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

I made Odin but I'm wondering if I really want Thunder Reign on my MC since it's multi target. Should I just keep my maxed Ziodyne? Or is there a single target ultimate thunder spell?
 
I made Odin but I'm wondering if I really want Thunder Reign on my MC since it's multi target. Should I just keep my maxed Ziodyne? Or is there a single target ultimate thunder spell?

Thunder Reign being multi-target is quite a bummer for me too. My MC have all Severe spell except for that one, since being multi target more often than not screwed yourself.
 
Sweeeeet. Chances are high that I will preorder this. I've never really imported stuff before, is there any particular reason to pick one of those three services over the other two?
It's just a matter of preference (shipping rates & speed, packaging etc.) since all the services are located in Japan and selling the OST for the same price.

Amazon JP only offers DHL for international shipping (shipping rates here), but the shipping is super fast and orders usually arrive in 3-4 days.

CD Japan has excellent packaging, and their orders arrived surprisingly fast (from my experience) even when I used a cheaper shipping method (five days with non-registered Air Mail to Norway).

I have never ordered anything from Ami Ami myself, but it's supposedly a really great site for buying Japanese merchandise. And similar to CD Japan, they offer different shipping methods.
 
So.. NeoGAF GOTY thread brought me here.. I'm supposed to like this game.. I'm looking forward to getting into this eventually!

Naraku and early hour in Tokyo will be buratal, but don't let that put you off! Also read the description of each demon you got. They are interesting in their own way and add a lot of enjoyment to me.
 
Naraku and early hour in Tokyo will be buratal, but don't let that put you off! Also read the description of each demon you got. They are interesting in their own way and add a lot of enjoyment to me.

I never had any problem with this game, if at all I found the difficulty in the first hours to be exactly right (while it gets much too easy later). If you use the mechanics the game offers you there's really no point where it should get too hard.
Maybe it helped that it wasn't my first SMT game, but I really don't get the complaints about the difficulty.

I'm currently 35 hours in and just locked on the neutral path, hope it gets a bit harder from now on because apart from the bosses my MC is one hitting (casting) everything :/
 
I'm currently 35 hours in and just locked on the neutral path, hope it gets a bit harder from now on because apart from the bosses my MC is one hitting (casting) everything :/

My physical build MC always kills every enemy in the game -except bosses- in one hit and I'm playing in hard mode since my first NG+.
Don't have high hopes on the challenge after the alignment lock. Everything becomes so easy that it's not even funny, especially if you are physical build.

If you want some challenge, fight the Fiends since you are on Neutral. Some of them in hard mode are likely to give you some trouble.

The game has some serious balance issues especially after you get past Naraku. Since you can save anywhere, they could at least increase the difficulty (say put the hard on normal) or do something to avoid that.
I didn't purchase the grinding DLCs but I imagine they would unbalance the game even more...
 
I never had any problem with this game, if at all I found the difficulty in the first hours to be exactly right (while it gets much too easy later). If you use the mechanics the game offers you there's really no point where it should get too hard.
Maybe it helped that it wasn't my first SMT game, but I really don't get the complaints about the difficulty.

I'm currently 35 hours in and just locked on the neutral path, hope it gets a bit harder from now on because apart from the bosses my MC is one hitting (casting) everything :/

It's not a problem from me either, but it is at a level that might off putting for anyone else.
 
If you use the mechanics the game offers you there's really no point where it should get too hard.

I think this is the big thing. The game really expects you to use all the resources it gives you. It's unforgiving, but it's not super hard once you get a handle on the game's systems.

It's just a matter of preference (shipping rates & speed, packaging etc.) since all the services are located in Japan and selling the OST for the same price.

Amazon JP only offers DHL for international shipping (shipping rates here), but the shipping is super fast and orders usually arrive in 3-4 days.

CD Japan has excellent packaging, and their orders arrived surprisingly fast (from my experience) even when I used a cheaper shipping method (five days with non-registered Air Mail to Norway).

I have never ordered anything from Ami Ami myself, but it's supposedly a really great site for buying Japanese merchandise. And similar to CD Japan, they offer different shipping methods.

Thanks for the info. I'll probably go with CDJapan, seems like the best price.
 
My physical build MC always kills every enemy in the game -except bosses- in one hit and I'm playing in hard mode since my first NG+.
Don't have high hopes on the challenge after the alignment lock. Everything becomes so easy that it's not even funny, especially if you are physical build.

If you want some challenge, fight the Fiends since you are on Neutral. Some of them in hard mode are likely to give you some trouble.

