Encountering the Brutal Cavalryman in Persona games can be a tough challenge for many players, especially those unprepared for its aggressive attacks and strong resistances. Found in several dungeons depending on the Persona title you’re playing, this enemy often appears early enough to surprise newcomers, yet strong enough to test your strategy. Understanding the Brutal Cavalryman’s weakness is key to overcoming its brutal offense, particularly when trying to exploit its elemental vulnerabilities to gain the upper hand in battle. If you’re struggling with this fearsome foe, learning more about its traits, attack patterns, and tactical counters will give you the edge needed to defeat it consistently.
Understanding the Brutal Cavalryman
Who Is the Brutal Cavalryman?
The Brutal Cavalryman is a recurring enemy found in Persona 5 and Persona 5 Royal. This shadow often appears in early palaces, typically in Kamoshida’s Palace, where it serves as a mini-boss or elite enemy. The design resembles a knight on horseback, equipped with a lance and armor, embodying the traits of a mounted soldier with high endurance and offensive capabilities.
Enemy Classification
In terms of its Persona lineage, the Brutal Cavalryman is often associated with the Eligor Persona. Eligor, a demon with roots in demonology and often seen in SMT titles, uses a mix of physical and fire-based attacks, reinforcing its identity as a strong early-game opponent with dual threats.
Brutal Cavalryman Weakness
Elemental Vulnerabilities
Identifying elemental weaknesses is central to the combat system in Persona 5. The Brutal Cavalryman has one primary elemental weakness:
- Weak to: Electricity (Zio)
- Resists: Fire and Physical
Using electric skills like Zio or its stronger variants will cause the enemy to be shocked and downed, enabling an All-Out Attack or a follow-up move. This tactic is vital for quickly dealing with the Cavalryman before it can retaliate with high-damage strikes.
Recommended Personas and Skills
In the early stages of the game, you may not have many Personas with electric skills. However, some of the early game Personas with Zio include:
- Pixie One of the earliest Personas you can obtain, and she comes with Zio by default.
- Orobas A mid-level Persona with more advanced electric skills and decent magic stats.
- Kelpie Another option in early dungeons, also has access to electric attacks.
Fusion is an excellent way to acquire Personas with specific abilities like Zio, especially if you’re struggling to find them naturally in battle. Prioritize creating electric-focused Personas before attempting to fight Brutal Cavalryman multiple times.
Combat Strategy
Team Composition
To effectively handle the Brutal Cavalryman, your party should include members who can support with healing, status buffs, and electric attacks. An ideal team setup might look like this:
- Protagonistwith Zio-based Persona
- Morganafor healing and support
- Annto handle crowd control with magic
- Ryujiif leveled up his inherent Zio skill is very effective
Battle Tips
- Always begin the fight by exploiting the weakness. Use Zio immediately to knock down the enemy.
- Use Baton Pass to transfer turns to characters with high Magic stats for maximum Zio damage.
- Beware of physical counterattacks. The Cavalryman can retaliate with strong physical skills like Charge or Double Fangs.
- Heal regularly. Its attacks can deal a significant chunk of HP if left unchecked.
- Use buffs like Tarukaja (attack up) or Rakukaja (defense up) to balance out the fight.
Brutal Cavalryman Behavior
Attack Patterns
This shadow frequently alternates between using fire-based and physical attacks. These may include:
- Double Fangs Deals strong physical damage twice to a single target.
- Agilao or Agi Fire attacks that can cause Burn status.
- Charge Buffs its next physical attack, making it extremely dangerous if not interrupted.
Keep a close eye on when it uses Charge. If it does, make sure to knock it down on your next turn or use Guard on all allies to reduce incoming damage.
Status Resistances
Like many elite shadows, the Brutal Cavalryman has a high resistance to status ailments such as Sleep, Confuse, and Forget. It’s best to focus on exploiting its electric weakness rather than trying to rely on disabling it through ailments.
Additional Weakness Exploits
Technical Damage
Even if you don’t have access to Zio, technical damage can be used to your advantage. For example:
- Using Wind skills after Burn status is inflicted will trigger technical bonus damage.
- Shock status (caused by electric attacks) can allow follow-up attacks from party members.
Combine technicals with Baton Pass to deal even more damage during your turn cycle, especially when the enemy is downed or afflicted by status.
Use of Items
If your current Personas lack electric skills, consider using items like Shock Magatama, which deal electric damage and can still exploit weaknesses. These can be found in chests or bought in shops and serve as excellent backup options.
Rewards and Drops
Post-Battle Loot
Defeating the Brutal Cavalryman can yield good rewards for your stage in the game. These include:
- Experience points for all party members
- Money (Yen) and potential SP restoration items
- Chance to obtain Eligor as a Persona via negotiation
Capturing or fusing Eligor later in the game is helpful due to its balanced stats and physical prowess, making it a good addition for players favoring brute strength.
The Brutal Cavalryman is a tough but manageable opponent in Persona 5, especially if you understand its elemental weakness to electricity. By planning your team setup, equipping Zio-capable Personas, and preparing for its attack patterns, you can turn a difficult battle into an opportunity for quick victory. Exploiting the Brutal Cavalryman’s weakness not only provides tactical advantage but also teaches a vital lesson about the game’s battle system: knowledge and preparation always win. Keep your team balanced, your spells ready, and don’t underestimate the importance of a single downed enemy it can turn the tide in your favor.