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 | Apsaras or Leanan Quest | Defeat Apsaras | Reformation |
| Defeat Leanan Sidhe | 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 | Nekomata's A Wish for a Fish quest | Finish off King Frost | Reformation |
| Leave King Frost alone | Preservation | ||
| Secondary | Clear Those Seeking Sanctuary or Holding the Line | Clear Those Seeking Sanctuary, help Lilim | Reformation |
| Clear Holding the Line, help Principality | Preservation | ||
| Secondary | Kidnapped Idunn | 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 | Event: Jack Frost side quest | Clear Jack Frost-kun Once Again | Reformation |
| Clear Punish Jack Frost-kun | Preservation | ||
| Secondary | Demeter's Horn of Plenty side quest | 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 | Raid on Tokyo or In Defense of Tokyo | Clear Raid on Tokyo | Reformation |
| Clear In Defense of Tokyo | Preservation | ||
| Secondary | Learn what's happening at the Egyptian branch | Finish him | Preservation |
| Stay your blade | N/A | ||
| Secondary | The Inheritance of Ra | Finish him | Reformation |
| Stop Khonsu | Preservation | ||
| Do nothing | N/A | ||
| Secondary | Reclaim or free the golden stool | Defeat Anansi | Preservation |
| Defeat Onyankopon | Reformation | ||
| Secondary | Event: 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Apsaras or Leanan Quest | Defeat Apsaras | Reformation +1 |
| Defeat Leanan Sidhe | Preservation +1 | |
| Event: Chasing Lahmu | Help her | Preservation +1 |
| Defeat Lahmu | Reformation +1 | |
| Nekomata's A Wish for a Fish quest | Finish off King Frost | Reformation +1 |
| Leave King Frost 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, help Lilim | Reformation +1 |
| Clear Holding the Line, help Principality | Preservation +1 | |
| Kidnapped Idunn | Eat the apple | Reformation +1 |
| Don't eat it | Preservation +1 | |
| Heart of Garnet | Kill Vouivre | Preservation +1 |
| Spare Vouivre | Reformation +1 | |
| Event: After fighting Yuzuru | I think it's bright | Preservation +3 |
| I don't count on it | Reformation +3 | |
| Demeter's Horn of Plenty side quest | 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: Mara sidequest | I understand | Preservation +1 |
| I don't understand | Reformation +1 | |
| Reclaim or free the golden stool | Defeat Anansi | Preservation +1 |
| Defeat Onyankopon | Reformation +1 | |
| The Hunter in White or the Vampire in Black | Defeat Kresnik | Preservation +1 |
| Defeat Kudlak | Reformation +1 | |
| Raid on Tokyo or In Defense of Tokyo | Clear Raid on Tokyo | Reformation +1 |
| Clear In Defense of Tokyo | Preservation +1 | |
| Event: 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 Spoiler | 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 appears 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 Archangel's Return | Michael | Select the Preservation Ending Route | Peaceful Route |
| Invitation from the Red Dragon | Belial | Select the Reformation Ending Route | Apocalypse Route |
| The Divine Compassionate Queen | Maria | Select the Preservation Ending Route | Preservation |
| The Divine Fierce Queen | Inanna | Select the Reformation Ending Route | Reformation |
| The Divine Sublime Queen | Danu | Select the Humanity or True Humanity Ending Route | Humanity |
As Maria, Inanna, or Danu only require an alignment and not an ending path in Vengeance, their quest can be done before the ending lock-in point.
Exclusive Miracles
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|
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 Ranking Removes 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.