How to Beat the Reaper

Reaper is an optional super boss in Persona 3 Reload that can be fought in Tartarus. Read on to learn how to beat Reaper, know its location, weaknesses, and resistances, as well as the recommended party and Personas for defeating Reaper.

Reaper Boss Overview

Boss Overview
Floor: All Random Floors Block: All Blocks Recommended Level: 70+ Boss Type: Optional

Reaper Weaknesses and Resistances

Slash				Strike				Pierce
Normal				Normal				Normal
Fire			Ice			Electricity			Wind
Normal			Normal			Normal			Normal
Light						Dark
Normal						Normal

Reaper Recommended Party Setup

Best Party Setup

Character	Best Skills to Use	Explanation
Protagonist	・Megidolaon ・Charge ・Concentrate	With access to numerous useful skills, including high-tier elemental and physical abilities, it's best to use the Protagonist as one of your primary damage dealers, especially once you gain access to Concentrate or Charge.
Ken	・Mediarahan ・Tetrakarn ・Makarakarn ・Heat Riser	Ken boasts several support skills that can be beneficial when facing the Reaper. He can fully heal the team with Mediarahan, shield teammates with his -karn skills, and provide buffs with Heat Riser. His second Theurgy skill can also heal the team and provide a counter shield for everyone once activated.
Koromaru	・Maragidyne ・Rebellion ・Maeigaon ・Debilitate	Koromaru can fulfill both roles as the team's support and damage dealer. His Theurgy gauge also charges fast, allowing you to use his Theurgy skills several times in just a few turns.
Akihiko	・Maziodyne ・Diarahan ・God's Hand	Akihiko will also serve as your main damage dealer. He can deal massive damage with God's Hand and Maziodyne, and can support himself with Diarahan if he ends up losing too much HP.

Alternative Party Members

Character	Replaced With	Explanation
Mitsuru	Akihiko	Mitsuru can learn Diamond Dust and Concentrate at later levels, enabling her to deal massive ice damage against the Reaper.
Junpei	Akihiko	Junpei can learn several physical skills as he levels up, giving you plenty of options to choose from when facing the Reaper. Additionally, he learns a variety of counter skills, allowing him to deflect physical attacks. However, he doesn't possess any healing skills to help him recover missing HP, so make sure to have someone else heal him every time he uses his physical skills.
Aigis	Akihiko	Aigis is also a great physical unit to use, especially once she enters Orgia Mode. Additionally, she can support herself with skills like Diarahan and Insta-Heal, allowing her to recover HP and quickly recover from any ailments applied in the next turn.
Yukari	Koromaru	Yukari is also a versatile support character who can also hit hard with her offensive skills, like Koromaru. The only reason why she falls as an alternative is because of status ailment recovery skills, which the Reaper wouldn't use too much, rendering them not necessary. Additionally, the Reaper's status ailment skills only have a 40% chance to hit, which at higher levels, can easily miss.

Reaper Recommended Personas

Best Personas to Use

Persona	Recommended Skills	Explanation
Arahabaki	・Herculean Strike ・Bloody Charge	Arahabaki is one of the best late-game personas you can use if you want to focus on defense. It can help you resist light attacks and, at higher levels, deflect dark attacks, which is very useful as the Reaper will mostly use these kinds of attacks during the fight. To unlock this persona, make sure to complete the Hermit Social Link first.
Vishnu	・Panta Rhei ・Concentrate	Vishnu is a versatile persona to equip as it can both provide support and offense during the fight. As a support, it can learn Salvation, which fully heals the team when used. It also learns Concentrate and Panta Rhei naturally, which are its main sources of damage when used. Ali Dance can also help the protagonist halve any incoming damage from the Reaper, increasing his survivability.
Satan	・Megidolaon ・Diamond Dust ・Concentrate	Satan is also a great persona to use if you have access to it. It can learn Concentrate and Megidolaon, which is a very powerful combo for dealing massive damage to the Reaper.
Messiah	・Megidolaon ・Concentrate ・Null Phys	Messiah is one of the most powerful personas you can obtain later in the game. It can learn Null Phys, allowing you to block any physical attacks. Additionally, it naturally repels light and dark attacks from the Reaper. You can unlock Messiah by completing the Judgement Social Link, which you can achieve by simply clearing the Adamah block.

