S H I N M E G A M I T E N S E I D 20 S O U R C E B O O K

PD20
PERSONAD20

PROJECT DREADBURNER
Gensh Langato
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION ...02
VARIANT RULES ...06
SKILLS ...07
FEATS ...08
TRAITS ... 1 6
PERSONAS ...20
PRESTIGE PATHS ...27
COMBAT ...
SOCIAL LINKS ...
ABILITY LIST ...
COMPENDIUM ...
AFTERWORD ...

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 INTRODUCTION
WHAT IS SMT: PERSONA?
Persona is an ongoing series of Japanese
roleplaying games that are published by Atlus
and are exclusive to the Playstation line of
consoles. Eschewing the common and popular
themes of friendship, hard work, and “hit it with
a big sword until it dies,” Persona centers on
realistic characters with complex personalities
and less-than-ideal lives and requires the use
of tactics to a greater degree than most other
games of the genre. While these points keep
the series from entering the mainstream, it
remains a cult hit, and its games have won
numerous awards, including Game of the
Year. At the same time, the series has caused
a certain amount of controversy over the
years, as it occasionally deals with strong
psychological concepts, such as suicide and
drug addiction. In addition to being a
roleplaying game, the series also includes a
feature known as the Social Link system,
introducing some elements of dating simulator
games, which are especially common in Japan
but hard-to-find or new to Western audiences.
As a result, the player is forced not to simply
grind levels until the next boss fight but to
instead interact with other characters and learn
about their background. Succeeding in one’s
school life is not merely a side-achievement,
however, but rewards the player with more
powerful Personas for use in combat. This is
also reversed in the fact that the player has an
easier time interacting with other characters
when a Persona of a matching personality type
is in his or her party.
CHARACTERS
In the Persona series, the protagonist is often
an ordinary person who has recently
undergone a major change in his or her life. As
the main characters are frequently high school
students, this typically means moving to a new
town at the beginning of the school year,
though other circumstances are certainly
possible.
Some options include:
 A reporter looking for a unique story
 A police officer investigating a serial killer
 A mercenary hired for a mysterious job
 The friend or relative of someone who
recently disappeared without warning
SETTING
While the Western release of the original
Persona game tried to transplant the setting
into America, the games are in fact all set in
cities in Japan, though recently these cities
have been wholly fictional. As a result, the
environment that the games take place in is
almost entirely urban, varying from
metropolises to smaller cities, which might
include a small forest or park. Shinto shrines
are a common sight and often serve as key
points in the game’s plot or a location to
increase Social Links. The main character is
often a high school student, so a large portion
of time is spent at school, which, in Japan,
runs six days a week and often requires
students to join at least one club. In recent
games, the schools in question have required
joining both one athletic club and one cultural
club: despite frequent depictions in manga and
anime, there is no “Go Home Club” in Persona.
Frequently, the player lives with other major
characters: Persona 3 had the player living
with the other members of SEES in their dorm,
while Persona 4 had the player living with his
uncle and cousin. Additionally, in Japan, a
person is typically referred to by his or her last
name unless the speaker is a good friend of
the one being addressed. An honorific suffix is
typically added to the end; not doing so
indicates a close relationship and may be
considered impolite when in public. In some
cases, an o- is added to the beginning of a
name to indicate respect, and o- is frequently
added to the beginning of an honorific
indicating a relative (this is only done for
siblings if the addressee is older i.e. oka-san is
“mother” rather than “mom” while onee-san is
“older sister”). A corrupted version of this is a-
combined with a shortened honorific, but is
considered rude, though it is often seen in
anime (aniki = onii-san).
A list of common honorifics:
 -san: no inflection, occasionally “Mr.”
 -ossan: familiar, rude, “old man”
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  -tan: country accent -san
 -kun: familiar, especially for boys or when
ignoring gender, “young”
 -chan: cutesy, familiar, especially for girls
or young children, “dear”
 -in: extremely cutesy/baby talk, added
directly to end of name, alternately -chin
 -nee-: “sister”
 -nii-: “brother”
 -ka-: “mother”
 -to-: “father”
 -ba-: “aunt”
 -ji-: “uncle”
 -baa-: “grandmother”
 -jii-: “grandfather”
 -sama: respect, “Lord” or “Master”
 -dono: respect, considered archaic, “Mr.”
 -sempai: “senior,” especially at school or
work
 -kouhai: “junior,” especially at school or
work
 taichou: “commander/squad leader”
 -iinchou: “class representative”
 -sensei: “teacher”
 -gakuenchou: “headmaster” or “principal”
PERSONAS
The central aspect of the Persona series is the
Persona itself. Personas (rarely given as
Personae) are described as a second soul that
dwells within the hearts of all humans. While
shrouded in mystery, it seems that their true
purpose is to provide a metaphorical and
metaphysical “persona,” or mask, for the soul
when it encounters something from far outside
its normal experiences. When triggered, an
incorporeal avatar of this mask, often taking
the form of a powerful mythical or historical
figure, envelops its charge like a protective
shell. During this period, a second personality
gains control of the human’s body.
This second personality is, naturally, a part of
the Persona-user’s normal personality, but
while a human’s day-to-day activities are
normally controlled almost entirely by the ego,
the Persona is influenced a great deal by the
base, animalistic portion of the psyche, the id.
While this defense mechanism allows a
greater chance of self-preservation due to
cutting out the ego’s phase of mediation
between the id and the super-ego, it can also
be dangerous due to the id’s stunted ability to
reason. As a result, the “weak” traits of a
person whose Persona is released are often
repressed, while the “strong” or aggressive
traits are magnified. For example, if the
Persona of a kind man who enjoys a friendly
brawl is released, he will likely become a
sadistic battle maniac. That will not happen in
all cases, however, and such a harsh
transformation could be lessened with
experience.
On the other hand, in some cases, rather
than being cut off completely, the super-ego
forces itself directly upon the id, resulting in
some “super-moral” Personas, as
demonstrated clearly by the Angel family.
 ABILITIES
As the Persona is the ultimate defense
mechanism of the ego to deal with excessive
stress, it is equipped to remove any sort of
unknown occurrence. While the currently
known ego defense mechanisms simply
involve the mind re-envisioning the outside
world to fit the psyche’s image, the Persona
Ability instead re-envisions the self, causing
some as-yet unidentified psychic energy to
crystallize, creating a localized distortion in
reality in the shape of the desired alternative.
As such, the Persona is able to continue to
distort the space around it as it pleases,
resulting in what may have started legends of
magic and miracles. Elemental abilities involve
warping reality at a distance, requiring far more
spiritual/psychic energy (SP) than simply
maintaining the Persona, and the effects of
such abilities can range from the simple
generation of fire (Agi) to merely wishing for an
event to happen and changing the world so
that it occurs (Die for Me!). Physical abilities,
on the other hand, involve the warping of the
reality of the self into having the desired
strength and means of attack, thus causing
psychological damage that manifests as bodily
harm as well. As Personas do not truly exist
within the normal expanse of reality and
cannot be injured as a result, they prove to be
excellent defense mechanisms, however
unskilled Persona-users have occasionally
driven themselves to their own deaths through
the use of their Persona’s attacks. The mind,
however, is well aware of this flaw and
generates a secondary physical ability as a
preventative measure: it removes the limits on
the body so that the Persona-user’s natural
ability increases in relation to the Persona’s,
though prolonged use results in extreme
fatigue.
 EVOCATION
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It is not possible under ordinary circumstances
to force a person’s mind to generate a self-
defense reaction that only rarely manifests,
even in real life-threatening situations. Thus,
upon discovery of the Persona Ability, officially
known as Special A, the Persona-user often
determines a manner in which he or she can
fool his or her own mind into generating such a
response at will, and training him or herself
into always reacting at that particular stimulus.
Unfortunately, such methods are often
questionable in a legal or social environment,
and some fade in effectiveness as time
passes. The specific methods of doing so are
discussed later, in the individual Evocation trait
descriptions.
 ARCANA
A deck of tarot cards includes twenty-two
Major Arcana, each describing a unique
personality type and life direction. Following
this pattern, Personas are divided into twenty-
two categories based on the personality and
instincts of their users. Personas in the same
arcana are typically similar, such as sharing
the same elemental affinities, in addition to
similar ideologies. The specific strengths and
weaknesses of each Arcana are discussed
later, in the individual Arcana trait descriptions.
SHADOWS
Shadows can be easily described as rogue
Personas. In psychological terms, the shadow
represents both the darker side of the instinct
seen in the id and also the weaknesses in both
the ego, as seen by the super-ego. As the
culmination of a person’s base desires,
including the desire for power, combined with
weakness, a Shadow can easily materialize
and consume a weak-minded human who has
suddenly developed the Persona Ability. This
newborn rogue Persona then goes on to attack
other humans, sucking out all their SP and
using it to crystallize more Shadows. The
victims of these attacks are known as “The
Lost” as they are completely emotionless and
lack the drive to do anything, a condition that
puzzled doctors refer to as “Apathy
Syndrome.”
While most Shadows are weak, as a result of
having their human host almost completely
drained before crystallizing, those few that
devoured their own host are much more
powerful and occasionally self-aware. These
Shadows, however, seem to suffer from
lunacy, that is, they are often mad and only
appear on the night of a full moon. Additionally,
while Personas are typically incorporeal and
unable to be harmed, Shadows do not have a
permanent source of SP and as a result are
forced to completely manifest in the physical
world, making them vulnerable to ordinary
weapons, often used by Persona-users to
downplay the use of their ability and prevent
excess mental strain.
THE VELVET ROOM
At the beginning of each game, the player has
a dream in which he finds himself in a blue
room and signs a contract stating that he will
take responsibility for his actions. Within the
room, there can be a number of mysterious
people, though often times, there is only an old
man named Igor and his young female
assistant. Igor is very knowledgeable about
Personas and Shadows, offering advice and
certain services, such as Persona fusion,
though he obviously keeps some secrets and
restricts certain services until the player’s
psyche is ready for them. Only those who
possess the Wild Card ability may enter the
Velvet Room, or even see its entrance.
Though it is unknown what causes the
generation of this ability, it has been noted that
a mysterious blue butterfly is often seen shortly
before the player receives the Velvet Key.
RUMORS
Rumors can have a profound effect in the
Persona universe, to the point that any rumor
spread nearly always comes true. While in
most of the games, this appears as an
interesting oddity, it was a central theme in the
Persona 2 duology. Western players, who
were only able to legally play Eternal
Punishment, were introduced to this concept
early in the game, when one of the characters
remarks about the phenomenon and creates a
false rumor that a certain restaurant sells
weapons on the black market, only for a waiter
to approach the party hours later and offer to
show them the back room. Many other such
phenomena occur throughout the game if the
player spreads the proper rumors. This can be
a convenient way to explain how the party
obtains their weapons and equipment without
having to use a more ordinary but far-fetched
excuse, such as being good friends with a
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policeman who doesn’t ask too many
questions.
Rumors can also serve as a vehicle for
quests. Though reality warping is already
present in the existence and powers of the
Persona, one could easily say that rumors
provide the potential for something strange to
happen, and as a result, attract things that are
already out of the ordinary. Thus, the rumor of
a ghost haunting the school grounds could
mean that a student’s Persona has awakened,
but he is unable to control it and wanders
around mindlessly after hours, following his
daily routine.
THE DARK HOUR
In Persona 3 and Persona 4, a new concept
was introduced: the Dark Hour. Rather than
having the player simply running about
summoning giant monsters in broad daylight,
Personas, including Shadows, can only exist
for one hour each day, a secret hour that
occurs exactly at midnight each night, which
only Persona-users experience. In Persona 3,
ordinary humans “transmogrified” into black
coffins during this time period, and most of the
Shadows were confined to a tower called
Tartarus, with the exception of the night of the
full moon. Persona 4, however, bypassed
having to explain such phenomena by stating
that the Shadows were typically confined to the
“Midnight Channel,” which could be accessed
through any television. While an isolated
setting like Tartarus or the Midnight Channel
allows players to have great battles without
having to worry about damage, an open setting
also allows for more complex play and more
planning during the daytime.
Play groups may also want to use material
from Takemaru Sesshu’s manga Crossing 25,
which like Persona 3 and Persona 4, revolves
around the existence of the secret twenty-fifth
hour, which only a few, seemingly random
humans are able to perceive. Some notable
differences between the twenty-fifth hour and
the Dark Hour include:
 Humans not aware of the twenty-fifth
hour disappear completely
 Humanity’s combined vision of the world
is restored at the end of the hour, undoing
any major damage
 Items known about solely by those
fighting during the hour, such as weapons
and ammunition, are not restored
 The boss, a manifestation of humanity’s
fear of tomorrow resurrects every night
 If the boss isn’t defeated, time reverts to
the day before
The benefit to using a setting similar to the
twenty-fifth hour is that players can prepare for
the night’s fight in advance, hiding weapons or
ammunition in various places in order to fight
more effectively and allowing a degree of
independence from their Personas. On the
other hand, though, it also requires more work,
such as keeping up with hiding places for the
weapons, which are likely to be illegal, and the
amount of ammunition. Additionally, it requires
fighting the same enemy every night. A middle
ground between those options would be
making the boss Shadow on the night of the
full moon have the power to reset time to the
day after the previous full moon.
THE CRAWLING CHAOS
Though recently, Persona has veered away
from some of its original roots: each character
having access to a single arcana, the Velvet
Room not existing as a defined place, and so
forth, a Game Master may wish to make use of
the overarching forces present in the earlier
games. This may prove a treat for Persona-
savvy players, but it also brings into question
the real power of some of the Personas with
more illustrious mythologies, and may prove
little more than an annoyance, especially for
those who expect their Persona to be an
absolute force in the world. For some groups, it
may be better to have mysterious higher
powers reach no further than the ever-present
Igor, who likely knows about the characters
from previous campaigns and can engage their
players in conversation about them. Ultimately,
though, whether or not Igor’s master or that
certain Count are major figures in the game is
up to the GM.
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 VARIANT RULES
 NO CLASSES
Characters instead are allowed to select their
own abilities in the form of feats and traits.
Each character gains four feats at first level
and one at each additional level. The feats
presented here are more powerful than
standard feats and should not be used outside
of this or a similar system. At any time, a
standard feat may be taken instead of one
presented in this book.
 CHARISMA
The games heavily focus on Social Links, thus
tying Charisma to a particular ability would
result in an imbalance between character
types. Instead Charisma affects the character’s
Social Links, providing bonuses described
later, in that section.
 ARMOR AND CON PROVIDE DR
In the games, a character’s Endurance
attribute reduced damage from attacks. As a
result, characters gain damage reduction equal
to the given Constitution modifier, plus any
bonuses from armor or other items.
 HIT AND SPIRIT POINTS
Each character gains 20 hit points and 10 spirit
points at first level and 5 of each for every
additional level. Add his or her Strength bonus
to hit points and his or her Intelligence bonus
to spirit points at each level. These bonuses
apply retroactively.
 SKILLS
Each character gains five skill points at each
level, plus his or her Intelligence bonus and
four times that amount at first level. There are
no cross-class skills. Additional skill points
remain based on Intelligence as a counterpoint
to Strength increasing carrying capacity (and
therefore loot).
 FULL BASE ATTACK BONUS
Instead of having a class-centered base attack
bonus, all characters have a base attack
bonus equal to their character level.
 ATTACKS ARE DEX-BASED
This is more realistic than adding Strength to
attack rolls and is often done in other game
systems.
 ADVANCING ARMOR CLASS
Having changed armor bonuses to damage
reduction, the static Armor Class statistic has
been renamed Evasion Rate and receives a
bonus equal to 1/3 character level (round
down).
 NO SAVING THROWS
Saving throws weren’t in the games, so they’ve
been removed here. Instead, all abilities
require an attack roll or a percentile roll.
 PHYSICAL ATTACKS DRAIN HP
Each use of a Persona’s physical attack ability
drains a percentage of the human character’s
max health. Attacks made by the Persona’s
user do not suffer this limitation.
 MAGIC IS AN ATTACK
With no saving throws, magic use is no
different from using a physical attack. Each
individual spell is simply considered a different
weapon. Spell damage rolls gain a bonus from
a high Intelligence score in the same way that
physical attacks benefit from a high Strength
score.
 SPELLS DRAIN SP
Using magical abilities drain spell points, much
like using a psionic power.
 THREAT RANGE IMPROVES
For every ten points of Wisdom above 10, a
character’s critical threat range increases by 1.
 STATUS IS CONSTANT
Just like in the games, Light- and Dark-
element and Bad Status abilities are
percentile-based with no distinctions based on
level, though twice the user’s Wisdom modifier
is added to the roll and the target’s Wisdom
modifier is subtracted from it.
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 SKILLS

