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[Snakethesniper]

So I've been playing the game for a while, I'm still at the beginning

Spoiler

Just met the black samurai in the forest.

I was doing a STR build (2 Str, 2 Agi, 1 Lck) but from what I've read it's kinda useless. From what I get the Magic build is the most efficient and if I want to do a melee/gun build it would be better to use DEX instead.
Am I still in time to put points in Magic or Dex without suffering too much? I don't want to restart xD

 

[Shiina]

So I've been playing the game for a while, I'm still at the beginning

Spoiler

Just met the black samurai in the forest.

I was doing a STR build (2 Str, 2 Agi, 1 Lck) but from what I've read it's kinda useless. From what I get the Magic build is the most efficient and if I want to do a melee/gun build it would be better to use DEX instead.
Am I still in time to put points in Magic or Dex without suffering too much? I don't want to restart xD

You get so many points that it shouldn't matter. If you want to go with phys damage then start pumping Dex. In my opinion magic is better for the majority of the game while phys (guns specifically) are better for the end and post game stuff. You could probably still go Ma if you really want to. Just leave out St entirely regardless of the path you choose.

 

[Snakethesniper]

You get so many points that it shouldn't matter. If you want to go with phys damage then start pumping Dex. In my opinion magic is better for the majority of the game while phys (guns specifically) are better for the end and post game stuff. You could probably still go Ma if you really want to. Just leave out St entirely regardless of the path you choose.

Ok, is it viable to max Dex and Ma at the same time? like (1 dex\2 ma\1 agi\1 luck)

 

[Shiina]

Ok, is it viable to max Dex and Ma at the same time? like (1 dex\2 ma\1 agi\1 luck)

You're probably going to be having a harder time than people who focus on either physical damage (dex) or magical damage (ma) but I suppose some hybrid build would work, too, if you want to be a jack of all trades but master of none.

 

[Snakethesniper]

You're probably going to be having a harder time than people who focus on either physical damage (dex) or magical damage (ma) but I suppose some hybrid build would work, too, if you want to be a jack of all trades but master of none.

I see...the only thing I don't get is if a Dex build is viable. My fear is that I would encounter problems as a STR build

 

[Shiina]

I see...the only thing I don't get is if a Dex build is viable. My fear is that I would encounter problems as a STR build

Totally viable. The problem with St is just that it serves the same purpose as Dx, except less so. It's just a useless stat. If you want to primarily deal physical damage then pump Dx instead of St. No build ever needs St.
If you're finding the game too difficult at the moment you should know that it will get easier soon.

 

[Snakethesniper]

Totally viable. The problem with St is just that it serves the same purpose as Dx, except less so. It's just a useless stat. If you want to primarily deal physical damage then pump Dx instead of St. No build ever needs St.
If you're finding the game too difficult at the moment you should know that it will get easier soon.

Actually I'm doing fine for now, the problem was at the very beginning, the second quest in particular(recruit 3 demons), because demons would one-shot me xD

 

[kd-z]

You got it. Creating an ideal party for a tough boss is a big part of SMT's appeal. Fuse, fuse, fuse!
Report back when you beat her.

I was busy partying and chilling so didn't have time to play for the last couple of days, but I just beat her without much trouble All I needed to do was gain one level and then fuse a 15 lvl deeemon with Nu in Electricity and the Zan skill. I also used another demon to cast one of the -aja spells that raised my party's evasion rate and voila, she went down no problem!

I'm feeling good now and ready to take on Tokyo!

 

[bobohoro]

Actually I'm doing fine for now, the problem was at the very beginning, the second quest in particular(recruit 3 demons), because demons would one-shot me xD

After the first two major bosses the game becomes drastically easier. Far too easy in my opinion. You can still get ambushed and obliterated on a bad day, especially if you are playing on the highest difficulty setting, but normal encounters and bosses shouldn't be a problem anymore.