How to Beat the Reaper

The Reaper behaves differently depending on how low its HP is. Here's what you can do in combat for each phase.

1. First Phase
2. Second Phase

First Phase

During the first phase of the battle, the Reaper will focus on exploiting you or your teammates' weaknesses with single-target attacks. It will also use a variety of these and will frequently follow up with a physical attack to eliminate your teammate or bring them to critically low HP.

Additionally, it will try to inflict status ailment using skills such as Tentarafoo and Evil Smile, but with a 40% hit rate, these will be easy to evade.

Analyze Which Teammate It Targets

During the first phase of the fight, the Reaper will always focus on one teammate's weakness and target that same character for the rest of the combat. To protect this character, use Makarakarn on them to shield them from the Reaper's attack and prevent it from gaining another action. If you don't have this skill, then make sure to use Rakukaja skills instead to boost their defenses.

Use Jack Brothers Fusion Skill

Jack Brothers is an early fusion skill that can be used to down the Reaper, providing you with the opportunity to perform an All-Out Attack and deal even greater damage to the Reaper. This is particularly helpful because dealing as much damage as possible during the first phase of the battle is highly recommended, as you'll need all your defenses once you enter the second phase.

Part of what makes the battle long is how the Reaper can easily dodge any incoming attacks, even with the effects of Sukunda skills. Therefore, having an opening for an All-Out Attack can help you deal more damage, not to mention the innate power of the Theurgy skill itself.

Counter the Reaper's Heat Riser with Debilitate

During the first phase, the Reaper will frequently use Heat Riser as its first action, then Debilitate on the next. This makes it necessary to do the same: nullify all of its buffs with Debilitate and remove your debuffs with Heat Riser.

If low on SP, use Dekaja and Dekunda as these skills can help you nullify stat changes without consuming too much of your SP, making them particularly helpful when conserving SP.

Avoid Using Instakill Skills

Instakill skills like Mudo and Hama will always miss when used against the Reaper, even after applying evasion penalties. Divine Judgment and Demonic Decree also fall under this category, so don't expect it to hit if you try using it. Save your SP for better skills that can hit, preferably offensive ones during this phase.

Second Phase

Once the Reaper's HP drops to 50% HP, it will change its attacking behavior and start using instakill skills like Hamaon and Mudoon. Additionally, it will also begin using the Concentrate and Megidolaon combo, making it necessary for you to go all-out on your defenses during this phase.

Look Out for AoE Magic Attacks

During the second phase, instead of using heavy elemental damage on one target, the Reaper will start using the AoE version of it. If you have two teammates sharing the same weakness, such as Yukari and Aigis, both of whom are weak to Electricity, you're risking having two downed enemies in one turn.

This also applies to you, so consider using other personas with different weaknesses to its target. There's a high chance that during this phase, the Reaper will continue to target its chosen foe. In our experience, the Reaper chose to target Koromaru's weakness throughout the battle, and during this phase, it began using Makougaon instead of Kougaon.

Use Ken's Divine Intervention to Deflect Incoming Attacks

Ken's Divine Intervention is a powerful Theurgy that can help set up two deflecting shields on all your teammates, one for physical and one for magic.

Once available, make sure to use this before the Reaper takes its turn. There's a high chance that it will start with an elemental AoE skill as its first action, so deflecting it collectively will help you inflict more damage. Additionally, it will also attempt to use an AoE instakill skill, and this is one way to survive it as a team.

Expect Megidolaon with Every Makarakarn Set Up

If you have Makarakarn active, the Reaper has an increased chance of using its Concentrate and Megidolaon combo until your shield breaks. There are no other ways to counter this heavy doubled damage, as Makarakarn will not deflect the damage. What you can do is lessen the incoming damage by either lowering its attack with Tarunda skills or boosting your defenses with Rakukaja skills.

