How do you increase bond points

Persona 5 Strikers: how to get more BOND points

In Persona 5 Strikers, the way to permanently upgrade your team and abilities is through BOND Points. There are a bunch of ways to obtain BOND points, and you’ll need as many of them as possible to maximise your upgrades. Here you go then: how to get BOND Points in Persona 5 Strikers.

How to gain BOND Points in Persona 5 Strikers

BOND Points are essential for your progress in Persona 5 Strikers. You’ll need as many of them as possible to ensure your progression through the game is nice and smooth. There are different ones you should be looking to get upgraded quickly, so check out our page on the best BOND Skills for more info on that. Needless to say, you’ll struggle without investing these points.

What are BOND Points?

BOND Points are here in the absence of Confidants from the original Persona 5. Previously, you could talk to your friends and deepen your relationships with them, but now you’ll have to unlock these similar upgrades in a different way. BOND Points unlock BOND Skills, which range from simply boosting your party’s HP to improving Joker’s cooking ability. There’s a host of ways to obtain these points too.

How to get BOND Points

You might be missing out on BOND Points! That wouldn’t be very good at all. Nope, you’ll want to make absolutely certain you’re doing all the following things as much as possible, otherwise you could start falling behind.

That’s all you need to get as many BOND Points as possible! We’ll keep you updated if more farming methods are established too. If only bonding with real people was as easy as beating up ghosts.

Now you’re best friends with everyone and also extremely powerful, why not have a look at some of our other Persona 5 Strikers guides? We’ve got a best Persona 5 Strikers characters tier list, as well as advice on completing Zenkichi’s Cooking Papa mission.

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Scarlet Nexus – A full guide to max all bond levels

Scarlet Nexus is another JRPG that leans heavily into relationship mechanics. These are known as bond levels, which are crucial for unlocking everything Scarlet Nexus has to offer. They may not be as deep as those found within the likes of the Persona series, but should not be neglected if you wish to experience the game’s full content and some of the best skills.

How do you increase bond levels?

If your bond increases following a gift or a bond episode, it will automatically trigger a brief dialogue exchange and a bond level up. If it’s ready to level up after spending time in the party, this will happen automatically the next time you speak to them in the hideout – they’ll have a pink icon above them even if no bond episode is available.

Is it worth maxing all Scarlet Nexus bond levels?

All individual bond levels with other party members are definitely worth maxing. The SAS abilities will power up with each level, eventually leading to some awesome rewards that are well worth the effort. These include powerful attacks called Combo Visions and Assault Visions, the chance for a character to appear and block an attack, increased period of SAS activation, and several other bespoke skills that are individual to the character in question.

Not only that, but the actual bond episodes themselves are a great opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the characters. I generally found everyone had a strong relationship arc on at least one side or the other. For instance, Kyoka and Arashi’s arcs were far more interesting on Kasane’s route, whilst I found Gemma and Hanabi better on Yuito’s side. Others simply work excellently together, like Tsugumi and Luka.

You’ll also spruce up the hideout, as every new gift given to a party member will be added to their individual area. By the end of the game, the hideout is positively brimming with plant pots, gym gear, guitars and pictures. If you are playing as Yuito, he’ll get a different Baki doll from every individual party member at level 6. Kasane will receive a bespoke decoration from everyone, and these gifts are placed on the mantlepiece.

How many gifts does it take to increase bond levels?

Whatever happens, you’ll probably need to stand there relentlessly showering your teammates with gifts in order to reach the maximum bond levels. Unfortunately, there is no way to give multiple gifts in one go, which I consider the most infuriating and incomprehensible mechanic in the game.

This question doesn’t have a specific answer because it also depends how much the characters have been in your party. However, as a rule of thumb, you need at least ten red-heart gifts to increase a fresh bond level to the next one. If there is a bond episode in between, this will be far quicker, but it’s a tedious process. Keep giving those gifts, and you’ll get there eventually.

When it comes to obtaining gifts in the Exchange section, be smart with your resources. If you are running low on the materials for red-heart gifts but are inundated with materials for yellow-heart gifts, you may be better served grabbing a load of these rather than running out of items you may need later.

How do you check your current bond status?

In the SAS section of the menu, you can select each character and check what level your bond has reached, along with a summary of the abilities you’ve earned. You can also look ahead to the next abilities that’ll be unlocked in the future with further bond levels. The characters actually have a number next to them in the Party section as well, which quickly provides the current bond level.

Unfortunately, there is no way to check how close you are to the next bond level. This is pretty frustrating, as you could end up like me – stockpiling on gifts to save time revisiting the shop, and then ending up with a bunch you don’t need. A progress bar would have been very welcome here.