 

[Tailzo]

I have mostly punped into ST and luck. I'm surviving, but I had no idea it was such a bad choice

 

[Dragon1893]

I was busy partying and chilling so didn't have time to play for the last couple of days, but I just beat her without much trouble All I needed to do was gain one level and then fuse a 15 lvl deeemon with Nu in Electricity and the Zan skill. I also used another demon to cast one of the -aja spells that raised my party's evasion rate and voila, she went down no problem!

I'm feeling good now and ready to take on Tokyo!

Glad to hear it.

I have mostly punped into ST and luck. I'm surviving, but I had no idea it was such a bad choice

Yeah, that's not ideal. Either go with Mag or Dex, with some agility on the side. Luck is also useful since it influences criticals, but your main focus should be pumping up dex or mag plus 1 or 2 points into agility with every level to make sure the MC get the first turn.

I went with Mag and I obliterate everything. With concentrate I deal close to 2000 damage with a single blow on endgame bosses.

Ok, is it viable to max Dex and Ma at the same time? like (1 dex\2 ma\1 agi\1 luck)

You wont max them since they go up to 999 but I really advice against doing both, you'll end up being average at both instead of annihilating everything with one of them.

 

[Soulhouf]

I gave all the St incenses I collected to this guy to see what happens:

Now he does more than 2000 damage with every normal attack without buff/debuff.

 

[Dragon1893]

I gave all the St incenses I collected to this guy to see what happens:



Now he does more than 2000 damage with every normal attack without buff/debuff.

Damn, son.

Anyway, I like the game enough to fork out for the story dlc, I've read about one of them and it seems to show an interesting aspect of the story.

 

[Tailzo]

Glad to hear it.



Yeah, that's not ideal. Either go with Mag or Dex, with some agility on the side. Luck is also useful since it influences criticals, but your main focus should be pumping up dex or mag plus 1 or 2 points into agility with every level to make sure the MC get the first turn.

I went with Mag and I obliterate everything. With concentrate I deal close to 2000 damage with a single blow on endgame bosses.



You wont max them since they go up to 999 but I really advice against doing both, you'll end up being average at both instead of annihilating everything with one of them.

I'm already level 28. Should I just start with dex now?

 

[xxczx]

If I didn't like SMTSO and Persona 4 but liked Persona 3, should I skip this game? I've never played any of the old SMT games (as I have no way of playing them) but after a new RPG to play

 

[Dragon1893]

If I didn't like SMTSO and Persona 4 but liked Persona 3, should I skip this game? I've never played any of the old SMT games (as I have no way of playing them) but after a new RPG to play

It's very different from those games. I think you should give it a shot.

I'm already level 28. Should I just start with dex now?

I think you should.

 

[Korigama]

I'd also like some impressions about this.

In order of importance in respect to what the DLC adds to the story...

For the Past...For the Future > Clipped Wings 1&2 > Ancient One of the Sun > The Eternal Youth

That said, you should play them in the order of: Clipped Wings 1&2, The Eternal Youth, Ancient One of the Sun, and For the Past...For the Future for the absolute last (I have my doubts about it being possible without acquiring skills from the demons obtained in the other ones first, minus Ancient One of the Sun). If one more epic battle is what you had been wanting, then that one's pretty much what you're looking for.

 

[Soulhouf]

I have my doubts about it being possible without acquiring skills from the demons obtained in the other ones first, minus Ancient One of the Sun

Pierce Physical is the only skill you need for the last DLC.
It's possible to beat it without it (I did!) but you need at least one insanely strong physical demon with desperate hit in addition to your MC.

 

[Dragon1893]

In order of importance in respect to what the DLC adds to the story...

For the Past...For the Future > Clipped Wings 1&2 > Ancient One of the Sun > The Eternal Youth

That said, you should play them in the order of: Clipped Wings 1&2, The Eternal Youth, Ancient One of the Sun, and For the Past...For the Future for the absolute last (I have my doubts about it being possible without acquiring skills from the demons obtained in the other ones first, minus Ancient One of the Sun). If one more epic battle is what you had been wanting, then that one's pretty much what you're looking for.

Pierce Physical is the only skill you need for the last DLC.
It's possible to beat it without it (I did!) but you need at least one insanely strong physical demon with desperate hit in addition to your MC.

