Look, if you’ve clawed your way up to floor 246 in Persona 3 Reload, you’re already in the home stretch. You’re in Adamah, the final block of Tartarus. The music has changed. The atmosphere is heavy. Everything feels like it’s leading to that final confrontation on January 31st.
But then you hit a wall. Or rather, a couple of giants.
Floor 246 isn't just another random hallway with some floating masks and shadows. It’s a Gatekeeper floor. If you aren't prepared, these guys will absolutely wreck your day, sending you right back to the entrance with nothing but a bruised ego and a wasted evening.
What’s Actually Waiting for You on Floor 246?
When you step off that teleporter on floor 246, you’re greeted by the Appropriating Noble and the High Judge of Hell.
It’s a nasty duo. Honestly, the game loves to throw these pairs at you late-game just to see if you’ve actually been paying attention to your resistances. If you've been coasting by just spamming your strongest physical attacks, this is where the difficulty spikes.
The High Judge of Hell is particularly annoying because of its name—it sounds like it should be weak to Light, right? Well, sort of. But it also hits back with massive Almighty and Dark damage. The Appropriating Noble is the "support" side of the nightmare, but don't let that fool you. He can hit hard if you let him stay on the board too long.
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The Breakdown: Weaknesses and Resistances
You need to know what you're hitting. Here’s the deal:
- Appropriating Noble: He’s weak to Electric (Zio skills).
- High Judge of Hell: This guy has no weaknesses. Zero. Zilch.
That second part is what catches people off guard. You can't just exploit a weakness to get an All-Out Attack on the High Judge. You have to work for it. You’ve got to rely on critical hits or high-damage technicals to get him down.
How to Win Without Raging
Strategy matters here more than raw level, though being around level 75-80 helps a ton.
First, focus everything on the Appropriating Noble. Since he’s weak to Electric, Akihiko is your best friend here. If the protagonist has a high-Magic Persona like Odin with Thunder Reign, the Noble will be toast in a couple of turns. Getting that One More and then shifting to a physical powerhouse to chip away at the Judge is the standard rhythm.
The High Judge of Hell is a different beast. Since he has no weakness, you need to bring someone who can fish for crits. Junpei is great if you’ve kept up with his equipment and skills, but honestly, a Protagonist with Siegfried or Yoshitsune (if you've fused him by now) using Brave Blade or Hassou Tobi is the "easy button."
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Pro tip: Use debuffs. Matarunda to lower their attack and Marakunda to lower their defense. It sounds basic, but in the Adamah block, these are the difference between a 20-minute struggle and a 5-minute win.
Watch Out for the "Insta-Kill"
The High Judge loves his Dark skills. If you aren't wearing gear that protects against Instadeath or using Personas that nullify/reflect Dark, you're playing a dangerous game of Russian Roulette. Make sure the Protagonist is "Dark-proof." If he goes down, it’s game over, regardless of how much HP the rest of the team has.
Why This Floor Matters for the "Judgement" Social Link
There’s a narrative reason you’re doing this, too. Progressing through these final floors is tied directly to the Judgement Social Link (the Nyx Annihilation Team).
Every time you clear a major Gatekeeper floor like 246, your rank with this Social Link goes up automatically. You don't need to spend "time" with your friends to max this one; you just need to keep climbing. Reaching the top is the only way to unlock the ultimate Persona of the Judgement Arcana, Messiah.
Messiah is basically the "god-tier" Persona of the game. He resists almost everything and carries the Oratorio skill, which fully heals the party and cures all ailments. If you want him for the final boss, you cannot skip the grind on floor 246.
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Loot and Rewards
Once the dust settles and you’ve sent those shadows back to the void, don’t just run for the stairs.
Check the chests. The Adamah block is famous for dropping high-end materials like Gold Quartz and Diamond. You’ll need these at Mayoido Antiques if you want to craft the best weapons and armor in the game.
Specifically, look for the fixed chests on the border floor right after 246. They usually contain high-tier consumables or gear that provides significant stat boosts for the endgame.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Run
If you're staring at the save screen before heading in, here is exactly what you should do:
- Check your party: Bring Akihiko for the Electric weakness on the Noble. Bring Aigis or Yukari for buffs and healing.
- Fusion check: Make sure the Protagonist has a Persona with Thunder Reign (Electric) and a high-crit Physical Persona.
- Resistance check: Equip "Null Dark" or "Repel Dark" accessories if you have them.
- Theurgy management: Go into the fight with your Theurgy bars full. Use them immediately on the High Judge to bypass the fact that he has no weaknesses.
- Clean up: Once floor 246 is clear, push to the next border floor (floor 247) to unlock the teleporter so you never have to do that specific climb again.
The climb through Tartarus is long, but floor 246 is one of the final tests of your tactical skill. Clear it, and you're well on your way to seeing the end of this incredible journey.
Now, go fuse a decent Odin and show those giants why they shouldn't have stood in your way.