 MODIFIED SKILL USE  SKILL LIST

 Appraisal is a special use of a Craft skill.
 Acrobatics is a combination of Balance, SKILL NAME ATTRIBUTE
Jump, and Tumble. Acrobatics Dex
 Athletics is a specialized skill used for Athletics () Str
any highly physical activity. Climbing and Bluff Cha
Swimming are possible specializations. Computers Int
 Bluff allows a character to suppress his Concentration Wis
or her aura, functioning as a Disguise Craft () Int
check against sensory abilities. Diplomacy Cha
 Concentration is based on Wisdom, as it Disable Device Int
is a test of mental focus, not endurance. Disguise Cha
 Disable Device includes Open Lock. Drive Dex
 Drive allows the use of all land and water Escape Artist Dex
vehicles. Gather Information Cha
 Heal has been renamed Medicine in Handle Animal Cha
order to prevent confusion. Intimidate Cha
 Linguistics includes Decipher Script and Knowledge () Int
Forgery and grants one additional Linguistics Wis
language for every four ranks. Medicine Wis
 Having a high Intelligence score no Perception Wis
longer grants extra languages at first Perform () Cha
level. Pilot Dex
 Perception consists of Listen, Spot, and Profession () Wis
any other physical senses a character Ride Dex
may possess. Search Wis
 Pilot includes all air and space vehicles. Sense Motive Wis
 Search includes the ability to look for Sleight of Hand Dex
physical evidence. Stealth Dex
 Sense Motive can generate a non- Survival Wis
alignment-specific Detect Evil effect with a
range in feet equal to five times the check
result.
 If character races other than human are
present in the campaign, they receive one
less skill point at each level.

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 FEATS
Feats are the exceptional abilities that
Personas and to a lesser degree, their users,
possess. The feats presented here are
designed accordingly, and using them in
another game could be unbalancing. If
character races other than human are present
in the campaign, they receive one less starting
feat.
Certain feats have the HEROIC descriptor.
These feats may be used once per session. If
the Game Master is running a game using
“action/hero points,” a player should spend one
point for each use instead.
A Game Master may choose to forgo the use
of these feats entirely in a realistic game.
ABSORB ATTACK [PROTECT]
Having a body composed entirely of an
element or perhaps even the body of a deity,
your Persona makes you able to completely
absorb a certain type of damage.
Prerequisites: Con 19, Null Attack, Inherit
type matches damage type
Benefits: Choose a physical damage type
or element for which you have Null Attack
when you gain this feat. When you take
damage of this type, the total amount is
instead added directly to your HP.
Special: This feat may be taken multiple
times. Each time, you may pick an additional
damage type. Light, Dark, and Status abilities
inflict no damage and are not valid damage
types for the purpose of this ability. You may
not gain this ability for an attack type for which
you already have Repel Attack.
ACCURATE ATTACK [GENERAL]
You know that you can only deal damage if
you hit something in the first place.
Benefits: When you make an attack, you
may choose to take a penalty of up to -5 on
your damage rolls in exchange for an equal
bonus on attack rolls.
ALIGNMENT BOOST [BOOST]
Your Persona’s ability to invoke divine wrath
upon your foes goes far beyond the norm.
Prerequisites: Int 19, Hamaon or Mudoon
Benefits: Choose an alignment when you
gain this feat. When your Persona uses spells
of the chosen alignment, they are 15% more
likely to succeed.
Normal: The success rate for using an
instant death effect is based on the spell cast.
Special: This feat may be taken multiple
times, once for each alignment.
ALIGNMENT SPELL [ATTACK]
Your Persona has the ability to banish foes to
the netherworld.
Benefits: Choose an alignment. Your
Persona acquires one spell of this type whose
prerequisites you meet.
Special: This feat may be taken multiple
times. Each time, you must choose a different
spell.
ALMIGHTY SPELL [ATTACK]
Your Persona holds the touch of the divine.
Prerequisites: At least one multi-target
second rank spell
Benefits: Your Persona acquires one
Almighty spell whose prerequisites you meet.
Special: This feat may be taken multiple
times. Each time, you must choose a different
spell.
APT PUPIL [GENERAL]
By carefully watching your opponent, you are
able to strike weak spots with ease.
Prerequisites: Dex 19, Wis 17
Benefits: All your attacks have their threat
range increased by one.
Special: This benefit stacks with the
Improved Critical feat.
ATTACK FOCUS [GENERAL]
You excel in the use of a certain attack type.
Benefits: Choose a physical or elemental
attack type when you gain this feat. You and
your Persona gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls
when using an attack of this type.
Special: This feat may be taken multiple
times. Each time, you must choose a different
attack type.
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AUTO-SUPPORT [BOOST]
Your Persona has used a certain spell so
often that it can generate the effect on itself
without draining your energy,
Prerequisites: Int 17, Wis 15, At least one
support spell
Benefits: Choose a single-target support
spell you know when you gain this feat.
Whenever you enter battle, you gain the
benefits of the spell, as if it had been cast on
you normally. The effect ends after 3 rounds
as normal.
Special: This feat may be taken multiple
times. Each time, you must choose a different
single-target support spell.
BENEFIT [GENERAL]
Through whatever means, you have some
sort of special privilege.
Benefits: You gain some sort of benefit in
your daily life that has little to do with
Personas, such as diplomatic immunity, but is
otherwise a major help. Work out the exact
details with the Game Master.
Special: This feat may be taken multiple
times. Each time, choose a different benefit.
COUNTER [PROTECT]
By timing it just right, you are able to deflect
your opponent’s attack right back at him.
Prerequisites: Str 17, Dex 17
Benefits: Whenever you are struck by a
physical attack, there is a 15% chance that the
attacker will take damage instead.
COUNTERSTRIKE [PROTECT]
Through expert training, you’ve developed
your ability to use your foe’s strength against
him.
Prerequisites: Str 19, Dex 19, Counter
Benefits: Whenever you are struck by a
physical attack, there is a 30% chance that the
attacker will take damage instead.
DEFENSIVE TRAINING [PROTECT]
While most Personas only have two inherit
types, yours has one extra, increasing your
defensive options.
Benefits: Your Persona is considered to
have an additional elemental or alignment
inherit type for the purpose of gaining protect
feats.
Normal: Most protect feats have lesser
prerequisites for Personas with a matching
inherit type and some mandate a specific type.
Special: This feat may be taken multiple
times. Each time, choose a different elemental
or alignment inherit type.
DIVINE GRACE [BOOST]
Your Persona acts as a conduit for your
heart, allowing you to feel the pains of others
and better heal them.
Prerequisites: Int 19, Wis 17, Diarahan
Benefits: When your Persona uses a
recovery spell, its effects are doubled.
Normal: Healing spells recover a number of
hit points equal to the spell’s damage statistic
+ your Intelligence bonus.
DO-OVER [HEROIC]
Kick reason to the curb!
Benefits: Once per gaming session, if you
fail a roll by 10 or more, the next roll you make
to accomplish the same task is treated as a
natural 20.
DODGE ATTACK [PROTECT]
You’ve grown so used to avoiding a certain
kind of attack that it’s become second nature.
Prerequisites: Dex 15
Benefits: Choose a physical damage type
or element when you gain this feat. Your
Dexterity modifier is doubled when making an
Evasion roll against your chosen attack.
Normal: Your Dexterity modifier is added to
Evasion rolls to avoid damage.
Special: This feat may be taken multiple
times. Each time, you may pick an additional
damage type. Light, Dark, and Status abilities
require no Attack roll and are not valid attack
types for the purpose of this ability.
ELEMENT AMP [BOOST]
Your Persona has acquired a deep
connection with a certain element, making its
attacks with that element devastating.
Prerequisites: Int 21, Element Boost, Third
rank spell for the chosen element
Benefits: Choose an element when you
gain this feat. When your Persona uses a spell
of the chosen element, it does 50% more
damage. This bonus supersedes the bonus
from Element Boost.
Normal: Spells deal damage equal to the
spell damage statistic + your Intelligence
bonus.
Special: This feat may be taken multiple
times. Each time, you must choose a different
element.
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Feats
General Feats Prerequisites Benefits
Accurate Attack - Reduce damage to increase Attack rolls
Apt Pupil Dex 19, Wis 17 Improve critical range by 1
Attack Focus - +1 on attack rolls for specified damage type
Benefit - Gain a significant bonus with no effect on combat
Furious Attack - Reduce Evasion to increase damage
Hammerspace Dex 17 +10 to Sleight of Hand when concealing, conceal
large objects
High Attribute - +2 to one attribute
Improved Quick Dex 17, Quick Draw Draw concealed weapons and reload as free
Draw actions
Power Attack - Reduce Attack rolls to increase damage
Trivial Pursuits Knowledge (any 2) Make untrained knowledge checks
4 ranks

