This article is about the Shadow. For the Arcana, see Empress Arcana. |
The Arcana Empress is one of two Shadows that appears during the third Full Moon Operation (June 8th) alongside Arcana Emperor in Persona 3.
Appearances[]
- Persona 3 / FES / Portable / Reload: Full Moon Operation boss, June 8th alongside Arcana Emperor
- Persona 3 The Movie
Details[]
The Shadow takes the form of a large, pot-bellied creature that resembles a turkey/peacock with a staff, a blue dress and a green cloak. It carries a golden crown shaped mask as all Shadows from the Empress Arcana, and wields a royal scepter.
As all Full Moon Operation boss encounters, its appearance and behavior are based on Tarot cards from the Major Arcana in the reverse position. The Empress means someone caring about one with motherly love, assuring the enjoyment of life, on the other hand, its reversed aspects are selfishness and hedonism. This is reflected in the Arcana Empress' pompous clothing and nonchalant demeanor. She represents the spiritual side of the soul, thus she starts the fight being weak to physical attacks.
Profile[]
Persona 3[]
During the third Full Moon (June 8), SEES decides to try and rescue Fuuka by standing inside the Gekkoukan High School gymnasium (where Fuuka originally went missing) until the Dark Hour arrives, thus winding up where she would have had she truly experienced the Dark Hour. Upon trying this method, however, the team is separated. The protagonist finds Junpei and Akihiko not long after their separation, and Fuuka shortly after that. During their return trip, Akihiko realizes that the Arcana Magician and Arcana Priestess appeared during full moons, and, when Mitsuru radios in reporting Shadows, realizes this is no coincidence and that Mitsuru and Yukari, who stayed behind as backup, are in serious danger.

Arcana Empress (left).
When these four arrive back at the first floor of Tartarus, they find that the Arcana Empress and Emperor have attacked Mitsuru and Yukari. The girls have been defeated by the Shadows because Paradigm Shift has prevented them from exploiting a consistent weakness. As Natsuki wanders into the scene and apologizes to Fuuka, the girl takes the Evoker and summons Lucia. Junpei, Akihiko and the protagonist engage the Empress and Emperor in battle.
Strategy[]
Persona 3/FES/Portable[]
At the start of the fight, the Empress is weak against Slash, Strike and Pierce attacks but resists all manner of magic, the opposite of the Emperor. However, it can change it with "Paradigm Shift" just like the Emperor next to her. Like all bosses in the game, it is constantly immune to Light or Darkness attacks. However, it can change its affinities randomly with "Paradigm Shift" just like the Emperor. The fight is designed to demonstrate Fuuka's ability to fully reveal enemy weaknesses.
Persona 3 Reload[]
Here, the Empress is vulnerable to Pierce skills and is immune to everything else. Whenever she uses Paradigm Shift, she shifts her weakness to one of the three physical attributes, but remains immune to elemental magic. She's easily the more dangerous of the pair, having access to second-tier single-target elemental attacks to exploit the party's weaknesses, and elemental Break skills to bypass any immunities the party may have.
As the fight is designed to showcase Fuuka's scanning abilities, perform Full Analysis after every Paradigm Shift casting to determine what to attack with. It's very likely that the protagonist is the only one with a Pierce attack to exploit her initial weakness. Once she shifts out of this Pierce weakness, either Junpei's sword or Akihiko's fists (whichever can work) will easily knock her down.
Stats[]
P3/FES/Portable[]
Full Moon Boss[]
The battle with the Empress and Emperor serve to demonstrate Fuuka's scanning abilities. Be sure to scan them after every time Paradigm Shift is used to determine the new affinities.
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Full Moon Boss (P3P)[]
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Vision Quest[]
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Reload[]
- Paradigm Shift is only used two times. The affinities the Empress is weak to is always Pierce > Strike > Slash. Once it uses Paradigm Shift a second time, it will no longer use that skill.
- Empress (almost) always spends its first turn using Zionga, then Paradigm Shift on the second. It might also cast Fire Break instead of Shifting, although conditions for this happening are unknown.
- The boss might cast Tarukaja on Arcana Emperor.
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Gallery[]