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Author Topic: Let's play Shin Megami Tensei!  (Read 79902 times)

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François

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Re: Let's play Shin Megami Tensei!
« Reply #100 on: March 02, 2011, 12:04:28 PM »

*: We're done in Shinagawa, but I haven't explored the surroundings yet. Let's get to it.

Turns out this is a fairly small peninsula, but...



This must be where one of the four oni lives. The building looks like the Meiji Shrine... Maybe that was also an oni's lair, which would make it the western edge of the map.

It's probably super dangerous, but hey, I'm fresh off the Terminal. Let's give it a shot!




: Oh, uh, hi! How's it-
: If you know what's good for you you'll stay away from me, youngster!
: I'm 100% for doing exactly that. Now if you'll just-
: You seem reasonable for a human... Come over here.
: ...
: ...

He looks like one bad mother.

: Actually... I'll just be on my way if you don't m-
: Spineless slug! Prepare yourself!

*: Wow. Good thing there was only one of him, he's kind of a beast... though not as much as I feared. He tried to hit Kei a few times, but her Crimson Greaves give her so much Evasion he only struck her once.

Lv49 Shuten-Douji
Remember Ibaragi-Doji? This guy's his boss. There's a fairly famous folk tale about how a warrior cut off his arm and put it in a chest so the oni couldn't get it back. Shuten-Doji took the appearance of the warrior's aunt and talked the guy into showing "her" the arm, whereupon he of course took it back. He's a tough fighter with high Strength and HP, with Rampage, Taru-Kaja and Raku-kaja.




This must be Tall Mofo Central.

: You definitely saw what happened to your buddy at the other end of this corridor, so you know we can kick your ass and make it look good.
: Ho ho! So, you dare to challenge me? You shall regret that decision!
: Alright, let's see what you got, beanpole!
: Taste my power!

*: Kei put him to sleep on the first round, so he only got a Zionga in.

Lv52 Touki Yaksha
The Yaksha is the male counterpart to the Yakshini, being a nature spirit watching over treasures hidden in the natural world. Just like Yakshini, they are usually depicted as benevolent, but also sometimes as brigands and bloodthirsty killers. They are very strong fighters, with Maha-Agion, Zionga and Parala-di, but mediocre MP and Magic.




Uh-oh.

: Hi, I'm... No, you know what? Screw you and the horse you rode in on, I'm done playing United Nations in this den of assholes. Eat Shichiseiken, douchebags!
: :ohmy:

*: It's hard, but we still win, and get mondo EXP for our trouble. If this place is not too big, I might clean it out yet.

Lv48 Jaki Rakshasa
In Hindu and Buddhist lore, the Rakshasas are a race of humanoid creatures, usually quite evil but not always; it is said they enjoy the taste of human flesh, and like to desecrate graves, possess people, and generally making dangerous nuisances of themselves. They are warrior-types, very strong but with low defense and HP for their level. They know Fireball, Panic Voice and Critical.




Lv40 Yuuki Sanni Yaka
Sanni Yaka are Sri Lankan demons, ruled by a king who is forbidden to kill humans but doesn't let that stop him from causing disease and various disasters. Unlike other demons, who are born fully formed as such, they once were human beings who were somehow transformed. Most of their stats are pretty bad, but they have okay Strength and very high Speed, which makes their Parala-Eye, Venom Breath and Blood St(eal?) skills all the more annoying.




Lvv44 Youki Turdak
Somewhat similar to Kwanca, Turdak is a Hindu/Buddhist lesser deity with the power to cure and cause illness; in some traditions he is also in charge of taking the souls of sinners to hell once they have been sentenced. He's a fairly balanced fighter-type, with relatively low HP but decent MP, which he can use to cast Diarama, Petra-di and Ricarm.




*: OH SHIT OH FUCK OH SHIT

Wait, wait. We're much stronger than we were. We can do this. I just have to treat this as a boss battle.

Whew, okay, it's not so completely awful. Tamamo's innate physical reflection and her Marin-Karin prove invaluable. Kei does healing duty, Hobgob buffs our attack, and everyone else goes all-out. Our Nerve Ammo works a couple of times, not for long, but long enough.

It goes alright for a moment, then Kei gets Bound and Werewolf is killed. I won't make a habit of it, but I call in Loa to help out. Mudo proves quite effective, and we finish the fight in a couple of rounds.

FUCK YEAH

...



FUCK NO

...I talk them into giving me an Orb, and they go away. Whew! I use Loa's Samaricarm to bring Werewolf back, then restore my line-up.

Alright, there are a couple of dead-ends, but there's one branch near the entrance I haven't explored. I Toraport back to Shinagawa, then return to check it out.

...or at least I would if Kei wasn't still bound. I manage to fight my way back out without incidents, though. That's lucky!

I go heal and save, then come back. If there's a staircase to another floor, I'll leave it for later, but if I'm almost done then I'll try to finish it now.




Ooooh, so that's what it's good for.


: Hey, I guess I am. Cool!



: Oh, uh... I believe you!



Wait a minute, that's no oni! That's one of the Four Heavenly Kings!

Well, crap.

*: Tamamo uses Taru-nda to lower Komokuten's attack power, Hobgob uses Taru-kaja to increase ours, and Kei tries Zionga to see if it'll work. Fortunately, it does, but the guy gets a Zanma off first. It's not so bad, I might have a chance if I keep up the buffs and debuffs and can Shock him reliab-

...

I beat him on the third turn. That definitely can't be all.

...

I get EXP and level up. Did I really beat him?

...I didn't screenshot it, but he turned back into a statue and I left the room. Hmm. Let's try again.



Oh. Okay then. Whew!


Lv57 Kishin Komokuten
"He who sees all", Komokuten is one of the Four Heavenly Kings who preside over the cardinal directions (his is the west) and whose duty it is to defend the Buddha, Buddhists in general, and the realm of the quasi-divine Devas. If you've heard the term "Shitennou", well, these guys are the original ones. He's an extremely strong fighter with surprisingly high Magic; he knows Maha-Zanma, Zanma, and Sibabu.


Other than the EXP I don't seem to get anything from this fight. I suppose I have to take care of all four of the Heavenly Kings before something happens. In Nocturne, dealing with these guys is an optional sidequest that unlocks what is easily the most powerful equipment in the game (to put it simply), so maybe they've got a similar thing going on here.

You know, I might as well go back to the Shibuya area and check out the Meiji Shrine again.

I get there without much incident. Turns out the enemy roster is basically the same. A Rakshasa drops Renki-no-ken (98/30, 1 hit, anyone can use it), which is attractive enough to try using. We run into more Tengu, but I use an Indulgence because seriously.



Ah-ha!



: The guy who just made your fellow King his bitch. Wanna try me?


: If by "fairly and honorably" you mean six-against-one, then I'm all for that,



*: Using basically the same strategy, we kill him in two rounds. He also turns into a statue. Two down, two to go!

Lv55 Kishin Zochoten
"He who enlarges", Zochoten is the Heavenly King of the South. He's about as strong as Komokuten, and much faster, but his Magic isn't too hot. He knows Maha-Zionga, Taru-kaja and Suku-Kaja.


You know, the fact that I can see the Kings' stats in my Devil Analyze menu means that they're not actually bosses, and in fact I could probably get them through fusion someday. That explains why they seem wimpy in comparison to the random encounters in their lairs... but I sure wouldn't mind having them with me anyway.

In any case, that leaves us with one place to go: Ueno, the Gaian HQ. And that means going through Ikebukuro, the place Tetsuo warned me about.

That said, I hit the Mansion first. I got a few levels since the last time, plus a random Rusalka joined me while I was passing through Shibuya, and I just recruited a Tangie in Ginza; I want to see if I can get anything useful from those.

...there's a new option in the mansion.



Huh!

None of my minions seem to combine with it, though. Hmm! Interesting.

Anyway...

Watcher + Loa =


Lv14 Seirei Aquans
A water elemental, Magic-inclined and a fair healer but really not so hot by now. They know Diarama, Me-Dia and Zionga.


