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Shin Megami Tensei IV |OT| The Dark Souls of Persona

So I'm neutral and (trying) to finish up challenge quests.

The ones I need are missing:

-Rebirth of the Lady
-Multi-Demon Fusion


How do I get these to appear? I did each and every one of the challenge quests in my log thinking some of them might've been prerequisites but it turned out not to be the case. Any help would be much appreciated.
 

NEO0MJ

Member
So I'm now at the
mission where sis Gabby wants me to rescue 3 men trapped in a tower, I rescued two of them and am now the the boss guarding the third
What % am I in completing the game? Above %30 I hope.
 

CSX

Member
So I'm now at the
mission where sis Gabby wants me to rescue 3 men trapped in a tower, I rescued two of them and am now the the boss guarding the third
What % am I in completing the game? Above %30 I hope.

I say a little less than 30% iirc
 

Soulhouf

Member
So I'm neutral and (trying) to finish up challenge quests.

The ones I need are missing:

-Rebirth of the Lady
-Multi-Demon Fusion


How do I get these to appear? I did each and every one of the challenge quests in my log thinking some of them might've been prerequisites but it turned out not to be the case. Any help would be much appreciated.

Talk to demons.
 

Caladrius

Member
Does it matter where? I've been trying that and I'm getting nowhere...

EDIT: I just happen to go to Ueno and stopped by the Hunters Association. And there it was: 'Rebirth of the Lady'. I hope the last one I need is offered by one of the Associations too.

You can talk to demons for quests wherever, I do believe.
 
How do I initiate Multi-Demon Fusion?

Let me guess... talk to demons? I hope not, because I've been trying that for the past half an hour.

EDIT: This is crazy. So nevermind, I just found it at the Shinjuku Hunters Association.
 
Oy, so if you get the neutral path,
you have to do all of the remaining quests
? About halfway through the game I stopped doing them. I've got the feeling this is going to take a while. At least I'm level 75 now...

Also, is around
level 70 the highest you'll be able to fuse demons normally? I've been able to hit about 80 right now but the highest I've seen through standard fusion is 73.
 

Madouu

Member
I finally got around to play the game and I've already put four hours into it. It's pretty amazing thus far, exactly the kind of thing I was looking for.
 

Soulhouf

Member
Oy, so if you get the neutral path,
you have to do all of the remaining quests
? About halfway through the game I stopped doing them. I've got the feeling this is going to take a while. At least I'm level 75 now...

Also, is around
level 70 the highest you'll be able to fuse demons normally? I've been able to hit about 80 right now but the highest I've seen through standard fusion is 73.

There are still many demons beyond lv70 that can be fused normally.
I think the highest one is lv93 or 94.

Regarding the side quests, there are a few required. I don't know which ones, I always do them all.
 
Ok, I'm at what I believe to be the last quest, Returning to Normal. I started with the Naraku but there is a barrier blocking in the Hall of the Minotaur. Isabaeu hints at using a demon to destroy the barrier but I don't even want to begin to try to play trial and error with that, so...

Help, GAF.
 
Ok, I'm at what I believe to be the last quest, Returning to Normal. I started with the Naraku but there is a barrier blocking in the Hall of the Minotaur. Isabaeu hints at using a demon to destroy the barrier but I don't even want to begin to try to play trial and error with that, so...

Help, GAF.

The demon is
Masakado
 

Andrew J.

Member
Ok, I'm at what I believe to be the last quest, Returning to Normal. I started with the Naraku but there is a barrier blocking in the Hall of the Minotaur. Isabaeu hints at using a demon to destroy the barrier but I don't even want to begin to try to play trial and error with that, so...

Help, GAF.

Is there a place you went to before where people gave you information on how to progress?

The Florida bar, in Shinjuku.
 

Soulhouf

Member
IMG_2276.jpg


She still has few levels, but she's making a steady progress.
This is without using incenses, except the the few ones she gave me when she leveled up.
 

Soulhouf

Member
Nice, it looks like she's on track to beat my Aeshma (MA 304)

Thanks!
You actually inspired me to do this after seeing your Aeshma.

This is only the first step. My goal is Alice with 999 Ma, Vishnu with 500 Ag, 999 St and Nata Taishi with 999 Dx.
It will require a lot of Red Rider farming but I want to do it.
 

Caladrius

Member
Thanks!
You actually inspired me to do this after seeing your Aeshma.

This is only the first step. My goal is Alice with 999 Ma, Vishnu with 500 Ag, 999 St and Nata Taishi with 999 Dx.
It will require a lot of Red Rider farming but I want to do it.