Attack Feats Prerequisites Benefits

Alignment Spell - Learn one instant death spell
Elemental Spell - Learn one elemental spell
Almighty Spell 1+ multi-target 2nd rank Learn one almighty spell
spell
Recovery Spell - Learn one recovery spell
Status Spell - Learn one status-inflicting spell
Support Spell - Learn one support spell
Weapon Attack - Learn one physical attack

Boost Feats Prerequisites Benefits

Alignment Boost Int 19, Hamaon or +15% success rate on chosen type
Mudoon
Auto-Support Int 17, Wis 15, 1+ Auto-cast support spell at start of encounter
support spell
Multi-Auto-Support Int 19, Wis 17, 1+ multi- Auto-cast multi-target support spell at start of
target support spell encounter
Divine Grace Int 19, Wis 17, Double effects of recovery spells
Diarahan
Element Boost Int 19, Second rank Spells deal +25% damage
spell of chosen element
Element Amp Int 21, Element Boost, Spells deal +50% damage
Third rank spell of
chosen element
Status Boost Two spells that induce +50% success rate on status spells
the chosen status
Weapon Master Dex 21 +50% damage with chosen weapon type

Protect Feats Prerequisites Benefits

Counter Str 17, Dex 17 15% chance to reflect physical attacks
Counterstrike Str 19, Dex 19, Counter 30% chance to reflect physical attacks
High Counter Str 21, Dex 21, 50% chance to reflect physical attacks
Counterstrike
Defensive Training - Gain an additional inherit type for the purpose of
protect feats
Dodge Attack Dex 15 Add double Dex to Evasion rolls against chosen

11
 type
Evade Attack Dex 17, Dodge Attack Add triple Dex to Evasion rolls against chosen type
Null Status 1+ status spell Immune to chosen status
Resist Alignment Wis 13, Matching Half success rate when attacked by chosen type
inherit type
Null Alignment Wis 17, Resist Immune to chosen type
Alignment
Repel Alignment Wis 19, Null Alignment Reflect death to caster
Resist Attack Con 15 or Matching Half damage from chosen type
inherit type
Null Attack Con 19 or Con 15 and Immune to chosen type
Matching inherit type,
Resist Attack
Absorb Attack Con 19, Matching Heal amount of damage that should be dealt
inherit type, Null Attack
Repel Attack Con 19, Matching Reflect damage to attacker
inherit type, Null Attack
Sharp Student Dex 15, Wis 15 25% chance to ignore critical hits
Survive Alignment Wis 15 50% chance to survive chosen type with 1HP
Endure Alignment Wis 17, Survive Survive chosen type with 1HP
Alignment
Unshakable Will Wis 21 Immune to all negative statuses

Heroic Feats Prerequisites Benefits

Do-Over - After failing by 10+, next roll is counted as natural
20
Endure Con 19 If reduced to -10HP, recover to 1HP
Enduring Soul Con 23, Endure If reduced to -10HP, recover to full HP
Strife Cape Hammerspace, Attack twice per round for 5 rounds
Improved Quick Draw

ELEMENT BOOST [BOOST] Special: This feat may be taken multiple

Through strict training in the use of a certain
element, your Persona’s attacks have become
much more powerful.
Prerequisites: Int 19, Second rank spell for
the chosen element
Benefits: Choose an element when you
gain this feat. When your Persona uses a spell
of the chosen element, it does 25% more
damage.
Normal: Spells deal damage equal to the
spell damage statistic + your Intelligence
bonus.
Special: This feat may be taken multiple
times. Each time, you must choose a different
element.
ELEMENTAL SPELL [ATTACK]
Your Persona is skilled in the use of spells
that directly damage your opponent.
Benefits: Choose an element. Your
Persona acquires one spell of this type whose
prerequisites you meet.
times. Each time, you must choose a different
spell.
ENDURE [HEROIC]
It’ll take more than that to kill you.
Prerequisites: Con 19
Benefits: Once per gaming session, if you
would otherwise be reduced to -10HP or lower,
you may immediately recover to 1HP.
Normal: A character dies when reduced to
-10HP or lower.
ENDURING SOUL [HEROIC]
A real man doesn’t die, even when he’s killed!
Prerequisites: Con 23, Endure
Benefits: Once per gaming session, if you
would otherwise be reduced to -10HP or lower,
you may immediately recover to full HP. This
supersedes the ability granted by Endure.
Normal: A character dies when reduced to
-10HP or lower.