The game has some serious balance issues especially after you get past Naraku. Since you can save anywhere, they could at least increase the difficulty (say put the hard on normal) or do something to avoid that.
I didn't purchase the grinding DLCs but I imagine they would unbalance the game even more...

This problem could be fixed another way...
 
Got Neutral, fuck yeah. And my other file can go either Chaos or Law. Being that this is my first SMT mainline game, I kept trying to think of who
Lucifer
might be or if he'd just show up, and I was pretty surprised when it turned out to be
Hikaru
. So I'm definitely doing Chaos on my other save since I like Walter a lot too.

Also, does
Mastema
appear anymore? He was incredibly creepy in his single scene and I LOVE his design. Would be bummed if he was just a one scene wonder. He seems to have a much larger role in Strange Journey which I've yet to play.
 
Got Neutral, fuck yeah. And my other file can go either Chaos or Law. Being that this is my first SMT mainline game, I kept trying to think of who
Lucifer
might be or if he'd just show up, and I was pretty surprised when it turned out to be
Hikaru
. So I'm definitely doing Chaos on my other save since I like Walter a lot too.

Also, does
Mastema
appear anymore? He was incredibly creepy in his single scene and I LOVE his design. Would be bummed if he was just a one scene wonder. He seems to have a much larger role in Strange Journey which I've yet to play.

Mastema appears in the Law route and 2 of the story DLC for a massive intrigue where he shows an unexpected aspect of himself.
He is definitely one of my favorite characters.

@SatelliteOfLove: duh, it doesn't work like that.

Is it possible to reorder the skills on Flynn? I want to move my most used ones to the top but I can't find a way to do so.

Unfortunately the only way is to remove the skills and re-learn them.
 
Mastema appears in the Law route and 2 of the story DLC for a massive intrigue where he shows an unexpected aspect of himself.
He is definitely one of my favorite characters.

@SatelliteOfLove: duh, it doesn't work like that.



Unfortunately the only way is to remove the skills and re-learn them.

Exactly!
 
So I'm level 76, 295 magic and here are my skills:

Bufudyne 8
Trisagion 3
Ziodyne 8
Zandyne 8 (about to get deadly wind)
Salvation
Concentrate 3
Energy drain 5
Megidoplasma (about to get Megidolaon)

Any recommendations? I'm honestly thinking of ridding myself of Energy Drain for either Debilitate or Luster Candy. Can't really decide which I'd rather have. Any reason to keep Energy Drain at this point? I could get rid of Salvation too I guess.
 
So I'm level 76, 295 magic and here are my skills:

Bufudyne 8
Trisagion 3
Ziodyne 8
Zandyne 8 (about to get deadly wind)
Salvation
Concentrate 3
Energy drain 5
Megidoplasma (about to get Megidolaon)

Any recommendations? I'm honestly thinking of ridding myself of Energy Drain for either Debilitate or Luster Candy. Can't really decide which I'd rather have. Any reason to keep Energy Drain at this point? I could get rid of Salvation too I guess.
If you don't have the MP regeneration apps maxed out, keep Energy Drain. Otherwise you'll be like "a chakra, a chakra, my demons for a chakra!". But yeah, the regen apps make Energy Drain redundant.
 
Is there a reason I can't fuse
Cu Chulainn
? I did the training quest but that demon doesn't show up anywhere.
 
I just fought (Super late game major neutral route boss spoiler)
Merkabah.
Completely blown away. Everything from design, to conversation, to the INCREDIBLE music (headphones ftw) was amazing. Awesome boss, my favorite by far (but I'm not done yet!). I don't want this game to end :( luckily it's my first SMT beside P3 and 4 so I have plenty left to experience.
 
I literally just realized that most of the NPC dialog in this game changes after major story events. I've missed a whole bunch without realizing it!
 
I just fought (Super late game major neutral route boss spoiler)
Merkabah.
Completely blown away. Everything from design, to conversation, to the INCREDIBLE music (headphones ftw) was amazing. Awesome boss, my favorite by far (but I'm not done yet!). I don't want this game to end :( luckily it's my first SMT beside P3 and 4 so I have plenty left to experience.

I can't wait for the OST to come out to have a high quality version of the second half of that boss theme. Spoliers, click at your own risk

I literally just realized that most of the NPC dialog in this game changes after major story events. I've missed a whole bunch without realizing it!

It's the little things like that that make the game so good. There's so much attention to detail in it.
 
It's the little things like that that make the game so good. There's so much attention to detail in it.

They did the same thing in Persona 2 and I again only noticed halfway through the game. xD

Also, that track is awesome. The music is great, and I love the variety too. You've got a lot of those kinda groovy electronic tracks, but then you've also got more epic orchestral pieces like this one.
 
