Ann Takamaki, aka Panther, your go-to pyromaniac queen in Persona 5: The Phantom X. I’ve been running her since basically day one on Global, and let me tell you: if you like big fiery explosions, burn ticks melting enemies every turn, and a super smooth AoE playstyle, she’s the pick. Whether you’re new to the game or looking to optimize your account, Panther is one of those units that just works. She’s easy to get, easy to build, and she scales as your account does. In this guide, I’m breaking down everything you need to know to make the most out of her kit, from skills and passives to weapons, artifacts, and the best team setups.
Panther Build Guide
Panther specializes in AoE Fire damage, with a strong emphasis on Burn effects and a scaling mechanic called Concentration. Her kit is all about applying steady pressure, cycling through her damage boosts, and turning the battlefield into a blaze.
The best part? She fits into many free or accessible team comps, and she doesn’t need high investment to start doing work. If you build her right, she’ll clear mobs, chip down bosses, and scale naturally as your account grows.
How to Get Panther
Panther is a standard pool character, which means she’s easy to access and not time-gated like limited banner units.
Ways to Get Her:
- Beginner Select Banner (50 pulls): Pick between Panther, Morgana, or Ryuji. She’s the best AoE DPS option.
- Standard Banner (300 pulls): Comes with a character selector, Panther is available here too.
- Regular Pulls: Since she’s in the standard pool, you’ll naturally get copies over time.
TL;DR: You don’t need to chase her. She’s one of the smartest picks for new players.
What Panther Does Best: Burn, Stack, Repeat
Panther is all about Fire AoE, burn damage, and Concentration stacking. Each time she hits with Fire skills, she gains a stack. At 4 stacks, she enters a Concentration state, unlocking bonus damage and effects.
During Concentration, her skills get upgraded, she deals more Fire DMG, and her passive talents start to shine.
She’s not built for burst one-shots, instead, she scales hard over time, making her a fantastic pick for sustained fights, mob waves, and bosses alike.
Skill Breakdown: Keep the Flame Alive
- Skill 1 – AoE Fire + Buff: Use this to start your rotation.
- Hits all enemies with Fire DMG
- Buffs her own ATK by 20% for 2 turns
- In Concentration: Also debuffs enemy ATK and transfers it to her
- Skill 3 – Flame Erosion (Main AoE Nuke): This is her bread-and-butter. Use it often during Concentration.
- AoE Fire DMG
- 30% chance to Burn enemies for 2 turns (5% HP per turn)
- In Concentration: +30% damage boost
- Skill 2 – Single Target Burn: Optional for cleanup or finishing blows. Not core, but useful.
- ST Fire DMG with a 75% Burn chance
- In Concentration: +30% more damage if enemy HP < 50%
- Highlight (Ultimate) – Big AoE Nuke: Use this at full stacks for huge spike turns.
- Massive AoE Fire DMG
- Buffs Fire DMG for 1 turn based on Highlight level
Passive Talents
- Passion: +30% DMG to burning enemies (amazing synergy with her kit)
- Consolation: Heals lowest HP ally for 45% of Panther’s ATK when exiting Concentration (bonus sustain, not core)
Awakening (Ascension) Overview
Don’t pull for A6. Great if you get it naturally, but don’t chase constellations.
| Ascension | Effect |
|---|---|
| A1 | +17% ATK for the team during Concentration |
| A2 | Standard skill level upgrades |
| A3 | Triggers a random 2-hit Fire attack when exiting Concentration |
| A4 | More skill levels for further scaling |
| A5 | +100% ATK for 1 turn after using Highlight |
| A6 | 60% chance to gain 2 Concentration stacks instead of 1, +11% Fire DMG per stack (up to 110%) |
Weapons: Burn Support in Blade Form
4★ Weapon – Mirage Whip
Solid, free-to-play friendly option with perfect synergy.
- +12% ATK
- +23.7% more ATK if enemy is burning
5★ Weapon – Predatory Flames
Best-in-slot. Grab this from the free 5★ weapon selector if you can.
- +24.2% base Fire DMG
- When entering Concentration:
- Burns a random enemy
- Bonus damage scales with # of burning enemies (up to +76%)
Artifact Set: Dispute + Acceptance
- 2-Piece Bonus: +10% Fire DMG
- 4-Piece Bonus: +15% ATK (doubles if enemy is weak to Fire)
Top Artifact Pick (Dispute Variant): Each enemy present = +8% ATK (up to +40%)
Main Stat Priority
- Sun (Locked): HP
- Moon: Fire DMG % or ATK %
- Star: Crit Rate %
Substat Focus
- Crit Rate %
- Crit DMG
- Penetration
- Damage Bonus %
TL;DR: Stack Crit Rate and DMG. Scale with burn.
Mental Image Priority (Skill Tree)
Start here if you’re trying to conserve resources:
- Crit Rate (Fist Node)
- Skill 3 (Main AoE)
- Skill 1 & Highlight
- Fire DMG Boost (Right Branch)
- HP, MP, and filler after
Panther Team Building
No Key? Use Leon for crit buffs. No Leful? Anyone with buffs or healing will do.
| Slot | Character | Role |
|---|---|---|
| DPS | Panther | AoE Fire DPS |
| Support | Key (if pulled) | Fire support, burns |
| Sustain | Cattle (Free) | Healing + 100% burn chance |
| Alt Sustain | Morgana | Heals + Winded debuff |
For Navigator: Okyunn for more raw damage and Puppet for survivability and healing.
Should You Pull Panther?
- Yes, if you’re looking for a reliable AoE DPS
- Yes, if you’re skipping Joker or lost the 50/50
- No, if you’re chasing limited meta units right now
Great early-game unit that transitions well into endgame. But skip pulling for constellations, just get one copy and build her.
Wrap-Up: Burn, Baby, Burn
That’s how I’ve been building Panther, and she’s been amazing both in early content and as a burn-based chip DPS later on. She’s stylish, accessible, and surprisingly powerful, especially if you’re just starting out and need someone reliable to carry you.
She doesn’t need much to shine. Just give her some burn synergy and a team that supports her playstyle, and she’ll do the rest. No RNG. No limitations. Just pure fire.
Up next, if you’re ready to turn up the heat and build a proper burn squad around Panther, I’ve got you covered. She’s the core of the fire team I personally run, and the synergy makes a huge difference. Check out my guide for the best teams for the launch of Persona 5: The Phantom X, it pairs perfectly with this one and shows you how to make every flame count.