12
ENDURE ALIGNMENT [PROTECT]
Even if you would normally be overcome by
the forces of the afterlife, your Persona
ensures your flame of life flickers on.
Prerequisites: Wis 17, Survive Alignment
Benefits: Choose an alignment when you
gain this feat. When a spell of the chosen
alignment would normally reduce your hit
points to zero, you are instead reduced to 1HP.
Normal: The success rate for using an
instant death effect is based on the spell cast.
Special: This feat may be taken multiple
times, once for each alignment.
EVADE ATTACK [PROTECT]
You’ve avoided a certain attack type so many
times that you’ve developed a sixth sense that
allows you to avoid it completely.
Prerequisites: Dex 17, Dodge Attack
Benefits: Choose a physical damage type
or element for which you have Dodge Attack
when you gain this feat. Your Dexterity modifier
is tripled when making an Evasion roll against
your chosen attack instead of doubled. This
bonus supersedes the bonus granted by
Dodge Attack.
Normal: Your Dexterity modifier is added to
Evasion rolls to avoid damage.
Special: This feat can be taken multiple
times. Each time, you may pick an additional
damage type. Light, Dark, and Status abilities
require no Attack roll and are not valid attack
types for the purpose of this ability.
FURIOUS ATTACK [GENERAL]
You know that sometimes you have to take a
hit in order to give one.
Benefits: When you make an attack, you
may choose to take a penalty of up to -5 on
your evasion rolls until the beginning of your
next turn in exchange for an equal bonus on
damage rolls.
HAMMERSPACE [GENERAL]
You have the ability to store things in places
where they just don’t seem to fit.
Prerequisites: Dex 17
Benefits: You gain a +10 bonus to Sleight of
Hand checks to conceal objects and may
conceal objects that would otherwise be too
large by accepting an appropriate penalty
assigned by the GM.
Special: This feat may be taken multiple
times. The bonus to Sleight of Hand stacks.
Game Masters may wish to limit the number of
times this feat can be taken or forbid it
altogether in serious games.
HIGH ATTRIBUTE [GENERAL]
When it comes to a certain attribute, you have
a certain edge that others just don’t have.
Benefits: You gain a +2 bonus to one
attribute, as if gained through a higher level.
Normal: You gain a +1 bonus to one
attribute every four levels.
Special: This feat may be taken multiple
times. The effects stack.
HIGH COUNTER [PROTECT]
You have reached the point of mastery when
it comes to using your foe’s strength as your
own and most think twice before striking you.
Prerequisites: Str 21, Dex 21, Counterstrike
Benefits: Whenever you are struck by a
physical attack, there is a 50% chance that the
attacker will take damage instead.
IMPROVED QUICK DRAW [GENERAL]
One second, you’re unarmed, the next, you’re
armed to the teeth.
Prerequisites: Dexterity 17, Quick Draw
Benefits: You may draw any number of
weapons, including concealed weapons, as a
free action. Additionally, you benefit from the
Rapid Reload feat for all handheld ranged
weapons.
Normal: You may draw or reload a weapon
as a move action or draw a concealed weapon
as a standard action.
MULTI-AUTO-SUPPORT [BOOST]
Your Persona is able to use a certain spell so
efficiently that you and all around you gain its
benefits without cost.
Prerequisites: Int 19, Wis 17, At least one
multi-target support spell
Benefits: Choose a multi-target support
spell you know when you gain this feat.
Whenever you enter battle, you gain the
benefits of the spell, as if it had been cast on
you normally. The effect ends after 3 rounds as
normal.
Special: This feat may be taken multiple
times. Each time, you must choose a different
multi-target support spell.
NULL ALIGNMENT [PROTECT]
Your Persona is completely enveloped in its
alignment, granting you immunity to its effects.
Prerequisites: Wis 17, Resist Alignment
13
 Benefits: Choose an alignment when you
gain this feat. When you are targeted by a spell
of the chosen alignment, it automatically fails.
Normal: The success rate for using an
instant death effect is based on the spell cast.
Special: This feat may be taken multiple
times, once for each alignment.
NULL ATTACK [PROTECT]
Due to either an elemental composition or
having a body like stone, your Persona has
granted you immune to a certain type of
damage.
Prerequisites: Con 19 -OR- Con 15 and
Inherit type matches damage type, Resist
Attack
Benefits: Choose a physical damage type
or element for which you have Resist Attack
when you gain this feat. When you take
damage of this type, the total amount is
negated completely.
Special: This feat may be taken multiple
times. Each time, you may pick an additional
damage type. Light, Dark, and Status abilities
inflict no damage and are not valid damage
types for the purpose of this ability.
NULL STATUS [PROTECT]
Through some sort of ability, whether it be
narcissism, undeath, or otherwise, your
Persona has made you immune to a certain
status condition.
Prerequisites: At least one spell that
induces the matching status
Benefits: Choose a status effect type
(statuses inflicted by support spells don’t
count). You are immune to this status effect.
Normal: The user must succeed on a
percentile check to inflict a status effect.
Special: This feat may be taken multiple
times. Each time, you may pick an additional
status effect type.
POWER ATTACK [GENERAL]
Sometimes, it’s just more fun to swing around
wildly and tear everything up.
Benefits: When you make an attack, you
may choose to take a penalty of up to -5 on
your attack rolls in exchange for an equal
bonus on damage rolls.
RECOVERY SPELL [ATTACK]
Your Persona is skilled in the use of spells
that heal and erase negative effects.
Benefits: Your Persona acquires one
Recovery spell whose prerequisites you meet.
Special: This feat may be taken multiple
times. Each time, you must choose a different
spell.
REPEL ALIGNMENT [PROTECT]
Your Persona has been to hell and back, and
laughs in the face of death, condemning those
who would attempt to banish you to the
afterlife.
Prerequisites: Wis 19, Null Alignment
Benefits: Choose an alignment when you
gain this feat. When you are targeted by a spell
of the chosen alignment and the percentile roll
succeeds, the user is treated as the target
instead of you.
Normal: The success rate for using an
instant death effect is based on the spell cast.
Special: This feat may be taken multiple
times, once for each alignment.
REPEL ATTACK [PROTECT]
Some sort of magical ability or maybe even
divine intervention granted by your Persona
causes all damage of a certain type to be
reflected against anyone who uses it against
you.
Prerequisites: Con 19, Null Attack, Inherit
type matches damage type
Benefits: Choose a physical damage type
or element for which you have Null Attack
when you gain this feat. When you take
damage of this type, the total amount is
negated completely and the attack’s user must
make an Evasion roll against his or her original
attack roll or suffer full damage.
Special: This feat may be taken multiple
times. Each time, you may pick an additional
damage type. Light, Dark, and Status abilities
inflict no damage and are not valid damage
types for the purpose of this ability. You may
not gain this ability for an attack type for which
you already have Repel Attack.
RESIST ALIGNMENT [PROTECT]
Your Persona is so strongly tied to its
alignment that spells of that type are less likely
to affect you.
Prerequisites: Wis 13, Inherit type matches
alignment
Benefits: Choose an alignment when you
gain this feat. When you are targeted by a spell
of the chosen alignment, the success rate is
halved.
14
 Normal: The success rate for using an
instant death effect is based on the spell cast.
Special: This feat may be taken multiple
times, once for each alignment.
RESIST ATTACK [PROTECT]
Whether due to an elemental affinity or simple
toughness, your Persona has made you
resistant to a certain type of damage.
Prerequisites: Con 15 -OR- Inherit type
matches damage type
Benefits: Choose a physical damage type
or element when you gain this feat. When you
take damage of this type, the total amount is
halved before applying other modifiers.
Special: This feat may be taken multiple
times. Each time, you may pick an additional
damage type. Light, Dark, and Status abilities
inflict no damage and are not valid damage
types for the purpose of this ability.
SHARP STUDENT [PROTECT]
By carefully observing your opponent, you
may avoid what would otherwise be lethal
strikes.
Prerequisites: Dex 15, Wis 15
Benefits: Whenever you are struck by a
critical hit, there is a 25% chance that it is a
regular attack instead.
Normal: The chance of an attack being a
critical hit depends on the attack type.
STATUS BOOST [BOOST]
Through intense training or supernatural
talent, one of your Persona’s status effects
rarely fails to take effect.
Prerequisites: At least two spells that
induce the matching status
Benefits: Choose a status effect type
(statuses inflicted by support spells don’t
count). When your Persona uses spells of the
chosen type, they are 50% more likely to
succeed.
Normal: The success rate for using a status
effect is based on the spell cast.
Special: This feat may be taken multiple
times. Each time, you may pick an additional
status effect type.
STATUS SPELL [ATTACK]
Your Persona is skilled in the use of spells
that hinder your opponents.
Benefits: Your Persona acquires one Status
spell whose prerequisites you meet.
Special: This feat can be taken multiple
times. Each time, you must choose a different
spell.
STRIFE CAPE [HEROIC]
Due to unusual training, or perhaps just
watching too much anime, you have gained the
ability to store an absurd number of weapons
in the lining of a cape or jacket.
Prerequisites: Hammerspace, Improved
Quick Draw
Benefits: Choose a weapon type when you
gain this feat. Once per gaming session, at the
beginning of your turn, you may declare that
you’re using your strife cape, revealing ten
concealed weapons of the type you chose.
During this turn and the next four turns, you
may make two attacks at your full Attack skill
as a standard action. Each attack, successful
or not, destroys one of the weapons. In the
case of ranged weapons, you unleash all of the
ammunition in one burst, melting the barrel.
This ability does not allow your Persona to
make multiple attacks or cast multiple spells.
Normal: You may make one attack per
round as a standard action.
Special: You don’t need to have declared
that you had hidden the weapons beforehand.
It is assumed that they were in your
Hammerspace all along.
SUPPORT SPELL [ATTACK]
Your Persona is skilled in the use of spells
that provide bonuses to you and your allies.
Benefits: Your Persona acquires one
Support spell whose prerequisites you meet.
Special: This feat may be taken multiple
times.
SURVIVE ALIGNMENT [PROTECT]
Your Persona creates a tie to this world that
sometimes prevents the forces of the afterlife
from claiming your soul.
Prerequisites: Wis 15
Benefits: Choose an alignment when you
gain this feat. When a spell of the chosen
alignment would normally reduce your hit
points to zero, there is a 50% chance you are
instead reduced to 1HP.
Normal: The success rate for using an
instant death effect is based on the spell cast.
Special: This feat may be taken multiple
times, once for each alignment.
TRIVIAL PURSUITS [GENERAL]
15
 Through a combination of study, gossiping,
blogging, and just about everything else a
person can think of, you have learned a little bit
about everything, and sometimes, it pays off.
Prerequisites: Knowledge (any 2) 4 ranks
Benefits: You may make a special Trivial
Knowledge check with a bonus equal to your
level + your Intelligence modifier to see
whether you know some relevant information
about local notable people, places, or items. If
you have 5 or more ranks a Knowledge skill
related to the information sought, you gain a +2
bonus on this check.
Normal: Knowledge checks may not be
made untrained.

UNSHAKABLE WILL [PROTECT]

Your Persona’s invincible mentality prevents
your own mind from being swayed.
Prerequisites: Wis 21
Benefits: You are immune to all negative
status effects.
Normal: The user must succeed on a
percentile check to inflict a status effect.

WEAPON ATTACK [ATTACK]

Your Persona is skilled in the use of a certain
weapon type.
Benefits: Your Persona acquires one
physical attack whose prerequisites you meet.
Special: This feat may be taken multiple
times. Each time, you must choose a different
attack.

WEAPON MASTER [BOOST]

Your Persona is one of the greatest wielders
of its weapon in history and that skill passes on
to you.
Prerequisites: Dex 21
Benefits: Choose a weapon type when you
gain this feat. When you attack with a weapon
of the chosen type, it does 50% more damage.
Normal: Weapons deal damage equal to the
weapon damage statistic + your Strength
bonus.
Special: This feat may be taken multiple
times. Each time, you must choose a different
weapon type.

16
 TRAITS
While feats represent all of the amazing
abilities that Persona-users have, traits are
their more ordinary aspects, their quirks and
other aspects that have the most effect on their
daily lives. While a Persona might be
remembered for its great power, its user could
be remembered for cracking bad jokes at every
possible opportunity. Traits are neither good
nor bad, carrying both benefits and penalties.
Regardless, in order to keep things from
getting out of hand, the Game Master should
limit the number of traits that characters have.
A fair number is two at first level, in addition to
the Arcana and Evocation traits that all
Persona-users have. A hard limit should be no
more than the one per every five levels, minus
three. Arcana and Evocation traits follow
special rules, and players may not gain
additional traits of either type unless under the
circumstances described in the Personas
section.
ARCANA [PERSONA]
More than simply the average, weak-willed
background character, your personality
matches one of the twenty-two Major Arcana.
Benefit: You gain the benefits associated
with your Arcana.
Drawback: You gain the penalties
associated with your Arcana.
Special: This trait can be taken multiple
times by characters taking the Wild Card
prestige path. See the Persona section for the
specific effects of this trait.
ARCANE ARRAY [PERSONA]
By spreading out an array as if making a
reading, you form a magic circle with which to
summon a terrible fiend, your Persona!
Benefit: You can evoke your Persona using
an easy to carry, hide, and replace focus item.
Drawback: You must have the appropriate
cards on hand whenever you wish to summon
your Persona. Tarot cards are typically easy to
destroy, and an absent-minded character might
not notice that some cards were destroyed by
falling in a puddle. See the Personas section
for further details.
AWAKENING [PERSONA]
While most people’s Personas are mere
masks, yours is a second face, and your
changing to this face changes you into a
completely different person.
Benefit: You can evoke your Persona at
will, without any external influence.
Drawback: Whenever you evoke your
Persona, its personality consumes your own,
and you are unable to make decisions in your
normal manner. See the Personas section for
further details.
DEDICATED ARTIST [CHARACTER]
You have a gift, and you’re not afraid to use it,
dazzling all those who gaze upon your work, a
pox on those silly jacks-of-all-trades.
Benefit: Choose one Craft or Perform skill.
You have an immense talent for this skill and
gain a +4 bonus when using it.
Drawback: Your focus on your specialty has
left you lacking in other artistic fields, giving
you a -2 penalty on all other skill checks of the
same type.
EMO [CHARACTER]
It’s a cold, cruel world, and you would be
better off having never been born.
Benefit: Your detachment has left you aloof,
making you 5% less likely to be affected by
negative status spells.
Drawback: Your acceptance of death has
left you vulnerable to it, making alignment
attacks 5% more likely to affect you.
FANGIRL [CHARACTER]
OMG! KAWAII DESU!
Benefit: Your obsession over various
international idols allows you to almost
understand half a dozen languages, giving you
a +4 bonus to Linguistics checks made to
understand or write in a language you don’t
know.
Drawback: Most people find you annoying,
giving you a -1 penalty on all Charisma-based
checks.