How do you increase Team Bond Level?

Team bond levels are a strange one, as they don’t always seem to follow conventional rules and I’ve seen many people insist this is glitched. In brief, these simply level up by giving gifts and boosting individual bond levels. It doesn’t exactly take a linear, gradual path – you can get stuck on level 2 for ages, and then suddenly jump quickly to level 4 when you give a few gifts to characters who haven’t received them before. The gifts with red hearts will increase Team Bond Level far quicker but ultimately, just like individual levels you should just focus on giving as many unique gifts as you can.

The maximum Team Bond Level is level 6. To achieve this, you’ll need to do the following:

Why isn’t Team Bond Level increasing?

If you are stuck on level 4 despite having everyone individually on bond level 6, this is likely due to gifts – you must give every gift to everyone who is eligible for the gift, including both Plug-In Parallelization Programs. Many other gifts can be given to multiple people, so make sure you give them to everyone and not just the person who likes the gift the most.

What are the rewards for increasing the Team Bond level?

There are some tangible rewards as well as some passive automatic ones. A higher team bond level increases the rates of Guardian Vision, Assault Vision, and revivals, which are all pretty handy in battle.

As for the more specific prizes, the fairly paltry rewards for reaching each level are as follows:

Level 1 – Nothing (automatic)

Level 2 – Nothing

Level 3 – White costumes for your platoon

Level 4 – A team bond episode is unlocked – speak to any team member to start it

Level 5 – White costumes for the platoon of the protagonist you didn’t pick

Level 6 – A Group Photo is added above the mantlepiece

Are the bond episodes different on each route?

Yes. Every party member has bond episodes regardless of which route you picked, but the events themselves are completely different on each side. The only relationship arc that has direct overlap is Yuito and Kasane’s, which is largely the same regardless of which character you are controlling. However, the opposite relationship is still worth completing on a second playthrough as there are a few minor differences.

Do Scarlet Nexus bond levels have romance?

I won’t go into too much detail here. I’ll just say that whilst there are some clear romantic references, there is nothing explicit within the bond episodes.

How many bond episodes are there?

Each party member has four or five bond episodes, depending on which protagonist was chosen. Your protagonist’s own platoon will have five episodes each, and the other platoon will have four each with the exception of the other protagonist who also has five. Overall, each route has a total of 41 bond episodes. Here’s a summary of the bond episodes for each party member, as well as the point each episode becomes available.

Yuito Route

The following characters have five bond episodes:

Kasane – Available in the following standby phases: 1, 5, 9, 10, 11

Hanabi – Available in the following standby phases: 1, 3, 7, 9, 11

Gemma – Available in the following standby phases: 4, 5, 7, 9, 11

Luka – Available in the following standby phases: 5, 7, 8, 10, 11

Tsugumi – Available in the following standby phases: 2, 4, 7, 8, 10

The following characters have four bond episodes:

Kagero – Available in the following standby phases: 5, 8, 10, 11

Kyoka – Available in the following standby phases: 4, 7, 10, 11

Arashi – Available in the following standby phases: 2, 6, 7, 10

Shiden – Available in the following standby phases: 4, 7, 10, 11

Kasane Route

The following characters have five bond episodes:

Yuito – Available in the following standby phases: 1, 5, 9, 10, 11

Arashi – Available in the following standby phases: 4, 6, 8, 10,11

Shiden – Available in the following standby phases: 2, 5, 7, 9, 10

Kyoka – Available in the following standby phases: 1, 4, 7, 10, 11

Kagero – Available in the following standby phases: 5, 6, 8, 9, 11

The following characters have four bond episodes:

Gemma – Available in the following standby phases: 4, 6, 8, 10

Hanabi – Available in the following standby phases: 2, 5, 9, 10

Tsugumi – Available in the following standby phases: 2, 7, 8, 11

Luka – Available in the following standby phases: 5, 7, 9, 11

Are bond episodes missable?

No. It’s recommended you simply complete them as soon as they become available in the relevant standby phase, but if some of them pass you by, they can be completed later on. The earlier the bond levels are increased, the earlier you’ll have access to some great powers.

How many team bond episodes are there?

There are only three team bond episodes, and it’s only possible to see two of them in a single playthrough. One will be available at team bond level 4 involving the platoon of the protagonist you chose, and the other is a joint-platoon episode fairly late in the game. If you want to see the team bond episode for the other platoon, you’ll need a second playthrough with the other protagonist (recommended anyway). Or there’s always Youtube.

