Alignment (Shin Megami Tensei IV)

This page covers the Alignment mechanics in Shin Megami Tensei IV.

Overview

The Alignment mechanic is predominately used to determine the game's ending route between the Law, Neutral, and Chaos Alignments. Throughout the main story, Flynn will be presented with choices in response to various prompts. The choices made will either increase or decrease Flynn's total Alignment score, with an increase leaning towards Law and a decrease leaning to Chaos. Some choices will not affect the score at all. Other times, certain mandatory points necessary to progress through the game will shift Flynn's score toward a particular Alignment without his input. Some optional Challenge Quests and NPC dialogue will also affect Flynn's Alignment as well.

Flynn's Alignment is determined by the range of his current Alignment score. Neutral Alignment has a range between -8 to +8 points. If the score falls below -8, Flynn's Alignment becomes Chaos. If it raises above +8, his Alignment becomes Law. At the beginning of the game, Flynn starts at Neutral with 0 points.

Alignment Scoring
Law	Neutral	Chaos
+9 and more	-8 to +8	-9 and less

Alignment Checks

An Alignment check is first performed when the party first arrives at the Ueno underground district. A man will steal one of the Samurai's wallets, targeting the one whose own Alignment corresponds with Flynn's current one. The man will steal from Jonathan if Flynn is Law-aligned, Isabeau if Neutral-aligned, or Walter if Chaos-aligned.

Once the Kagome Tower quest begins, a Cynical Man will begin appearing in the Hunter Association Bars throughout Tokyo and comment on Flynn's current Alignment when spoken to. He will comment that Flynn is polite if he is Law-aligned, hot-blooded if he is Chaos-aligned, or comment that he cannot get a reading on Flynn if he is Neutral-aligned.

Story Progression

Flynn's final Alignment score at the time of the Alignment lock will determine the game's ending route. Challenge Quests that are exclusive to certain Alignments will also become available thereafter.

This section contains spoilers. (Skip Section)

The game's ending is determined during Flynn's third meeting with the White after the events at Infernal Tokyo, wherein the White force Flynn to make his final choice between "I'll preserve the status quo" (Law-aligned) or "I'll destroy the order of things" (Chaos-aligned), either of which will greatly skew Flynn's score toward their respective Alignments. If, however, Flynn's final Alignment score falls between -8 to +8 points, the game will proceed with the Neutral ending route.

Alternately, Flynn can also choose to instead align with the White, which will proceed with the Nothing Ending. This ending can be chosen irrespective of Flynn's current Alignment score.

End of spoilers.

Demons

Alignment is used very little with Demons. Each Demon is associated with a particular Alignment, which can be viewed in their Lore screen from their status screen. Demons in this game lack a Tendency (i.e. a Light and Dark axis) and are instead only defined as "Law", "Neutral", or "Chaos".

Alignment has no effect on Negotiation and Demons will indiscriminately join Flynn's party regardless of his current Alignment. However, Alignment is factored with the skills Holy Wrath, Judgment, and Sea of Chaos, which will inflict greater damage against opponents of a particular Alignment.

Scoring

	This section contains major spoilers.
	The contents of this section cover major plot and/or character spoilers. Reader discretion is advised.

This section outlines the game's Alignment scoring.

Main Story

Prompt: "Monk: Present to me your left arm."
Response	Points
Extend your arm	+1
Don't extend your arm	-1

Prompt: "Walter: By the by... have we met somewhere before?"
Response	Points
Possibly...	-1
I don't believe so	+1

Prompt: "Isabeau: My name is Isabeau. What's yours?"
Response	Points
Introduce yourself	+1
Remain silent	-1

Prompt: "Walter: What about you, Flynn?"
Response	Points
It comes naturally to me	-5
It's a worthy duty	+5
I don't know	0

Prompt: "Jonathan: Is this a friend of yours, Flynn?"
Response	Points
Yes, it is	+1
I don't know this man	-5

Prompt: "Issachar: Won't you put an end to me... with a Samurai's hands... your hands...?"
Response	Points
Finish him off	-5
Spare him	+5

