These Are My Most Used Early & Mid-Game Demons for Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance on Hard Mode

In this video I will be going through the compendium and showcasing the demons I used most in the early game and mid-game for my hard mode playthrough of Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance!
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Tags, yo: Shin Megami Tensei, SMT, SMT V, SMT 5, Shin Megami Tensei 5, Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance, Shin Megami Tensei 5: Vengeance, RPG, JPRG, Tips, Top Tips, Advanced Tips Beginner Tips, Gameplay, Builds
#SMTVV #ShinMegamiTenseiVVengeance #SMT5

[@RozalinGaming]

Hey all! I know people have been asking about whether or no my build guides for the original version of SMT 5 still work, as well as if I'll be making new ones. As for whether the old builds work, the builds themselves still work but with a few caveats: (1) while I've recreated most of them, I did so mainly using essence fusion -- as stated in this video, during my first playthrough I mainly just made my demons using what I had and then filled in their skills with essence fusion. Because of this, I haven't been able to confirm if the fusion recipes used in my old videos still work; there is a chance they don't due to all of the new demons that have been added. (2) if you are wanting to use any of my old builds on Godborn mode, changes will almost certainly need to be made; namely, fitting in Enduring Soul and Energy Drain in builds that don't already have those -- essentially cutting back on offensive power for more defense and sustain. This brings me to new builds. I will be making new builds for SMT 5: Vengeance, the first of which was alluded to near the end of this video. Expect these new builds to be designed for Godborn mode, or to at least have a suggested skill set for Godborn mode. Anyways, if you have any questions about SMT 5: Vengeance, feel free to come hit me up over on Twitch and I'll be happy to answer. Link: twitch.tv/rozalingaming -- Roz

[@cavsfightingroom3692]

can't wait for the godborn builds!

[@gotinogaden]

Mermaid is a godsent against Hydra.

[@sass2836]

Really appreciate this, I often get overwhelmed regarding which demons to focus on.

[@goodintentions8106]

I just started and nyami nyami is a precious little ice cream cone and i will never let him go!

[@JAGW3L]

4:30 just like that random commenter said: "Daisoujou makes the game Daijoubu"

[@RozalinGaming]

He does that until you get Idun, who then puts him in a corner and tells him, "daijoubu, let me handle things from here", only for Sakuya 8 levels later to tell Idun, "step aside and learn from the pros".

[@johnny8363]

​@@RozalinGaming Calm down, how? 8 levels after getting Idun, I caused less damage than she healed with her unique skill 🤡 (I'm playing on normal since this is my first time playing SMT V)

[@NathanRibeirodeFrancaYegrosFer]

​@@johnny8363kinda late, but Yoshitsune carried out the living shit out of that fight. I was going with Idun, Yoko (I don't actually remember if it was Yoko tho, might be Artemis), and Yoshitsune

[@quicksilver446]

Great video! Really looking forward to finally using Hayataro after how dirty they did him in the original game.

[@Thegeektoendallgeeks]

neko shogun has managed to stay relevant for my all the way to endgame, (prolly cuz i gave him all my vitality incenses cuz he my buddy)

[@pepincuatro2865]

lol that's how I choose all my demons on my team

[@ItzYaBoiT3]

I can say homie u gained a new follower n your previous video got me in to this game I’ve always played persona n never touched theses games watched your video bought this game and haven’t put it down thank u so much 🔥

[@RozalinGaming]

Glad you're enjoying the game and the videos!

[@victoriousjod6997]

Thank you for making such a wonderfully concise review for me to consider new builds with. I really appreciate your content and I cannot wait to check out more! I’m sure there’s lots for me to learn yet 😂🎉

[@trashcangoblin420]

Thank you! Was keen to see what other demons people are enjoying 🎉

[@kiranis2174]

So more videos for SMT5 are coming up? Nice! Konohana Sakyua build? Nice x2!

[@NaocchixGT86]

Nice guide. I personally just play who I like, while swapping essences.

[@Grove0721]

Cironnup as been a surprise staple in my party. Cautious Cheer+Boon Boost is the main draw but, I also found a lot of value in his innate skill and his skill potentials. The idea is to make him a buff bot that acts later rather than sooner because when he's done buffing, he can do some decent damage with fire skills.

[@ZefraSol]

Ippon Datara is my GOAT! Eventually switched over to Berith but when your guest teammates are extremely fragile the taunt is so good

[@awesomenesskid15]

Me who has a lv 70 mermaid with super ice build lol

[@awesomenesskid15]

Ice pleroma, high ice pleroma, concentrate, bufubarion, stormcaller song, the ice piercing skill( blanking on the name) drain fire, drain electric

[@awesomenesskid15]

It’s still mid game lol I only just reached shinjuku lol

[@rocker52913]

Ahh another madman like myself lol I had a super ice build mermaid in the og SMTV and I’ll be doing the same here! I just love her unique skill too much!

[@leonardoortiz7479]

How!?

