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Though the arcana of the tarot has always been a prominent part of the Persona games,Persona 3 Reloadbrings them about in a far more prominent way. By collecting the Major Arcana cards throughout P3R after completing challenges like Full Moon operations or Monad Passages, you’ll unlock a wealth of power-ups to use in Tartarus.
With the Major Arcana cards also available through Shuffle Time after battles in Tartarus, choosing them as your prize results in a number of different boosts, whether it’s additional EXP gains, more items from enemies, better boosts in the Velvet Room, or much more.
Updated on Jun 07, 2025:Now that Episode Aigis has released for Persona 3 Reload, Major Arcana cards got a major overhaul for the DLC. If you’re ventuing into Episode Aigis -The Answer-, we’ve updated our Persona 3 Reload Major Arcana guide to include info on how to get them as Aigis, too.
What Are Major Arcana Cards?
In Persona 3 Reload, you’ll be introduced to Major Arcana fairly early in the game –as soon as you begin triggering Shuffle Timeafter battles when you begin exploring Tartarus in the earliest days of your stay in Iwatodai.
These cards look markedly different from regular Shuffle Time cards, since they appear initially as thestandard blue tarot card, only to flip over once the cards spread on your screen to displaya single arcana, each of which will be tied to aunique boostonly applicable by choosing that particular card.
When you first begin encountering Major Arcana cards in Persona 3 Reload, you’ll only have a few to choose from, but you’llunlock new Major Arcana cards after major battles, both in the base game and in the Episode Aigis DLC.
The biggest and most immediate of them will be theFull Moon Shadowbattles, which are conveniently named after the Major Arcana card you’ll receive to add to your deck back in Tartarus. In addition to the wealth of prizes and EXP you get for beating boss fights, these cards are added to the deck from then on, too.
However, to cover the missing tarot not included in the Full Moon fights, you’ll also receive a new Major Arcana card as a prize forclearing every Shadow fromwithin a Monad Passagebeginning in the third block of Tartarus, theYabbashah block.
After obtaining a Major Arcana card, that specific card is then put into your deck andmay come up anytime after that during Shuffle Time, from the time you obtain it through the end of the game. Cards are accumulated through each section of Tartarus.
Collect Enough Major Arcana Cards To Trigger An Arcana Burst
You’ll notice in the bottom-left of your screen on the Shuffle Time selection screen anoutline of tarot cards, some of which may be filled in, depending on your choices so far. This ishow many Major Arcana cards you’ll need to trigger an Arcana Burst.
Arcana Burst new mechanic provides aone-level bump to all Shuffle Time cardsfor the remainder of your time in Tartarus that night, and you’ll also get to choose a card immediately as a prize for triggering it.
In the earliest days of your Persona 3 Reload playthrough, it can be helpful to rush through the few Major Arcana cards you’ve got in the hopes of triggering that Arcana Burst earlier to max out your rewards, but later, you’d do well to be more selective.
Notneedingto choose every card you pull can change how you approach Tartarus for the night. Once you’re able, choose more carefully to sharp-shoot which perks you’d like to have that night.
When choosing a Major Arcana card from Shuffle Time,the perk lasts until you leave Tartarusfor the evening, meaning you can safely return to the entrance or change your party without worrying about impacting your Arcana Burst.
While we’ve already mentioned how Monad Passages are a great way to earn new Major Arcana cards in Persona 3 Reload, it’s also prudent to note that you’llneed specific Major Arcana cards to unlock the Monad Passagewhen you find it.
The game doesn’t typically give you one you may’t open at the moment (until the end, when you’ll need to complete aspecial request), but it’s important to keep in mind as you get new Major Arcana cards throughout the game.
How To Get Major Arcana Cards In Episode Aigis
Though the Persona 3 Reload Major Arcana Cardsdo return in Episode Aigis, the DLC that adds the story from Persona 3 FES to P3R, you’ll not onlyneed to get the Major Arcana cards againas Aigis, but they’ll be unlocked in different ways. Some cards have also been changed to reflect changes made to the combat-centric gameplay in the DLC.
