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Shin Megami Tensei IV |OT| The Dark Souls of Persona
- Thread starter Volcynika
- Start date
I've heard this elsewhere as well. I'm usually someone who goes full-on tank, so this is going to be interesting.
Wait, so it will also strengthen physical skills, like the various claw attacks? I thought those were classified differently, lumped together with strength. If so then what is even the point of the strength stat? Just for sword attacks?
Loving the game so far. Finished the first set of challenge quests last night. Seems hard but nothing too crazy. Obviously getting a preemptive strike is super critical otherwise things go bad very fast.
Since my only SMT experience before this is Persona being able to fuse anywhere and pick your skills is such a wonderful experience. And it is nice coming into a new RPG and pretty much knowing what all the spells do just from their names.
Since my only SMT experience before this is Persona being able to fuse anywhere and pick your skills is such a wonderful experience. And it is nice coming into a new RPG and pretty much knowing what all the spells do just from their names.
MagiusNecros
Gilgamesh Fan Annoyance
For those worried about missing out on certain things that rely on stats. Don't be. Just focus on how you want to optimize your character.
If I recall there is a way to farm or buy incenses. Although expensive. I think.
If I recall there is a way to farm or buy incenses. Although expensive. I think.
PlanetSmasher
Banned
I know what you mean. When I played Nocturne, my Demi-Fiend was an almost pure physical monster. This meant that when I got to the end of the game and picked up skills like Javelin Rain and Gaea's Rage, I was wiping entire battlefields in a single turn and looking classy as hell doing it. It's been tough restraining myself from going that route in this one, since the melee weapons you can get in Mikado are all pretty lousy.
Strength mainly improves your basic physical weapon attacks more than anything else. DEX improves physical special moves more. So if you're going to focus more on physical special moves, go DEX. Most weapons in the early game are crap.
Fake Charlemagne
Member
A small but odd difference I just noticed is that it's not game over once MC goes down. That seriously saved my ass during that first challenge demon fight. It's weird though because it was something that always bothered me in the Persona games, since those party members (especially 3 and 4) are your friends. So why wouldn't they revive you? In the mainline Megaten games though, I was always ok with game over when MC died since your party is basically held together by a fragile alliance of demons. So yeah this is way more convenient, but also really weird for me to get used to.
Damn it. I always like my main character to be the powerhouse, so I was cranking out his strength and agility, with a little bit for luck. But I primarily use the special physical attacks, so I've pretty much been throwing stat points away...
PlanetSmasher
Banned
Damn it. I always like my main character to be the powerhouse, so I was cranking out his strength and agility, with a little bit for luck. But I primarily use the special physical attacks, so I've pretty much been trowing stat points away...
Agility is a really good stat to build, since dodging is incredibly powerful in games based on the Press Turn system. As long as you haven't been totally neglecting DEX or MAG, you should be able to right the ship.
InsaneElite
Member
Starting back up and exploring Tokyo for a while. Thrashed a bunch of Katakirauwa and one joined me out of desperation, which resulted in a chain of fusions leading to a pretty nice Jack Frost. Finally getting some medium-level spells, too.
It's so easy for the MC to die in this one that I'm glad they added it. Although in many cases I've found that if my MC dies the party is as good as dead anyway
Dandy Crocodile
Member
I've played Soul Hackers and Persona 3 before but this feels like the first time a Megaten game has really "clicked" with me.
I'm only 3 hours in and have barely made it into the meat of the game but I can already feel that thsi might be the entry to finally push me over the edge and love the series.
The VA and UI are incredible. Burroughs is fantastic.
I'm only 3 hours in and have barely made it into the meat of the game but I can already feel that thsi might be the entry to finally push me over the edge and love the series.
The VA and UI are incredible. Burroughs is fantastic.
Clockwork5
Member
Probably not going to use it much, if at all, but I am curious. Does the guide in the book have every area in the game? Or does it just get you through the beginning areas?
Nah, I've been putting a little bit in DEX and MAG here and there, so I should be able to turn it around. It just sucks to discover this after the fact. Oh well, better late than never, right?
PlanetSmasher
Banned
I had one battle where Flynn got knocked out by a smirk crit, and in the next turn my one last demon got a smirk crit with Maragion and nuked the entire battlefield.
If you end a battle with Flynn KO'd, he does automatically revive with 1HP, which is good. It would be a pain if you had to use a Revival Bead to bring him back.
I did the exact same thing. Been pumping MAG and DEX every level now, while focusing on equipment that bolsters those stats. The
Morningstar Aura
hairypeckpeck
Member
only an hour into the game and i'm having a tough time on the second quest.
i just need one more demon to recruit but i must have died 5 or so times trying to get the last one.
somewhat of a hard game but i'm actually really enjoying it.
i just need one more demon to recruit but i must have died 5 or so times trying to get the last one.
somewhat of a hard game but i'm actually really enjoying it.
Atlus said it covers the first 40% of the game.
Hecatonchires Custom
Member
The bosses don't fuck around. The one on the 5th floor
I always feel like I'm not doing too well in mainline SMT games. Not sure if I'll ever shake that feeling off.
loves to apply attack/def debuffs on you and manages to regularly hit you with Charge'd moves even when you have 4 layers of Sukukaja on.
I always feel like I'm not doing too well in mainline SMT games. Not sure if I'll ever shake that feeling off.
Laughing Banana
Weeping Pickle
Greatly increase the power of your (or the enemy's) next attack and critical rate. Also your weakness(es) is/are disabled during the smirking, I think.