Conclusion

That’s everything you need to max all Scarlet Nexus bond levels. If the endless gift-giving is driving you crazy, then rest assured you aren’t alone. But apparently, receiving the exact same corkboard over and over is enough to make a true friendship blossom, so just keep going.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon Bonds Guide – Drink Links Answers, Table Talks, & Bond Levels

The gang solves the Yokohama crisis

One of the best parts of Yakuza: Like a Dragon being a JRPG is that you’re never alone in your travels. This doesn’t involve just fights, but also activities, minigames, and hitting bars. The game connects all of this with Bonds, which are progression levels for each one of your party members. In this guide we’ll go through all the ways you can increase them, as well as the Personality bonuses from each Drink Link.

How to Unlock Bonds – Yakuza: Like a Dragon

Unlocking Bonds is tied to the main story so you’ll need to progress until at least Chapter 4. At one point the party will visit Survive Bar for the first time, and you’ll be able to strengthen your relationship with your friends from that point onwards. As we have said on our tips guide, we strongly recommend you to unlock this as soon as possible to make the most out of the feature.

Activities That Increase Bonds

There’s a lot to see and experience in Yakuza: Like a Dragon, and luckily, almost everything can be done either in a group or with someone at Ichiban’s side. We have listed all the shared activities we’ve found so far below:

Drink Links Answers – Yakuza: Like a Dragon

Drink Links are vital to increase your Bonds. Once you have gained enough experience, you will notice a lock on top of the Bond experience bar – this means that the character won’t be receiving any more points. In order to unlock it, you’ll have to talk to them in Survive Bar, and trigger their substories.

These are usually divided in five instances (one for each level up to five), and some characters will require you to progress through the main story to deepen your relationship with them. Most instances are similar – a dialogue will take place involving multiple choice questions. Depending on the answer you pick, Ichiban will receive points toward a Personality stat. As a reward for everyone else, each Bond level will have characters gaining more experience when they find themselves outside of the party. In addition, some Jobs require certain Bond levels in order to choose them, so always try to visit Survive Bar once a Drink Link becomes available.

Here’s a list of all the choices we have found so far, which will be updated over time:

Adachi Drink Links

Level 0 to 1

Level 1 to 2

Level 2 to 3

Level 3 to 4

Level 4 to 5

This is the last Bond level with Adachi. There’s no multiple choice question here – just expect a fight against a level 19 enemy. Once that’s handled, Adachi will be able to use the skill Tag Team: Nelson Strike.

Nanba Drink Links

Level 0 to 1

Level 1 to 2

Level 2 to 3

Level 3 to 4

Level 4 to 5

This is the last Bond level with Nanba. There’s no multiple choice question here – just expect a fight against three level 20 enemies. Once that’s handled, Nanba will be able to use the skill Tag Team: Heat Buster.

Saeko Drink Links

Level 0 to 1

Level 1 to 2

Level 2 to 3

Level 3 to 4

Level 4 to 5

This is the last Bond level with Saeko. There’s no multiple choice question here – just expect a fight against a group of level 19 to 21 enemies. Finish them off, watch the cutscene, and Saeko will be able to use the skill Tag Team: Bombardier Bash.

Joon-gi Han Drink Links

Level 0 to 1

Level 1 to 2

Level 2 to 3

Level 3 to 4

Level 4 to 5

This is the last Bond level with Joon-gi Han. There’s no multiple choice question here – just expect a fight against a group of level 36 to 39 enemies. Finish them off, watch the following cutscenes, and Joon-gi Han will be able to use the skill Tag Team: Terrorizing Trample.

Eri Drink Links

Keep in mind that, unlike the rest of your party members, Eri’s bond level will only increase by hitting certain milestones in Ichiban Confections.

Level 0 to 1

Level 1 to 2

Reach Rank 50 in Management Mode.

Level 2 to 3

Reach Rank 20 in Management Mode.

Level 3 to 4

Reach Rank 10 in Management Mode.

Level 4 to 5

Reach Rank 1 in Management Mode to max your bond with Eri, and unlock the skill Tag Team: Twin Fists.

Tianyou Zhao

Level 0 to 1

Level 1 to 2

Level 2 to 3

Level 3 to 4

Level 4 to 5

This is the last Bond level with Tianyou Zhao. There’s no multiple choice question here – just expect a fight against a group of level 30 to 32 enemies. Finish them off, watch the following cutscenes, and Tianyou Zhao will be able to use the skill Tag Team: Beast Brothers.

