Conquering Happiness Hands in Persona 4 Golden: A Guide
Happiness Hands are formidable foes in Persona 4 Golden, randomly appearing in dungeons and springing from chests. Each encounter presents a tougher challenge than the last, making them some of the game's most difficult enemies. However, their defeat yields substantial XP, making the struggle worthwhile. This guide focuses on defeating Happiness Hands, specifically those encountered early in Yukiko's Castle.
Happiness Hand Weaknesses and Strategies
Happiness Hands boast strong resistance to all elemental attacks. The key to victory lies in exploiting their vulnerability to physical damage. While Almighty attacks are effective against Golden Hands later in the game, they're unavailable early on. Happiness Hands inflict minimal damage and may even skip turns, but they'll flee at the first opportunity. A weakness exploit or critical hit will trigger their escape. Focus fire on a single target if multiple Happiness Hands appear; defeating even one is a significant achievement at this stage.
The Path to Victory: Persona Fusion and Strategic Combat
The most effective strategy involves fusing the Persona Orobas, which possesses the skill Hysterical Slap. This skill's double-hit potential and low chance of inflicting Rage on the enemy are crucial. A Raged Happiness Hand will continuously use its basic attack, preventing its escape. Orobas can be fused using:
- Apsaras + Forneus
- Apsaras + Slime
Before engaging, ensure your party is fully healed. Concentrate solely on physical attacks that consume HP, avoiding any other actions. Utilize the following strategy:
- Yosuke: Sonic Punch
- Chie: Skull Cracker
- Protagonist: Hysterical Slap
Repeat this cycle until victory. Early-game success relies heavily on luck due to limited options. However, defeating a Happiness Hand provides significant experience gains at low levels.
Crucial Note: Avoid using an All-Out Attack unless you're certain of a kill. Otherwise, the Happiness Hand will recover and flee.