Let’s be real, Persona 5: The Phantom X starts off at full sprint. You’re clearing content, pulling characters, leveling fast… until you suddenly aren’t. If you’re like me (and a lot of other players right now), you’ve probably slammed headfirst into that awkward leveling wall around account level 26 or 27. That smooth early-game progression? Gone. And now the game’s asking you to hit level 30 just to move forward, specifically, “Raise Wonder to Level 30.” Easy enough, right? Not exactly. This isn’t a full guide, more like a quick PSA with tips. If you’re new to live-service games or coming from mainline Persona, this is your heads-up: XP slows, pacing shifts, and burning through stamina pots too early might hurt more than help. Let’s break it down.
How to Get More XP
So here’s what’s going on: You’re gated. Intentionally. The game slows things down around level 26–30 to pace you. Not because you’re doing anything wrong, but because Persona 5: The Phantom X is designed as a live-service experience. That means regular updates, events, and long-term engagement.
It’s not meant to be rushed through in a week. Trying to force it, especially by blowing through stamina pots, might feel productive now, but it’ll hurt later when mats become scarcer and more important.
That said, there are ways to gain XP faster and progress more efficiently. So in this guide, I’ll cover all the current sources of account XP, how to make the most of your stamina, and what you should be doing while you wait to hit that next level milestone.
Account XP Sources You Might Be Missing
Here’s where you can actually gain XP, not Phantom Thief XP, but account XP. These are the systems that matter:
1. Story Progression (Palace & Momentos)
Progressing through the Palace gives account XP at key milestones. Every 10% of Palace completion nets you a reward, and that final 10% gives a juicy chunk, around 450 XP. Not only that, but you’ll get story, loot, and even free banner pulls.
Momentos exploration works similarly: each floor you clear grants XP and sometimes vending machines drop loot. It’s not a farmable XP pit, but it adds up, especially if you’ve finished your Palace.
2. Business Plan (Beginner Guide Book)
This is your roadmap. Found in the Missions tab, the Business Plan gives you XP for completing early-game objectives. Every step asks you to do things you should already be doing, like spending stamina or enhancing weapons—and rewards you twice: once for doing the thing, and again with bonus XP.
I’m on Step 5 right now, and it’s still giving me easy rewards just for playing normally. Don’t sleep on this one.
3. Dailies
It’s simple but effective. Knock out your daily missions and grab a few thousand XP along with battle pass points. It only takes a few minutes and it’s one of the most consistent XP sources you have.
4. Side Missions (Missions Tab)
Not all of them are bangers in terms of writing, but the rewards are solid. Many of these give XP, unlock systems, or expand city features. Some even unlock new confidants. So yeah, they’re worth doing, even if you speed-click the dialogue.
Other Things to Do While You Wait for Level 30
Hitting the XP wall doesn’t mean you’re out of things to do. Here’s how to keep making meaningful progress:
1. Velvet Trials
These unlock at Rank 6 and can carry you hard if you push them. You’ll face off against enemies with scaling difficulty, and even if you don’t 3-star every stage, just clearing them gets you resources.
You also get a free 4-star unit later on. Not meta-breaking, but hey, free is free. Velvet Trials are repeatable, so you can push harder later when your roster’s stronger.
2. Event Quests: Crossing Fates
These don’t give account XP, but they’re a goldmine for materials, tickets, and phantom coins. One run through the 14 stages here gets you a maxed 4-star Morgana weapon and a ton of resources.
3. Prep for the Resource Crunch at 30
Hitting level 30 unlocks the Phantom Block at level 10, which means tougher content, higher mats, and heavier upgrade costs. If you’ve got spare time now, build your teams, stockpile resources, and start thinking about how you’ll handle that incoming wave of resource drain.
Should You Use Stamina Pots?
Short answer: No.
Longer Answer: Definitely not unless you’re a whale.
XP walls hit again later, at 60, 70, even 80. And by then, stamina becomes way more valuable due to better drop rates for high-tier mats.
For example:
- Realm of Repression level 1 = 5–6 blue mats
- Level 2 = 7–8
- Level 70+ = gold mats and way more per run
Blowing 10 stamina pots now just to hit level 30 means wasting energy farming mats you’ll outgrow. I’ve got 14 pots saved up, and I’m keeping them for high-efficiency stages later on.
Wrap-Up: Play Smart, Not Fast
You’re not falling behind. You’re not missing out. You’re pacing correctly. Persona 5: The Phantom X is designed for long-term play. If you rush everything now, you’ll hit the ceiling faster and have nothing left to do but wait. Instead:
- Log in daily
- Use your stamina, but don’t waste it
- Finish your Palace
- Push your limits in Velvet Trials
- Knock out side missions and prep your team
- Enjoy the systems the game already has
So yeah, don’t rush. Don’t burn out. And don’t waste your pots. You’ll thank yourself when the next patch drops and you’re already prepped. Next up, if team building’s been a bit of a puzzle for you (it definitely was for me at first), I’ve got a full guide about team building in Persona 5: The Phantom X that walks through how it all works in in the game: synergy, roles, and making the most of your roster. Give it a look!