FOUR-EYES [CHARACTER]
Not just correcting your vision, your glasses
seem to hide your personality behind a wall of
glass, causing people to ignore you.
Benefit: Others’ habit of ignoring you
extends even to your enemies, giving you a +2
bonus on Stealth checks.
Drawback: People just don’t care what you
have to say, giving you a -2 penalty on
Diplomacy and Intimidate checks.
JOCK [CHARACTER]
You’re the best athlete your town has ever
seen. If only you didn’t fail half your classes…
Benefit: Your physical prowess gives you a
+2 bonus on all Athletics checks.
Drawback: All that time spent outdoors has
resulted in you learning less than you should
have, giving you a -2 penalty to Computers and
all Knowledge checks.

Traits
Character Traits Benefit Drawback
Dedicated Artist +4 to one Craft or Perform skill -2 to all others of same type
-5% chance to suffer a negative
Emo status +5% chance to suffer instant death
+4 to Linguistics checks to
Fangirl interpret an unknown language -1 to all Charisma-based checks
Four-Eyes +2 to Stealth checks -2 to Diplomacy and Intimidate checks
Jock +2 to all Athletics checks -2 to Computers and all Knowledge checks
-2 to Acrobatics and Sleight of Hand
Klutz +1 to Evasion checks checks
Nerd +2 to all Knowledge checks -2 to Acrobatics and all Athletics checks
-2 to all Charisma-based checks with
Playboy +4 to Gather Information checks women
+2 to Bluff and Diplomacy checks -2 to Bluff and Diplomacy checks with
Pretty with opposite gender same gender
Gain 1/2 level ranks in all mental Suffer -3 penalty to all skills without
Queen skills minions
+2 to all Charisma-based checks Must always put others first, even in a life
Senpai with juniors and superiors or death situation

Persona Traits Benefit Drawback

Arcana Gain Arcana bonuses Suffer Arcana penalties
Arcane Array Summon a Persona Easy to destroy focus item
Awakening Summon a Persona Lose control while Persona is active
Shadow Extraction Summon a Persona Requires additional help
Stigmata Summon a Persona Bleeding causes damage
Suicide Shot Summon a Persona Trouble if focus item discovered
Suppressant Pills Summon a Persona Temporary loss of Persona or Persona
goes berserk
Weak to Attack Gain Defensive Training feat for Double damage from an attack type
matching attack type
Drawback: Your clumsiness gives you a -2
KLUTZ [CHARACTER] penalty on Acrobatics and Sleight of Hand
Whatever you do, you always seem to trip checks.
over something or fall off something, or knock
something over, or drop something, or… NERD [CHARACTER]
Benefit: You frequently fall over your own More than simply enjoying learning new
two feet – and out of the way of danger – things, you stress mind over body so much
giving you a +1 bonus on Evasion checks. that you’re completely useless as an athlete.

12
 Benefit: Your time in study gives you a +2
bonus to all Knowledge checks.
Drawback: Your body is so weak that you
suffer a -2 penalty to Acrobatics and all
Athletics checks.
PLAYBOY [CHARACTER]
You just can’t help it that you love ALL
women, but that doesn’t stop most of them
from hating you for it.
Benefit: Your fellow perverts form an
extensive network consisting of single men
from all walks of life, giving you a +4 bonus on
Gather Information checks.
Drawback: Your antics disgust most
women, giving you a -2 penalty on all
Charisma-based checks with them.
PRETTY [CHARACTER]
You’re so beautiful that members of the other
gender can’t help but fall all over you. Your
fellows, however, are not impressed.
Benefit: Your good looks give you a +2
bonus to all Bluff and Diplomacy checks with
members of the opposite gender.
Drawback: Making all those of the opposite
gender fall for you makes your own gender
less than helpful to you, giving you a -2 penalty
on Bluff and Diplomacy checks with them.
Special: This trait can be taken multiple
times. The effects stack.
SENPAI [CHARACTER]
You are both a senior in school or at your
profession, but you’ve also been using your
Persona for much longer than anyone else.
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to all
Charisma-based checks with both your juniors
and superiors.
Drawback: With great power comes great
responsibility, and that usually means that
whenever shit hits the fan, you’re stuck taking
one for the team. Whenever someone in the
party would have to make a personal sacrifice,
the Game Master should ensure that it’s made
by a character who possesses this trait, if any.
SHADOW EXTRACTION [PERSONA]
By focusing deeply and extending your spirit,
with a little help from a friend, you can release
your Persona without the need for any special
items.
Benefit: You can evoke your Persona
without having a focus item.
Drawback: You require another human to
be with you in order to evoke your Persona.
Shadow extracting can become addicting,
leading to additional side affects. See the
Personas section for further details.
STIGMATA [PERSONA]
Your first encounter with a Shadow was less
than ideal, and you received a terrible wound
before your Persona finally saved you. Almost
as if it’s trying to make up for that, you can call
forth your Persona at any time, though its
existence seems to be tied to that wound…
Benefit: You can evoke your Persona at
will, without any sort of external influence.
Drawback: Whenever you evoke your
Persona, your wound starts bleeding, dealing
one point of damage per three levels each
round. See the Personas section for further
details.
SUICIDE SHOT [PERSONA]
By convincing yourself that you’re dying with
a flash of light and a burst of noise, you can
easily summon your Persona.
Benefit: You can evoke your Persona with a
simple focus item.
Drawback: In order to evoke your Persona,
you must fire a blank at your head. Due to
Japan’s gun control laws, it can be hard to hide
this evoker. Additionally, this method can
cause terrible psychological damage. See the
Personas section for further details.
SUPPRESSANT PILLS [PERSONA]
Whether through great mental strength,
insanity, or mad science, your Persona has a
mind of its own and manifests constantly.
You’re able to control it with special
medication, but it’s not without cost.
Benefit: You can evoke a Persona at will,
without any sort of external influence.
Drawback: Whenever you take the pills,
you are unable to evoke your Persona for a
period of several hours. Afterward, you can
evoke it normally. If you are unable to take the
pills at a regular interval, your Persona goes
berserk, usually attacking anyone near you,
sometimes even trying to kill you. See the
Personas section for further details.
WEAK TO ATTACK [PERSONA]
Due to a frail body or a spiritual composition,
your Persona takes more damage from a
certain type of attack.
13
 Benefit: Your in-depth knowledge of your
vulnerability grants you the Defensive Training
Feat for the type of attack you are weak to.
Drawback: Whenever you take damage
from your weakness, the damage is doubled.
In the case of an alignment, the chance of
success is doubled instead.
Special: This trait can be taken multiple
times. Chose a different attack type each time.

