Persona 5 Royal Ryuji confidant guide: Chariot choices & unlocks
Ultimately, Persona 5 and Persona 5 The Royal is all about friendship - and Joker's right-hand man and partner in crime is Ryuji Sakamoto, the first true friend he makes after arriving in his new home. In the shadowy world of Persona, Ryuji is linked to the arcana of the Chariot, which of course thus has an impact on battles.
The better you know Ryuji, the more skills and options you'll have open to you when he's in your party and otherwise - and so you'll probably want to get to know him well as quickly as possible. In this guide we go in-depth with a list of every optional conversation answer and choice that can have an impact on your relationship at every rank - and if you make the right choices, you'll therefore advance your friendship quickly towards that elusive Rank 10 cooperation.
For help with characters beyond Ryuji, make sure you check out our detailed Persona 5 Confidant guide, complete with the lists conversation choices, skills and unlocks for every character.
Ryuji Sakamoto Confidant Cooperation Guide - Chariot (Le Chariot - VII)
Below you'll find a list of every rank and every conversation choice that can improve your relationship with Ryuji to level up the Chariot arcana more quickly. The +1, +2 and +3 numbers you see indicate how many 'points' are added to the secret stat that controls when your confidant cooperation relationship levels up - the more the better. These point totals are accurate for if you have a Chariot Persona in your current Persona stock - you'll need to be carrying a Chariot Persona in your party to get the full advance, as that gives you a little bonus.
Ryuji has some conversation choices, including phone conversations, that are Persona 5 Royal only. These are denoated with (P5R) - and other than these, this guide is correct for the standard edition of the game. Any choices not listed in this guide have no material impact on your relationship - so don't worry about those ones and just pick whichever you prefer.
- Ryuji Location: Ryuji is found in your school after school. On days off he'll be found in the arcade if he's available. Her's available in the daytime all week, and day and night on rainy days.
- Days Ryuji is available: You can hang out with Ryuji to advance your confidant relationship every day of the week, including on rainy days.
Rank 1:
- On 4/12 as part of the story your cooperation with Ryuji will begin.
- All the choices are irrelevant to your rank progression.
Rank 2:
Impactful Conversation Choices for this Rank:
- Maybe then I'll be able to help out a little more.
- Option 1: "I'm counting on you." +3
- Option 2: "You seem pretty excited." +3
- Option 3: "...help with what?" +2
- ......
- Option 1: "Do you want to go back?"+2
- Option 2: Do you regret it? +2
- Phone Call (P5R): I should've kept up my running.
- Option 1: "You're already fast enough." +2
- Option 2: "Are your legs okay?" +2
- Option 3: "It's never too late, man." +2
Unlocks Baton Pass ability, letting you pass Ryuji's turn to other Baton Pass users in battle after a 1 More.
Rank 3:
Impactful conversation choices for this rank:
- .....
- Option 1: "Let's not fight." +2
- That don't got anything to do with this...
- Option 1: "Calm down, Ryuji." +3
- Option 2: "Just endure it." +2
- Phone Call (P5R): I get pissed off so damn easily. I really gotta work on that.
- Option 1: "I can't exactly blame you." +2
Unlocks the Follow Up ability, giving Ryuji the chance to attack an enemy after Joker as a follow-up.
Rank 4
Impactful conversation choices for this rank:
- But for some reason it don't look like he's gettin' along with the others.
- Option 2:: "Are you worried about him?" +3
- I don't want 'em endin' up like me.
- Option 3: "I know how you feel." +3
- Option 1: "But you're doing great." +3
- Option 2: "It's not so bad." +2
Unlocks the Punk Talk ability, giving Ryuji the chance to step in and rescue a failed demon negotiation. Unlocks the Ogikubo Ramen location.
Rank 5:
Impactful conversation choices for this rank:
- Oh yeah! You bring your stuff?
- Option 2: "Protein powder?" +3
- Option 1: "A towel?" +2
- ...Good for them.
- Option 1: "You seem conflicted." +2
- Option 2: "Do you want to rejoin?" +2
- But I'm still worried 'bout their advisor, Yamauchi. He's basically like a mini Kamoshida.
- Option 2: "So he's an asshole?" +3
- Option 1: "So he's short?." +2
- Phone Call (P5R): I ain't too worried!
- Option 1: "Don't worry. I gotcha." +2
Rank 6:
Impactful conversation choices for this rank:
- You got any ideas?
- Option 3: "We can train at my place." +3
- Option 1: "Let's stay here." +2
- Option 2: "How about Protein Lovers?" +2
- That's a load of bull!
- Option 1: "You guys should trust Nakaoka." +3
- Option 2: "There is no time for arguing." +3
- You get what I'm tryin' to say, yeah?
- Option 1: "Absolutely." +3
- Option 2: "More or less." +3
- Phone Call (P5R): He'll keep his mouth shut whether or not someone's punchin' him.
- Option 3: "So he should've punched back?" +2
Unlocks the Harisen Recovery ability, which gives Ryuji the chance to step in and heal status ailments on party members when in the party.
Rank 7:
Ryuji will text you to initiate this rank naturally. You'll have to wait for him to do this to continue the Ryuji confidant cooperation further. The text can arrive on a handful of specific dates each in-game month, which are:
- May 25th
- June 22nd
- August 12th
- September 21st
- October 2nd
- November 2nd, 4th, and 11th
- December 2nd and 7th
Once the text comes, and if your schedule is free, agree to meet him. Impactful conversation choices for this rank:
- If we don't do something quick, Yamauchi's gonna get rid of Takeishi too... God dammit!
- Option 2: "Let's talk to Takeishi." +3
- I know that ain't the coolest thing to say, but it's how I feel.
- Option 1: "I think it's cool, Ryuji." +3
- Option 2: "Wait, what?" +2
Grants the Insta-kill ability, which gives Ryuji the chance to instantly win a battle after an ambush. Becomes more likely the weaker an enemy is.
Rank 8:
Impactful conversation choices for this rank:
- You saw that, right? That was some serious violence!
- Option 1: "Things turned out for the best." +3
- Option 2: "You deserved it." +3
- Thanks.
- Option 1: "All I did was watch." +3
- Option 2: "Are you gonna pay me back?" +2
- It's kinda like I was doin' a sprint... and you were runnin' next to me.
- Option 2: "You weren't cool though." +3
- Option 1: "But I was just standing here..." +2
- Phone Call (P5R): Seein' them havin' a real heart-to-heart talk... They got a good team.
- Option 2: "So. Case closed?" +2
Unlocks the Endure ability, giving Ryuji a chance to withstand a blow in combat that would usually kill.
Rank 9:
Impactful conversation choices for this rank:
- Looks like they're finally walkin' their own path.
- Option 1: "Are you satisfied now?" +3
- Option 2: "Not running?" +2
- They asked me to come back to the team.
- Option 3: "Don't do it." +3
- Option 1: "What did you say?" +2
- Option 2: "Do you have any time for that?" +2
- Wherever you decide to be, that's where you belong.
- Option 1: "You're right." +3
- Option 2: "I never realized that." +3
- I'm just glad I found it.
- Option 1: "I agree." +2
- Phone Call (P5R): Sounds like they got him under control.
- Option 1: "Congratulations." +2
- Option 3: "Better watch out for them." +2
Unlocks the Protect ability, giving Ann the ability to shield Joker from an attack that would be fatal.
Rank 10:
- Any choices you make will be irrelevant, since this is the max rank.
- Unlocks Chi You for fusion.
- Unlocks Second Awakening, evolving Makoto's Persona to its final form, Seiten Taisei.