Persona 5X determines damage through a complex multiplication of various factors.

Understanding all of these will allow you to create extraordinary damage-dealing tactics, leading to rank improvements.

Let’s get straight to the final formula without further ado.

Final Formula

= ⓐ Attack Power Calculation × ⓑ Damage Bonus Calculation × ⓒ Enemy Defense Calculation × ⓓ Critical Calculation × ⓔ Skill Coefficient
× ⓕ Weakness Coefficient × ⓖ Final Damage Bonus × ⓗ Other Coefficients × ⓘ Random Range Coefficient

A more detailed formula is as follows:

ⓐ {(Character Attack Value + Weapon Attack Value) × Attack % + Attack Constant}

× ⓑ {100% + Attack Mult. + Elemental Damage Bonus + Increased Damage Taken by Enemy}

× ⓒ 1 - {Enemy Defense Value × [(100% + Additional Defense Coefficient) × (100% - Pierce) - Defense Reduction] × (100% - Winded 12%)} 
÷ {Enemy Defense Value × [(100% + Additional Defense Coefficient) × (100% - Pierce) - Defense Reduction] × (100% - Winded 12%) + 1400}

× ⓓ {Critical Effect (when Critical occurs) or Stable Domain}

× ⓔ Skill Coefficient 

× ⓕ Weakness Coefficient (Resistance 50% / Normal 100% / Weakness 120%)

× ⓖ Final Damage Bonus 

× ⓗ Other Coefficients 

× ⓘ Random Range Coefficient (0.95~1.05)

To increase damage, you need to consider these 9 elements, and I’ve detailed each one so you can significantly improve your score if you understand them.

• ⓐ Attack Power Calculation
• ⓑ Damage Bonus Calculation
• ⓒ Enemy Defense Calculation
• ⓓ Critical Calculation
• ⓔ Skill Coefficient
• ⓕ Weakness Coefficient
• ⓖ Final Damage Bonus
• ⓗ Other Coefficients
• ⓘ Random Range Coefficient

Note: Values within the same group are calculated through addition.

Example 1) Attack Power

• JOKER’s weapon and revelation give Attack +100%, Attack +1000
• LEON’s Skill 3 buff gives Attack +19.5%, +1516

→ Attack 119.5%, Attack +2516

Example 2) Damage Bonus

• PANTHER’s revelation ‘Strife’ gives Fire damage bonus 10%
• Dominion’s ‘Cohesion’ gives damage bonus 16%

→ PANTHER’s damage bonus = 26%

ⓐ Attack Power

{(Character Attack Value + Weapon Attack Value) × Attack % + Attack Constant}

ⓐ-1. Character Attack Value

Each character has a base attack power, and its growth rate is determined by level and awareness.

However, due to the growth rate concept, it doesn’t exactly increase by 15%.

It means that the amount of growth when leveling up from base level 0 increases by 15%,

At level 80, there’s approximately a 10.7% difference.

The attack power values shown are examples for Joker and differ for each character.

Generally, characters in the same position have similar values.

ⓐ-2. Weapon Attack Value

Each character has their unique weapon, and the weapon’s base attack power is determined by rarity and level.

Since Attack % buffs are applied after the weapon attack power is added, both options and stat values are important.

Even if you enhance weapons through duplication, the base attack power doesn’t increase.

ⓐ-3. Attack %

This refers to attack power that increases by % from various buffs, revelations, weapons, etc.

In the image below, 2.8% corresponds to this.

ⓐ-4. Attack Constant

This refers to attack power that increases by regular integers from various buffs, revelations, weapons, etc.

In the image below, 46 corresponds to this. It’s added after all attack power calculations are complete.

ⓑ Damage Bonus

{100% + Attack Mult. + Elemental Damage Bonus + Increased Damage Taken by Enemy}

ⓑ-1. Damage Bonus

This includes general damage bonuses and overall content marked as damage increase that we know.

For example, Kayo’s Skill 3 is a skill that increases damage bonus.

ⓑ-2. Elemental Damage Bonus

This is a damage bonus that only applies to specific elements. While conditional, it’s calculated as part of the existing damage bonus pool.

ⓑ-3. Increased Damage Taken

This is a debuff allocated to enemies that increases the damage they take.

A notable example is Yaoring’s Skill 3. Since it’s tied to the enemy, this attribute disappears if the enemy dies.

ⓒ Enemy Defense

1 - {Enemy Defense Value × [Defense Coefficient] × (100% - Winded 12%)} ÷ {Enemy Defense Value × [Defense Coefficient] × (100% - Winded 12%) + 1400}

※ Defense Coefficient = (100% + Additional Defense Coefficient) × (100% - Pierce) - Defense Reduction

This is the most complex mechanism and will be the core element you’ll need to pay the most attention to going forward.

Conclusion: If possible, it’s best to reduce the boss’s defense coefficient to 0.

ⓒ-1 Enemy Defense Value & Additional Defense Coefficient

Enemies have their unique defense values, and bosses have additional defense coefficients.

Surprisingly, despite being crucial values, these numbers can’t be found anywhere in the game and must be extracted by analyzing the game client. (Even the writer can’t verify them)

These are general values, and the additional defense coefficient can change depending on the boss.

The higher the defense and additional defense coefficient, the smaller the result of calculation ⓒ becomes, ultimately reducing the final damage.

ⓒ-2 Pierce

This is an ability that can reduce the increased defense coefficient by %.

Unless it’s included in the character’s own mechanism, it’s quite rare to obtain, and it’s primarily available through revelations.

If Pierce is 50% and the boss is Dominion:

※ Defense Coefficient = (100% + Additional Defense Coefficient) × (100% - Pierce) - Defense Reduction

※ Defense Coefficient = (100% + 158.4%) × (100% - 50%) = 258.4% * 0.5 = 129.2%

The defense coefficient decreases proportionally, making it a valuable stat with high efficiency compared to its value.