Be sure to do this more frequently, as even without the shield, the Reaper will still randomly use this combo, especially during this phase.

Use Fuuka's Revelation

Revelation can help you recover all the missing HP/SP. This is particularly helpful in later stages of the fight where you might find yourself low on SP. However, keep in mind that Revelation is random. There's a chance that you might get the free Charge/Concentrate instead, which is still helpful either way.

Use Drain Skills on Low HP/SP

When low on HP/SP, use drain skills such as Life Drain and Spirit Drain to recover missing HP and SP. Only use these skills during desperate times when you're running low on recovery items or when both HP and SP are critically low, as these skills aren't really powerful if used for offense.

How to Cheese the Reaper

Use Armageddon Fusion Skill

In later stages, you can also use Armageddon to one-shot the Reaper, at the expense of losing HP/SP. To unlock this fusion skill, complete the Star Social Link first to unlock Helel, the other required persona along with Satan.

All Fusion Equipment and Required Materials

Change Difficulty to Peaceful

Changing your difficulty settings to Peaceful can also help you cheese the Reaper. This saves you time from engaging it longer, while still getting a good amount of EXP after.
Difficulty Differences and Best Difficulty Settings

All Reaper Skills

Reaper's Moveset

Skill	Effect	Triggers
Heat Riser	Increases the Reaper's attack, defense, accuracy, and evasion for 3 turns.	• Can trigger after a stat debuff neutralizes. • Can also trigger if you apply debuffs on the Reaper.
Debilitate	Decreases an ally's attack, defense, accuracy, and evasion for 3 turns.	• Follows after Heat Riser.
Virus Breath	Deals almighty damage and Poisons all allies. (25% of current HP / 75% chance)	• Can trigger if all teammates are healthy and free of status ailments.
Megidolaon	Deals massive Almighty damage on all allies.	• Follows up after Virus Breath. • Can also follow-up after a Concentrate.
Charge Concentrate	Next physical or magic attack deals more damage.	• Can trigger if you don't neutralize Debilitate.
Tentarafoo	Makes all allies Panic. (40% chance)	• Can trigger if all teammates are healthy and free of status ailments.
Evil Smile	Instills Fear in all allies. (40% chance)	• Can trigger if all teammates are healthy and free of status ailments.
Brave Blade	Deals severe Slash damage to one foe.	• Follows after hitting a weakness. (Has a chance to hit other teammates instead)
Primal Force	Deals severe pierce damage to one foe.	• Follows after hitting a weakness. (Has a chance to hit other teammates instead) • Can also hit downed allies, incapacitating them for one turn.
God's Hand	Deals severe strike damage to one foe.	• Follows after hitting a weakness. (Has a chance to hit other teammates instead) • Can also hit downed allies, incapacitating them for one turn.
Agidyne Bufudyne Ziodyne Garudyne Eigaon Kougaon	Deals heavy magic damage to one foe.	• Triggers if you or your ally has it as your weakness • Becomes AoE upon entering the second phase.
Mudoon Hamaon	40% chance Darkness/Light insta-kill on a single target.	• Triggers mostly during the second phase. • Can become AoE.

These are the only skills that we encountered so far when we faced the Reaper.

Tips on How to Kill the Reaper

Here are the best tips to help you defeat the Reaper:

1. Tips on How to Kill the Reaper
2. Purchase the Soul Fortune
3. Ambush the Reaper if Possible
4. Use Sylphid Aura
5. Focus on Defense and Evasion
6. Use Sutras on Low SP
7. Use Rebellion to Increase Crit Rate

Purchase the Soul Fortune

Before you challenge the Reaper, try purchasing the Soul Fortune from the Fortune Teller first. This fortune will help you charge up your Theurgy faster, allowing you to use it more frequently during combat.

Fortune Teller Services and How to Unlock

Ambush the Reaper if Possible

The Reaper isn't as fast as the normal shadows. If timed and positioned correctly, you can ambush it from behind to gain an advantage.

One way to do this is to loop it once it starts following you. Some paths in Arqa and Yabbashah are excellent spots to execute this strategy if you're planning to engage it in combat.

How to Summon the Reaper

Use Sylphid Aura

Use Fuuka's Sylphid Aura to increase your speed and defense in your next battle. Strong defenses are crucial during the early stages of the fight against the Reaper, especially with its persistent attempt to target a weakness.

Focus on Defense and Evasion

In combat, the Reaper will always target a weakness, making it necessary to set up defenses with Rakukaja skills and boost the team's evasion with Sukukaja skills. If possible, try setting up Tetrakarn or Makarakarn skills too, to deflect any of its attempts to knock out your teammates.

Take Advantage of Extra Actions

If you manage to crit the Reaper, use the extra action to set up these skills. This is a great way to ensure your safety on the following turns, especially considering how the Reaper will always try to knock you out by targeting weaknesses.

Use Sutras on Low SP

If you're also running low on SP, Sutras can help you cast these buff and debuff skills without using SP. You can find a variety of these sutras from chests when exploring Tartarus.

Tartarus Exploration Guide and Tips

Use Rebellion to Increase Crit Rate

Make sure to also use Rebellion if you plan to take on the Reaper using physical attacks. Junpei, Aigis, and Akihiko will greatly benefit from the increased critical rate, which will also help you gain an extra action once you knock out the Reaper with their physical skills.

Persona 3 Reload Related Guides

List of All Bosses

All Story Bosses

Story Bosses
Priestess	Emperor ＆ Empress	Hierophant
Lovers	Chariot ＆ Justice	Hermit
Strength ＆ Fortune	Takaya Sakaki and Jin Shirato	Hanged Man
Chidori Yoshino	Jin Shirato	Takaya Sakaki
Nyx Avatar	-	-

List of All Story Bosses

All Guardian Bosses

Tartarus Guardians
Ruthless Ice Raven	Barbaric Beast Wheel	Swift Axle
Will O Wisp Raven	Disturbing Dice	Clairvoyant Relic
Servant Tower	Lascivious Lady	Fleetfooted Cavalry
Ochlocratic Sand	Heretic Magus	Arcanist Decapitator
Tome of Atrophy ＆ Deviant Convict	Controlling Partner ＆ Dependent Partner	Venomous Magus
Bloody Maria ＆ Executioner's Crown	Imposing Skyscraper	Rampaging Sand ＆ Heartless Relic
Raging Turret	Terminal Table	Jotun of Authority
Isolated Castle	Pagoda of Disaster	Dancing Beast Wheel
Demented Knight	Cruel Greatsword	Invigorated Gigas
Cultist of the Storm	Merciless Judge ＆ Executive Greatsword	Chaos Panzer
Icebreaker Lion ＆ Luckless Cupid	Blazing Middle Sibling, Deadly Eldest Sibling ＆ Voltaic Youngest Sibling	Scornful Dice
Minotaur Nulla	Obsessive Sand	-

List of All Guardian Bosses

All Superbosses

Superbosses
Reaper	Elizabeth

List of All Superbosses

All Monad Bosses

Monad Passage Bosses
Cowardly Maya	Rampage Drive, Shouting Tiara and Magical Magus	Bronze Dice ＆ Muttering Tiara
Iron Dice ＆ Silent Book	Platinum Dice, Muttering Tiara and Silent Book	Dogmatic Tower
Natural Dancer	Vehement Idol	Minotaur II
Haunted Castle ＆ Spiritual Castle	Intrepid Knight ＆ Change Relic	-
Monad Door Bosses
Elegant Mother	Phantom Mage	Red Sigil
Nemean Beast	Eternal Eagle	Chaos Cyclops
Judgment Sword	Minotaur III	Grand Magus
Crazy Twins	Emperor Beetle	Death Castle

List of All Monad Bosses