Alignment (Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance)

	This article is in need of research.
	Reason: I did not play SMT5V in English and this information comes from the JP SMT5V guide, so some of the quest names and options are translations of what is in the Japanese game. Will need to be updated with what the game says in English.

This page covers the Alignment mechanics in Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance.

Overview

In Vengeance, various text answers and choices made during quests will grant the Nahobino points towards "Preservation", "Humanity", or "Reformation". The Nahobino's icon on the map of Tokyo indicates what alignment they currently hold: Preservation is spinning clockwise, humanity is shaking left and right, and reformation is spinning counterclockwise.

Canon of Creation

In the Canon of Creation, the Nahobino has a primary alignment and a secondary alignment. There are 19 alignment events in this Canon, with 4 contributing to the primary, and 15 contributing to the secondary. Choices made during these events are categorized as reformation, preservation, or neither. However, the alignment tracked in-game does not determine the ending.

When calculating primary alignment:

• If the majority of the choices favor reformation, then primary alignment is reformation.
• If the majority of the choices favor preservation, then primary alignment is preservation.
• If the Nahobino is tied for both reformation and preservation, then the primary alignment is humanity.

When calculating secondary alignment:

• If the Nahobino has made 3 or more reformation and / or preservation selections, then the secondary alignment is whichever of the two is higher.
• If the Nahobino has made less than 3 of these selections, or he is tied for both, then the secondary alignment will be humanity.

When calculating final alignment:

• If the primary and secondary alignment are the same, then that is the final alignment. E.g. both reformation means the final alignment is reformation.
• If one of the primary or secondary alignment is humanity, then priority will instead be given to preservation or reformation as final alignment. E.g. humanity primary but reformation secondary also means the final alignment is reformation.
• If the primary and secondary alignment oppose one another, then the final alignment is humanity. E.g. primary reformation but preservation secondary means final alignment is humanity.

Creation Choices

Category	Event or Side Quest	Choice or Action	Alignment
Secondary	The Spirit of Love or The Water Nymph	Clear The Water Nymph	Reformation
		Clear The Spirit of Love	Preservation
Secondary	Talk to Principality after accepting Those Seeking Sanctuary	Talk about it	N/A
		Defeat Principality	Reformation
Primary	Event: Answering Yakumo	God's word is needed	Preservation
		It's not needed	Reformation
		I don't know	N/A
Secondary	Event: Chasing Lahmu	Help her	Preservation
		Defeat Lahmu	Reformation
Secondary	A Wish for a Fish	Finish him off and take the fish	Reformation
		Let him go	Preservation
Secondary	Clear Those Seeking Sanctuary or Holding the Line	Clear Those Seeking Sanctuary	Reformation
		Clear Holding the Line	Preservation
Secondary	A Goddess Stolen	Eat the apple	Reformation
		Don't eat it	Preservation
Primary	Event: Decisive battle with Lahmu	We need to challenge Lahmu	Reformation
		Rescuing her takes priority	Preservation
Secondary	Clear Black Frost Strikes Back or A Sobering Standoff	Clear Black Frost Strikes Back	Reformation
		Clear A Sobering Standoff	Preservation
Secondary	The Horn of Plenty	Sacrifices are necessary	Preservation
		Sacrifices should be avoided	Reformation
Secondary	Event: Aogami asks about the organization vs the person	We should participate	Preservation
		Well, Bethel ordered it	N/A
		I don't want to participate	Reformation
Secondary	Event: Aogami asks if demons are unnecessary	You did save me	Preservation
		They are pretty annoying	Reformation
Primary	Event: The Demon King's question	Order is something we must uphold ourselves	Preservation
		Don't really care about it	Reformation
Primary	Event: Odin; What do you think of this world?	I have some sentiments about it	Preservation
		It needs to be remade	Reformation
Secondary	Clear The Raid on Tokyo or In Defense of Tokyo	Clear The Raid on Tokyo	Reformation
		Clear In Defense of Tokyo	Preservation
Secondary	The Egyptians' Fate	Finish him off	Preservation
		Stow your weapon	N/A
Secondary	The Succession of Ra	Deal the final blow	Reformation
		Stop Khonsu	Preservation
		Do nothing	N/A
Secondary	Clear Reclaim the Golden Stool or Liberate the Golden Stool	Clear Reclaim the Golden Stool	Preservation
		Clear Liberate the Golden Stool	Reformation
Secondary	Goddesses of Fate	Something that binds you	Reformation
		Something that guides you	Preservation

Creation Ending

Which ending the Nahobino gets during Creation is based on a choice made near the end of Creation, regardless of his tracked alignment.

Event	Choice	Route
Choice made in Empyrean	Maintain God's order	Preservation
	Save Tokyo	Reformation
	Destroy the throne	Humanity
Choice made during the Humanity route	Destroy the throne	Humanity
	Create a world only for humans	True Humanity, fight an empowered Lucifer as the final boss

The "Create a world only for humans" option only appears if the Nahobino has completed Ra, Fionn, and Shiva's sidequests.

If the Nahobino's final alignment does not match the route he picks for the ending, then he will be unable to obtain a certain Miracle.