14

PERSONAS
ANIMISM
Personas are the secret souls within souls, a
common trait shared by all living things, certain
inanimate objects, and unlikely as it may
seem, more than a few ideological concepts.
When most people normally think of a soul,
they automatically assume that only humans
have souls, due in large part to religious
dogma stating just that. When dealing with
Personas, however, one has to take into
account that several of the world’s most
prominent religious figures, including many
gods either were Personas all along or
became ones at some point in history. While
whether or not any of these figures were ever
as real as their respective religions state is a
question for Game Masters, players should
keep in minds that even such abstractions as
the four cardinal directions have Persona
avatars, and they had to have come from
somewhere. It might be helpful for some
players to read up on animism, which Persona
is based on.
Particularly, a book or article about Shinto,
Japan’s most prevalent native religion, would
provide a variety of cultural and religious
information about the game world, in addition
to helping the player to understand animism. A
general definition of animism, including Shinto,
is that everything has a spirit of some sort or
another. In Shinto, this spirit is called a kami,
or god, while the ancient Romans believed in
similar concepts, such as the numen and
genius, although they didn’t have as highly an
animistic religion. Regardless, such beliefs are
the foundation of the Persona world and are
especially evident in Persona 3, as the party
included both a dog and a gynoid. Game
Masters should allow such characters
occasionally but only from players that can be
trusted to play them seriously, and animism
can be used as a way to avoid the commonly
asked question of whether or not animals,
plants, and robots have souls.
WHO’S WHO
Regardless of what kind of character is being
played, the most important aspect is naturally
the Persona, who the character is behind the
mask, or perhaps exactly what kind of mask
the character is wearing. Naturally, this is one
of the most delicate points in any Persona
campaign, and one that the Game Master
should exercise a great deal of caution in.
 PERSONAS FROM THE GAMES
Some players may wish to use their favorite
Persona from one of the games or maybe a
demon appearing in a different Megami Tensei
game. This is fine, but all such Personas
should remain within a particular range or else
the Game Master must prevent abuse: if one
player wants to use the low-level Jack Frost
and another wants to use the high-level,
special fusion Alice, then the GM should either
forbid one or else ensure that Alice’s player
doesn’t use the in-game level as an excuse to
outclass Jack Frost’s player. Barring those
conditions, using already defined Personas is
a way for GMs to keep game balance, as the
abilities for the Personas in question have
largely been predetermined and the GM can
use this as a way to prevent players from
taking abilities that would make a certain
Persona too powerful
 ORIGINAL PERSONAS
Many players will want to create their own
Personas rather than simply using one that
has already been designed. After all, they have
designed their characters’ minds and bodies
from scratch, so why should their souls be off-
limits? The negative side to this is that by
allowing completely custom development, the
door to an overpowered character is opened. A
Game Master can easily prevent this, though,
by strictly enforcing or even strengthening the
abilities and flaws of each Arcana. As a result,
the only major problem that a GM should have
with players’ custom-designed Personas is
exactly who they are.
The GM should keep in mind what are
already Personas and use the collective
archetypes as examples: the vast majority are
mythical figures, including a few major deities,
several classical literary characters, and a very
small number of pop culture icons. Especially
important figures or ones that would draw
unnecessary conflict are avoided as well:
Lucifer but not God, Ananta but not Buddha,
Messiah but not Christ, Hastur but not Cthulhu.
Allowing Personas of this caliber in any but the
most epic of games, dealing with threats on a
cosmic level, is only asking for trouble, and
Game Masters are often better off forbidding
others among the more powerful members of
those pantheons in most games. Additionally,
Personas in pop culture should be limited for
the opposite: there’s usually no way that they
have gathered enough spiritual energy to
materialize unless they have a significant cult
following, as in the case of Nyarlathotep.
PERSONAS IN THE GAME
In game terms, evoking a Persona is a
supernatural ability performed as a standard
action, much like the innate magical abilities of
certain monsters in other games. Thus,
evoking a Persona has no requirements other
than those specified in the required Evocation
traits and cannot be countered in any way.
Antimagic fields, on the other hand, if present
in the game world, temporarily prevent
evocation and suppress any active Personas.
Any effect generated by a Persona is
considered to originate from or target a human
character or Shadow; essentially evoking a
Persona is simply a special effect, as they only
appear for part of a round before disappearing.
Some Game Masters may instead only require
that Personas be evoked at the beginning of
an encounter and allow them to stay out for the
duration, while still requiring a standard action
to deliver a command.
In the anime Persona -Trinity Soul-, the
protagonists’ Personas remained for as long
as they were needed and had powers much
like poltergeists, including dealing damage to
the physical world and flying. A Game Master
trying to simulate this type of setting may
require players to pick the Awakening
Evocation trait and grant all characters a fly
speed of 60ft(good).
EVOCATION
Under most circumstances, a Persona can
only be summoned under conditions of
extreme pressure, and even then, only certain
individuals can do so, with the ability typically
appearing in early adolescence. In some
continuities, the ability fades with aging,
disappearing as early as twenty; the reasoning
being that adults are hardwired not to believe
in such things and that children who manifest
the ability are often thought to be telling
stories, or in more gruesome cases, killed.
Regardless of how it happens, it is a mentally
disturbing process, with long-term damage to
the psyche common, though a heroic or insane
personality would completely ignore most, if
not all of it. Below are more in-depth versions
of the Evocation traits given in the previous
section:
 ARCANE ARRAY
In Persona 2, new Personas were obtained
through the use of tarot cards. Through
negotiation with the various enemies, random
treasure chests, and so forth, the protagonist
acquired large numbers of Major Arcana cards,
and by giving Igor a certain combination of
cards, one could summon a specified Persona.
This method of evocation mimics such
mechanics, but rather than having the
character carry several hundred cards with
which to pay Igor, there is a specified array
using a single deck that allows for the
summoning of a Persona. The cards used in
the evocation are not destroyed as in Persona
2, however, but remain. The danger to the
player is the more subtle threat of losing a
single card or accidentally destroying the
whole deck through unforeseen
circumstances: falling in a pool, getting hit by
an Agi spell, or some other foul situation.
 AWAKENING
Persona -Trinity Soul- was something of an
oddity in the later days of the Persona series,
especially since it was a sequel to Persona 3:
the protagonists didn’t shoot themselves in the
head or anything else. Once they mentally
accepted their Personas as a part of
themselves, they could evoke them at will,
though control was somewhat lacking.
Generally, the characters were able to bluntly
direct the actions of their Personas, and that
was only after having trained to keep them
under control. In game terms, whenever a
character with the Awakening Evocation feat
uses his Persona, he is put in a mental state
not unlike a barbarian’s rage and is unable to
take actions requiring deep thought, though he
is able to make Concentration checks as
normal. Additionally, the GM should make it
hard for such a character to stop using his
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Persona, sometimes even after the battle is
over, and occasionally harm party members
that get in the way or have conflicting
viewpoints.
 SHADOW EXTRACTION
Shadow Extraction is quite possibly the
simplest way for a person to summon her
Persona, even to the point that ordinary people
can do it. In Persona -Trinity Soul-, the police
are baffled by a series of murders dubbed
“reverse” due to the bodies of the victims being
turned inside out. Of secondary importance is
the seemingly unrelated growth of a new cult-
like fad called Shadow Extraction. The two are
one and the same, however: the reverse
murders were done by Personas released by
humans either without the Special-A Latency
or unable to control it. The pain of being
summoned forcefully drives the Personas mad,
and they forcefully rip the Personas out of all
those nearby and devour them.
For users of Shadow Extraction, however, the
process is far too addicting to stop, and the
connection to the reverse killings is completely
unknown. As far as the average Extraction ring
member goes, it’s like a drug with no
consequences. Among Persona-users,
however, it can prove to be a quick and easy
method for evocation; after all, it requires
nothing more than extending a thin tendril of
one’s spirit into the other’s body, and the
Persona simply comes right out…
 STIGMATA
While without precedent in the Persona
universe, an actively bleeding wound is a
common vehicle used to channel power in
other series. Essentially, this method allows a
player free reign over his Persona, just so long
as he has enough hit points to risk it.
Characters with this trait are often darker than
usual or have a messiah complex or another
nasty quirk, so the Game Master may limit the
use of this trait.
 SUICIDE SHOT
While this method of evocation made Persona
3 stand out from almost all other games and
endeared it to many fans, it also drew more
controversy than anything in the series has so
far. Essentially, by “shooting” oneself in the
head with a fake gun, the psyche is allowed
enough time to summon the Persona to stop it,
as opposed to what would normally happen,
i.e., the reaction would be too slow and the
person would die. Naturally, this is a
traumatizing method, and any character with
this trait is likely to have reservations about
using it early on and may lose mental stability
as time passes. Additionally, with Japan’s
strong gun control laws and the fact that the
protagonists are typically high school students,
keeping this evoker around could prove a
major problem, and it’s likely that a player
might not have it when he most needs it.
 SUPPRESSANT PILLS
Rather than having to summon his Persona
whenever in danger, a possessor of this trait
has problems holding it back. For whatever
reason, it constantly materializes of its own
free will, and without its user taking special
medication, it would go on a rampage, killing
everything in sight until at last it turned on its
user and became a Shadow. Of course, using
medication that suppresses one’s own spiritual
power is not good for the body or soul, and
using it rapidly shortens the user’s lifespan. An
alternate form of this would be the Awakening
Pills, used to extend the period during which a
Persona can be used beyond the late teenage
years, though the effects are the same. A
Persona user with this trait must take a
number of pills once per week, and for the
hour immediately afterward, the effect is so
strong that he cannot summon a Persona at
all.
After that time period, for the duration of the
week, he may evoke his Persona as normal,
without any side effects or outside influence. If
he should ever be unable to take his pills,
however, his Persona immediately
materializes, going on a killing spree or
whatever else the Game Master decides.
ARCANA
All Personas are divided into a set of twenty-
four categories, defined by the standard set of
Major Arcana, though the alternate Arcana
presented in the Thoth Deck made
appearances in Persona 3. More than simple
groupings, a Persona’s Arcana determines not
only its stats and what skills it will tend to learn,
but is also a guideline of the user’s personality,
so knowing a foe’s Arcana can prove a
significant advantage when playing against
types and using mental warfare. It’s also
important to know the Arcana around oneself,
both of the Persona-users and the ordinary
people. While the former can help in battles,
19
coming in contact with a large number of well-rounded and closer to finishing his or her
Arcana can help a character become more journey. The playable Arcana are as follows:
Major Arcana
Number Arcana Strength Dexterity Constitution Intelligence Wisdom Inherit Types
0 Fool +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 Any
I Magician -1 +1 -1 +2 -1 Fire/Boost
II Priestess -1 -1 -1 +2 +1 Ice/Recover
III Empress -1 +1 -1 +2 -1 Ice/Recover
IV Emperor +1 -1 +0 +1 -1 Slash/Elec
V Hierophant +1 -1 +0 +1 -1 Elec/Recover
VI Lovers -1 -1 -1 +1 +2 Wind/Recover
VII Chariot +2 -1 +1 -1 -1 Slash/Strike
VIII Justice -2 +2 +0 +1 -1 Light/Recover
IX Hermit -2 +2 -1 +1 +0 Dark/Status
X Fortune -1 -1 -1 +2 +1 Wind/Support
XI Strength +2 -1 +1 -1 -1 Slash/Support
XII Hanged Man -1 -1 +2 +1 -1 Strike/Fire
XIII Death +1 -1 -1 +2 -1 Dark/Boost
XIV Temperance +1 -1 +1 +0 -1 Ice/Wind
XV Devil -1 +1 -1 +2 -1 Dark/Status
XVI Tower +2 -1 +1 -1 -1 Slash/Pierce
XVII Star +2 -2 -2 +1 +0 Fire/Wind
XVIII Moon +1 -1 -1 +1 +0 Slash/Dark
XIX Sun -2 +2 -2 +1 +1 Fire/Light
XX Judgment -1 -1 +1 +2 -1 Light/Dark
element is fire, which is strong but if left alone
0. THE FOOL can destroy what should have been protected.
The first of the Arcana is not the number one,
as person with no foreknowledge might expect, II. THE PRIESTESS
but rather zero. The Fool is zero because zero The Priestess, or High Priestess, Arcana
is nothing, and when anything is added to it, it represents wisdom and common sense,
becomes that other number. The Fool has no following the Magician as a foil. At the same
knowledge of the world around him but is time, she represents the femininity that her
backed by Fate, so no matter where he predecessor lacked; she is the woman’s
wanders, he shall always remain safe. intuition, rather than the male spirit. Personas
Personas of the Fool Arcana are the same, of the Priestess Arcana tend to gravitate
lacking any real focus in their abilities but with around healing allies, though when the need
the ability to go anywhere or become anything. arises, they can fight with the cold, calculating
Those who hold the Fool Arcana are almost ice element.
assuredly the silent protagonist type, so it may
be inappropriate for player use in some III. THE EMPRESS
games. The Empress Arcana indicates a growing of
many things – abundance, prosperity,
I. THE MAGICIAN creativity, sexuality – and also the ability to
The Magician Arcana represents power, a take care of these things. The Empress is the
moving forward, and an undertaking of things. mother, both caring and powerful. Persona’s of
The Magician is not bashful but rather asserts the Empress Arcana are much like those of the
himself and drives forward. Unfortunately, the Priestess, favoring both ice attacks and
Magician doesn’t always watch where he’s healing, though Empresses frequently favor
going. Personas of the Magician Arcana are attack over defense.
representative of this in that they are the first
major magic-using Arcana and that their focus IV. THE EMPEROR

