The Shin Megami Tensei series has earned its place as one of the most beloved franchises in gaming, thanks to its consistent quality in both gameplay and storytelling. Whether you’re a newcomer or a seasoned veteran, understanding the core mechanics of SMT’s combat system is essential. In this guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know to master the series.

This guide will cover major SMT releases on modern platforms, including: Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD, SMT V, Vengeance, Soul Hackers 2, Persona 3 Portable and Reload, Persona 4 Golden, and Persona 5 Royal.

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The Press Turn System: Mastering the Basics

Introduced in Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne, the Press Turn system is the core of SMT’s combat mechanics. At the start of a battle, your team is allocated a set number of Press Turn icons. Actions like exploiting enemy weaknesses or landing critical hits allow you to gain extra turns.

However, the enemies play by the same rules, making strategic planning essential. Missteps can lead to enemies chaining their own Press Turns, turning battles into a deadly back-and-forth.

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One-More and Baton Pass: Persona’s Unique Spin

The Persona series builds on the Press Turn system with the One-More mechanic. Landing a critical hit or exploiting a weakness knocks down enemies, granting the attacker an extra turn.

Persona 5 expands this with Baton Pass, allowing you to pass turns to other party members for increased damage potential. Mastering these systems is crucial for maximizing your damage output while minimizing enemy turns.

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Physical vs. Magic Attacks: Choosing Your Arsenal

Physical Attacks deal high damage but consume HP and require critical hits for extra turns. Magic Attacks use MP, are more consistent for generating Press Turns by exploiting weaknesses, and cover a wide range of elements:

• Fire, Ice, Electric, and Wind: The core elements.
• Hama and Mudo: Instant-kill types reworked as light and dark elements in newer titles.
• Almighty Attacks: Unblockable but cannot hit weaknesses.

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Buffs and Debuffs: The Key to Surviving Boss Fights

Buffs and debuffs in SMT are not optional—they are vital. Understanding and using these effectively can turn the tide of battle:

• Tarukaja / Rakukaja: Increase attack and defense.
• Sukukaja: Boost hit and evasion rates.
• Debilitate and Luster Candy: All-in-one debuffs and buffs.

In harder difficulties, failing to use these skills is a quick way to a game over screen.

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Damage Types and Skill Tiering

SMT games classify skills by tier:

• Weak, Medium, Heavy, Severe, Colossal.
• Skills like Mara’s Megidolaon or Yoshitsune’s Hassou Tobi are endgame staples.

Mastering the tiers ensures that your damage scales effectively against increasingly powerful enemies.

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Passives: Enhancing Combat Efficiency

Passives are a vital part of customizing your team:

• Resistances: Null, Drain, Repel to cover weaknesses.
• Boosts and Amps: Increase elemental damage.
• Endure and Enduring Soul: Extra lives for your party.
• Counters: Retaliate against physical attacks.

Traits in newer titles provide unique buffs that can drastically change a character’s role in battle.

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Negotiation and Fusion: Building the Perfect Team

Negotiation: Convince demons to join you through dialogue, item offerings, or money. Fusion: Combine demons to create more powerful allies, with reverse compendium fusion in SMT V making the process more intuitive.

Balancing negotiation and fusion is the key to building a versatile team capable of adapting to every challenge.

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Conclusion

The Shin Megami Tensei series is a masterclass in tactical turn-based combat. By understanding the Press Turn system, mastering buffs and debuffs, and optimizing your passives, you’ll be well-prepared to face the series’ toughest challenges.

For more guides and in-depth analysis on Shin Megami Tensei, stay tuned!