Thanks for the explanation Korigama. I'll do that.
I hear a dex build is ideal for the dlc fights but I'm assuming a magic build can get the job done with the right demons?

 

[Korigama]

Pierce Physical is the only skill you need for the last DLC.
It's possible to beat it without it (I did!) but you need at least one insanely strong physical demon with desperate hit in addition to your MC.

Hm, makes sense. That said, I didn't have the patience for incense grinding, so I went straight for an optimized Uriel w/Charge, Dark Energy, and Kannuki-Throw on top of the Pierce Physical (and an occasional buff with Archangel's Law from Michael).

Thanks for the explanation Korigama. I'll do that.
I hear a dex build is ideal for the dlc fights but I'm assuming a magic build can get the job done with the right demons?

A magic build with dex demons can work, yeah.

 

[Soulhouf]

Thanks for the explanation Korigama. I'll do that.
I hear a dex build is ideal for the dlc fights but I'm assuming a magic build can get the job done with the right demons?

You can do it with a magic build but IIRC the element-piercing skills can't be transferred (I didn't test via fusion lite though). So be aware that you won't have any option demon-wise and MC can't get them either, whereas you can give Pierce-Physical to any demon you want.

 

[Fisico]

Ok, is it viable to max Dex and Ma at the same time? like (1 dex\2 ma\1 agi\1 luck)

Basically what I did for my entire playthrough, I'm now near the end and didn't have any difficulty, though it could be related to me being too much overlevelled (I'm 95 with my main team of demons being around this level too).

 

[CLEEK]

Bought the game yesterday and tried it today. It is indeed brutal at the beginning, I keep dying on the second quest, the recruit 3 demons one xD

Bought this over the break and played it for the first time on my commute to work today.

Seemed like a typical slow and easy JRPG intro and tutorial then... BAM... recruit 3 demons came along and the fuckers kill me in one or two hits. I died three times in a row then gave up.

Is there a difficulty option? I couldn't see one.

 

[MudoSkills]

Bought this over the break and played it for the first time on my commute to work today.

Seemed like a typical slow and easy JRPG intro and tutorial then... BAM... recruit 3 demons came along and the fuckers kill me in one or two hits. I died three times in a row then gave up.

Is there a difficulty option? I couldn't see one.

Pay Charon the first time you die. Second time you eat it, his companions give you a free return, and offer you the easy difficulty.

I was so insulted when it happened to me.

 

[Aiustis]

Just started on this game so far so good. I've sampled it before on other people's and I've played others in the series.

 

[Korigama]

You can do it with a magic build but IIRC the element-piercing skills can't be transferred (I didn't test via fusion lite though). So be aware that you won't have any option demon-wise and MC can't get them either, whereas you can give Pierce-Physical to any demon you want.

I've tried it, Fusion Lite allows for them to be. But no, Flynn can't inherit them himself.

 

[Snakethesniper]

So if I go with a Dex build is ok to never put a point in Ma? Like, leave it a 7?

Also Gun-Type spells are based on Dex or Ma?

 

[Soulhouf]

So if I go with a Dex build is ok to never put a point in Ma? Like, leave it a 7?

Yes, that's the best thing to do if you go with a dex build.

Also Gun-Type spells are based on Dex or Ma?

They are based 100% on Dx + 33% on St I believe. No Ma involved at all.

I've tried it, Fusion Lite allows for them to be. But no, Flynn can't inherit them himself.

That makes sense.

 

[Snakethesniper]

Yes, that's the best thing to do if you go with a dex build.



They are based 100% on Dx + 33% on St I believe. No Ma involved at all.



That makes sense.

I see. Another thing I'm trying to understand, if I attack an enemy with an element is weak to, does it deal more damage or it only triggers an extra turn?
Because if it doesn't I was wondering if it was a good idea for example to attack an enemy with his weak element to trigger all 4 extra turns and then use gun-type attack (for Dex build) to deal more damage since I won't have an extra turn anyway

 

[danthefan]

Question about fusing - I check every time I level up if I can make new demons and often the game will recommend I fuse two demons together with the resulting demon having half the HP of the other two. Should I just go ahead anyway? I know other stats are probably better but if they die really fast it doesn't help.

