Persona 5 Royal Oda confidant guide: Tower choices & unlock list

When it comes down to it the Persona series is ultimately about the relationships between people and Persona 5 and Persona 5 Royal are no different. Those relationships naturally have an impact on the RPG systems of the game, and who you spend your time with and what you say to them actually becomes vitally important in your quest to save the world. The youngest of the characters who effect you in this way Shinya Oda, who represents the Tower arcana. 

The staple system that drives this side of Persona was known in previous games as S-Links - but here, they're called cooperations with characters known to you as confidants. As these relationships grow they unlock all-new skills and more powerful Persona for Persona fusing, so it's very important indeed to spend your time wisely and say the right things. Here, we guide you through another of those relationships, explaining the best choices to max it out quickly.

For assistance with the rest of the cast of Persona 5, check out our full Persona 5 Royal Confidant guide which as all ranks, unlocks, skills and dialogue choices. 

Tower (XVI) - Shinya Oda Confidant Cooperation Guide

If you've decided that you want to get to know Shinya Oda better, below you'll find all of the rank-up conversations with him - so you simply have to follow the guide to rank up as quickly as possible. Any answers not listed have no major impact, while the numbers you see show what each answer adds to the hidden experience-style bar that determines when your relationship ranks up. As always, you should always carry a Persona of your confidant's arcana - in this case Tower - with you when you hang out with them, and these numbers are based on you doing that. 

• Days Shinya is available: Shinya can be found hanging out around the Shibuya Arcade in the afternoon once school is over on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. He's also there Saturday daytimes, and on rainy days.

Rank 1:

• On 9/4 Mishima will text you details about a new side quest, Winners Don't Use Cheats. Pursue this sidequest - through the course of the sidequest you will meet Shinya, the Tower Arcana cooperation.
• Unlocks Down Shot, an ability that lets you spend an entire magazine to guarantee a knock down on an enemy.
• Bonus: Kindness Stat Up
• Impactful Conversation Choices for this Rank:
  • Post-Rank 1: "Call me when it's game time." +3

Rank 2:

• Impactful Conversation Choices for this Rank:
  • Choice 1: "Don't compare me to you." +3 / "Sorry." +2
  • Choice 2: "What a rude employee." +2
  • Choice 3: "Do you admire them?" +2
  • Choice 4: "So do I." +3 / "I'll let them know." +3
  • Phone Call (P5R): "I'll work hard." +2 / "So then I can beat you?" +2
• Unlocks Bullet Hail, which gives you a chance to enter a gun all-out-attack after an ambush.
• Bonus: Kindness Up

Rank 3:

• Get food with Shinya. Impactful conversation choices for this rank:
  • Choice 2: "That's the spirit." +2
  • Phone Call (P5R): "Sure." +2
• Unlocks Warning Shot, a way to frighten enemies with a threat during demon negotiations to get them to your side.
• Bonus: Kindness Up

Rank 4

• Impactful conversation choices for this rank:
  • Choice 1: "Dr. Takemi will help." +2
  • Choice 2: "You seem happy." +3 / "You're so kind." +2 / "Why free?" +2
• Bonus: Kindness Up

Rank 5:

• Impactful conversation choices for this rank:
  • Choice 1: "Yeah, you tell him!" +2
  • Choice 2: "Get your revenge." +2
  • Phone Call (P5R): "I'll be cheering you on." +2 / "Think you can take him?" +2
• Unlocks Ammo Pouch, boosting your maximum bullet capacity for each weapon.
• Bonus: Kindness Up

Rank 6:

• Impactful conversation choices for this rank:
  • Choice 3: "I believe in you." +3 / "That's good." +2
  • Choice 4: "Not at all." +3
  • Phone Call (P5R): "Of course I won't." +2
• Unlocks Cheap Shot, reducing the bullets required for a Down Shot.
• Bonus: Kindness Up

Rank 7:

• Impactful conversation choices for this rank:
  • None! That was easy.
• Bonus: Kindness Up

Rank 8:

• Impactful conversation choices for this rank:
  • Choice 1: "No, she's not." +2 / "Is that what you think?" +2
  • Choice 2: "I believe in them" +3 / "It'll all work out." +2
  • After this a sidequest / request for Mementos is unlocked: A Mother's Aggression.
• Unlocks Electric Slug, boosting the damage inflicted by Bullet Hail.
• Bonus: Kindness Up

Rank 9:

• To initiate this rank you must have completed the A Mother's Aggression side quest.
• Impactful conversation choices for this rank:
  • Choice 1: "I'm glad to hear that." +3 / "Thank the Phantom Thieves." +2
  • Choice 2: "It means you've matured." +3 / "No, that makes sense." +3 / "A little bit, yeah." +2
  • Choice 3: "He wants to win at all costs."
  • Phone Call (P5R): Any choice +2

Rank 10:

• Any choices you make will be irrelevant, since this is the max rank.
• Unlocks Oda Special, allowing Joker's attacks to ignore resistances to hit resistant enemies.
• Unlocks Mada for fusion.