I considered doing something similar with Fafnir (all stats but magic maxed, and the magic would go to my MC) but then I remembered the fiend RNG and I just went: :(

I've only got trumpeter to go. I kept skipping the Osiris quest chain so once I do that on my next (neutral) playthrough I think the compendium is finished aside from the famed. I have spent a minimum of 140 hours on the game so far. It joins the 100+ club with Xenoblade, Persona 4 and Pokemon Diamond.
 
Thanks!
You actually inspired me to do this after seeing your Aeshma.

This is only the first step. My goal is Alice with 999 Ma, Vishnu with 500 Ag, 999 St and Nata Taishi with 999 Dx.
It will require a lot of Red Rider farming but I want to do it.

How in the hell are you getting that many incense? Good lord.
 

Soulhouf

Member
How in the hell are you getting that many incense? Good lord.

Red Rider + Hordes + levels up.
I didn't fight Red Rider yet but a Japanese guy was able to grind him for incenses, so it's possible.

BTW I'm in my 5th run and aside from Fiends (only Red Rider and Trumpeter remain) and completing the compendium, I'm running out of things to do.
I love this game so much and I don't want to quit it.
 
Red Rider + Hordes + levels up.
I didn't fight Red Rider yet but a Japanese guy was able to grind him for incenses, so it's possible.

I don't even know what that means... :/

I never ran into Red Rider as far as I know.

BTW I'm in my 5th run and aside from Fiends (only Red Rider and Trumpeter remain) and completing the compendium, I'm running out of things to do. I love this game so much and I don't want to quit it.
Question: I'm neutral path and am currently making my way through the
Camp Ichigaya dungeon to fight Walter
. Is there anything left to really do after that? I ask because every time I think the game is ending, I'm pleasantly surprised that there's still some more to do! It's been an enjoyable run. I hate needing a guide to beat games (I had to consult GAF and GameFAQs a few times), but I guess I did ok for an SMT newb.
 

Soulhouf

Member
Question: I'm neutral path and am currently making my way through the
Camp Ichigaya dungeon to fight Walter
. Is there anything left to really do after that? I ask because every time I think the game is ending, I'm pleasantly surprised that there's still some more to do! It's been an enjoyable run. I hate needing a guide to beat games (I had to consult GAF and GameFAQs a few times), but I guess I did ok for an SMT newb.

The game won't end after you complete that dungeon. You can still do whatever you want after that.
That's all what you need to know.

I don't even know what that means... :/

I never ran into Red Rider as far as I know.

It's a Fiend, a special class of demons proper to the main series. Unless you played Nocturne, you probably never ran into them because they always appear randomly (1/256 chance) in specific locations.
In SMT4 they are the most challenging enemies in the game, DLC included.

Red Rider drops 10 of each incense when you beat him.
Some hordes drop a specific incense randomly.
There are an application that improves the gifts your demon gives you when it levels up, making them randomly give you incenses.

That's basically the sources of infinite incenses if you wish to farm for them.
 
Hmmm... now to start New Game + carrying over everything as a complete badass, or just with the bare minimum and start leveling from scratch...

I'm leaning toward the former.
 

Soulhouf

Member
I'm trying to fix her skill set but RNG isn't cooperating.

IMG_2302.jpg


Can one of these skills (Mana surge for instance) mutate to Life Surge? Without Life Surge she is done for...
I hate Famed demons because they never get Life Surge when fused for some reason. Yoshitsune is lucky because he learned it himself but others like Jeanne D'Arc who has very low HP didn't inherit it...
Not to mention that weakness. But I know from my experience that Repel Physic can mutate to Repel Fire. So at least that's "easily" fixable.
 
I started this last night.

Two questions:
I gave MC lots of strength, but I am starting to regret that and think I should have gone the mage route. Can I ever reset my stats?

What apps are not worth taking? Some seem like crap, like free items after scouting, and others seem essential like a boost to demon fusion levels. Am I. right on that?
 

Caladrius

Member
I started this last night.

Two questions:
I gave MC lots of strength, but I am starting to regret that and think I should have gone the mage route. Can I ever reset my stats?

What apps are not worth taking? Some seem like crap, like free items after scouting, and others seem essential like a boost to demon fusion levels. Am I. right on that?

There's no way to reset the stats. And physical builds need Dex to be effective. That boosts your attacks twice as much as strength does (in other words strength is completely useless.)

You need to get all of the scout apps to unlock expert scout (which makes demon negotiation far easier)

Demon level cap is good but not necessary to finish the game. I did fine without buying a single one.
 

Soulhouf

Member
I finally beat Red Rider.

BW9WmNkCEAEtEI2.jpg


A very dangerous foe indeed.

BW9a2b6CQAAILRz.jpg


Now only Trumpeter remains!

I also fused some famed demons and now only 3 of them remain.
 

Caladrius

Member
I finally beat Red Rider.