20
The Emperor Arcana means power and the
control over things to go with it. More than
simply showing off and taking what he wants
like the Magician, the Emperor controls what is
around him with an iron fist. At the same time,
this control provides a stable environment in
which others can grow, thus the Emperor is
also the father. Personas of the Emperor
Arcana often wield both the sword of the kings
and the thunderbolt of the heavens,
representative of their ultimate power.
V. THE HIEROPHANT
The Hierophant is the High Priest, the
masculine form of the Priestess that went
before. While the Priestess symbolized
wisdom and spirituality in general, the
Hierophant draws from the Emperor’s desire to
control and places religious dogma on his
spirit. During the Middle Ages, though, when
the tarot arose, priests were typically the only
ones with a formal education, so while the
Hierophant may enjoy structure, it allows him
to learn. Personas of the Hierophant Arcana
are often balanced and thus stable but also
tend toward divine lightning and faith healing.
VI. THE LOVERS
The Lovers Arcana represents exactly what
one might think, romantic love, but also a
crossroads and the diverging path that comes
as a result of that crossroads. One may
choose to continue down the single path or
down the path of a relationship – or the choice
may be between two relationships. Whatever it
is – to love or not to love – that is the question
at the forefront of the Lovers’ mind. Personas
of the Lovers Arcana typically favor healing
abilities, though they are certainly able to use
the winds of fate to buffet their foes.
VII. THE CHARIOT
The Chariot Arcana, while seemingly simple,
holds a great deal of symbolism. The driver
naturally represents the person, but it is
important to note that he is both powerful and
regal, often with a crown or helm on his head.
His steeds too are important, as they are
frequently more than simple horses and many
times are black and white. Thus, the Chariot
Arcana represents more than simple physical
power but also control over the self and
duality. Nonetheless, it is also one of the three
Arcana whose Personas focus primarily on
dealing physical damage.
VIII. JUSTICE
The Justice Arcana is the embodiment of form
and structure. Objectivity, impartiality, and
reason are all major features of this Arcana.
Often, especially in the Persona series, it
represents divine justice meted out purely
through an unfeeling, perfectly logical lens. All
Personas of the Justice Arcana are of the
Judeo-Christian angelic hierarchy, combining
both light-based attacks and healing power.
IX. THE HERMIT
The Hermit Arcana indicates a certain duality
of existence that is often unnoticed. While the
obvious meanings of the Arcana are simply
that of introspection and solitude, it also
includes the need to express the secrets
learned during the Hermit’s retreat from other
people. He has grown wiser through his
examination of himself, but what good does it
do him once his life has ended? Personas of
the Hermit Arcana tend to be ghouls and
possessors of dark secrets, using dark magic
and status-inflicting curses to eliminate those
who block the path of knowledge.
X. FORTUNE
The Wheel of Fortune, shortened in the
Persona series for simplicity’s sake, is the
appearance of chance in one’s life. It
represents a major change, but whether for
good or bad, or even what will change, is
completely random and no one has any control
over it. Those who possess the Fortune
Arcana are typically happy-go-lucky individuals
who don’t let bad luck get them down and
welcome good luck with a broad smile.
Personas of the Fortune Arcana have as much
control over the winds of fate as the Lovers, if
not more so, and prepare in advance for their
fickleness with supportive abilities.
XI. STRENGTH
The Strength Arcana, much like the Chariot
before it, represents more than just raw power.
On the contrary, its depiction is of a beautiful
woman holding shut the jaws of a terrible lion.
Thus, it represents the triumph of gentleness
and reason over the savagery of brute force.
Thus, a possessor of the Strength Arcana is
powerful, willful, and gentle, all at once.
Personas of the Strength Arcana combine the
lion’s rending claws with the woman’s mental
strength, which manifest in the form of
supportive abilities.
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 XII. THE HANGED MAN
The Hanged Man is the one who sacrifices
what he has for something greater. He hangs
from his foot, dangling upside down with no
possessions or other people near him, so that
he might see the world from a different
perspective. He knows that what the others
see, what the learned men see, might not be
the truth, but he could only attain this insight
through sacrificing what he had. Personas of
the Hanged Man Arcana typically fight with
nothing but their fists and fire stolen from the
gods.
XIII. DEATH
Death is, like many other Arcana, not to be
taken literally. Rather, it represents a great
change of some sort, a change of colossal
magnitude that affects a great number of
people, often to their displeasure. At the same
time, Death is the doorway to a new beginning
and allows one who walks its paths to be
reborn as someone else. Personas of the
Death Arcana naturally favor darkness attacks,
and they enhance their power further through
boost abilities. The Death Arcana is often
associated with immense powers more suited
for an antagonist, so it may be inappropriate
for player use in some games.
XIV. TEMPERANCE
Temperance implies the acceptance of many
things. Commonly depicted as the mixing of
two waters from red and blue cups and in the
Persona series as emblems indicative of the
four elements, the Temperance Arcana
represents unification, balance, and
completion. Personas of the Temperance
Arcana balance two different elements, ice and
wind.
XV. THE DEVIL
The Devil Arcana represents the devil in each
and every person, the chaining of the human
spirit to baser desires and immorality. A
possessor of the Devil Arcana is typically
obsessed with something, self-absorbed, or
ignorant of his own flaws. Personas of the
Devil Arcana control their opponents’ actions
as well, using a combination of dark-element
and status-inflicting spells.
XVI. THE TOWER
The Tower is the tower of the self, a massive,
bloated edifice that reaches for heaven only to
be blasted by fire or lightning. At the same
time, what is struck down isn’t simply
arrogance and other negative qualities, but the
person’s very confidence is blasted down to
the base. Personas of the Tower Arcana are
often among the strongest as a result of their
having overcome great obstacles through raw
power.
XVII. THE STAR
The Star Arcana represents the shining light of
the night sky and the peace, joy, and purity
that they embody. A calm, serene light that fills
the sky, one who possesses the Star Arcana is
an optimist who can always be counted on to
brighten up the room. Personas of the Star
Arcana hold the powers of the sky, the fire and
wind elements.
XVIII. THE MOON
The Moon is an Arcana with a twofold
meaning. It is typically associated with lunacy,
madness, and the sort: the human mind
succumbing to illusions or fantasies of its own
creation. However, the illustration also includes
a dog, a wolf, and some sea creature,
referencing man’s journey from a terrible
abysmal creature, to a savage beast, and
finally to a tame animal, before achieving his
present form. By falling prey to unrealistic
expectations of the world, illusions created by
the light of reason, one reverts back to a
primitive state. Personas of the Moon Arcana
have powers of a skulking cutthroat who clings
to the shadows.
XIX. THE SUN
The Sun is the light that illuminates the world,
a bright, blazing, flawless orb that shines upon
all. So too does a possessor of this Arcana
represent purity, energy, and happiness. As it
follows the Moon Arcana, the Sun represents
the conscious mind overcoming the more
instinctual subconscious mind and the illusions
it creates. Personas of the Sun Arcana shine
as brightly as their namesake, making use of
both fire and light attacks.
XX. JUDGEMENT
Judgement is the last thing that a human faces
before passing on to the next life. It is the great
end to all things but at the same time, a new
beginning for those who endured their life’s
journey and came out on the right side. On the
other hand, it also represents the absolute end
for those who failed on their journey. It is this
duality that makes the Judgement Arcana
22
powerful, its Personas wielding the twin forces
of light and darkness. Those who possess the
Judgement Arcana must too balance such
extremes, so recently, it has represented a
group or being in a position of judgment more
than an individual. As such, it may be
inappropriate for player use in some games.
 ARCANA GROWTH
Like in the standard d20 system, characters’
attributes improve every four levels, in addition
to every time the High Attribute feat is taken.
Unlike the High Attribute feat, however, these
bonuses are defined by the character’s arcana,
rather than chosen. Each arcana gains the
following bonuses every four levels:
Fool: +1 to any one attribute
Magician: +2 Intelligence
Priestess: +1 Intelligence, +1 Wisdom
Empress: +1 Dexterity, +1 Intelligence
Emperor: +1 Strength, +1 Intelligence
Hierophant: +1 Constitution, +1 Intelligence
Lovers: +2 Wisdom
Chariot: +2 Strength
Justice: +1 Dexterity, +1 Intelligence
Hermit: +2 Dexterity
Fortune: +1 Intelligence, +1 Wisdom
Strength: +1 Strength, +1 Constitution
Hanged Man: +2 Constitution
Death: +1 Strength, +1 Intelligence
Temperance: +1 Strength, +1 Constitution
Devil: +1 Dexterity, +1 Intelligence
Tower: +1 Strength, +1 Constitution
Star: +1 Strength, +1 Intelligence
Moon: +1 Strength, +1 Intelligence
Sun: +1 Intelligence, +1 Wisdom
Judgement: +1 Constitution, +1 Intelligence
EVOKER AND ARCANA TRAITS
At first level, each character starts out with one
type of Persona that he is able to use and one
method with which to evoke it. It is possible to
gain additional methods to using gained feats,
including those granted at first level. The
reason why having an additional evoker as a
feat instead of a trait is simple; while traits
provide both bonuses and penalties, having
more than one evoker reduces the impact of
the negative aspects. It allows characters to
fool opponents into thinking that they are
helpless: a character might always use an
Arcane Array, but when her cards are taken,
she simply has her friend perform a Shadow
Extraction. Thus having more than one evoker
allows a character to choose the better of two
worlds whenever Personas are involved and
can simply use the method with the least
consequences.
Characters may not take the Arcana trait
more than once, even as a feat, for different
reasons: a character’s arcana represents his
personality, and choosing a different one
would imply a strongly multifaceted individual.
Additionally, it would grant a character multiple
attribute increases every four levels, resulting
not only in more powerful characters but
allowing potentially disastrous combinations.
MISSING ARCANA
To anyone who knows the basics of either
tarot or Persona, there is at least one missing
arcana, and players of Persona 3, there are
two more. These arcana were excluded for
certain reasons, but some Game Masters may
wish to allow them. The reasons for these
arcanas’ removal and how to re-integrate them
are presented below.
 THE WORLD
The World is the final Arcana, representing
completion as an opposite to the Fool, which
represents nothing. It is for this reason that it
was removed, both from this sourcebook and
from the game series: perfecting oneself is the
result of experience, not having the right
Persona. It has not been completely removed,
however, and its role in Persona 4 has inspired
a prestige path. See the Prestige Paths section
for additional information.
 AEON
In the Thoth tarot deck, the Aeon Arcana
replaces the Judgement Arcana, symbolic of
its ultimate role in Persona 3. The only
character to have possessed it is the gynoid
Aigis, and through her and its selection of
Personas, it has represented judgment through
logic rather than any other means. If included
in the game, it is identical to the Strength
Arcana, but replace its Slash inherit type with
Strike.
 THE UNIVERSE
Like the Aeon Arcana, he Universe replaces
the World in the Thoth deck and has a unique
role in Persona 3. While the World represents
completion of the self, the Universe represents
completion of everything, and should not be
23
used in game, with the exception of the final
battle, as it represents discovering the true
meaning of life.