You’ll still get a Major Arcana card fordefeating boss Shadowsin the DLC, who are now guardians of the doors back to the Desert of Doors and serve not only as boss fights, but as checkpoints for you to come and go from each section in the Abyss of Time.
The same cards earned in Full Moon fights in the base game will come to you in boss Shadow fights in the DLC as well - see the table below for which door guardian battle in the DLC correlates to which Full Moon operation.
Again, though, not all cards are covered by boss fights, but now, you’ll make up for lost cards differently. Hopefully you’ve been diligent about keeping up withElizabeth’s requests.
You’ll still get Major Arcana cards from venturing intothe Monad doors in the Abyss of Time, withone of the potential Shadows that spawnsinside potentially dropping arare loot dropwhen you knock them out.Elizabeth would like to see between one and three of these rare items per door in the DLC.
Like the base game, though, the cards you unlock remain in your Shuffle Time deck through the end of the game, so if you have the items to show Elizabeth, it’s always helpful to do so before selling them off for cash. The drop rates are pretty low, though, so be prepared to fight quite a bit for them.
All Major Arcana Cards And What They Do
In the table below, we’ve kept track of all the information you’ll need onevery Major Arcana cardin P3R. This includes the name of the card,how you get itin the game, andwhat perks it offerswhen chosen from Shuffle Time.
Battle And Default Major Arcana Cards
You immediately gain arare item.
High Priestess
All-Out Attacks deal more damageuntil you leave Tartarus for the night.
The fight on Malebolge B8against Wrathful Book.
Empress
Every Persona in your stock earns+2 to their Agility, Endurance, and Luckstats.
The secondFull Moon battle against Emperor and Empress.
The fight on Cocytus B9against Cowardly Maya.
Emperor
Every Persona in your stock earns+2 to their Strength and Magic stats.
The fight on Caina B14 against Harmony Giant.
Lovers
Social Linkbonuses are increasedwhen performing fusions in the Velvet Room until you leave Tartarus for the night.
Base Game
The fight on Antenora B10 against Frivolous Maya.
You have abetter chance to encounter rare enemiesuntil you stop exploring.
The fourth Full Moon battle againstChariot and Justice.
The fight on Antenora B19 against Death Castle.
Justice
You’ll be able tochoose two Shuffle Time cardsinstead of one for the remainder of the night.
The fight on Ptolomea B16 against Acheron Seeker.
Fortune
All members of yourcurrent party increase their max HP by 8.
The sixth Full Moon battle againstFortune and Strength.
The fight on Judecca B7 against Killer Twins.
Strength
All members of yourcurrent party increase their max SP by 5.
Receive oneincense, chosen at random.
The final Full Moon battle againstHanged Man.
The fight on Empyrean B19 against Neo Minotaur and Rebellious Cyclops.
How to Get It (Episode Aigis)
Temperance
The following day, anyactivities that boost yoursocial statsoffer additional pointstowards your next level.
Bring me Golden Plates.
Devil
Defeating enemies and destroying breakable items around Tartarus will yieldmore itemsfor the remainder of the night.
Bring me Ver. III Restraints.
Tower
Each Persona in your current stock receives a+1 boost to all stats.
Bring me a Red Wall Fragment.
Star
You’re able tochoose one extra cardfrom Shuffle Time. This canstackwith theJustice arcanacard to allow you to pull three Shuffle Time cards each time.
Bring me a Throne of Mania.
Moon
Fullyreplenishes the party’s HP and SPas soon as the battle ends.
Bring me a Lady’s Stool.
Sun
You’ll be able tofuse Personas up to five levels higher than your protagonistthat night when visiting the Velvet Room.
Bring me White Sand.
Judgement
The member in youractive partywith thelowest current levelwillimmediately gain a good amount of EXP, typically enough to level up.
Elizabeth Request #31
Bring me a Divine Fur.
All of your bonuses stack and accumulate, and you’ll retain any of the HP/SP changes you make to your party through Major Arcana cards when beginninga NG+ saveof P3R.