BW9WmNkCEAEtEI2.jpg


A very dangerous foe indeed.

BW9a2b6CQAAILRz.jpg


Now only Trumpeter remains!

I also fused some famed demons and now only 3 of them remain.

A word of warning: Trumpeter is Evil. I had to Gun-Spam him with extremely tanky (1300-1700 HP) doped demons and still just barely beat him.

My fiend hunt is done. I just have to redo the neutral route for some quests I missed and I'm done with the game for a long time.
 

suikodan

Member
This is my 1st (and most probably the only one) playthrough of the game and I'm at 60h now. Without following any guides I followed the Neutral route and now I just cleared all the quests needed to awaken Masakado.

However, those who went Good or Evil, did the quests were required to complete to continue to the end of the game? I had much trouble beating Belzebub and the picture quests would be hard to find without a guide.

Whew, I'm exhausted just by typing this, eheh. Now I'm past the Minotaur's room nin Naraku with Masakado and can't wait to finish this.

Auto-pinpoint and recover MP work like a charm in Naraku to gain levels.
 

Caladrius

Member
This is my 1st (and most probably the only one) playthrough of the game and I'm at 60h now. Without following any guides I followed the Neutral route and now I just cleared all the quests needed to awaken Masakado.

However, those who went Good or Evil, did the quests were required to complete to continue to the end of the game? I had much trouble beating Belzebub and the picture quests would be hard to find without a guide.

Whew, I'm exhausted just by typing this, eheh. Now I'm past the Minotaur's room nin Naraku with Masakado and can't wait to finish this.

Auto-pinpoint and recover MP work like a charm in Naraku to gain levels.

The law and chaos routes make you go straight to the final dungeon. They're very short compared to the neutral route.
 

Soulhouf

Member
I was doing another trip to Toyosu to collect relics and this guy decided to show up again:

IMG_2477.jpg


This is the 3rd time I encounter him.
Matador, please leave me alone, I've already beaten you T_T
 

NeonZ

Member
However, those who went Good or Evil, did the quests were required to complete to continue to the end of the game? I had much trouble beating Belzebub and the picture quests would be hard to find without a guide.

You didn't need to beat Beelzebub, just Baal. But, yes, law and chaos don't need to do any sidequests. It's all optional.
 
I beat it tonight. Overall, I am not pleased with the game. It just has too many problems.

-Three kinds of maps, with the worst being the overworld map. Who knows where half the shit the game wants you to do in sidequests is. Tokyo is a miserable experience every time you leave an area.

-Constant demon fusing makes it feel like your team is never really together. You never really get to form attachments to demons - they are all fusion fodder.

-Too much content locked behind DLC.

-The game is easy to the point of boring once you get to Tokyo, minus a few surprises like Ancient Curse.

-Combat is exceedingly random, forcing players to rely on certain skills like Tetrakarn and its sister to survive encounters with the unknown. For the first half of the game, there is a good chance you will lose if you are caught off guard.

-The real game feels locked behind apps. Eveything is a struggle until Party MP Recovery, and then it is too easy. You have to earn attack slots, and that is just not fun.

-Tons of useless demons. The worse the demon looks, the better it seems to be. :( Caster demons require skill min-maxing to even be viable since they have so little HP. It is better to go with high HP demons and drink chakra pots when you need to.

-Too much travel time. There is no convenient way to get from point A to point B. The transporters require a good 5 min to get to for use, and then there are the demon encounters on the world map to make it take even longer.

-The challenge fights I might consider organizing a real team for are completely random. That is crap. I beat the final boss on Chaos with some ragtag bundle of demons I fused 15 minutes prior. Why bother putting thought into it?

How many of these problems exist in the Persona games? I was really looking forward to this game, and I don't want to waste my time if they are just as poorly designed. I tried to love it, especially since I love demons, but I was just not enjoying myself. Same question for SMT: Nocturne.
 

cj_iwakura

Member
I beat it tonight. Overall, I am not pleased with the game. It just has too many problems.

-Three kinds of maps, with the worst being the overworld map. Who knows where half the shit the game wants you to do in sidequests is. Tokyo is a miserable experience every time you leave an area.

-Constant demon fusing makes it feel like your team is never really together. You never really get to form attachments to demons - they are all fusion fodder.

-Too much content locked behind DLC.
-The game is easy to the point of boring once you get to Tokyo, minus a few surprises like Ancient Curse.

-Combat is exceedingly random, forcing players to rely on certain skills like Tetrakarn and its sister to survive encounters with the unknown. For the first half of the game, there is a good chance you will lose if you are caught off guard.

-The real game feels locked behind apps. Eveything is a struggle until Party MP Recovery, and then it is too easy. You have to earn attack slots, and that is just not fun.