I'm just about the cross the bridge in

Spoiler

Tokyo.

 

[Dragon1893]

Question about fusing - I check every time I level up if I can make new demons and often the game will recommend I fuse two demons together with the resulting demon having half the HP of the other two. Should I just go ahead anyway? I know other stats are probably better but if they die really fast it doesn't help.

I'm just about the cross the bridge in

Spoiler

Tokyo.

You have to look at all aspects, weaknesses, resistances, stats, hp and skills. Think about what you need in your party at the moment. But no, it might not necessarily be an upgrade over the ones you're fusing.
The app that allows you to fuse demons above your own level can be really helpful. Kinda feels like cheating to be honest if you're used to past SMT games.

 

[Soulhouf]

I see. Another thing I'm trying to understand, if I attack an enemy with an element is weak to, does it deal more damage or it only triggers an extra turn?
Because if it doesn't I was wondering if it was a good idea for example to attack an enemy with his weak element to trigger all 4 extra turns and then use gun-type attack (for Dex build) to deal more damage since I won't have an extra turn anyway

It does extra damage in addition to the press turn.
Regarding the dex build, increase the luck as well and at some point you will always get extra turns with multiple attack. That's one of the reasons why dex builds are better for the long run: they don't only do more damage but also don't need a weakness to get extra turns at high level.

 

[Snakethesniper]

It does extra damage in addition to the press turn.
Regarding the dex build, increase the luck as well and at some point you will always get extra turns with multiple attack. That's one of the reasons why dex builds are better for the long run: they don't only do more damage but also don't need a weakness to get extra turns at high level.

yeah I was thinking somethin like 2 dex \ 1 agi \ 1 luck

 

[Shiina]

Here's a ton of info on stats for people that want to know more.

 

[Snakethesniper]

I'm getting my ass beaten from

Spoiler

medusa

. That damn snake fang...
Also I'm finding myself very low on macca...is it normal?

 

[Soulhouf]

I'm getting my ass beaten from

Spoiler

medusa

. That damn snake fang...
Also I'm finding myself very low on macca...is it normal?

It will become easier to get macca in the second half of the game but you'll never be able to purchase all what you want.
In SMTIV you find yourself broke during the entire game and that's normal.

 

[Snakethesniper]

Arrived at

Spoiler

Tokyo.

Is it better to buy a gun that is weaker but can hit multiple times instead of one that has higher damage but only one hit right?
Also, is there any "must-have" app?

 

[Soulhouf]

Arrived at

Spoiler

Tokyo.

Is it better to buy a gun that is weaker but can hit multiple times instead of one that has higher damage but only one hit right?
Also, is there any "must-have" app?

Buy the Ace Bazooka as soon as you reach Shinjuku (aka soon). It's the best gun in the game. Multiple hit guns are better especially for a dex/critical build since you have more chance to land a critical hit that way.

As for apps (by order of importance IMO) :
- Skill Expansion 1-4
- Demon Skill 1-4
- Party MP Recovery
- Demon Enhancer ST/Dx/Ma/Ag/Lu
- Summon Discount 1-4
- Skill Augment
- Expand Stock 1-16

 

[also]

Buy the Ace Bazooka as soon as you reach Shinjuku (aka soon). It's the best gun in the game. Multiple hit guns are better especially for a dex/critical build since you have more chance to land a critical hit that way.

As for apps (by order of importance IMO) :
- Skill Expansion 1-4
- Demon Skill 1-4
- Party MP Recovery
- Demon Enhancer ST/Dx/Ma/Ag/Lu
- Summon Discount 1-4
- Skill Augment
- Expand Stock 1-16

I'd say skill expansion for demons and skill augment should be a top priority. Even with a magic build you can get by with 5 slots (4 elements + healing for emergencies) for your human for a long time. The extra slots are nice but far from being the most important. Giving more slots to your demons is way more beneficial due to them having passive skills and it makes much more likely that you'll already have a suitable demon for the boss fight so there will be no need to spend macca or time trying to fuse something. Skill Augment can also give you some great skills if you get lucky so it's best to get it early to maximize the chance.
The Demon Enhancer apps are good but expensive and they are pretty much useless until late in the game because you'll be fusing constantly early and mid-game and the additional stat points don't carry over between fusions. I also didn't get Summon discount until late in the game because I was mostly using scouted demons for fusions and I had more than enough macca for the occasional use of compendium. I'd say Expand Stock is more important because it gives you more fusion and battle options, allows you to skip more battles if you recruit commonly occurring demons and makes it easier to power up your skills through demon whispering.