[@awesomenesskid15]

@@leonardoortiz7479 I transferred over my built mermaid from my smtv since I play vengeance on the switch as well it was expensive it was like 55k at lv 12 lol And Mitamas lol

[@FabzP96]

Great video as always Rozalin! Will keep some of these builds in mind. Quick question, but are you planning on covering Trails Through Daybreak? Just curious, because I heard it's easier than previous entries in the series.

[@RozalinGaming]

At the very least I'm preparing a video going over everything there is to know about Daybreak (I have 300+ combined hours between Daybreak 1 and 2). Sadly, it is easy, insultingly so actually -- the only difference between Very Easy and Nightmare is enemy speed and HP values and nothing else. Daybreak also has a lot of other issues and at least among the JP community and those of us who actually speak Japanese, it's tied for the worst game in the series alongside Daybreak 2 -- those two games almost killed the entire franchise due to how poorly they've done in Japan and are largely why Falcom are speed running to the end now. Another issue with Daybreak is how unfriendly it is to newcomers, breaking the tradition of first-games-in-an-arc being relatively contained stories. In Daybreak's case, it relies pretty heavily on past info, especially Reverie.

[@alexanderhdzperez]

Luv your vids, I think are the only ones available. Hope to make at least of the level 40

[@SchiacciSempre]

Great guide, only Matador was pretty disappointing even After investing a lot on him. Barely Dodged anything and died in one hit from bosses. Was a good DPS though

[@RozalinGaming]

Weird, he was dodging all the time for me even on Hard mode.

[@SchiacciSempre]

@@RozalinGaming I pumped his agility stat a lot too: Red Capote/Masakunda up all the time

[@thebreakerboy]

Had the same issue. Even put him up to 40 agility and still spotty dodging with buffs :-(

[@lorddarki9936]

No sommersault on artemis? I feel like that skill makes her an excellent support in a full damage Team. I love initiating omegatoki critical with her sommersault to guarantee the Defence Down and the additional press turn it generates. For a limited time you also get "Hayataro" as a guest character which you can use alongside your own hayataro making for some pretty funny omagatoki turns

[@RozalinGaming]

Throughout both the original and this I found Sommersault to not be worth it. It's good, sure, but pricey to use early and that extra skill slot can be but to better use elsewhere. Later on it's a lot better when her MP pool is higher, but by that time you have better options for debuffs on other units, which again lets you replace it with more useful skills.

[@mercurymachines4311]

Vengeance is so much easier than the base game and I'm all for it.

[@RozalinGaming]

It's actually harder than the base game, but if you've already played the base game then your experience there is probably causing you to feel like it's easier.

[@pepincuatro2865]

@@RozalinGaming I'm a noob to the series and I'm playing vengeance with the DLC, so I can see mitamas and level up in a breeze. Playing on normal without grinding too much, and I'm sweeping most bosses on my first try at this point. Is the DLC broken or am I some kind of genius?

[@RozalinGaming]

@@pepincuatro2865 the leveling dlc basically removes all skill and difficulty from the game since you can effectively have infinite resources.

[@pepincuatro2865]

@@RozalinGaming Thanks, I only did that for 7 or 8 levels to get some demons I wanted, but I guess I'm overpowered now. I'll disable it then

[@ed6077]

i got kaya-no-hime as a fusion accident before hydra and swept the fight

[@ometopi]

idk why but Matador is just... not a good evasion tank. I'm not sure why but he just gets hit with absolutely everything no matter how I build him.

[@AlexTheMan8393]

Has anyone ever built the ideal build for each and every demon in the game or would that take way to much effort?

[@exaceo6309]

thank you

[@zacholson4963]

Can you do a video of side quests that give either good xp or demon ally’s

[@luckysoul753]

Having the fiends accessible so early made early game a breeze, and having Yoko's innate available means being able to sacrifice demons in stock to rotate easy in battle without them losing exp for boss fights.

[@RozalinGaming]

I mean, SMT 5 is just generally really easy outside of handful of bosses that can present a challenge, and prior knowledge due to this being an updated release just exacerbates this; the fiends really aren't the issue.

[@irwanrais2313]

Waiting for your demons build

[@cocoh3652]

Amabie for the win

[@hyde_stopStealingMyUsername]

Very surprised you don't like Somersault on Artemis. That skill is almost the only reason I use her

[@RozalinGaming]

I found it to be too inefficient early on when you first get her, and by the time it isn't you have better options for both her and for debuffing.

[@hyde_stopStealingMyUsername]

@@RozalinGaming Yeah I do agree that it gets outclassed by other debuffing skills at some point. It specifically helped me to beat Sakuya (when I was around level 42) as it was difficult to debuff her while doing enough damage so she doesn't keep healing herself back to full

[@jrpgaddict7726]

ty

[@danslepiege]

more vengeance vids pls

[@charlesleeray4384]

HOW YOU GET INNATE SKILL? IN A FUSION OR just need farming the monter until he have it?

[@RozalinGaming]

All demons automatically have their innate skill -- no need to learn them. That being said, you can't pass innate skills around through fusion.

