Conquering Happiness Hands in Persona 4 Golden: A Guide
Happiness Hands, formidable foes in Persona 4 Golden, randomly appear in dungeons, both in the overworld and lurking within chests. Each encounter presents a progressively tougher challenge, making them some of the game's most difficult early enemies. Despite their difficulty, defeating them yields substantial XP, making the effort worthwhile. This guide focuses on overcoming Happiness Hands in Yukiko's Castle, early in the game.
Happiness Hand Weaknesses and Strategies
Happiness Hands exhibit significant resistance to elemental attacks. The key to victory lies in exploiting their vulnerability to physical damage. While Almighty attacks are typically effective against Golden Hands, this strategy isn't feasible early in the game. 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. Prioritize targeting a single Happiness Hand if multiple appear, as defeating even one before they flee is a significant accomplishment.
Essential Persona and Tactics
The most crucial element is fusing Orobas. Orobas possesses the invaluable Hysterical Slap skill, a two-hit attack with a chance to inflict Rage. 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 Yosuke's Sonic Punch, Chie's Skull Cracker, and the protagonist's Hysterical Slap repeatedly. Early-game success heavily relies on luck due to limited options, but defeating a Happiness Hand provides significant party level-ups.
Crucial Note: Avoid All-Out Attacks unless you're certain of a kill. Otherwise, the Happiness Hand will recover and flee.