Aquans + Hobgoblin =

Lv40 Yousei Senri
In Japanese folklore, Senri are extremely old mountain cats who somehow turn into succubus-like creatures who seduce men to steal their lifeforce. They have fairly balanced stats, though none are particularly remarkable for their level, except their ridiculously high MP. They know Plinpa, Maha-Zanma and Dolminer.


I could fuse Gozuki and Werewolf to make Takeminakata (the very same demon Ozawa used against us in Shinjuku), and I would, but the dude's Chaos. Oh well.

Phurski + Tammuz + Tangie =


Lv38 Seijuu Kirin
Depictions of this mythological Chinese animal vary, from deers with dragon heads to hooved tigers to short-necked giraffes. They are righteous creatures who attack only the wicked; they can walk on water, and step on grass without bending the blades. Here they are durable if otherwise unremarkable fighters, though they do know Estma, Ricarm and Hanma, all useful and fairly rare spells.


And finally...

Kirin + Senri =



: :victory:
*: You know it's not Pascal, right?
: ...right. But... still...
*: Yeah, I understand. It's fine. You deserve to be happy again. It's what he would have wanted.
: Dude, don't gay this up for me, will you?
*: Okay, okay! Forget I said anything! Dang.

Well, that'll be it for now. I'll tool around Ginza some more to get a replacement Hobgoblin, then I'll call it a day.

Next time: the road to Ikebukuro!
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Classic

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Re: Let's play Shin Megami Tensei!
« Reply #101 on: March 02, 2011, 12:31:13 PM »

Does MAG actually do anything for the MC in SMT?
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François

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Re: Let's play Shin Megami Tensei!
« Reply #102 on: March 02, 2011, 12:47:37 PM »

I thought it didn't, and a guide told me it didn't, but I eventually noticed that characters and demons with low Magic take way more damage from spells than caster-types, so I'm fairly sure that it affects magic defense. I've been using all the Magic Incense I found on Francois, and he does seem to get hurt less from spells than he used to at the beginning.

I'd say it still isn't worth focusing on with your level-up points though, because once you get it just high enough that you don't get completely raped by spells, it becomes more useful to put points in Stamina to get more HP, or anywhere else, really. But yeah, I got in more than a few close calls back when I only had the minimum 5 Magic.
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R^2

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Re: Let's play Shin Megami Tensei!
« Reply #103 on: March 03, 2011, 04:04:21 AM »

In DS2, you got randomly attacked by the Riders, who were Fiend-type demons based on the horsement of the Apocalypse. The lowest of them was Pale Rider, who attacked when I was around level 18 or 20, I think, and he was level 55.

After a grueling fight, I won.

Next time I had a fusion "accident", it turned into Pale Rider. Still level 55. The next chapter or two of the game was pretty easy, especially when I used Pale Rider to win the fight with Red Rider and fused him into my party too.

Anyway. Maybe now that you've beaten a couple of Heavenly Kings, they're available for fusion now?
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François

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Re: Let's play Shin Megami Tensei!
« Reply #104 on: March 03, 2011, 05:31:17 AM »

Hmm, that'd be worth trying. I'm not sure if I can even get the right "ingredients" yet though; I know Juujin and Youki fuse into Kishin, but Werewolf and Gozuki would only make Takeminakata, which is the level 43 Kishin, and I'd need to rank him up twice to get Zochoten because there's Lv46 Kishin Nagasunehiko in the way. And for that I'd need to get my hands on two of the high-grade Seirei, either Undine or Salamander,which itself is no small task. I'm gonna keep an eye out for other ways, though.
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François

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Re: Let's play Shin Megami Tensei!
« Reply #105 on: March 05, 2011, 08:07:31 AM »

*: In Shinagawa, we learned of Echidna, a leader of the forces of Chaos who is supposedly planning to attack the Cathedral. She's supposed to be somewhere in the east of Tokyo... but we don't seem to have a way to go any further east than Ginza. All that's left to do is to go to Ueno to the north, through Ikebukuro, which is northwest.

I exit Ginza the same way I did when I wanted to go to Shinagawa, but take the west branch of the underground crossroads this time. We meet Tetsuo again, and he says exactly the same things he did when we ran into him here before, challenge and all.

Behind him is a staircase taking us one floor up to a small square floor with Sawobaks, Hobgoblins, Lilim and Dwarves. I get yet another Sonic Blade, and find another way up, to a long winding tunnel with an exit to the outside.



Zoshigaya is just southeast of Ikebukuro, so I must be close. To put things in relation, we're quite a way due north of Shinjuku, and far to the west of Ueno.



: I appreciate your concern, but I just bumped off two Heavenly Kings. To be honest, I'm feeling seven flavors of badass right now. I can take care of myself.
: I didn't want to have to be forced to take you in myself... *sigh* Oh well, there's no sense worrying about it now.
: What are you talking about?
: ...Come on, it's time for you to be judged.
: What the hell, Tetsuo? Are you actually working for the idiots in charge around here?

So he's changed too. Bah!

*: We're instantly taken to a building of some description.


: That your new boss? Dammit Tetsuo, Kaneda's the freaking Messiah now! And you're a random toady? What happened to you?
: Here, accused of maliciously manipulating demons, the trial of Francois -- in other words, you -- will be held. Be sure to mind your manners around Lord Yama!
: Look, I don't want to make you look bad in front of your beloved demon overlords, but you have to know that if I have to make a scene and bust out of there, I will.


: That's weird, I expected more kangaroos. Or, more Juujin Werekangaroos maybe.
: Francois, you cannot deny that you have been using a demon summoning program to summon, control, and bind demons to your will. The evidence is plain as day.
: How perceptive of you. I'm only wearing it on my arm all the time.
: Doing so is in flagrant disregard to the contract signed between demons and humans since time immemorial.
: Fffffwhat? I didn't sign anything.
: Furthermore, not only do you flagrantly use demons to do your bidding... but you cast your lot with the side of Law, that wishes to destroy demonkind!? Forcing your demons to work toward the undoing of their own race?!
: Okay, that one's just a misunderstanding. You see, I only helped a neighbor of mine -- nice girl, you'd like her -- to escape-
: Outrageous!! I sentence you to death, your execution to be carried out at sunrise! Get this miscreant out of my sight!
: Your Honor, I would like to appea- hey! HEY! Hands off the merchandise, buddy!

Dang.


: You get to live until tomorrow morning.
: Hey, that's my line!

Bah! Fie! Bah!



*: Okay, so. A small cell on a fourth floor. In Ikebukuro, presumably.




: This isn't my first cell. I'll think of something.

*: The cell is three squares: the empty center, the bars, and the end where Kei is. Every time I enter Kei's square, she says something different.

: What should we do...
: Hmm. WWKD?
: Huh?
: What Would Kaneda Do?
: ...

: Don't just sit there, help me think of something!
: Dammit, I can't seem to come up with plans that don't revolve around a goon coming in to gloat at us.

: Eh? Someone's here!

*: Checking out the bars again, the gate slides open.


: Had I known it was because you would sell me out, I might have watched my back a little more carefully!
: Look, I owe you one, so I'll let you out of here. But whatever you do, DON'T go to Ueno. Listen to me this time!
: Seriously, what happened to you? You used to be cool, but now you're all licking the Man's boots. Or, err, the Demon's boots. Whatever.

Well, okay, it's a stupid question. Worm happened to him, clearly. He leaves without a word.

Bah!

*: We run into some Chulruks, Turdaks and Sanni Yakas right away, but I talk them into paying me. Looks like we're busting out of here after all.



Lv40 Touki Mezuki
This inverted centaur is Gozuki's colleague, also making sure sinners stay in the Hindu underworld. A strong and quick fighter with Zionga, Suku-Kaja and Critical, but very low Magic.


*: I manage to recruit one. I wonder if it'll make anything interesting if I fuse it with Gozuki.



