Joker Guide & Build in Persona 5: The Phantom X

So, you pulled Joker, congrats! You now have one of the most stylish limited 5★ units in Persona 5: The Phantom X and one of the most flexible AoE DPS options in all of P5X. He’s not just here to look cool, he’s actually cracked, especially when built right. If you’ve been asking questions like, “What gear and team do I slap on him?”. Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. Whether you’re playing Global or CN, I’ll break down exactly how to make Joker the menace he’s meant to be. From fury stacks to full-on Curse nuking, this guy does it all, just don’t forget to actually build a team around him or he’ll be stylishly dead. I’ll show you the build, dupes, weapons, team comps, and everything else you need to unleash Joker’s full potential.

Joker Guide & Build

Joker isn’t just the face of the franchise, he’s also one of the most versatile DPS units in Phantom X. Released as a limited 5★ unit during the global launch, he brings solid AoE damage, scaling passives, and a slick extra turn mechanic that lets him dish out high burst combos when set up correctly.

And yes, he’s the only AoE Curse DPS in the game right now. That alone makes him valuable for farming, bossing, and just about anything where enemies don’t like being debuffed (which is most of them).

Kit Breakdown – Fury Stacks & Extra Turns

Joker’s entire kit revolves around Fury stacks, which he builds by hitting enemies under 60% HP. Each stack increases his ATK by 18%, and once he reaches 3 or more, he triggers an extra turn, where his damage is further boosted by 72%.

It’s a clean feedback loop: Damage → Fury → Extra Turn → More Damage.

Skill 3 is where the magic happens, it scales even harder when enemies are debuffed, especially with Curse. He’s a rare AoE nuker that doesn’t fall off in long fights, and the extra turn mechanic gives him that satisfying tempo burst that feels amazing when it clicks.

Joker Dupes – Which Ones Are Worth It?

I’m usually not a big fan of recommending dupes unless you’re a spender, but Joker’s awareness (dupe) levels are surprisingly good.

• A0 – “Showtime”: Builds Fury automatically each turn. Great for consistency.
• A3 – “Unpredictability”: Cuts SP costs during your extra turn and gives a massive +50% ATK if your SP is above 60%.
• A6 – “Grand Finale”: Executes low-HP enemies (under 25%) and adds bonus AoE damage.

If you’re on a budget: A0 and A3 are where the real value’s at. A6 is flashy and satisfying, but not necessary for 90% of content.

Skill Priority – What to Upgrade First

To get the most out of Joker, here’s the ideal skill upgrade path:

1. Skill 3 – Your highest-damage AoE with Curse synergy. Upgrade this first.
2. Skill 1 – Helps set up debuffs and Fury. Solid follow-up after Skill 3.
3. Combat Skill (Basic Attack) – Scales well thanks to passives and extra turns.
4. Skill 2 – Single-target utility skill, lowest priority.

Best Weapon Options – 5★ Phoenix vs 4★ Machete

You don’t need Joker’s 5★ weapon (Phoenix), but if you have it, it’s cracked:

• +30% ATK
• Up to +30% Curse damage
• +23% damage on next attack with 3 Fury stacks

However, if you’re saving for future banners, the 4★ Machete is perfectly viable:

• +24% ATK (duped)
• +36% bonus damage against debuffed enemies
• Nearly 60% combined ATK boost with debuff synergy

Verdict: 5★ Phoenix is better, but Machete is no slouch and works great for F2P.

Best Gear Set – Interference Set (No Contest)

Joker’s gear options are simple, Interference Set all the way.

• 2-Piece: +10% Curse damage
• 4-Piece: +20% skill damage vs debuffed enemies

It’s his BiS set in both CN and Global and hasn’t been power-crept yet. Combine it with the Departure revelation card for a 30% ATK buff that refreshes on kill, and you’ve got yourself a full-on nuke engine.

Ideal Stat Setup

• Main Stats:
  • Moon: Curse Damage
  • Star: Crit Rate
  • Planet: ATK%
• Substats:
  • Crit Rate
  • Crit Damage
  • Penetration
  • Bonus Damage
• Suggested Thresholds:
  • 30% Crit Rate
  • 200% Crit Damage
  • +10% Pen / Bonus

Don’t sweat perfect rolls, hit these breakpoints and you’re good to go.

Team Comps – Who Should You Run with Joker?

• CN Meta Team (Future-Proof): This team pushes Joker’s extra-turn loop into overdrive and is one of the strongest setups long-term.
  • Ange, Turbo and Vast: This setup is cracked. Ann’s entire kit is built around feeding Joker turns, so the man barely has to stop attacking. Vast and Turbo are also throwing out buffs like candy, supercharging Joker’s damage output to insane levels.
    • If you want peak Joker performance and you’re on CN, this is the squad to build toward.
• Global-Friendly Team: Need healing? Swap Leon for Lufel. Want more shields? Use Puppet as navigator.
  • Rin, Leon and Okyann: This team is surprisingly effective. Rin provides strong consistent damage, Leon offers good buffs and synergy, and Okyann supports with solid AoE control and burst. But if you’re struggling with survivability, you’ve got a couple of options:
    • Swap Leon for Lufel if you need a dedicated healer
    • Or just switch your Navigator to Puppet, Puppet brings shields and defensive utility that help a lot during tougher fights

So yeah, lots of flexibility depending on your needs. Either way, Joker’s still going to be doing serious work in this team.

Persona Picks – Who to Fuse for Joker?

To round it all off, let’s talk Personas. These are the top three I’d recommend running with Joker depending on your setup:

• Alice (5★): The go-to choice for Curse builds. She cranks up your Curse damage and helps debuff enemies for Joker’s Skill 3 scaling. If you have her, use her, period.
• Dionysus (4★): Great for crit builds. He boosts crit rate and crit damage to Joker’s main target, which can lead to some massive burst potential.
• Surt (3★): Underrated but super useful. Surt adds EHR and increases damage against enemies above 50% HP, which helps with early rotation and pushing down chunky targets.
  • Even if you’re lacking top-tier Personas, Surt alone can carry a lot of value, especially in early-to-mid game PvE.

Wrap-Up

Absolutely. Joker isn’t just a stylish unit in Persona 5: The Phantom X, they actually gave him a solid kit with longevity. His extra-turn mechanic, Curse synergy, and AoE scaling make him one of the best limited units to invest in early on. He’s great in dailies, PvE, guild bosses, you name it.

That said, Joker does need the right setup. He won’t shine if you ignore his team, gear, or fury mechanics. Build around him smartly, and he’ll carry you through tons of content.

Up next, if you’re still trying to figure out how to build around Joker, check out my full guide on the best team comps for launch in Persona 5: The Phantom X. As you already know, he’s the core of one of the strongest setups: the Curse team. If you pulled him, you’re already ahead.