Of course, Pierce exceeding 100% is not applied.

ⓒ-3 Defense Reduction

After the Pierce value is applied, the defense reduction value is applied.

Janosik’s passive can reduce enemy defense by 41.6% for 2 turns, and through the Rakunda skill, it can reduce it by 38.8%.

If we apply Janosik’s passive and Rakunda to the defense coefficient of 129.2% that we got through Pierce, the defense coefficient becomes:

129.2% - 41.6% (Janosik Passive) - 38.8% (Rakunda) = 48.8%

When putting this result into the defense calculation formula ⓒ, we can see it results in a +48.4% damage increase.

1 - {Enemy Defense Value × [Defense Coefficient] } ÷ {Enemy Defense Value × [Defense Coefficient] + 1400}

The defense coefficient from defense reduction cannot go below 0.

ⓒ-4 Winded

Enemy Defense Value × [Defense Coefficient] × (100% - Winded 12%)

As a status ailment, it multiplies 88% to the result after all defense coefficients are calculated.

It has the characteristic of becoming worthless if you reduce the defense coefficient to 0 through Pierce and defense reduction.

Generally, Personas with defense reduction effects often require Winded.

ⓒ Characteristics

While buff values like attack power and damage bonus become less efficient as they increase, defense reduction and Pierce become more efficient as their values increase (until the defense coefficient reaches 0).

In other words, since it draws a curve graph where efficiency increases as the defense coefficient approaches 0, if you’re considering a strategy with defense reduction, it’s better to secure as high a value as possible.

ⓓ Critical

Critical damage multiplies damage by the ‘Critical Effect’ amount when critical hits occur.

The base critical rate is 5%, and the base critical effect is 150%, meaning there’s a 5% chance to deal 1.5x damage.

Notably, Dionysus can increase critical rate by 15.7% through Rebellion, and increase critical effect by 30% through its passive.

In boss sections, while criticals don’t occur due to the Stable Domain, damage is increased based on expected value calculations.

Critical Rate × (Critical Effect - 100%)

If you increase critical rate by 10%, increasing critical effect by twice that amount (20%) is most efficient.

ⓔ Skill Coefficient

This is literally the coefficient written on skills, and since it directly affects multiplication, it becomes an important measure in determining a character’s strength.

As a special note, Joker’s Skill 3 states that damage increases by 25% on additional turns and 25% when attacking enemies with debuffs.

It’s said that this doesn’t go into the existing damage bonus pool but affects the skill coefficient. The criteria can vary by skill.

74.2 * (100% + 25% + 25%) = 111.3%

ⓕ Weakness Coefficient

Traditionally in the Persona series, weaknesses are really important. The coefficients based on weaknesses are as follows:

• Weakness: 1.2x
• Normal: 1.0x
• Resistance: 0.5x

ⓖ Final Damage Bonus / ⓗ Other Coefficients

In certain gimmicks or boss battles, there are forms where final damage increases or decreases based on conditions. These are calculated separately.

ⓘ Random Range Coefficient

After all values are calculated, a random value between 0.95 ~ 1.05 is multiplied to determine the final damage.

Calculation Example

ⓐ {(Character Attack Value + Weapon Attack Value) × Attack % + Attack Constant}

× ⓑ {100% + Attack Mult. + Elemental Damage Bonus + Increased Damage Taken by Enemy}

× ⓒ 1 - {Enemy Defense Value × [(100% + Additional Defense Coefficient) × (100% - Pierce) - Defense Reduction] × (100% - Winded 12%)} 
÷ {Enemy Defense Value × [(100% + Additional Defense Coefficient) × (100% - Pierce) - Defense Reduction] × (100% - Winded 12%) + 1400}

× ⓓ {Critical Effect (when Critical occurs) or Stable Domain}

× ⓔ Skill Coefficient 

× ⓕ Weakness Coefficient (Resistance 50% / Normal 100% / Weakness 120%)

× ⓖ Final Damage Bonus 

× ⓗ Other Coefficients 

× ⓘ Random Range Coefficient (0.95~1.05)

The following are the results assuming each summed value:

• ⓐ Character Attack Value: 1200
• ⓐ Weapon Attack Value: 600
• ⓐ Attack %: 50%
• ⓐ Attack Constant: 500
• ⓑ Damage Bonus (Attack Mult.): 50%
• ⓑ Fire Damage Increase: 20%
• ⓑ Increased Damage Taken by Enemy: 20%
• ⓒ Dominion Defense: 400
• ⓒ Dominion Additional Defense Coefficient: 158.3%
• ⓒ Pierce: 10%
• ⓒ Defense Reduction: 80%
• ⓒ Winded Status: YES 12%
• ⓓ Critical Rate: 40%
• ⓓ Critical Effect: 220%
• ⓔ Skill Coefficient: 120%
• ⓕ Weakness Coefficient: 120% (Weakness)
• ⓖ Final Damage Bonus: 40%

ⓐ {(1200+600) × 1.5 + 500}

× ⓑ (100% + 50% + 20% + 20%)

× ⓒ 1 - {400 × (258.3% * 0.9 - 80%) × 0.88} ÷ {400 × (258.3% * 0.9 - 80%) × 0.88 + 1400}

× ⓓ (100% + 40% × (220%-100%))

× ⓔ 120%

× ⓕ 120%

× ⓖ 140%

× ⓘ 0.95~1.05

= ⓐ3200 × ⓑ1.9 ×  ⓒ0.7228 × ⓓ1.48 × ⓔ1.2 × ⓕ1.2 × ⓖ1.4 × ⓘ0.95~1.05

= 12456 ~ 13768