Lv43 Chirei Sarutahiko
Sarutahiko is a powerful Shinto god, notably the patron of martial arts. He once was the ruler of the earth gods; when the heaven gods (led by Amaterasu) invaded his realm, he was convinced to give it up by none other than Ame-no-Uzume, whom he later married. He's kind of a cleric-type, a decent fighter with acceptable Magic and the very useful Maha-Agion, Diarahan and Mahanma.


*: I recruit one of them as well.



Lv43 Youma Ongkot
A monkey prince from Thai folklore, cousin to the more famous Hanuman. He's fast and decently strong, but his other stats are not very good. He does have Maha-Zanma, Raku-kaja and Taru-kaja though, with lots of MP to cast them with.


*: And that's a third recruit, just to pacify them.



Wow. I don't even know what to say to that. Plus it's probably true.


: Yeah, God wants nothing more than a bunch of dead followers. You do that.


: I only wish that I could have looked upon the Cathedral in all its glory before I died...



*: If I had a mirror nearby, I could see what a man looks like when he's glad he doesn't have to fight a couple of Tamamo.



So this is the floor; it must be the top, since there are no up stairs. The Mapper spell tells me there's something in the middle, but it must be accessed from another floor. Just out of curiosity I try Kei's Toraport and Toraest, but they don't work. I guess it's so we don't warp out of jail. I wonder if they'd work on other floors. Anyway, onward to 3F!




At first I'm surprised to see him here, but he wrote the program I got in trouble for using, so it makes sense.

: The head of this place, Yama, is judging and sentencing all sorts of people.
: Yeah, I had gathered that.
: The judgement is indeed fair...
: :wat:
: ...but it is based on the ethical standards of Chaos, so if you don't hold the same values, you could be in real trouble.
: When in Rome, watch slaves kill each other, I guess.
: If you ever need help from me, feel free to come back and see me.

*: Steven heals us and offers to save our game. Huh!

: If you defeat Nio, you should be able to get out of prison.
: Alright then, he's as good as dead. See you later!


: I follow you so far.
: What's the matter with stealing a little to do so?
: :facepalm:

*: The encounter rate feels more irritating than usual, but fortunately I've befriended the tougher demons around and I can reliably intimidate the others. Man am I glad I've invested in Intelligence!


: You know, I'm beginning to understand why the Gaian courts are so overzealous.
: I was captured, but God will surely bless me for fulfilling his will!


: I was right, and I'm not afraid to admit it!

*: I don't find down stairs, but this time there's a path to the inner area.




: And that's why you will die.



*: Nio's a hard-hitter and targets two people at once, but a few rounds of Taru-nda remedy to that. He can use Sibabu, but as long as Kei doesn't get Bound then it's not a problem. The guy's got high defense though, so I replace Gozuki with Hobgoblin to accelerate things.

...we get enough EXP to level both Francois and Kei three times; Kei learns Ricarm. Sweet! By this point, Francois has almost 600 HP and is easily the hardest single-target hitter in the party.


: If I was a demon, I'd want myself.

Lv? Kishin Nio
Nio are incarnations of a Buddhist protector deity, said to have traveled with and protected Buddha himself. If you see two statues of massive musclebound angry guys at the entrance of a Buddhist temple, they're probably Nio.


*: I go back to Steven to heal up... but he's already gone. Huh!

The central area has up and down stairs, and an elevator going from 1F to 4F. I'm in good shape still, I can check out the rest of the top floor.



: They say that's it's been like that there for a long time. One person I met said that there used to be a "planetarium" and an "aquarium" there... but what are those things? I've never even heard of them before.

As pleasant it is to think of the apocalypse in terms of what survived, it's best not to linger too much on what didn't.

*: There's nothing else in 4F. Oh well. The second floor it is, then.

Teleportation spells are still no good.

Well, we find Luck, Magic and Stamina Incense, and are ambushed by a single Hobgoblin. Not bad! There are still lots of encouters, but with the exception of the odd overconfident Chulruk or Turdak, I don't actually have to fight anything. Heck, walking around here is downright profitable; I break the 400000 Makka and 70000 Magnetite marks, and random Gozuki and Mezuki give me several Agirao and Jionga Stones.




Hmm...

Heh, if might makes right, then I'm King Right. I'm gonna make my appeal yet.


: Look, you people got a thing or two to learn about due process. Allow me to enlighten you.
: Such insolence cannot be tolerated! I will destroy you myself!



*: Yama does nothing but strike a couple of targets per turn for over 120 damage each. He's immune to lightning, but Kei's fast enough to Diarahan anyone who gets close to death. Hobgob buffs and Tamamo debuffs, as usual.

Overall it's a brutal slugfest, but we outlast him, earning two more levels' worth of EXP, almost three. I have a feeling that if I had been just a little less strong, he would have wiped the floor with me.

...oh man, that must have been, like, super Lawful. Hmm. I wish I had thought of that before I murdered the guy.


Lv? Tenma Yama
There are a couple fairly different versions of this guy floating around Eastern mythologies, but this is definitely the Japanese one. He is the judge of the dead, deciding whether the souls of the recently deceased can become honored ancestors or are sent directly to a hellish afterlife without passing Go or collecting 200 Makka. He's also Gozuki and Mezuki's boss.

Tenma are mighty Light-Chaos gods, known for being especially strict, inflexible, and even sometimes aggressive and violent; one might associate them with retribution, righteous vengeance, or necessary destruction.



: Look. I kill self-important douchebags. It's what I do. You can't possibly have brought me here expecting something else to happen.
: ...So I guess this means Yama wasn't so tough after all... Hmm, this looks even worse for us than I expected! I'd better get out there and make myself even stronger if I'm gonna survive.
: Yeah, you could take your chances and do that. Or, you could-
: See ya!
: -come... with... Whatever, dude. Whatever.

Let's get out of here.

*: Oh hey, I just got four encounters in a row in the same square. That's new.

Anyway. I take the elevator to the ground floor.



: ...but nobody's been up there to either confirm or deny the report. It's rumored that there's an expert in demon fusion imprisoned up there.
: Oooh, sounds like someone I gotta meet.



Hmm. I wonder if it might be a Heavenly King.

: Makes me feel better knowing we're protected... but I sure wouldn't want to meet him in a dark alley!

I don't have the heart to tell him I might have to kick the guy's ass.

*: Oh hey, a Jakyou Mansion! Lessee...

Gozuki + Mezuki =



Lv30 Seirei Gnome
The gnome, at its origins, is a concept of an earth elemental, introduced in 16th century alchemy. The word was later appropriated by folklore and fairy tales into more or less a synonym for "goblin". By now they're not much use in a fight, but they are the first of the four high-grade Seirei, required to rank up the stronger demon families.


Not technically the special fusion I expected, but now I know where to get an easy Gnome! I decline getting this one now though, because I don't exactly need it at the moment.

Werewolf + Sarutahiko =


Lv46 Yousei Troll
Originally an insulting name for mythological Norse giants (otherwise called the Jotun), the wordhas evolved into the multitude of usages we know today, though it generally designates large, dim-witted ogre-types. Here they are acceptable fighters with very high defense, but they are most remarkable for their relatively high MP. They know Bufula, Maha-Bufu, and Diarahan.


Troll's not as strong as Werewolf, but he's tougher, more resistant to magic, and he's my first source of ice damage in a long, long time. Plus it's nice to have someone who can back-up Kei on the healing front. Diarahan always heals up to the maximum, so the Magic Power stat is a non-issue.



*: Oh hey, new junk store owner. He sells one-shot offense items. The only things kinda worth looking at are Dragon ATMs and Hiko-bari (poison needles that have a chance to kill one target), and I don't really need either.


: Err...
: Shhh!
: Right.
: Evildoers and Mesians alike are all sentenced to death.


: Yes please! :cake:

*: The guy sells Pauza P50s, but the main attractions are the Explosive Gun (80/10, hits 2-8 times) and the Golden Gun (95/30, hits 3-6 times). Both can be equipped by anyone, so it's a long overdue upgrade for Kei. I buy her the Golden Gun for the extra punch, and get Francois an Explosive Gun for the additional targets.

On the ammo side, we can get Plutonium Shells again, or Magic Shells, which... can cause... Charm. Oh my. If the hit percentage is even remotely decent, this could be borderline overpowered. I just have to try them.



: So you're saying that Yama didn't have what it takes either?
: ...!
: Ha!



*: Nice! Let's see...

For Francois:
-Circlet of Knowledge (15/11, +2 Intelligence)
-Hakuma's Armor (40/17, +2 Stamina)
-Musha Greaves (14/6, +2 Speed)

For Kei:
-Circlet of Knowledge
-Powered Suit (20/20, +2 to all stats)

The Powered Suit has lower defense than Kei's old Crimson Armor, and much lower defense than the Panzer Suit I can buy here, but it gives her even higher Evasion, and the +2 to all stats is kind of a big deal; that's 12 levels' worth of points. Francois could get one too, but since he's the frontline guy I'd rather give him the huge defense boost of Hakuma's Armor. He's kind of a brick by now; if Tamamo didn't reflect physical damage, I'd put him in front of everyone.

All in all, this shopping spree leaves me with a little under 300000 Makka.

I find a Terminal and a Gaia Temple nearby.

...according to the save screen, the place where I last saved with Steven actually was Sugamo Prison! I didn't see anyone who knew about fusion... Hmm.


I finally get to see the light of day again.



*: I think my blue icon is spinning clockwise a little faster now; I probably am getting more and more Lawful. But I didn't kill Yama because he was Chaos-aligned, I killed him because he was an asshole!

Oh well.

At this point I think I might as well embrace my alignment for now, in terms of the minions I summon. It'd really free up some options at the Mansion for sure, and I'm sure I'd find a way to help some non-douchebag Gaians sooner or later...

And hey, if there aren't any non-douchebag Gaians, then fuck 'em.

Well, I'm calling this an update for now. Next time, I'll explore the Ikebukuro neighborhood, and maybe check the Prison again to make sure I didn't miss that fusion specialist I've heard about.
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François

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Re: Let's play Shin Megami Tensei!
« Reply #106 on: March 08, 2011, 05:50:55 PM »

*: I went back to Sugamo Prison to look for the fusion expert, but I couldn't find a trace of the guy. I'm beginning to think the rumor might have been about... me.

I had the opportunity to field-test the Charm-causing Magic Ammo, and it's phenomenal. I don't know if resistance to charm is common, but if it's not, this might be the last type ammunition I ever need.

I also recruited another Sarutahiko. My current party is still all Neutral, but seeing as killing Yama sunk me even deeper into Law I'm not going to fret too much about the alignment of my minions anymore. My return to Neutrality will come through plot events, or it won't come at all.

Alright, so! We're before the entrance to Ikebukuro, ready to explore the surrounding wasteland, and maybe to find an overland route to Ueno... even though Tetsuo told us not to go there. I also want to see if I can find the Kishin who is said to protect this area, since he's probably a Heavenly King.

Dang, there's lots of new cryptozoology out here!



Lv34 Youchou Badb Catha
Badb Catha is one of a trio of ancient Irish war goddesses, along with Macha and Morrigan. Taking the form of a crow, she bears witness to battles and announces doom for one side, and sometimes even causes disorder and disturbances to grant victory to whoever is fortunate enough to be in her favor at the time; if a sudden gust of wind blows your archer's projectiles off target, you know who to blame. She's very fast, but fragile and relatively weak; she has a Claw attack, the multi-hit force elemental Flap-Wing, and, appropriately, Panic Voice.



Lv51 Jaryuu Basilisk
The Basilisk is the king of reptiles, a creature so deadly and venomous that grass burns and stones break in its wake, and a horseman striking one with a lance would die along with his horse from the poison traveling up his weapon. It is also said to turn living things to stone just by looking at them, just like a cocatrice. It's fairly strong, but its other stats are merely acceptable. The real danger comes from its skills: Paralysis Bite, Petra-Eye, and Venom Breath.



Lv43 Jaryuu Wyvern
The wyvern is a composite reptile from European folklore, often seen in heraldry; it is usually described as having the body of a lizard, the head of and wings of a dragon, and the tail of a scorpion. It's strong, fast and reasonably tough, but dumb as a box of rocks. It has a Bite attack, Flap-Wing, and Fire Breath.



Lv51 Datenshi Marchocias
A Great Marquis of Hell, commanding thirty legions of demons. He appears in the form of a winged wolf with a snake's tail, and is mostly known for being good in a fight, as well as having the generic Goethian demon power of answering truthfully to all questions. He has good overall stats with great MP, and can perform well in any role; he knows Agirao, Bite, and Charm-Bite. He's also immune to fire.



Lv38 Majuu Orthrus
Orthrus is Kerberos' underachieving two-headed brother, most notable for getting punked by Hercules, who was attempting to rustle his master Geryon's red cattle in order to accomplish his tenth labor. A fast figher-type, with Bite, Estma and Toraest.



Lv 42 Kyouchou Gurr
In Sri Lankan Buddhism, Gurr is an evil, carnivorous eagle demon; he might actually be a dig at rival Hindu god Garuda, who is also an eagle, but also far less of a douche in his original religion. He's got a mind-blowing 30 Speed, but all his other stats suck hard. He knows Claw, Flap-Wing, and Mudo, the latter of which might be his sole redeeming feature.



Lv40 Rakcarango
A demonic bull from Tibetan folklore, usually depicted as entirely red from the blood of its victims. An average fighter with okay Strength, it knows Bash, Wall of Water, and Rampage.



Lv47 Chirei Giant
It has huge guts! Giants have average Strength for fighter-types of their level, but great Stamina, HP and physical defense. They know Rampage and Critical.


*: I quickly see the exit of the Ginza tunnel, to the southeast, just as I thought. There's someone standing in the spot where were intercepted by Tetsuo...


: But before that, it used to be called Sugamo Prison even earlier. And that older name's back, and is what the place's called now.

*: Sugamo Prison is an actual location in Ikebukuro, built in 1920 to imprison political prisoners. It was taken over by Allied forces at the end of World War II, but was then used to incarcerate war criminals, and some of them were executed on the premises. It was closed down in the seventies, and the Sunshine 60 skyscraper was built on its site in 1978; it was the tallest building in Japan at the time.

I occasionally hop back to the Mansion to see if the new hires around here can fuse into anything interesting. And it turns out that they do!

Badb Catha + Rusalka = Sytry

Sytry + Hobgoblin =


Lv40 Tenshi Power
Ranked 6th among the orders of angels, the Powers are the scholars of Heaven, serving as advisors and planners. They are also mighty warriors, second-to-none in their loyalty to God... though it is theorized that Satan may actually have been the leader of the Powers before he fell. Here they are decent fighters with good defense and excellent MP for their level; they know Mahanma, Taru-Kaja and Raku-Kaja.


Level 40 is a little low, but it turns out that Gnome (Gozuki + Mezuki) ranks up Tenshi, so...

Gnome + Power =

Lv46 Tenshi Virtue
Forming the fifth order of angels, Virtues are tasked with watching over and maintaining the movement of stars and planets, and therefore making sure that the cosmos is working according to God's will. They are fighter-mages, very durable but a little low in Strength, with Maha-Agion, Me-Diarahan, and Ricarmdora. Me-Diarahan restores the entire party's HP to full and costs only 14 MP, and is therefore incredibly valuable.


That's pretty damn cool, but the next Tenshi is level 52, and I'm level 54. :glee:

Gnome + Virtue =


Lv52 Tenshi Dominion
The fourth order of angels, Dominions are basically the managers of the heavenly hierarchy, making sure everyone below them does what they need to do. They rarely have contact with humans, but where lesser angels are charged with watching over individual mortals, Dominions preside over entire nations. They are strong, durable fighters, with excellent overall stats; they know Zionga, Taru-nda, and Marin-karin.


I also see that Gnome ranks up Chirei twice, so I pick up another Gozuki/Mezuki pair to get...

Gnome + Sarutahiko =


Lv50 Chirei Atlas
In Greek mythology, Atlas is the titan who holds up the heavens, charged by Zeus to make sure Gaia (the earth) and Uranus (the sky) never hook up and get it on; the whole "holding the planet on his shoulders" thing is a later addition. Rumor has it he considered giving up his duty when he became associated with a particularly ridiculous philosophy, but it turns out he was made of sterner stuff, and merely shrugged it off. Quite appropriately, he's durable and crazy strong. He knows Suku-kaja, Diarahan and Rampage, the latter of which is incredibly valuable, given that it is his only Extra skill and is therefore guaranteed to come up at will.


So yeah, my party's kind of a death machine. On top of that, I'm going to try and get a couple other Tenshi now that I know how and have just enough free slots to fuse them; I want to know if their Seirei can help me out.

Badb Catha + Senri (recruited outside Ikebukuro) = Leonard

Leonard + Elf (recruited in Shibuya) =


Lv34 Tenshi Archangel
The eight order of angels, the Archangels are footsoldiers (well, wingsoldiers) and messengers, primarily charged with fighting fallen angels and communicating God's will to mortals. They're excellent fighters with good overall stats; they know Agirao, Hanma and Diarama.


(Badb Catha + Rusalka) + Hobgoblin = Power

Archangel + Power =


Lv25 Seirei Sylph
Sharing origins with the gnomes, sylphs are invisible spirits of the air, referred to in alchemy but later recycled in folklore and such. They're fast, but long obsolete by the time you can get them.


*: I do get a couple of good choices, but something else catches my attention. Every time I got a new demon, I checked the Sword Fusion menu to see if I had just happened to find out a working combination, but nope. Until now.



So it wants a specific Seirei! Infusing the sword with elemental properties would certainly make sense. Let's see how this goes.



...so the Kusanagi-no-tsurugi is a double-edged broadsword. Huh.



Futsu-no-mitama, eh? Lessee... 80 power, 3 accuracy, hits 1-3 times, anyone can equip it. I dunno... It's only 18 points weaker than Francois' Renki-no-Ken, but the accuracy is bullshit. That said, I've been increasing Francois' Speed the last few level ups, so maybe it's gonna be worth using. I'll give it a shot.

...eh? Renki-no-ken appears in the Sword Fusion list now. So I can fuse that too! Hmm. And so does Futsu-no-mitama! I can't do anything with either now, but I'm gonna keep my eyes open.

Alright, I should be done with fusion for a while. Recruiting all those demons did cost me a bunch of money, magnetite, Magic Stones, Orbs, a few random gems, plus it took a long time. I got mad upgrades but it definitely wasn't free.

So, now I have
-Troll
-Kerberos
-Dominion
-Atlas
-Gnome
-Ongkot
-Tamamo
-3 free slots

And now I'm gonna explore for real, instead of just trolling for Badb Catha outside the front door.

There's a big desert in the west, but it's dead end. The north and south are blocked by massive cliffs and a river, respectively. That leaves the east. I don't find an overland path to Ueno, but...



Ah-ha!

There's the usual Heavenly King assortment of random encounters, so yeah, this is the next one.



Yyyup.




Hoooly crap, this isn't the third one, it's the big cheese himself!

: Well I just cooked up a bunch of new friends sooooo maybe?





*: I have Tamamo debuff his attack, and Ongkot buff our defense, then our attack. Guy's vulnerable to Shock and Freeze. He does get a couple of hits in... but either hits Tamamo, or uses Maha-Bufula, which Freezes most of us but only delays the inevitable.



:cake::cake::cake:

Aaaaand that makes three more levels. One King left to go!

Lv75 Kishin Bishamonten
Bishamonten is the leader of the Heavenly Kings, presiding over the North. In Japan, he is regarded as a mighty war god, which is somewhat at odds with his pacifist Buddhist origins; there he is also counted among the Seven Lucky Gods. Here he is an exceptional warrior, with an almost maxed out Strength and mostly excellent stats besides. He knows Diarama, Maha-Bufula and Mahanma.




*: He turns back to a statue.

Taira-no-Masakado was a 10th century samurai who led a rebellion against the central authority in Japan at the time. The revolt was quelled and the man decapitated, but it turns out his head was buried in a small village which would later become Edo, then Tokyo. He's been basically deified since, and it is said that the prosperity of Tokyo is in direct proportion to the respect paid to the shrine that was built in his honor, and the place is a big deal even today.

Unusually, there is a second exit to the shrine. It's to the east; that must be the way to Ueno. On my way out, I actually convince a Tengu to join me (at no small expense).




Whew, we made it. That was quite the detour!

Alright, next time, we start looking around the Gaian mecca for a demon worshipper in need who's worth helping out. Mission impossible? Maybe!

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Brentai

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Re: Let's play Shin Megami Tensei!
« Reply #107 on: March 08, 2011, 06:24:56 PM »

Quote
...so the Kusanagi-no-tsurugi is a double-edged broadsword. Huh.

Supposedly yeah.

It's odd to think that Japan might have actually had a bronze age at some point with typical short swords instead of just running around since the Neolithic period killing each other with that trademark curved steel design, but yeah that is the sort of sword that would predate recorded history.

It's pretty funny to see how disposable this game treats that particular weapon considering that possession of it would basically make you Emperor of Japan.
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François

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Re: Let's play Shin Megami Tensei!
« Reply #108 on: March 09, 2011, 03:38:33 AM »

I dunno, to me it feels like the KNS is deliberately downplayed. It's a safe bet to say there's not much of an Imperial Family left; heck, there's barely even a Japan left. Humans are either Mesians and answer to God, or they huddle in unsafe shelters under whatever local demon managed to bully its way into leadership. If we paraded around claiming divine right to rule on account of a sword, maybe some people would follow us out of desperation, but mostly we'd be laughed out of town.

...unless we started busting some heads of course, which we're doing anyway. We did just beat up three literal god-kings.

On the other hand, the Futsu-no-mitama isn't exactly a no-name weapon itself. It is said that it was Take-mikazuchi's sword, until Amaterasu ordered him to give it to the legendary first Emperor of Japan to help him in his conquests. The Isonokami Shrine is actually dedicated to its deified kami.
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Koah

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Re: Let's play Shin Megami Tensei!
« Reply #109 on: March 09, 2011, 04:36:34 AM »

If it's the actual Kusanagi (and considering what's happening in the world, it's entirely reasonable to assume it is), having it just be in a chest with no fanfare honestly kind of makes sense: The real one was lost, misplaced, stolen or otherwise not where it should have been for centuries and it certainly doesn't look like it's of earth-shattering importance, least of all to people whose experience with Japanese gods entails either fighting them or hiding from them.  The Mesians could have just killed the person (or demon) who had it without knowing what it was, then just tossed it into a storage room.  Or they could have looted it from a shrine when they were off doing Mesian things, e.g. fighting anything that's not a Mesian.

...and/or the relative lack of fanfare upon getting it could be a sign that the world is not as it was.  I'm probably reading into things too much.
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François

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Re: Let's play Shin Megami Tensei!
« Reply #110 on: March 09, 2011, 04:58:51 AM »

I like the mental image of the Mesians giving it the old Indiana Jones Ark of the Covenant treatment. It was just lying around in a nondescript crate on a floor that consisted almost entirely of storage closets.

...and/or the relative lack of fanfare upon getting it could be a sign that the world is not as it was.  I'm probably reading into things too much.

That's how I see it too. A lot of things simply don't matter any more, least of all mere human politics. If the sword was of value as a powerful weapon, it would probably have been more contested despite the loss of its symbolic value, but even if you take into account its unique ability, it's just not very effective in battle. Which does make sense, it being ridiculously old and all.
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Brentai

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Re: Let's play Shin Megami Tensei!
« Reply #111 on: March 09, 2011, 02:58:22 PM »

To be fair it would be a ridiculously powerful weapon if people were still in the habit of engaging in mass warfare.  When the description says "hits all enemies" they really do mean it hits all of your enemies.

