take long for Kanji to present a better alternative, it should be noted that this is something of a trap. Even though Chie struggles for a bit come mid-game, she will even herself out relatively fast.

By the time Chie gets Power Charge, she’s basically set for the rest of the game. Kanji simply won’t be able to keep up even with the higher stats. With God Hand and Agneyastra rounding her physical skills out, Chie is bound to be any party’s heaviest hitter once players are in their late 70s. That said, Chie has exceptionally poor magic, with her best magical skill – Bufula – locked behind her Social Link. However, the best reason why most people would love to have this party member on their team is Dragon Hustle, an ability that buffs every party member across the board to turn most battles into a cinch. Sure, it may cost a lot of SP, but the benefits are more than worth it.

When Does Chie Satonaka Join The Party?

Chie joins the party fairly early on after players defeat her Shadow counterpart in Yukiko's Castle.

3 Yukiko Amagi

Slowly Accepts Her Role To Take Over The Amagi Inn, One Of Inaba's Biggest Attractions

• Arcana: Priestess
• Persona: Konohana Sakuya (Initial), Amaterasu (First Evolution), Sumeo-Okami (Second Evolution)

As the party’s dedicated healer, Yukiko fills an extremely important role that no other character can really fill. Other party members can pick up the slack situationally, but Yukiko is the party’s all-purpose healer. She’s also extremely skilled when it comes to magic, laying waste to most enemies with her Agi skills and becoming one of the party's highest damage dealers by the endgame.

Yukiko’s greatest weakness in the vanilla release was a suspicious lack of Mind Charge, but Golden rightfully gives her the skill – albeit locked as her very last bike skill. That said, it’s not as if Yukiko was ever useless. Her magic stat is high enough to keep her viable without Mind Charge, and Golden just makes her even better. Pairing the highest SP in the game with a whopping 88 Magic turns Yukiko into an utter monster.

When Does Yukiko Amagi Join The Party?

Yukiko joins the party after players clear Yukiko's Castle and beat Shadow Yukiko.

2 Yosuke Hanamura

Occupies The Best Friend Role While Slowly Getting Over His Own Insecurities

• Arcana: Magician
• Persona: Jiraiya (Initial), Susano-o (First Evolution), Takehaya Susano-o (Second Evolution)

Yosuke is the most well-rounded party member in Persona 4 other than the protagonist himself. As far as stats go, he’s balanced across the board, albeit prioritizing agility and strength above all else. His physical attacks hit hard, his magic hits harder, and his healing makes for an excellent safety net, especially since he gets Diarahan in Golden.

Rounding off his offensive skills, magic, and healing are Yosuke’s buffs. Notably, Masukukaja buffs the party’s agility & evasion, arguably the most useful all-party buff in the game. Yosuke has no real gameplay flaws when it comes down to it. His Social Link skills admittedly aren’t that great, but he’s all around the best party member in the game. Other than the main character, that is.

When Does Yosuke Hanamura Join The Party?

Yosuke is the first party member and is acquired after April 15th, when the main character defeats Shadow Yosuke.

1 Yu Narukami

The Main Character Who Uses His Wild Card Ability To Solve The Serial Murder Case

• Arcana: None
• Persona: Numerous (Wild Card)

Perhaps it’s a bit obvious, but Yu Narukami is far and away the best party member in Persona 4. He almost has to be considering he’s the only playable character that can never be removed from the party. He serves as the player’s stand-in, actually unnamed in Persona 4 proper. Like Persona 3’s main character, Yu can change his Persona at will, giving players quite a bit of gameplay variety.

As Yu has so many options at his disposal, he can reliably fill any role in the party – arguably better than his party members in most cases. Being able to switch Personas in battle also allows Yu to prepare for just about any situation, especially come mid-game when he can hold onto quite a number of different Personas. While Yu's stats are Persona-dependent, his health and mana pool aren't.

With Persona 4 Golden making Persona Fusion easier than ever (outright allowing players to pick & choose which abilities to pass down), Yu can be turned into an absolute beast. With smart Persona usage, it’s possible to blast through most encounters with just Yu.

When Does Yu Narukami Join The Party?

Given that Yu Narukami is the main character, he's present from the very first fight in the game.