Canon of Vengeance

In Vengeance, the game tracks the Nahobino's alignment throughout the game through the various choices he makes in story and quest dialogue. After the throne room, Nahobino gets locked-in to a route based on his alignment and this determines the ending. If he is preservation, he gets the Peaceful Route. If he is reformation, he gets the Apocalypse Route.

The details of how alignment is built is as follows:

• High influence choices grant +3 points
• Low influence choices grant +1 point
• Using Tao Isonokami for 50 battles grants +1 point towards preservation, upto a maximum of +3
• Using Yoko Hiromine for 50 battles grants +1 point towards reformation, upto a maximum of +3
• If the difference between preservation and reformation is 2 or more points, the Nahobino's alignment will be the one with the higher value
• If the difference is within 1 or less point, the Nahobino will be humanity alignment
• As this Canon only has two endings for preservation and reformation, there is only one event/choice that comes up if the Nahobino has humanity alignment
• Regardless of alignment, the Nahobino can face the final boss of True Humanity ending in Creation, the empowered version of Lucifer, in Vengeance by completing Ra, Fionn, and Shiva's sidequests beforehand

Vengeance Choices

Event or Side Quest	Choice or Action	Points
Clear The Spirit of Love or The Water Nymph	Clear The Water Nymph	Reformation +1
	Clear The Spirit of Love	Preservation +1
Event: Chasing Lahmu	Help her	Preservation +1
	Defeat Lahmu	Reformation +1
A Wish for a Fish	Finish him off and take the fish	Reformation +1
	Leave him alone	Preservation +1
Talk to Principality after accepting Those Seeking Sanctuary	Talk about it	N/A
	Defeat Principality	Reformation +1
Clear Those Seeking Sanctuary or Holding the Line	Clear Those Seeking Sanctuary	Reformation +1
	Clear Holding the Line	Preservation +1
A Goddess Stolen	Eat the apple	Reformation +1
	Don't eat it	Preservation +1
Heart of Garnet	Finish her off	Preservation +1
	Let her go	Reformation +1
Event: After fighting Yuzuru	I think it's bright	Preservation +3
	I don't count on it	Reformation +3
The Horn of Plenty	Sacrifices are necessary	Preservation +1
	Sacrifices should be avoided	Reformation +1
Event: Yuzuru's reflection	I think I can believe	Preservation +3
	I can't really believe	Reformation +3
Event: After defeating Mara	I understand	Preservation +1
	I don't understand	Reformation +1
Clear Reclaim the Golden Stool or Liberate the Golden Stool	Clear Reclaim the Golden Stool	Preservation +1
	Clear Liberate the Golden Stool	Reformation +1
Clear The Hunter in White or The Vampire in Black	Clear The Hunter in White	Preservation +1
	Clear The Vampire in Black	Reformation +1
Clear The Raid on Tokyo or In Defense of Tokyo	Clear The Raid on Tokyo	Reformation +1
	Clear In Defense of Tokyo	Preservation +1
Goddesses of Fate	Something that binds you	Reformation +1
	Something that guides you	Preservation +1
Event: Beelzebub Key Battle	I want to re-create the world	Preservation +1
	I want to stop Tiamat	N/A
Event: Odin and Zeus Key Battle	Hope for humanity's future	Preservation +3
	Despair at humanity's past	Reformation +3
In the throne room (Only if Nahobino is human alignment)	I believed it would come	Reformation +3
	That can't come to pass	Preservation +3

Exclusive Demons

Nahobino's alignment determines the availability of side quests which unlock certain demons for fusion.

In Creation, this is determined by the ending selected.

In Vengeance, this is determined by both the route and the alignment choices made.

Side Quest	Fusion Unlock	Creation	Vengeance
The Seraph's Return	Michael	Select the Preservation Ending Route	Peaceful Route
The Red Dragon's Invitation	Belial	Select the Reformation Ending Route	Apocalypse Route
The Compassionate Queen	Maria	Select the Preservation Ending Route	Preservation
The Wrathful Queen	Inanna	Select the Reformation Ending Route	Reformation
The Noble Queen	Danu	Select the Humanity or True Humanity Ending Route	Humanity

Exclusive Miracles

	This article is in need of research.
	Reason: Regarding Vengeance: The alignment section of the guide book says that it's 12 points w/a single alignment to unlock Ranking/Succession; 16 points from alignment choices overall to unlock both. However, the Temple of Eternity section says it's complete 6 of 11 side quests and be on a route for Ranking/Succession; complete 10 of 11 side quests for both.

Nahobino's alignment determines the availability of certain Miracles. He gains this at the end of the Temple of Eternity.

In Creation, this is determined by the internal alignment (from choices) and the selected ending matching one another.

In Vengeance, this is determined by the overall number of choices made from the list of quests and events.

Miracle	Creation	Vengeance
Violation of RankingRemoves the level restriction when fusing demons	Preservation alignment and ending	Make 12 Preservation aligned selections and be on the Peaceful Route, or make 16+ selections overall and be on either route
Violation of SuccessionDemon's innate skills can be replaced by inherited skills when fusing	Reformation alignment and ending	Make 12 Reformation aligned selections and be on the Apocalypse Route, or make 16+ selections overall and be on either route

References

• "Chapter 1: System Guide", Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance Official Perfect Guide, Famitsu. Published by Kadokawa. Japanese. p. 16-17. ISBN-13: 978-4047337398.