Minor Arcana

You might think that the Major Arcana would be more powerful than the Minor Arcana. But not so. For some reason, in Persona 2 the little cards are the upgraded versions of the big cards. Whenever a persona gains the "modification ability" in a mutation, you can take it back to the Velvet Room and have Igor transform it into a completely new card. Through mutation, you can use personae of a higher level than you otherwise have access to. However, the mutated persona loses all its previous ranks and spells, beginning again at Rank 1.

Which Minor Arcana a persona becomes is determined by level as follows:

Persona level:	Mutates into:		Candidates for modification:
12 or less	Matsuo-sama	Level 12 Cup	Airget Lam, Harpie, Kimnara, Pixie, Poltergeist, Robin Goodfellow, Ryume
13-16	Hotei	Level 16 Rod	Arianrhod, Genjo, Minotaur, Nekomata, Surya, Tengu
17-20	Fukurokuju	Level 20 Pentacle	Fjalar, Jack Frost, Pairika, Phaleg, Shax
21-24	Kanshou	Level 24 Sword	Aizen Myouou, Hel, Ghandarva, Kabandha, Kanaloa, Kinich Kakmo, Otohime, Tenhou Gensui
25-28	Nankyoku Roujin	Level 28 Rod	Gullinbursti, Jack O'Lantern, Nemesis, Marduk, Mars, Taranis, Taishan Niang Niang
29-32	Yebisu	Level 32 Pentacle	Cuelebre, Kenren Taishou, Melchisedec
33-36	Galahad	Level 36 Cup	Agrippa, Byakko, Heimdall, Loki, Xi-Wang-Mu, Seiten Taisei, Sif
37-40	Peri	Level 40 Pentacle	Baal, Genbu, Heinir, Stymphalides, Surt, Yama
41-44	Nodens	Level 44 Rod	Aeshma, Ankou, Barbatos, Gundari Myouou, Parvati, Susano-o, Takshaka, Vivian
45-48	Cu Chulainn	Level 48 Sword	Armati, Charon, Hunab Ku, Hurakan, Rinok, Succubus
49-52	Bacchus	Level 52 Cup	Abe no Seimei, Ares, Indra, Seker, Skanda, Tsukuyomi,
53-56	Arthur	Level 56 Sword	Hathor, Kinich Ahau, Mananan, Mithra, Mucalinda, Phoenix, Vritra
57-60	Quetzalcoatl	Level 60 Rod	Adramelech, Maha Kala, Seiryu, Valkyrie
61-64	Sarasvati	Level 64 Pentacle	Beelzebub, Isis, Ourobouros, Scathach
65-68	Dagda	Level 68 Cup	Hanuman, Seth, Varuna, Wong Long
69-71	Futso no Mitama	Level 72 Sword	Amurdad, Fereydun, Tishtoriya
72 or more	cannot mutate

There are exceptions. None of the characters' inherent personae can gain the modification ability except for Maia (who turns into Maia Custom). Personae who are summoned with material cards, personae who are themselves the product of a mutation, and Fool-type personae are also unable to gain the modification ability.

All characters have at least good compatibility with all Minor Arcana. Best compatibility is as follows:

Suit	Level-up Bonus	Best Compatibility
Cups	VIT +1	All male characters
Swords	STR +1	Katsuya, Tatsuya, Nate, Ulala
Rods	TEC +1	Maya, Ellen, Baofu
Pentacles	LUC +1	All female characters