24
 PRESTIGE PATHS
Simply advancing through the game, keeping
the status quo is what most players do, and is
all that is required of them. Some players,
though, may wish to take a step further and
develop their characters beyond what is
specified in the standard feat descriptions or
become something completely different.
Prestige paths allow this sort of customization
and extra power, though at a price: the feats
given by these paths must be taken in order. A
character may stop advancing on a path in
order to gain a standard feat, however, he
must resume where he left off should he
choose to restart it.
AVATAR
Throughout history, there have been many
people who perform great acts, carrying with
them the authority of one god or another.
You’ve already met several of these gods,
discovering that they were Personas all along.
What about the holy men, then? They didn’t
summon their god every time they performed
miracles. Then you realize the trick to it; they
didn’t need to because their faith created an
unbreakable union between the two, and with
a little training and the proper respect, you’re
sure that you can merge with your Persona as
well.
Prerequisites:
Feats: Weapon Master
Skills: Concentration 10 ranks, Knowledge
(religion or history) 10 ranks
Prestige Feats:
1- ASPECT OF WANDS [PRESTIGE]
Benefit: In order to bond with your Persona
better, you must first strengthen the
connections between your spirits, for while you
are of one soul, your Persona consists of parts
that you would otherwise repress. This grants
you the Awakening Evoker trait, but the union
between you and your Persona is such that
you don’t suffer the usual drawbacks. If you
already have the Awakening Evoker trait, the
closeness of your union allows you to summon
your Persona as an immediate action.
2- ASPECT OF CUPS [PRESTIGE]
Benefit: The next step in combining with your
Persona is to understand its motivations and
the emotions behind its actions. While it is still
a part of you and not truly what it appears as,
understanding its appearance’s reasons for
fighting will allow you to better understand your
own. You gain the benefits of the Unshakable
Will feat, even if you wouldn’t normally qualify
for it. Additionally, whenever you are forced to
make an opposed Wisdom or Charisma check
to avoid being influenced, you gain a +4 bonus
on the check and may choose to take 10.
3- ASPECT OF PENTACLES [PRESTIGE]
Benefit: By this point, you’ve established a
connection with your Persona that transcends
space and defies an ordinary human’s
limitations. All of your Persona’s static feats
and traits (High Attribute, Weak to Attack,
Resist Attack, etc.) become extraordinary
abilities; in other words, they cannot be
dispelled or lost through any means, with the
exception of losing levels.
4- ASPECT OF SWORDS [PRESTIGE]
Benefit: Now that you’re nearing the end of
your training, you can even reach through time
and touch upon your Persona’s memories and
knowledge, though given the circumstances,
most of the information is related to its most
heroic battles. Whenever you use a certain
weapon type, it changes into your Persona’s
best-known weapon and is considered to have
an additional +2 enhancement bonus even if
the resulting weapon would have an
enhancement bonus greater than +10. The
specific bonus granted by this effect is chosen
upon gaining the feat and cannot be changed
later. For example, when an Avatar of Cu
Chulainn wields a spear, it becomes an Aspect
of Gae Bulg and gains the fleshgrinding
enhancement.
5- QUINTESSENCE [PRESTIGE]
Benefit: It’s been a long journey, but it’s been
worth it. You’ve now completely immersed
yourself in your Persona, quite literally:
whenever you summon your Persona, it forms
around you rather than near you, and your
moves have become one. Whenever you
make a normal attack, your Persona attacks
with you. This incurs a cost of 1% HP per
attack, however, any damage dealt, including
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damage from weapon enhancements, is
doubled. This ability supersedes the bonus
from Weapon Master.
CULT OF PERSONALITY
Your Persona was a swindler, politician,
musician, revolutionary, or some other highly
charismatic figure the likes of which are rarely
seen more than once in a century, and its
ability to deceive or inspire people has begun
to rub off on you.
Prerequisites:
Feats:
Skills:
rips the victim’s Persona from its body, turning
it inside out. You don’t care, though; as long as
the process makes you more powerful, your
Persona can eat all the others it wants. In the
end, all that it does is make you more
powerful, just as long as you never forget to
take your suppressants…
Prerequisites:
Feats:
Skills:
Special: Must only have Suppression Pills
Evoker trait. After advancing in this prestige
path, you may never gain another Evoker trait.
Prestige Feats:

Prestige Feats: 1-
2-
1- 3-
2- 4-
3- 5-
4-
5- WILD CARD
SENSORY TYPE You never felt that you were that special in any
way and just went along with what everyone
You have a dislike of violence or else just else was doing at the time, but it just might
aren’t very good at fighting, but you won’t let have been that indecisiveness that has
that stop you. Instead of building up combat resulted in your present situation. Regardless
abilities that you wouldn’t be able to put to use, of how it happened, you’ve suddenly found
you have tapped into you Persona’s presence yourself in possession of a great and shocking
in the world and are able to feel things that no power: you now possess more than one
one else can. arcana and while your split focus and
multifaceted personality might detract slightly
Prerequisites: from your original, you’ve gained another
Feats: Persona, too.
Skills:
Prerequisites:
Prestige Feats: Feats: Trivial Pursuits
Skills: Athletics (any) 8 ranks, Knowledge (any)
1- 8 ranks, Profession (any) 8 ranks
2-
3- Prestige Feats:
4-
5- 1- MULTITYPE [PRESTIGE]
Benefit: You gain an additional Arcana feat,
SOUL EATER receiving the appropriate benefits and
penalties as if you were a first level character.
More than simply desiring to break free of your Whenever you would gain attribute increases
weak psyche’s control and become an due to gaining a level, you must choose which
individual being, your Persona is a monster Arcana’s bonuses you wish to receive.
with a terrible hunger, it’s favorite food: other Additionally, you gain a second Persona,
Personas. Naturally, this is an even more which you can summon using any Evoker traits
gruesome process than a Shadow’s normal you already have. This Persona is considered
feeding on spiritual energy, as it completely to be a separate character two levels lower

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than your normal one for the purposes of
gaining feats and meeting feat prerequisites.
Additionally, this Persona must have equal
levels in Wild Card as your original, though the
benefits do not stack. Whenever you evoke
this Persona, your feats change, which may
lead to attribute changes if you selected the
High Attribute feat. After having summoned
this Persona, you retain its statistics until the
end of the encounter or until you evoke your
original Persona, at which point they return to
normal.
2- MULTITYPE [PRESTIGE]
Benefit: You gain access to one additional
Arcana and receive a corresponding Persona,
as described above.
3- GROWTH 1 [PRESTIGE]
Benefit: Each additional Persona you control
is considered to be the same level as your
original, rather than two lower.
4- MULTITYPE [PRESTIGE]
Benefit: You gain access to one additional
Arcana and receive a corresponding Persona,
as described above.
5- GROWTH 2 [PRESTIGE]
Benefit: All of your Personas receive two
additional feats.
WORLD TRAVELLER
When you were born, you were nothing, a
zero, with no experiences or opinions. As you
grew and learned, however, you soon became
fixed in a certain mindset and have not moved
from it since. Recently, however, you’ve grown
to see that the world around you is much
bigger than you had thought, maybe because
something has unseated you from your
permanent place in the Fool’s Journey or
simply because you’re maturing and realized
on your own that you must continue. Whatever
the reason, times are changing, and you’re
growing closer and closer to oneness with the
World.
Prerequisites:
Feats:
Skills:
Prestige Feats:
1-
2-
3-
4-
5-
COMBAT
Combat in Persona d20 is much like combat in
other d20 games. While combat in the
Persona series is the typical JRPG stay-in-
one-place-while-you-take-turns system made a
bit prettier, that is not a particularly enjoyable
system for a pen and paper RPG, so while
elements have been taken from it, the d20
combat system is more or less left intact.
DODGING
What is given in the standard d20 system as
Armor Class makes for a relatively effective
combat system, but is not especially realistic,
even given its genre. In Persona d20, this is
replaced with the Evasion Rate statistic (EVD),
which represents how likely the character is to
completely remove him- or herself from
danger. With armor no longer providing a
bonus to this statistic, a version of the dodge
bonus variant rule is used, granting characters
a bonus equal to one third of their level. Each
character has a base attack bonus equal to his
or her level, so Evasion Rate is not nearly as
effective as Armor Class was previously.
DAMAGE REDUCTION
While Constitution ordinarily grants extra hit
points at each level and unlike Armor Class,
such a relationship is realistic, it doesn’t match
up with the system given in the Persona
games, in which an Endurance statistic is
given instead. Thus, in PD20, Constitution
provides damage reduction, representing an
ability to resist damage through physical
toughness, rather than the anime staple of the
human body containing fifty gallons of blood,
which spurts all over the ground before the
character gets back up with no problems, as a
massive amount of hit points would indicate.
When comparing the two systems, the damage
reduction is of much greater use at earlier
levels than hit points, though its value sharply
declines at later levels. This is the intended
effect, however, as higher-level characters are
more able to deal with taking large amounts of
damage, while lower level characters – magic
users in particular – are very “squishy.”
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ATTACK ROLLS
The d20 system typically makes melee attack
rolls based on strength in order to streamline
gameplay and decrease the tendency for
“tank” classes to have to spread their attributes
thinly in order to function properly. Characters
in the Persona series are typically designed as
people first, then as characters, resulting in
much more balanced scores. This comes to a
point in that a character that is principally a
magic user must either carry a large number of
SP recovery items if he desires to allocate all
of his resources to spellcasting, and even that
is divided between Intelligence and Wisdom.
Since most characters are now forced to
balance their combat abilities between melee
and magic, all attacks, whether physical or
spiritual, are based on Dexterity, while damage
is based on either Strength or Intelligence.

WEAPONS AND ARMOR

The weapons used in Persona d20 are
statistically similar to the ones commonly seen
in other game systems, though since being
historically accurate is less of a focus, the
weapons given here are general types, rather
than specific weapons, so a “broadsword”
could be anything from a rapier to a lead pipe.
PD20 also differs from other d20 systems in
that, while weapons and armor are typically the
same throughout the game, with special
enhancement bonuses added on when
appropriate, it follows the JRPG tradition of
having defined levels of equipment. As the
game progresses, equipment of higher “tiers”
becomes available, and this new equipment
can be enhanced in the same way as previous
equipment; in fact, the more powerful the
equipment is, the more likely it is to already
have an enhancement bonus, preventing
players from having to re-enhance all of their
items when gaining new equipment.

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Weapons
Melee Weapons Damage Critical Range Type Note Examples
Hammer 2d8 x3 - Bludgeon 2-handed Axe, mallet, street sign
Greatsword 2d6 19-20/x2 - Slash 2-handed Zanbatou, claymore
Broadsword 1d8 19-20/x2 - Slash - Rapier, lead pipe
Spear 1d6 x2 - Pierce Threaten Javelin, scrub brush
adjacent
Knuckle 1d6 x2 - Bludgeon - Brass knuckles, claws
Bare hand 1d4 x2 - Bludgeon Provokes Fleshy fist
AoO
Taser 1d4 x2 - Electric - Defibrillator, stun gun
Knife 1d4 19-20/x2 - Pierce - Chicken bone, dagger

Ranged Weapons Damage Critical Range Type Note Examples

Shotgun 2d8 x2 30ft. Pierce 2-handed Pump-action, sawed-off
Rifle 2d6 x2 60ft. Pierce 2-handed Bolt-action, sniper
Bow 1d8 x3 60ft. Pierce 2-handed Longbow, shortbow
Submachine Gun 1d8 x2 60ft. Pierce 2-handed Carbine
Handgun 1d6 19-20/x2 30ft. Pierce - Derringer, revolver
Rock 1d4 x2 15ft. Bludgeon Provokes Baseball, concrete
AoO
Fire Breath 1d4 x2 15ft. Fire - Spray paint
Coin 1d4 19-20/x2 15ft. Pierce - Dart, penny

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SOCIAL LINKS

30
CREDIT PAGE IS IN ALL CAPS BECAUSE I
KEEP FORGETTING TO ADD IT

Behold_the_Void - Wrote original semi-

classless Bleach d20 ruleset
draxred - Wrote classless Bleach d20
ruleset, which I used heavily
Mutants & Masterminds - Some feats may
or may not be copied verbatim; I don't
remember how much I really changed

Version Notes:
v0.1
Most of the stuff is off the top of my head,
so balance is iffy at best, for teh lulz at
worst
More feats and traits should probably be
added; at least one was cut
Ability list is from both 3 and 4 but leans
toward 4 because some of 3's content
makes no sense
Avatar Prestige Path's feat Aspect of
Swords references the fleshgrinding ability
from the Book of Vile Darkness

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