I read somewhere that it's equal to around 3x -kaja skill stacked on a character.
DJ_Lae
Member
I finished off the tutorial dungeon last night after having a frustrating experience the night before trying to recruit the three demons.
I think what really threw me was how hard it quickly becomes after that first fake 'fight.' You just sort of trade blows with the two demons until they're dead and the bigger guy does about 9 damage per hit.
Then, immediately after, I got in a fight with another one of those same guys, and all of a sudden he's doing 50 damage in a single melee hit to me. What?
I find myself saving after almost every battle just because of how badly the game can go if you miss a preemptive attack and the enemy hits you first. The main character seems like he can take maybe two hits before taking a dive.
I think what really threw me was how hard it quickly becomes after that first fake 'fight.' You just sort of trade blows with the two demons until they're dead and the bigger guy does about 9 damage per hit.
Then, immediately after, I got in a fight with another one of those same guys, and all of a sudden he's doing 50 damage in a single melee hit to me. What?
I find myself saving after almost every battle just because of how badly the game can go if you miss a preemptive attack and the enemy hits you first. The main character seems like he can take maybe two hits before taking a dive.
PlanetSmasher
Banned
The starting gear in this game is terrible. I hate to suggest grinding, but if you can get 50 Life Stones quickly, trade them in to get the White Samurai set and the two hair upgrades. They'll boost your survivability significantly, except against enemies that use fire.
Hecatonchires Custom
Member
I've been doing really well with my negotiating skills. Managed to get 4 demons to join me almost in a row
Time to experiment new fusions to beat that friggin'Minotaur
Get Bufu and Sukukaja on 2-3 demons (or use them yourself if you have a magical build) and make sure you apply 4 layers on the first turn. Pray for smirks and misses.
PlanetSmasher
Banned
I have Dia +3 right now on my protag. Dude's quickly becoming a really, really good healer.
PlanetSmasher
Banned
My only complaint with it is that sometimes a demon maxes out its skill list before I'm ready to inherit anything. I wish there was a way to delay the whisper by a level or two.
Hecatonchires Custom
Member
There's a description at the bottom of the screen.
You can check what it does by highlighting it.
InsaneZero
Member
Currently at work and all I can think about is playing more.
It seems that my game likes to take down the primary healer (Napaea) before anything else.
It seems that my game likes to take down the primary healer (Napaea) before anything else.
Well my screen is covered up by the Yes and No options so I don't know where it would be.
EDIT: Maybe I missed my chance?
Hecatonchires Custom
Member
Well before you get to decide to change the skill or not, you can see what the skill does. Tetraja usually blocks Mudo/Hama spells so you're probably not missing much at this point.
You can recruit a fresh one and redo the process if you need one of his skills.
There is no limitation to that, so you can't screw up yourself like in Nocturne.
I agree with SteeloDMZ. The skill inheritance system for the MC is a fantastic idea.
Doesn't sound worth it right now.
(The next dungeon is probably full of instant death spells knowing my luck.)
InsaneElite
Member
Tokyo relics seem to regenerate incredibly fast, and they're easy to find. Making money doesn't seem like it'll be an issue right now. I love how all of them are described from the protagonist's perspective, though, thinking a computer mouse is a medicine box.
PlanetSmasher
Banned
Like I said, it's just a minor quibble. Not the end of the world. I do love how your pre-equipped skills get upgraded when a demon whispers at you and it has the same ability.
I guess there's no way to whisper over passive skills though? I guess that'd be too broken, since the equipment system seems to determine elemental builds for Flynn.
Usually you don't hit those mudo/hama attacks till at least mid-game. Not sure if it's any different this time around, but usually those buffs aren't worth it early game.
DJ_Lae
Member
I may try that, as is he just seems insanely weak.
Hecatonchires Custom
Member
Mudo has been used on me on the 4th stratum.
Wow...is that early or am I remembering that wrong? It seems early to me since I've just made it to the 3rd lvl and I'm only level 7.
Ok, only got to play about an hour and a half last night because I had to help my wife study, but so far this game is very good. I am really liking the sprite work and animation for the demons in battle and the music is great. The difficulty is quite high compared to the beginnings of other SMT games I have played. The second battle I tried to negotiate and failed and then got wiped out in a turn. I expect that stuff in an SMT game, but it seemed pretty early for that Not complaining though, it is the price for being able to save anywhere.
I really like the whisper system much better than the MAG system in nocturne. It seems much easier to get abilities. Also, Burroughs VA is pretty good. She pops in alot, but the explanations are not long and she is not nearly as annoying as any other character that provides the same function in other games.
Overall, very well done. Can't wait to get some more time with it tonight. Really looking forward to getting past whatever quests I need to finish before being able to fuse, though I think that prolly occurs after I finish these initiation quests.
Edit
Not complaining though, it is the price for being able to save anywhere.I really like the whisper system much better than the MAG system in nocturne. It seems much easier to get abilities. Also, Burroughs VA is pretty good. She pops in alot, but the explanations are not long and she is not nearly as annoying as any other character that provides the same function in other games.
Overall, very well done. Can't wait to get some more time with it tonight. Really looking forward to getting past whatever quests I need to finish before being able to fuse, though I think that prolly occurs after I finish these initiation quests.
Edit
Noticed the name of the dungeon is stratum. I wonder if this is going to have a large connection to Lucifer, who I am sure will pop up sooner rather than later (more than the dream with the little girl who sounds very much like him)
Tyrant Rave
Banned
I myself am an avid reader, but I've never heard of this "literature"