Against small groups or solo war-gods though... yeah, it's pretty much just a very old bronze broadsword with a wind enchantment.  Besides, nukes have clearly proven to be more effective at decimating shit anyway.
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Classic

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Re: Let's play Shin Megami Tensei!
« Reply #112 on: March 09, 2011, 03:39:46 PM »

I wonder if a MegaTen game set someplace other than Japan would sell.
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François

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Re: Let's play Shin Megami Tensei!
« Reply #113 on: March 11, 2011, 03:51:06 PM »

*: We're finally in Ueno.



Just south of Bishamonten's shrine is Tokyo Dome City, an entertainment complex including a baseball stadium, and amusement park, a hotel, a martial arts arena, and various other such venues. It's kind of a shame we can't get in.


: Aw.
*: What, you wanted to see some demon baseball?
: Kinda, yeah. Wouldn't you?
*: ...maybe.

East of the Dome is a small building enclosed by trees.



There was one of those on the way to Shibuya, but I didn't think of mentioning it. Hmm.

Anyway. I explore further east, and find an area densely littered with ruined buildings. Two of them are the type that we can enter, but at the eastern extremity...



Well, there we go. Let's clear out this place first and see if we can get anything for it.

Yeah, it's definitely the fourth Heavenly King shrine. The first thing I find is a second exit, though.



Kanda, eh? That's north of Ginza. We were there earlier, but our path was cut off by collapsed roads, so this must be a separate area. I'll check it out later.






: Fabled? Hell yeah! I'd ask if you've said your prayers, but I'm not sure if that's the sort of thing you guys do.
: We are the guardians of the four borders of Tokyo, working under the guidance and direction of our guardian deity.


: I wish everybody felt that. It'd sure make it easier to get around.
: Indeed, it elicits a feeling of excitement and anticipation within me!
: Er... let's... let's not get carried away here.
: For the first time in centuries, one with the strength to provide a good fight has arrived!
: Yes! Fight! A fight! Of course!
: Come, show me what you are capable of!
: Bring it!



*: Buffs, debuffs, freezing, shocking. His icon switched to the wounded stance after two rounds, and he got an Agirao off on the third, hitting Kei for 16 damage. Then he changed into a statue.

Lv59 Kishin Jikokuten
"He who maintains the state", Jikokuten is the Heavenly King of the east. He has immense Strength and Stamina, but his others stats aren't so hot. He knows Agirao, Taru-kaja and Diarama.


Well, there we are. We beat all four. Nothing special is happening... but I guess we should track down Taira no Masakado next. Where's his shrine again?

Wikipedia says he's worshipped at Kanda Shrine. Well, that's convenient! I should probably go to Ueno and do my business there but I'm in a sidequesty mood right now, plus I'm still good for MP.

Back in Kanda, the only way is south.



Hmm, I remember seeing this bridge from Ginza.




: ...!
: I can't let you pass!

Is that...?

Hmm...

: Is there something wrong?
: I'm not sure.
: Should we force our way through?
: I... Nah, let's ask around to see if anyone knows anything about this bridge first.

*: We aren't given any options. All we can do is turn back.



So yeah, there are two accessible buildings in Ueno. I take the northern one first.



What a dump.



Lv46 Touki Nataku
Nataku is the Japanese name of Nezha, a Chinese trickster deity. Legend has it his mother was pregnant with him for over three years, and he was born as a ball of flesh that was so unsettling to behold that his father tried to kill him with a sword; the wound merely opened up the ball, and Nezhu jumped out a full grown boy. Later in life he killed a prince of the sea dragons, and flayed and disemboweled himself to spare his kin from the dragons' vengeance. I suppose that explains his Frankenstein's monster-like appearance; concept art depicts him as all stitched-up. He's a fairly strong fighter, immune to ice, but not too smart. He knows Suku-nda, Rampage, and Critical.



Lv44 Yama Ni Chalong
Ni Chalong is a terrible witch in service to Rangda, a demon queen of Balinese folklore. Though she herself was ugly as sin, she had a beautiful daughter, which no man dared to approach because, well, witch's daughter and all. Eventually, a legendary hero's brave pupil actually married the girl, and with her help he found out Ni Chalong's secret weakness, which allowed the hero to slay her. She's got lots of MP and fairly well-rounded, if unremarkable, stats; she knows Zionga, Dolminer and Parala-Eye.



: Disneyland? Yeah, of course!
: No, Destinyland.
: Oh... Err. No.
: You haven't? Then I'll tell you... if you give me 100 Makka.
: I don't know if it's worth that much to me. Let me see if I can put such a sum together. Atlas?

With a sigh of relief, the mighty titan sets down the comically bulging sack of money he's been carrying around for me; it springs a leak and spills approximately seventy-five thousand Makka on the floor without giving any sign of running out anytime soon. I motion for my other companions to help pick the assorted bills and coins back up.

: ...
: You know what, here's your hundred. Don't spend it all in one place.

Atlas hoists the sack back on his shoulders, straining slightly under the weight.

: There's... there's an island down to the south, and they say that people that go there get blessed with good luck. Enough luck to change the course of your fate, even.
: Interesting! I can always use some good luck!
: like you haven't already had more than your share you filthy bourgeois douchefuck
: Did you say something?
: I... uh... no. Not at all!
: Good.
: The only problem is that recently a demon has taken up residence by the bridge, and has clearly lost its mind.

That might just be the Kerberos we met. Hmm... I heard about Gaians stealing a Golden Apple in order to pacify a beast before.

*: We find a Terminal and a Jakyou Mansion next. Excellent!

Oh, hey!







Lessee...

...

155 attack power, 5 accuracy, 2-4 hits, anyone can use it.

Holy crap. That's worth an investment in Speed all by itself. And Atlas knows Suku-kaja, which should help my accuracy a great deal if I need it.

Francois went from 109/33 total power and accuracy with the Futsu-no-mitama to 184/35 with the Fuujin-ken.

:cake:

It doesn't look like it can be upgraded further like the FNM can, but I'm not sure why I'd need to, really.

Anyway, that's all the fusin' I need to do right now. Let's carry on.



: Gah! What the-
: Some angel came to the Tokyo Tower and has been broadcasting footage nonstop, trying to brainwash more puppets into following their god, and it was statrting to piss me off.
: G... good for you!



Dang, she wasn't lying.


: Don't we all?
: But there's no way in hell I'd try and get past that huge dog-monster guarding the entrance!

Good thing my own Kerberos isn't summoned right now.


Lv48 Datenshi Ose
A Great President of Hell, ruling over three legions of demons. He appears in the form of a leopard, presides over the liberal sciences, answers truthfully yada yada yada. More uniquely, he can make people insane. Specifically, he is said to make people believe they are the Pope. He must be a hoot at parties! He's a strong fighter-mage with fairly good stats over all; he knows Sibabu, Marin-Karin and Maha-Agion.



: Look, I don't know what you could possibly want with me, but I think you'd better stay out of my way.
: Ho ho! So, you dare to challenge me? You shall regret that decision!
: You know exactly what it is I'm going to cut off if you bug me for one more second.
: Your luck is at an end, running into me!
>Incubus is laughing at you.
: I'm not in the habit of taking guff from your kind. Get out of my sight.
: Taste my power!
: EWWWWW! NO!

Lv49 Yama Incubus
In Christian folklore, an Incubus is a male demon who seduces women and has sex with them to steal their souls. Most notably, according to some traditions, Merlin's father (of Arthurian fame) was an Incubus. Here they are mostly spellcasters, though their physical stats aren't entirely garbage. They know Death Touch, Sibabu, and Demon's (?).



Lv39 Kijo Gorgon
Nasty female monsters from Greek mythology; they are usually depicted as half-women half-snakes, but some are said to have wings, tusks, or claws. Medusa and her sisters Euryale and Stheno are the most famous Gorgons by far, and depending on who you ask, they are in fact the only three in existence. In most cases, they are quite venomous, and are ugly enough to turn anyone who looks at them to stone. They're good fighters for their level, with good defense and HP. If that wasn't enough already, they know Makala-karn, Petra-Eye and Me-Diarahan.