I also recommend getting the Scout Bonus/Gift/+ apps. The amount of macca you get when recruiting may seem small but since you'll do a ton of negotiations, it will pay off.

 

[Snakethesniper]

Buy the Ace Bazooka as soon as you reach Shinjuku (aka soon). It's the best gun in the game. Multiple hit guns are better especially for a dex/critical build since you have more chance to land a critical hit that way.

As for apps (by order of importance IMO) :
- Skill Expansion 1-4
- Demon Skill 1-4
- Party MP Recovery
- Demon Enhancer ST/Dx/Ma/Ag/Lu
- Summon Discount 1-4
- Skill Augment
- Expand Stock 1-16

I spent macca on a piece of equipment that gives me +dex and luck, I hope to get the money asap xD
Thanks everybody btw

 

[Soulhouf]

I'd say skill expansion for demons and skill augment should be a top priority. Even with a magic build you can get by with 5 slots (4 elements + healing for emergencies) for your human for a long time. The extra slots are nice but far from being the most important. Giving more slots to your demons is way more beneficial due to them having passive skills and it makes much more likely that you'll already have a suitable demon for the boss fight so there will be no need to spend macca or time trying to fuse something. Skill Augment can also give you some great skills if you get lucky so it's best to get it early to maximize the chance.
The Demon Enhancer apps are good but expensive and they are pretty much useless until late in the game because you'll be fusing constantly early and mid-game and the additional stat points don't carry over between fusions. I also didn't get Summon discount until late in the game because I was mostly using scouted demons for fusions and I had more than enough macca for the occasional use of compendium. I'd say Expand Stock is more important because it gives you more fusion and battle options, allows you to skip more battles if you recruit commonly occurring demons and makes it easier to power up your skills through demon whispering.

I also recommend getting the Scout Bonus/Gift/+ apps. The amount of macca you get when recruiting may seem small but since you'll do a ton of negotiations, it will pay off.

I know. It's impossible to make this kind of skillset without Skill augment for example. Not to mention a lot of awesome lucky skill find you can stumble upon by accident.
I would say Skill augment is my favorite app but I wouldn't recommend it in priority for beginners.

With that said you have a good point regarding the other remarks. Despite having spent 1000+ hours on the game, It's been a long time since I last played it so I listed what I remembered off the top of my head.

 

[also]

Just finished it as well and I feel exactly the same. Basically neutral amounts to

Spoiler

doing both final dungeons instead of just one and a few sidequests being mandatory. Same final boss as on Law. I was expecting something beyond that.

I guess all the exaggerations about the neutral completion time made me expect that. In the end it only took me an additional 5 hours compared to Law, 55 hours total. I saw people claim that it could take up to 80 hours against around 50 on Law/Chaos, fucking ridiculous.
That being said, it's a beautiful ending and definitely intended to be the real conclusion and how the game should be experienced. Law/Chaos spoiler:

Spoiler

I really needed closure because killing Isabeau broke my heart, I really like her.

Despite some shortcomings that we already disscused I absolutely loved it. These games always excell at atmosphere and I really liked this particular take on

Spoiler

Tokyo

and Mikado was a nice change of pace when it comes to settings in the franchise.
For me SMT and it spin-offs are in a league of their own and IV continues to prove that to me. Right now I'm also playing Persona Q and Devil Survivor Overclocked tackling these 3 games has been pure bliss (I had already played vanilla DS though).
So yeah, overall still a 5 star effort for me.
BTW, it can't be said enough, the music is fantastic.