Persona 5 Striker Bond Level Guide – How to Get Bond Points

Persona 5 Strikers is only a few weeks away, so it’s time to rally the Phantom Thieves together for one last adventure. Developed by Omega Force and P-Studio, Strikers is a radically different style of game than the smash-hit JRPG Persona 5. Combat is no-longer turn-based, but a mix of the army smashing battles of the Dynasty Warriors franchise and the strategic combos of Final Fantasy VII: Remake. Unfortunately, Persona 5 fans will quickly notice that there is no Confidant system in Strikers. Instead, players will need to focus on increasing their Bond Level.

This system rewards players with Bond Points which can be spent on various Bond passive skills and buffs that will alleviate some stress during difficult encounters. However, you will need to spend these Bond Points wisely, because they aren’t as easily acquired as money, items, or general experience. Here’s how to increase your Bond Level and earn additional points!

How to Get Bond Points

The only way to get Bond Points in Persona 5 Strikers is by increasing your overall Bond Level. Every time you fill-up the Bond Level gauge in the top right corner, you’ll earn a set amount of Bond Points. The amount you earn entirely depends on what Bond Level you are. For example, you will only start earning 3-4 at the beginning, while reaching around 20 nets you over 7 points a rank. You cannot directly purchase Bond Points and these cannot be obtained through any action inside a Jail.

How to Increase Your Bond Level

There are a few different ways to increase your Bond Level, but the easiest is simply by playing the game. Before we go into more detail, here’s a quick look at what activities give you Bond XP.

Throughout Strikers, you’ll hit various story moments where the game just gives you a boost of Bond XP. It’s rarely a ton but over the course of a 40-60 hour game these nuggets of experience can quickly build up. Another method of gaining Bond experience is by completing specific Requests or interacting with the various Phantom Thieves. Every time you enter a new city you’ll be given time to explore that town during key moments. I always recommend talking to any of your party members as they will sometimes reward you with experience, items, or even a new Request. Make sure to always go visit them when they ask via Joker’s phone.

Another great way to raise your Bond Level is by cooking food. Whenever you make a meal for the first time, one of the Phantom Thieves will want to share it with you. This will give you a small dialogue exchange before you’re rewarded with a hearty amount of XP. Remember, this will happen every time you make a new meal, so make sure to use at least each recipe once. You’ll also want to keep an eye on your Requests since quite a few will reward a lot of Bond XP. These are typically tied to specific Phantom Thieves quests or killing the Jail boss again. There are also Requests that will “Raise the Bond Skill Cap,” which means the level of your Bond skill levels can go higher when this is unlocked.

While it’s not nearly as deep as the Confidant system, it’s critical you don’t ignore your Bond Level. This will make your

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Yakuza: Like A Dragon Guide To Raising Bond Levels

Raising your companions’ Bond gauges in Yakuza: Like a Dragon will open up new jobs and battle skills for them. Here’s how to raise those Bond levels.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon switched to an RPG format, so you’ll find yourself hitting the streets with three fellow party members that you can change up throughout your playthrough. Your companions will be by your side through thick and thin, during the storyline, battles, sidequests, and certain minigames.

Ichiban can raise the Bond levels with his party members, with each character being able to reach a maximum of level 5. Raising the Bond level with characters opens up new job options for them, as well as giving them a unique battle skilled once they reach maximum level. Additionally, maxing out each character’s Bond gauge will earn you an achievement/trophy. Here’s everything you need to know about raising Bond levels.

Bond Gauge Basics

You can see each character’s Bond gauge from the main menu (the meter marked with a pink heart) and this gauge will increase as you do various actions or events with your active party members, meaning that they have to be in your party to get Bond points.

Eventually, each character gauge will cap (marked by a padlock) and you will need to perform a Drink Link with that specific character in order to raise the level cap to the next level. Drink Links will prompt a conversation between Ichiban and the chosen character where you need to choose from different dialogue options. This occurs every time you perform a Drink Link up to level 4, however, the final Drink Link will involve a battle to finish each character’s personal quest line.

You can trigger Drink Links in Survive Bar from Chapter Four onwards, by speaking to the characters who have the Drink Link mark above their heads (the two hearts). Regardless of the choices that you make during the conversation with your chosen companion, their Bond gauge will increase to the next level.

However, some characters require that you progress through the storyline to a certain point before you can initiate a Drink Link conversation with them.

How To Raise Your Bond Gauge

There are a variety of things that can raise your Bond level with your companions, and a lot of them, like battling, you will naturally do while playing. However, for every way to raise the Bond gauge, we’ve got a full list right here to help you out: