You’re staring at the velvet room fusion screen, and there he is. Helel. The six-winged, golden-haired icon that looks more like a holy savior than the king of demons. If you’ve played any Shin Megami Tensei or Persona game before, you know this face. But in Persona 3 Reload, Helel isn’t just a cameo. He is arguably the most consistent, heavy-hitting Almighty powerhouse you can get before you start touching the DLC or the ultra-grindy Orpheus Telos.
Honestly, he's kind of a flex. You don’t just "get" Helel; you earn him through a mix of social finesse and serious level grinding.
The Morning Star Power Trip
Let's get straight to the point: Morning Star. This is Helel’s signature skill, and it’s basically the "delete" button for most encounters in Tartarus. While other high-level Personas are stuck with Megidolaon, Helel gets this unique Almighty nuke that hits harder and looks cooler.
In the original game, the damage difference was noticeable. In Reload, it’s still the gold standard for clearing mob floors. Because it’s Almighty damage, nothing resists it. No more checking for weaknesses or worrying about a random "Reflect" turning your own power against you. You just press the button, the screen glows, and the enemies evaporate.
But he isn't perfect out of the box. Even a fallen angel has a few gaps in his resume.
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How to Actually Unlock Helel
You can't just throw two random demons together and hope for the best. Helel is the ultimate Persona of The Star Arcana. This means your first step isn’t in the Velvet Room; it’s at the Iwatodai Strip Mall.
- The Social Link: You have to max out the Star Social Link with Mamoru Hayase, the rival athlete.
- The Schedule: You first meet him during the track meet on August 2nd. After that, he’s usually hanging out at the mall on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.
- The Prerequisite: You’ll need a Courage rank of 4 (Tough) just to start talking to him.
- The Reward: Once you hit Rank 10, Mamoru gives you the Car Key (don't ask why an athlete gives you car keys, just accept the legendary item). This item is the literal key to fusing Helel.
Level Requirements and Fusion Recipes
Don't get too excited yet. Even with the car key, Helel is a Level 88 Persona. If you aren't there yet, Igor is going to give you that polite but soul-crushing "you're not strong enough" speech.
Once you hit 88, try these combinations:
- Loki + Alilat (A very common endgame recipe)
- Ananta + Beelzebub
- Scathach + Sandalphon
Basically, you’re smashing together some of the highest-level entities in the game. It’s expensive. It’s tedious. It’s totally worth it.
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The "Perfect" Helel Build
If you’re just using Helel’s base skills, you’re leaving money on the table. A truly "cracked" Helel needs to be built with intention. Most people focus on the Almighty damage, but you have to patch up his defenses too.
Helel is naturally weak to Ice. That’s a huge liability in the final stretches of the game. If a boss taps him with a Mabufudyne, you’re losing a turn and taking extra damage. You need to inherit or use a skill card for Absorb Ice or Repel Ice.
The Skill Slots You Need
You’ve only got eight slots. Choose wisely.
- Morning Star: Obviously.
- Almighty Boost & Almighty Amp: These are non-negotiable. They stack. If you don't have these, your "ultimate" Persona is just a flashy paperweight.
- Magic Ability: Another 25% damage boost? Yes, please.
- Spell Master: Morning Star is expensive. This cuts the SP cost in half, which is the difference between casting it twice or four times in a long fight.
- Victory Cry: If you’re using Helel for dungeon crawling, this is the goat. Full HP and SP recovery after every battle.
Some people like to throw Salvation on him for a full party heal, but I’d argue you should leave the healing to a dedicated support Persona like Alilat or Ishtar. Keep Helel focused on one thing: ending the fight.
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Why Helel vs. Lucifer?
This confuses a lot of people. In the Japanese version, Helel is actually named Lucifer, and the one we call Lucifer (in the Judgment Arcana) is named Lucifero or a variation.
In Persona 3 Reload, Helel represents the "Morning Star"—the beautiful, angelic form before the fall. He is the bringer of light. The Judgment Arcana Lucifer is the more traditional "Demon King" look. While Lucifer is also great, Helel usually gets the better unique skill in the form of Morning Star. Plus, there's just something inherently cooler about a six-winged angel of light dealing massive dark-aligned destruction.
Strategy: The Reaper and the Final Boss
If you're planning on taking down The Reaper to hit Level 99, Helel is your best friend. The Reaper loves to shift weaknesses and mess with your party's resistances. By using Helel, you ignore the armor.
One thing to watch out for: Armageddon. This is the Theurgia skill you get by having both Helel and Satan in your compendium. It deals 9,999 damage to all enemies. It is literally the strongest move in the game. It drains your entire SP bar, but it ends almost every fight instantly. If you're struggling with a specific floor boss in the late stages of Tartarus, just "Call the Armageddon" and walk away.
Actionable Next Steps for Your Playthrough
If you're currently in the mid-game and want to prepare for the Helel power spike, do this:
- Prioritize Mamoru: Don't let the Star Social Link slide. You need that Car Key by January.
- Save your Yen: Fusing Level 80+ Personas is a massive drain on your wallet. You’ll easily spend 500k+ just experimenting with builds.
- Hunt for Skill Cards: Start looking for Almighty Boost cards in the later floors of Tartarus or through Elizabeth’s requests.
- Level up Satan: You need him for the Armageddon Theurgia. Even if you don't use Satan in your active party, keep him in the compendium.
Helel isn't just a trophy. He's the backbone of a "Merciless" difficulty run. Get him, build him right, and watch the hardest bosses in the game suddenly look very, very small.