-Tons of useless demons. The worse the demon looks, the better it seems to be. :( Caster demons require skill min-maxing to even be viable since they have so little HP. It is better to go with high HP demons and drink chakra pots when you need to.

-Too much travel time. There is no convenient way to get from point A to point B. The transporters require a good 5 min to get to for use, and then there are the demon encounters on the world map to make it take even longer.

-The challenge fights I might consider organizing a real team for are completely random. That is crap. I beat the final boss on Chaos with some ragtag bundle of demons I fused 15 minutes prior. Why bother putting thought into it?

How many of these problems exist in the Persona games? I was really looking forward to this game, and I don't want to waste my time if they are just as poorly designed. I tried to love it, especially since I love demons, but I was just not enjoying myself. Same question for SMT: Nocturne.

The only problem I would say applies to Nocturne is the demon fusing. You use 'em and fuse 'em. That applies to Persona too, by and large, until you get to endgame demons.

Nocturne is a much better balanced game. The overworld basically has the same setup, but it is both far more challenging and more rewarding. I enjoy SMTIV, and I love its atmosphere, but I recognize it had a few flaws.

(Also, where the heck is that OST, Segatlus?)
 

Soriku

Junior Member
I beat it tonight. Overall, I am not pleased with the game. It just has too many problems.

-Three kinds of maps, with the worst being the overworld map. Who knows where half the shit the game wants you to do in sidequests is. Tokyo is a miserable experience every time you leave an area.

-Constant demon fusing makes it feel like your team is never really together. You never really get to form attachments to demons - they are all fusion fodder.

-Too much content locked behind DLC.

-The game is easy to the point of boring once you get to Tokyo, minus a few surprises like Ancient Curse.

-Combat is exceedingly random, forcing players to rely on certain skills like Tetrakarn and its sister to survive encounters with the unknown. For the first half of the game, there is a good chance you will lose if you are caught off guard.

-The real game feels locked behind apps. Eveything is a struggle until Party MP Recovery, and then it is too easy. You have to earn attack slots, and that is just not fun.

-Tons of useless demons. The worse the demon looks, the better it seems to be. :( Caster demons require skill min-maxing to even be viable since they have so little HP. It is better to go with high HP demons and drink chakra pots when you need to.

-Too much travel time. There is no convenient way to get from point A to point B. The transporters require a good 5 min to get to for use, and then there are the demon encounters on the world map to make it take even longer.

-The challenge fights I might consider organizing a real team for are completely random. That is crap. I beat the final boss on Chaos with some ragtag bundle of demons I fused 15 minutes prior. Why bother putting thought into it?

How many of these problems exist in the Persona games? I was really looking forward to this game, and I don't want to waste my time if they are just as poorly designed. I tried to love it, especially since I love demons, but I was just not enjoying myself. Same question for SMT: Nocturne.

You're supposed to treat demons as fusion fodder. Plus every SMT game has a bunch of useless demons. And too much content locked behind DLC isn't really true.

Anyway, Nocturne is more balanced than SMT IV. It stays at a rather consistent level of difficulty IMO (not too hard, at least on Normal) unlike SMT IV which is too easy. The world map is also much easier to navigate. Travel time, I'd say Nocturne is a little better but only because it's easier to avoid encounters (even though it has random encounters, lol) and the map isn't as confusing. Also there are no apps in Nocturne.

For Persona, the games are more balanced as well. Persona 3/4 don't even have world maps like Nocturne/SMT IV so you don't have to worry about that. They just have point and click world maps where you select an area you want to go. But at the same time there aren't that many areas so you'll be running around areas over and over. The areas aren't very big but just wanted to let you know. I think in P3 at least, having to run from your class to outside your school to get to other areas is annoying. This is mitigated in P4 though since you can just quick warp anywhere. No apps in Persona either btw.
 
I recently beat this as well and loved it despite the horrid world map. (I also agree that it was too easy after the initial couple of hours.)

I've got access to all of the Nintendo portables and a Vita. Which other game in the series that I could play would be most similar to SMT IV?

I picked up Pokemon on release as I wanted more content in the same vein, but it just feels like an empty shell of a game compared to SMT.
 

Soulhouf

Member
I recently beat this as well and loved it despite the horrid world map. (I also agree that it was too easy after the initial couple of hours.)

I've got access to all of the Nintendo portables and a Vita. Which other game in the series that I could play would be most similar to SMT IV?

I picked up Pokemon on release as I wanted more content in the same vein, but it just feels like an empty shell of a game compared to SMT.

Which ending did you get? If not Neutral, you need to restart to get that because the 2 other endings are really bad.

As for the other SMT, 1,2 and if are available on the Japanese PSN and they are the most similar to IV. They are in Japanese of course but they are are fantastic games and the PS1 versions are the best.
 
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