: Ooooh, that's precious. Doctor Doom's Mini-me survived the apocalypse!



Man, why is every demon summoner but me a complete asshole?

*: It's impressive how Corpses can still take a beating, but they sure can't dish it out anymore.



*: Dealing with Tentarafu eight times per round could have been a pain... but Kei used Mahanma on all of them. NEXT!



*: Oh. Hmm.

Well, Kei came through for us again with a swift Mahanma, taking out all four Legions. Sanni Yaka are nothing new, fortunately. One Ongkot has got his Taru-kaja off, Francois kills at least two per round by himself.


Lv44 Akuryou Legion
Their name is Legion, for they are many. A vast congregation of demons, notable for being cast out of a single man by Jesus Himself; since they had nowhere else to go, they possessed a herd of swine and threw themselves off a cliff. Of course, we know they went on to become one of the coolest video game bosses of all time, so hey, that sure beats possessing a random schmuck. They're fairly strong and durable, but otherwise they don't have much going for them... though they know Death Touch and a mysterious "Road to(?)" skill which might make up for it.


: Listen, chucklenuts. I'm the best at what I do. When will you idiots learn?





FUCK YEAH!

: Well, you just purchased yourself a new lease on life, my friend. Make me proud!

*: I hope Steven returned to his room in Ginza. I'm not sure how to track him down otherwise, though I guess he has a habit of finding me.

We find a junk shop. It has a wide selection of one-use Stones that cast elemental spells, but I don't really need them, plus my inventory's tight enough as it is.

Next up is a second exit. It leads out to... Akihabara. That's the second building I noticed when I was exploring outside. Good to know!



: Those Gaians are something else, living right on top of a monster like that without breaking a sweat!

I hope this guy doesn't open the door to his room too often. It's not like the place isn't swarming with monsters anyway.

*: We find an armor shop. They sell all four pieces of male-only Jagd equipment, which seem to be some of the best stuff money can buy.

We buy:
-Jagd Helm (24/10, +2 Int)
-Jadg Armor (50/12, +2 Str)
-Jagd Gloves (11/6, +2 Str)
-Jagd Leggings (12/15, +2 Spd)

Next door is a gun shop. They have the male-only Gigasmasher (100/8, hits 1-8 times) for 80000 Makka, and Kunitomo's Gun (110/40, hits 3-5 times) for 100000. They're both completely better than what we have, but for once, I'm hesitant about the price. It wouldn't put me in the poorhouse, but buying one of each would cost me half my money.

Aw, to hell with it. Francois gets a Gigasmasher, and Kei gets Kunitomo's Gun.

Ammo-wise they have Medusa Shells (28 power, causes Stone) and Antimagic Shells (25 power, causes Close). They both sound nice, but I'm gonna keep my Magic Shells for the moment at least.

We find a down staircase nearby; it certainly leads to the sewers, but I'll finish things up with the ground floor first.

Next up is a very welcome Gaian Temple. We weren't exactly close to death but I do use up some MP in fights around here, mostly for Taru-kaja and the occasional Maha-Bufu and Maha-Zionga.



: Louis... Cypher?

Hmm. Hmmmmmmmmmmm.

: But please, call me Louis, all my friends do.
: What can I do for you, mister Cypher?
: I actually have someone here who's been dying to see you. She says you know her quite well, actually.

Couldn't be...

: Hey, you wanted to see Francois? He's right over here...



:oic:

: I'd like to say I did not want to see you again, but since you took something of mine last time we met, I was actually quite looking forward to this.
: This didn't turn out right... I was supposed to be the one to be your partner. But you chose that woman, Kei, instead!
: So I picked the girl who wasn't a bloodthirsty psychobitch. Big surprise there!
: ...Or perhaps more appropriately, you were chosen by her... I tried to take you away from her... But I failed...
: Look, if you want to make amends, you could always start by giving me Belial's-
: If I can't have you, no one will!



What the f-

*: Francois actually takes some damage here.



: Well you kind of ALREADY DID!
: Farewell, Francois....
: You're not getting away that- dammit!
: Oh my. This was certainly unexpected. My apologies -- try not to think too badly of her.
: Are you for real? Do you have any idea what-

...he's gone too.

So Yuriko is... Lilith?

*: The plot thickens!

Next time, we finish exploring Ueno. Maybe we can track down that Golden Apple and clear up the business with the unusual Kerberos, and also find out why Tetsuo didn't want us to set foot here.
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R^2

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Re: Let's play Shin Megami Tensei!
« Reply #114 on: March 14, 2011, 09:21:57 AM »

Later incarnations of the Incubus are little tiny flying imps with massive phallic codpieces that look like they're made of animal horn or something. Certainly much better than the ones here.
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Classic

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Re: Let's play Shin Megami Tensei!
« Reply #115 on: March 14, 2011, 09:26:54 AM »

They remind me of penis gourds actually, link surprisingly safe for work!
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François

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Re: Let's play Shin Megami Tensei!
« Reply #116 on: March 14, 2011, 06:45:20 PM »

Yeah, the imp-like incubi are clearly designed to be comical and ridiculous, but the horrible goat-men here are ten kinds of creepy. If I wasn't already fairly certain that Succubi are going to be legitimately smokin', I'd be a little worried.
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Saturn

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Re: Let's play Shin Megami Tensei!
« Reply #117 on: March 14, 2011, 07:57:10 PM »

both Incubus and Succubus are pallet swaps of other demons in SMT

Succubus is a recolored Lilim and Incubus is a recolored Leonard

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François

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Re: Let's play Shin Megami Tensei!
« Reply #118 on: March 15, 2011, 04:22:51 AM »

*: Momentous revelations aside, we still have a good chunk of Ueno to explore, not to mention the sewers. Let's get to it. With a little luck we'll learn about where Yu... where Lilith has run off to.


: Err... okay. Thanks, kid.

That guy seems way too nice for the company he keeps.


: Rumor has it though that the Gaians are preparing an assault on it to try to take it over.
: I don't have much love for the Gaian agenda on principle, but considering what the Mesians have in store for them, I can't blame them.

*: There are two completely unexpected damage traps on a corridor hugging the north end of the area. That kinda sucks.

...that corridor leads to nothing but a Rag's franchise. What a doucher.



: Do the Gaians even have baptism? Maybe they turned you away because you wanted them to perform a Christian ritual on you.

*: We find an up staircase behind that last guy. I guess the Gaian leaders are there, since I've cleared the ground floor and haven't found them yet.

This is the ground floor, by the way.



I'm just glad the map designers resisted the temptation to make everything fill a 16x16 grid.

Before we check out the second floor, I want to see the sewers and this Ladon creature I've heard about. In Greek mythology, Ladon is the guardian of the Garden of the Hesperides, where Golden Apples grow; if I want to pacify the rogue Kerberos, this is my best bet.

Back to the down staircase we go!



Oh, great.

First encounter is an Atlas. Boy am I glad I'm already friends with him.



: H... Hello!
: :facepalm:
>The demon is ignoring you.
: What's a pretty thing like you doing in a sewer like this?
: Starting now, you're my slave!
: I'm afraid I have to decline. I'm already spoken for.
: Boooring!
: Actually I'm anything but boring. I'm sure you've heard of me by now.
: Hee hee hee hee... Here I come!
: I hope you don't mean that liter-OW!

Lv54 Yama Succubus
The famous infernal temptresses. Depictions vary quite a bit, from outright monstrous demons in early tales to the modern flawless supermodel types, and everything in between. They've been held responsible for things as harmless as nocturnal emissions, but are dangerous enough to absorb men's life energy and even steal their souls. In some traditions, Lilith is said to have been the first succubus, and her myriad daughters, the Lilim, walk in their mother's footsteps. Here, Succubi are quite fragile for their level, but have high Intelligence, even higher Magic, and enough MP to cast their one spell over a hundred times. They know Death Touch (made devastating by their Magic Power stat), Demon's Kiss (causes Charm) and a very effective Dolminer.