Well, it took me ~95 hours for my neutral playthrough but it's true that it was my 1st time playing the game and I wasted A LOT of time by going back and talking to NPCs between each major story event to see if their dialogue changed.

Man, DeSu Overclocked is such a great game. Still have to get 1 more ending and beat the super boss. I already have a team prepared but I got burned out when I was grinding to level up my demons.

I know. It's impossible to make this kind of skillset without Skill augment for example. Not to mention a lot of awesome lucky skill find you can stumble upon by accident.
I would say Skill augment is my favorite app but I wouldn't recommend it in priority for beginners.

With that said you have a good point regarding the other remarks. Despite having spent 1000+ hours on the game, It's been a long time since I last played it so I listed what I remembered off the top of my head.

It's true that I'm probably biased towards the Augment app because I got some nice skills in my playthrough...

More than 1000 hours? How on earth did you manage that?

 

[danthefan]

Is it me or does this game sometimes do a bad job at communicating what you're supposed to do next? I'm not even going to try spell out the area I'm in but the last missing I did was

Spoiler

choose between fighting or not fighting a demon in some Govt building in Tokyo (I fought it).

I made my way back to the closest underground/terminal... and I've no idea where to go next, which leads me onto my next problem - the overworld. I hate it so much, that wandering around it looking for where I'm supposed to be next sounds like hell.

Edit - just as I finished writing out this rant I completely by accident found a tunnel taking me to the next area I'm supposed to go to. I really like 95% of the game but navigating the overworld is spoiling it for me.

 

[Soulhouf]

More than 1000 hours? How on earth did you manage that?

Well, I spend 2 hours every day in train in my way to work. Those were dedicated to SMT4 for more than a year. Add to that the normal time I spend playing my 3DS at home or anywhere else.

Is it me or does this game sometimes do a bad job at communicating what you're supposed to do next? I'm not even going to try spell out the area I'm in but the last missing I did was

Spoiler

choose between fighting or not fighting a demon in some Govt building in Tokyo (I fought it).

I made my way back to the closest underground/terminal... and I've no idea where to go next, which leads me onto my next problem - the overworld. I hate it so much, that wandering around it looking for where I'm supposed to be next sounds like hell.

Edit - just as I finished writing out this rant I completely by accident found a tunnel taking me to the next area I'm supposed to go to. I really like 95% of the game but navigating the overworld is spoiling it for me.

I'm pretty sure you're told explicitly that you need to go to Ikebukuro (for the bookstore) but if you go there early you discover that you need that item to go through the barrier.

 

[also]

Well, I spend 2 hours every day in train in my way to work. Those were dedicated to SMT4 for more than a year. Add to that the normal time I spend playing my 3DS at home or anywhere else.

I'm more interested in what you did in those 1000+ hours. 4 playthoughs and the DLC shouldn't take that long. Did you just want to fuse as many demons with broken skill sets as possible or what?

 

[Soulhouf]

I'm more interested in what you did in those 1000+ hours. 4 playthoughs and the DLC shouldn't take that long. Did you just want to fuse as many demons with broken skill sets as possible or what?

Yeah I fought all the Fiends. Made some broken demons with crazy skill sets and very high stats (the Hanuman I posted is one of them).
Since I didn't purchase any of the grinding DLCs, doing that took quite some time.
I've beaten the game 11 times in the process (2 in the Japanese version and 9 in the US), tried every possible combination in the story (and discovered some crazy things).
I should also clarify that I didn't purchase any of the grinding DLCs.

 

[Snakethesniper]

Bought the Ace Bazooka. Is it worth to buy ammos?

 

[Dragon1893]

I really like Isabeau's design, definitely one of my favorites in the franchise.

 

[Soulhouf]

Bought the Ace Bazooka. Is it worth to buy ammos?

Unless you absolutely need elemental bullets, not really.
You'll find the best ammo in treasure chests/quest rewards.

 

[Snakethesniper]

Unless you absolutely need elemental bullets, not really.
You'll find the best ammo in treasure chests/quest rewards.

ok thanks!