Both pieces were amazing, especially the second one. I really want the OST, it might be my favorite RPG OST in forever. Another track I really loved was the track in
Blasted Shinjuku.
So peaceful.

Anyway I accidentally stumbled upon (optional boss spoiler)
Beelzebub
and owned him on my first try. Salvation + Debilitate + Luster Candy + Concentrate + Megidolaon from my 310 Magic MC = 3300 damage per spell and short work of him. Awesome design, fight, and backstory. Now to make him :D
 
I literally just realized that most of the NPC dialog in this game changes after major story events. I've missed a whole bunch without realizing it!

Did you know that the speech and the demons used by the Terminal guardian change depending on the order you fight them?
It's incredible because that means that every one of them has 9 different dialogs.
Also I discovered a few weeks ago that you can guess your alignment before the cynical man shows up depending on specific dialogs during the story cut scene.
These dialogs change depending on the alignment. If you're chaos, Walter makes comment, if you're Law, Jonathan speaks and if you're Neutral Isabeau is the one who reacts.

There are so many little details in this game that show how much care has been put by the developers.
 
Wait does that mean that the old man character could have introduced the phallic superstar??

Also anyone know where I can find a list of route specific demons, side quests, and NG+ exclusives for each route?
 
Wait does that mean that the old man character could have introduced the phallic superstar??

Yes and that heavily make up girl in Shibuya can have Shiva.

Also anyone know where I can find a list of route specific demons, side quests, and NG+ exclusives for each route?

From the top of my head:
Chaos:
- Ishtar
- Asherah
- The Harlot*
- Demiurge

Law:
- Mastema
- Azazel

Chaos/Neutral
- Izanami
- Seraph

Law/Neutral
- Trumpeter
- Lucifuge
- Belial

Neutral
- Red Rider
- Masakado

NG+ only but common to all routes:
- Ogun
- Take Mikazuchi
- Astaroth

*Actually you need to go Chaos to unlock her fusion but you need to go through almost all the Fiends to fuse her which includes Red Rider and thus the Neutral route
 
Did you know that the speech and the demons used by the Terminal guardian change depending on the order you fight them?
It's incredible because that means that every one of them has 9 different dialogs.
Also I discovered a few weeks ago that you can guess your alignment before the cynical man shows up depending on specific dialogs during the story cut scene.
These dialogs change depending on the alignment. If you're chaos, Walter makes comment, if you're Law, Jonathan speaks and if you're Neutral Isabeau is the one who reacts.

There are so many little details in this game that show how much care has been put by the developers.

Wow, that's awesome.
 
Yes and that heavily make up girl in Shibuya can have Shiva.



From the top of my head:
Chaos:
- Ishtar
- Asherah
- The Harlot*
- Demiurge

Law:
- Mastema
- Azazel

Chaos/Neutral
- Izanami
- Seraph

Law/Neutral
- Trumpeter
- Lucifuge
- Belial

Neutral
- Red Rider
- Masakado

NG+ only but common to all routes:
- Ogun
- Take Mikazuchi
- Astaroth

*Actually you need to go Chaos to unlock her fusion but you need to go through almost all the Fiends to fuse her which includes Red Rider and thus the Neutral route

What do you mean by Law or Chaos/Neutral? That's an impressive list with some awesome demons. I really want Trumpeter and Izanami. Thanks, I'll look up how to get them.
 
Also, does
Mastema
appear anymore? He was incredibly creepy in his single scene and I LOVE his design. Would be bummed if he was just a one scene wonder. He seems to have a much larger role in Strange Journey which I've yet to play.

In addition to what was already mentioned (he appears in the Archangel DLC and
in the last Law-exclusive challenge quest
),
Mastema
has some route specific (short) dialogue if you go back to talk with him later in the neutral and chaos routes.

And, yes, he has a much bigger role in Strange Journey.
 
In addition to what was already mentioned (he appears in the Archangel DLC and
in the last Law-exclusive challenge quest
),
Mastema
has some route specific (short) dialogue if you go back to talk with him later in the neutral and chaos routes.

And, yes, he has a much bigger role in Strange Journey.

I just downloaded those and
Michael
keeps beating me. I was close to beating him I think but a Bufudyne missed, ugh. Need better demons.
 
Man, I was looking forward to what armor would be in the Shibuya shop, but the Casual set looks kind of... dumb. I think I'll stick with my Survival armor. >.>
 
Man, I was looking forward to what armor would be in the Shibuya shop, but the Casual set looks kind of... dumb. I think I'll stick with my Survival armor. >.>

Wait for the next district where you will find some good armors and if you get access to the restricted zone of the city you'll be able to buy the best armors in the game. They are very expensive but worth the money.
 