[@charlesleeray4384]

@@RozalinGaming dosent appear in my demons when i fusion or they join to my team

[@RozalinGaming]

@@charlesleeray4384innate skills won't be in fusion since they can't be passed/learned via fusion; demons just have them listed in their skills. Are you playing SMT5 or SMT 5 Vengeance?

[@GameVistaHub523]

Where do I get more ogami type B essence from? I used what I had for the main character.

[@RozalinGaming]

It's one of the ones in Shinagawa though I don't remember exactly which one; hit those ones up again and you should find it.

[@GameVistaHub523]

@@RozalinGaming Thank you, I was afraid that I couldn't get it again.

[@rais3tong]

Artemis looks like saint seiya

[@andrechen6063]

Thanks for the video! Do you get those resist skills from essence?

[@SaddestManEver]

You either get them from essences, or pass them forward from fusions

[@anon6181]

How did you get boon boost so early? It's only starts appearing on lvl 40 demons

[@RozalinGaming]

Aogami Type-B essence.

[@havoooooooooc]

hi, how you have "resist fire" and "resist force" on your Artemis?? and "Resist Elec" on your Idun?? i have those girls too but mine cant learn those skills, im new in shin megami Vengance

[@RozalinGaming]

In the section of the World of Shadows where you learn Miracles, there is another option for Essence Fusion. You can use Essence Fusion to teach skills using a demons essence.

[@havoooooooooc]

@@RozalinGaming i see, thanks!!

[@femtopill]

THANK YOU!!! i was needing help with this exact thing. are you using a magic build?

[@RozalinGaming]

I used a hybrid phys/support build until late-game when I got a very powerful new unique magic skill and then swapped to a magic build. What I really want to test is the new dodge tank build, but outside of one skill that one is locked behind Godborn.

[@Okcettefoiscbon]

Which skill are you thinking about ? I don’t think theres any nahibino skill exclusive to Godborn. Are you thinking of the Tsukyiomi essences ? You can find those throughout the game by talking to the researcher in Diet building entrance (basic, median and ultimus)

[@RozalinGaming]

@@Okcettefoiscbon I repeatedly went back and talked to everyone and was only ever given the basic essence. Just booted up my save from the end of CoV to check again and after talking to everyone still nothing. Edit: nevermind, just found who you were talking about. I had to talk to her multiple more times though before she handed them over. Thanks for letting me know!

[@monneverland]

Curious how did you give boon boost to both matador and idun? I tried searching and it seems the earliest demons with that like lvl 38ish?

[@vectorperk]

I’m pretty sure there’s an aogami essence in the early second area that has boon boost. I used that to give to matador

[@RozalinGaming]

Aogami Type-B essence has it. His essences respawn after time so you can give it to multiple demons.

[@fireice3820]

I'm kinda confused about the Innate skills though. Are they not always active? Because I've rarely noticed the effects of any of them so far.

[@RozalinGaming]

Some are always active, some are triggered.

[@raknikmik]

How could I get boon boost so early to give to matador?

[@RozalinGaming]

Aogami Type-B essence has it.

[@michaeldelloro3148]

Ngl. If ever u find the time...I'd love a tier list for the compendium.

[@pepincuatro2865]

I don't know why nobody's done that yet

[@czed6937]

Is Idun still viable with Konohana around? 😢

[@RozalinGaming]

Viable? yes. Better than her? No.

[@SomeRetroGuy]

Why didnt anyone tell me ghost rider Is in this game

[@shaunkoh4536]

Best girl Idun got... even better!!

[@RozalinGaming]

Sadly she then gets straight powercrept 8 levels later :(

[@shaunkoh4536]

@@RozalinGaming it's alright, she's still best apple for me haha

[@a_ninja_starfish5814]

how did you get boon boost on matador?

[@RozalinGaming]

Essence fusion with Aogami Type-B essence.

[@lairostall2782]

How hard is it to build that Hyataro.🤔

[@RozalinGaming]

As with everything in this video, all fusions were done without any complex fusion chains -- I just did the bare minimum and then used essence fusion after that.

[@rollyrollybrocolly2204]

Is hayataro only available in CoV?

[@RozalinGaming]

CoV or for completing chaos route on CoC.

[@todd3143]

after being extremely underwhelming and disappointing in the original release, hayataro really made the comeback of the decade with the high crit tank build

[@RozalinGaming]

The only thing he gained in SMT5V is his innate skill which is a nice upgrade but you could still do the same build in the original at like 90% the effectiveness.

[@Poyomini]

Luckily, you unlock Hayataro in CoV WAY earlier than in CoC/Original, making him useful in the mid-game. When I first played the original in 2022, when I locked onto Chaos and got awarded with him at level 44-ish... with a stock full of Lv. 80s-90s, it was... a very interesting decision, considering the other 2 demons you unlock on the other routes. He did absolutely nothing other than being an emergency meat shield.

[@msullivanxii]

Wish you would have shown your nohobino build in this too

[@RozalinGaming]

This was about demons, not the MC. If I do an MC build, it will be it's own separate video.

[@robertss1000]

Do you need multiple playthroughs to get all fusions like do I need to do the original story aswell

[@sxyqt3.14]

Do endgame