Best character to select from the Newcomer Banner in Persona 5: The Phantom X

When you're first diving into Persona 5: The Phantom X, the Newcomer Banner is one of the best early-game perks. It gives you a shot at picking a powerful character without relying on gacha luck, setting up your squad for a smoother start. Naturally, the big question is...who should you pick?

If you're after consistency, strong area damage, and someone who fits into nearly any team comp, I would recommend you go with Ann Takamaki, aka Panther. Her fire-heavy skillset, powered by Carmen, makes her a sweeping powerhouse that only gets stronger as you build her up. Let's see why she is one of the best picks for the Newcomer Banner in Persona 5: The Phantom X.

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Why you should consider Ann Takamaki for the Newcomer Banner in Persona 5: The Phantom X

Ann Takamaki aka Panther (Image via SEGA)

Ann’s whole playstyle revolves around setting enemies on fire and then stacking bonus effects off that. Her passive, Passion, lets her build up stacks whenever she deals Fire damage. Hit four stacks, and she triggers La Vie en Rose, a one-turn buff that majorly boosts her attack stat (30% at Level 1, scaling up to 50% at Level 70+). This is the core of her burst potential.

Once La Vie en Rose is active, all her moves get even more dangerous, turning her from a strong Sweeper into a real battlefield menace.

Skill breakdown: Fire-heavy damage with huge scaling

What skills does she posses (Image via SEGA)

Ann’s Persona, Carmen, comes with a tight skill kit built around multi-target destruction and burn effects:

• Crimson Rose is an AoE fire attack that hits all enemies and buffs Ann’s Attack by 20% for two turns. When La Vie en Rose is active, it also debuffs enemies' Attack (by 8% of Ann's Attack) and gives her another attack boost. This well-rounded skill both softens enemies and empowers her.
• Trifire is a single-target nuke with a 75% burn chance. It deals 88% of her Attack stat as fire damage, and if La Vie en Rose is up and the target is below 50% HP, it deals 30% bonus damage. That makes Trifire lethal for cleanup and dueling tankier foes.
• Falling Sun brings more AoE firepower — 63.2% of her Attack to all foes and a 30% chance to Burn. With La Vie en Rose, it also deals 30% more damage, which helps clear enemy waves with ease.
• Thief Tactics, her Highlight skill, hits all enemies for 128% of her Attack stat and boosts her fire skill damage by over 50% for one turn.

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Hidden abilities

There’s Rising Tension, her Hidden Ability. Whenever she uses any Skill or Highlight, it automatically triggers a Fire Technical if the target is Burned. The latter Hidden Ability, Carrot and Stick, adds a subtle but useful layer of survivability. When La Vie en Rose ends, the ally with the lowest HP gets healed for 15% of Ann’s Attack. It’s not game-changing, but in long fights, this passive support can help stabilize your party.

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Is Ann in Newcomer Banner worth it over other options?

If you’re looking for a reliable, high-damage, AoE Sweeper, Ann is the most complete package available from the Newcomer Banner in Persona 5: The Phantom X. She scales well with investment, has natural synergy with her own burn setup, and fits neatly into any team that can capitalize on Fire Technicals.

Unless your Newcomer Banner lineup is already stacked with top-tier fire users or you’re building around a very specific meta comp, Ann is the safe and strong pick. I would also recommend checking Ann's (Panther) build guide for a better understanding.

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That concludes our guide for the best character selection from the Newcomer Banner in Persona 5: The Phantom X

Check out — Persona 5: The Phantom X banners and pity system explained