So I just fought this Chernobog demon for a challenge quest and he tore me up. I scraped out a win but it was ugly as hell. Is there any sort of spell accessible around the mid-20's that removes ailments (or at least poison) from all allies? I guess I misread Dekunda and thought it would do that but it is only the group debuffs (I assumed debuffs and ailments were the same from other RPGs ha).
 
So I just fought this Chernobog demon for a challenge quest and he tore me up. I scraped out a win but it was ugly as hell. Is there any sort of spell accessible around the mid-20's that removes ailments (or at least poison) from all allies? I guess I misread Dekunda and thought it would do that but it is only the group debuffs (I assumed debuffs and ailments were the same from other RPGs ha).

Short answer is NO.

The way they distributed ailment healing spells is strange because the only multi target spell available before Salvation is Me Patra which cures sleep, panic and bind. No poison or sick multi target healing. Amrita which cures everything is a single target and you will have to wait for lv69 to get your first demon who has Salvation which recovers all HP and cures all ailments for the entire team.
 
I am at the final boss for the Law path. This endgame has really worn on me and is making me like the game less. I have no clue how I am going to beat the final boss when part 2 of the battle happens. I really wanna get the neutral ending but after doing this I dont think I have the ambition to play the entire game again.
 
Short answer is NO.

The way they distributed ailment healing spells is strange because the only multi target spell available before Salvation is Me Patra which cures sleep, panic and bind. No poison or sick multi target healing. Amrita which cures everything is a single target and you will have to wait for lv69 to get your first demon who has Salvation which recovers all HP and cures all ailments for the entire team.
Huh, that does seem odd to me, especially since poison (AOE, no less) in fights can be so punishing. You would think there would be something in between nothing and full heal/fixes everything. On the plus side, thanks for letting me know, I figured I had missed something and made the fight unnecessarily difficult.
 
I am at the final boss for the Law path. This endgame has really worn on me and is making me like the game less. I have no clue how I am going to beat the final boss when part 2 of the battle happens. I really wanna get the neutral ending but after doing this I dont think I have the ambition to play the entire game again.

What level are you and what demons you got? What type of stat build you have on MC? All my demons had nulled/repelled/drained every element between them, and with Luster Candy, Debililate, and Salvation it's pretty easy. I believe it took 2 or 3 concentrate + Megidoloan from my MC to kill it.
 
so I am locked on the neutral path and started doing sub quests. what will trigger the main story to continue?
Go to
the club in Shinjuku
for an explanation of what to do, but you're gonna have to do most of the remaining quests anyway.

On an unrelated note, I made a new Lham Dearg with Life Surge / Enduring Soul, but it seems to have gotten extra DX points over my old one out of nowhere. Makes me think stat growth for demons is slightly randomised.
 
Man, I really shouldn't have taken this long (lv. 42) to get the app that restores your party's MP as you walk. Physical demons are suddenly much more viable.
 
On an unrelated note, I made a new Lham Dearg with Life Surge / Enduring Soul, but it seems to have gotten extra DX points over my old one out of nowhere. Makes me think stat growth for demons is slightly randomised.

Yes, it's random.
When I make a demon I like, I always reset until he/she gets the stat increase I wanted every time he/she levels up.
 
That or Energy Drain, for sure.

Yeah. I'll have to experiment whether or not my demons need the extra MP from Energy Drain. Seems like it could help out a lot in boss battles especially. Still not crazy about them changing physical skills to use MP, I liked the HP system in previous games.
 
Yeah. I'll have to experiment whether or not my demons need the extra MP from Energy Drain. Seems like it could help out a lot in boss battles especially. Still not crazy about them changing physical skills to use MP, I liked the HP system in previous games.

Yeah, at first I was glad since that made it more safe. But late game when the powerful skills cost a lot of MP, the physical build demons really need energy drain in boss battles or else they'll have to be switched out if the battle isn't over in a few turns. Or use items, but strangely, I never used items except Revival Beads.
 
Yeah. I'll have to experiment whether or not my demons need the extra MP from Energy Drain. Seems like it could help out a lot in boss battles especially. Still not crazy about them changing physical skills to use MP, I liked the HP system in previous games.

Energy Drain is a waste, I've found, since battles aren't going to last long enough to require their use. You'll have enough consumables in the very rare case you need to refill, but due to how fast boss fights are, that's not going to happen much either.

Basically the MP app takes care of everything.
 
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