Conquering Happiness Hands in Persona 4 Golden: A Guide

Happiness Hands are formidable foes in Persona 4 Golden, randomly appearing in dungeons and leaping 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 found in Yukiko's Castle, early in the game.

Happiness Hand Weaknesses and Strategies

Happiness Hands boast strong resistance to elemental attacks. The key to victory lies in exploiting their weakness to physical attacks. While Almighty attacks are effective against Golden Hands later in the game, they're unavailable at this early stage. Happiness Hands inflict minimal damage, often idling a turn, but they flee at the first opportunity. A weakness exploit or critical hit will trigger their escape. Prioritize targeting a single Happiness Hand if multiple appear; defeating even one is a significant accomplishment.

Defeating Happiness Hands: A Step-by-Step Approach

The most effective strategy involves fusing the Persona Orobas, which possesses the invaluable skill Hysterical Slap. This skill delivers two hits and has a chance to inflict the Rage status effect. 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 even one Happiness Hand provides significant experience point 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.