In the same encounter, an Ose drops Deathbringer (90/15, hits 1-3 times, only for Chaos males), which isn't a shitty weapon by any means but doesn't compare to the Fuujin-ken.

We run into some poison traps. It's amulet time!



Hmm, that's an unusual floor, and it's not very large either. Let's keep going down.



And that's another short floor littered with traps. Only one square left to explore!




Holy crap that thing is ugly. Let's kill it.

*: Oh hey, it's vulnerable to Shock and Freeze. With Francois dealing between 500 and 1000 damage per round with a couple layers of Taru-kaja on, the fight doesn't last long.



Score!

Lv? Jaryuu Ladon
In Greek mythology, Ladon was a fierce dragon who guarded the apple tree in the Garden of the Hesperides, a magnificent garden tended by nymphs. According to some stories, it was taken down by Hercules on one of his twelve labors like so many other Greek critters, but in some others, it is actually so terrible and mighty that Hercules has to trick Atlas into picking one of the golden apples for him.


*: I could hoof it all the way back, but eh, I just have Kei Toraport us to the Terminal. We haven't even spent enough MP to make it worth going to the Gaian Temple, so we set out for the brige.





: What am I doing here...?
: Pas... Pascal?
: Y-you're Francois...! I'm glad you're still alive!
: :8D:
: The last thing I remember clearly is getting teleported by that strange machine. It garbled my senses and I lost my memory. I wandered around aimlessly for a while, until I finally ended up here as a guard dog for this place. Would you be so kind as to let me join you again?
: What, are you kidding? Of course! Welcome back!
: Very well, then I shall come with you. I am at your service...
>Kerberos joined the party.

*: Woo! I wasn't even sure we'd ever see Pascal again, but there he is. Of course Kerberos isn't all that useful anymore in combat anymore, though it's nice to have access to Samaricarm.

Alright, now let's check out this Destinyland.



...so it is Disneyland. Huh. I think it should be a bit further east, but if Jikokuten's shrine is the eastern end of the map, then maybe it was put here just so it would fit at all.




Well, isn't this cheery.

*: There's a Gaian temple and a Terminal right next to the entrance. Nice!


: Oh, it's you. Heyyyyy. So what's going on in Gaian land these days? Any more attempts at a judicial system?
: I've joined up with the forces of Chaos and am fighting with them to crush the sinister plans of God!
: Well, everyone needs a hobby. In other news, who's the hottie? You gonna introduce us or what?
: Oh yeah! I got myself a partner too! Her name's Rie. Rie, this is my friend Francois.
: Hello, Rie!
: Hi!
>The girl says nothing, but smiles at you.
: Never figured you to go for the quiet type, but I guess it makes sense.
: Francois... Look at yourself, look at what you're doing. Do you really believe that you're doing the right thing?
: ...
: Can you answer me?
: Look, people have been assuming a lot of things about the way I go about my business, but there's really more to it than-
: As much as I'm sure you'd like to believe otherwise, you're doing exactly the same as I am! Yes, my hands are bloody, but so are yours!
: I've never claimed otherwise.
: The only thing different... is that I do what I do to survive, and you say you do what you do for God!
: What? Dammit, no, I-
: No... I take that back. You're committing travesties, but excuse it by slapping God's name on your actions as if that will justify them! And that you claim to be doing "justice"... It makes me sick! You hypocrite!
: Dude, will you shut the hell up and just listen for one damned second?
: Rie! Stand back! I'm going to tear the sheep's clothing off this wolf and expose him for what he truly is!



: As I thought, you're pretty good... But the next time we meet, I won't let you off so easily.



: Why the fuck is everyone in the world a freaking zealot except for me?


: ...now that you mention it...
: When I look at her, my skin crawls. I don't know, maybe it's just me...
: ...

Oh crap, I bet that's Lilith. It's gotta be. Damn, if he's listening to her, who knows what she told him about me?

Gah, this is making my head hurt. Let's just keep going.


Lv47 Youjuu Manticore
An evil beast originally from Persian folklore, said to eat people whole, clothes and possessions and all; it was blamed for mysterious disappearances. Descriptions have varied across the ages, but it usually has the body of a lion, the tail of a snake, and the head of a human with nasty pointy teeth. Here they are strong and quick fighter-types with a trio of colossally annoying skills: Paralysis Bite, Bind Voice and Petra-Bite.



>This is a place where you can test and find your destiny! How will you fare? You're a lucky one! For those with good luck, life is paradise!

Ooookay...

*: You know, before we get too far into this place, I think I'll teleport back to Ginza to see if I can find Steven. It'd free up the inventory slot occupied by the Memory Board, and maybe I'll want to hire some of the creatures here.


: I don't think I'll ever have enough. Heck, I think my computer's outdated; I ran across a few summoners with 24 minions.
: Have you found a-
: Yyyup.
: Oh, you found another Memory Board? I guess there were quite a few left!
: Well, I wouldn't say that exactly...
: ......Done! Now you can stock another minion in your computer!
: ...Just the one?
: My Demon Summoning program has gotten even more convenient now!
: Err... yeah... thanks.

*: When I try to re-enter the room, Steven's not there anymore.

Oh well. Back to Destinyland! Fortunately I can Toraport straight to the terminal there.



: Huh?
>Gwaa! Lucky little bastard! Gwa! Gwa! Gwa! Gwa! Gwa! Gwa!
: What the fuck? This place is so weird!


Lv50 Youma Choronzon
A sort of demon, most remarkable for its importance in famous occultist slash crackpot Aleister Crowley's philosophy slash religion, though its name originally comes from 16th century occultism. Also named the Dweller in the Abyss, it seems to be a sort of personification of the last spiritual obstacles standing in the way of a magician's final enlightenment, and is given a form only so it can be vainquished. Here they are powerful spellcasters, a bit on the fragile side defense-wise but with high HP and decent Strength; they know Agirao, Maha-Agion and Toraest.




*: Again with the "lucky ones speech". Hmm. Another random room calls me a lucky bastard. There are a couple teleporters and dark rooms, but they're mostly harmless.

After exploring the eastern half of the area, I Toraport back to the entrance to heal up. When I return to the central area, I get the usual "test and find your destiny message", but this time...




WHAAAAT?

*: Francois has the "Curse" status effect. Yikes! I am definitely not waiting around to see what it does; I turn back and get the Gaian priest to cure him. It costs 3480 Makka.

I return to the entrance, but have "good luck this time". Huh.

Oh hey, there's a gun store in the west wing. Didn't expect that. They sell the Gigasmasher and Kunitomo's Gun, but also a L134 Minigun (125/0, hits an entire group, male-only). Seeing as I've been increasing Francois' Speed for several levels now, it seems like an excellent investment. It's 150000 Makka, but I've been getting lots of cash from the demons around here and I can afford it.


: You know, when this all began, if someone had tried to convince me I would eventually get my hands on a minigun that shoots magic bullets that make people fall in love with me, I probably would have punched them in the liver.

*: They also have Flash Slugs (30, causes Bind) and Happy Shots (35, causes Happy), the latter of which is apparently the single most damaging type of ammo in the game. In fact, it's more than twice as strong as the Magic Shells we're using right now. Unfortunately, Happy isn't exactly the most useful status ailment. If the Magic Shells stop being useful, I think I'll replace them with Flash Slugs instead.

I found an staircase to the second floor, but there's an entire section of the ground floor I haven't even touched yet. Let's get to it.





: Who, me?

There's no one else around.

: Pick your path through the network of rooms we've got here, and you will be led to your destiny! What will it be? Well now, that's up to you! It will be interesting to see how things turn out!
>It costs 5000 Makka to enter. Will you pay?
: Well, we've come all this way. Why not?
: All right then! Just go on through. There are four doors to enter the ride, pick whichever you'd like!



That's unusually thrilling!

*: Next time: we find out what the heart of Tokyo Destiny Land has in store for us!
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Classic

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Re: Let's play Shin Megami Tensei!
« Reply #119 on: March 15, 2011, 08:03:45 AM »

Like any good religious organization, the gaians also monetize divine favor and forgiveness. So give them money until you're a better person.
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