Prompt: "Walter: Hoy, Flynn. Do you think that we should go through with the Monastery's quest?"
Response	Points
We should	+5
It is unseemly	-1

Defeat Minotaur
Response	Points
-5

Prompt: "Jonathan: Wouldn't you say so, Flynn?"
Response	Points
I share your view of it	+1
I am not so certain...	-1

Prompt: "Girl: I haven't seen you before. Where are you from?"
Response	Points
The surface	+1
Remain silent	-5

Prompt: "> Finish off the demon?"
Response	Points
Finish her off	-1
Don't finish her off	+1

Prompt: "Ashura-kai man: Hey, you four there. Kill this demon for the sake of Shinjuku!"
Response	Points
Kill it	+1
Don't kill it	-5

Prompt: "Black Samurai: If you were told that you must live here in Tokyo, do you think that you could...?"
Response	Points
I could manage it	+1
I could never	-1
I don't know	0

Prompt: "> What will you do?"
Response	Points
Arrest her	0
Refuse	-5

Clear Main Quest "Rescue the VIPs"
Response	Points
+10

Prompt: "> What will you do?"
Response	Points
Say you came to kill Yuriko	-1
Say you want to join the Ring	+5
Walk away	0

Prompt: "Isabeau: Would you go left and accept the person for who they are? Or go right and disqualify them for the good of all?"
Response	Points
Go left	-1
Go right	+1

Prompt: "Isabeau: Right, to protect the traditional way of life? Or left to welcome the new technology?"
Response	Points
Go left	-5
Go right	+5

Prompt: "Isabeau: Left, letting your beloved die? Or right, committing to staying at their side for the rest of your life?"
Response	Points
Go left	-5
Go right	+5

Prompt: "Isabeau: Flynn... Are you going to go to Walter's aid?"
Response	Points
Show the matchbox	+1
Walk away	0

Prompt: "Fujiwara: Do you think we could live in harmony?"
Response	Points
I see no reason why not	-1
It is an impossibility	+5

Prompt: "Tenkai: Will you reform it and cause chaos? Or will you sustain it, thereby preserving order?"
Response	Points
I'll reform it	-1
I'll sustain it	+1
I don't know	0

Prompt: "Walter: But you know of which I speak, yes?"
Response	Points
I do indeed	-1
We differ on this	+5

Prompt: Accompany Jonathan or Walter to Tokyo.
Response	Points
Jonathan	+10
Walter	-10

Defeat Michizane and OmoikaneOnly when accompanying Walter
Response	Points
-1 for each

Prompt: "Walter: You mark me, yes, Flynn? As another Casualry."Only when accompanying Jonathan
Response	Points
Completely	-1
Do not speak for me	+1

Prompt: "> The hand holding the remote begins to sweat..."Only when accompanying Walter
Response	Points
Press the button	-5
Don't press the button	0

Prompt: "White shadow: Have you ever given thought to why humans are born? Why the world exists?"
Response	Points
Yes, I have	-1
No, I haven't	0

Prompt: "Walter: Hoy, what do you think? We could be in danger..."
Response	Points
Kill them before they kill us	-2
Let's wait and see	+6

Prompt: "Simplehearted voice: Hey, show me your Demon Summoning Program and I'll let you out, OK?"
Response	Points
Show him	+5
Don't show him	-1

Prompt: "Akira: This remote will be your reward. Will you do it...?"
Response	Points
Accept it	+1
Don't accept	0

Prompt: "Walter: You agree, don't you, Flynn?"
Response	Points
Quite so	-1
It does bear consideration	+1

Defeat Pluto
Response	Points
-5

Prompt: "Walter: I'm ready. Go ahead."
Response	Points
Press the button	-5Change is negated if previously chose second choice
Don't press the button	0

Prompt: "Walter: What about you, Flynn? Do you want to return to our world of origin?"
Response	Points
I'd like to go home	0
I'm comfortable here	-1

Prompt: "Walter: What do you think, Flynn? 'Tis strange, no...?"
Response	Points
It is strange	-1
It's not strange at all	+1

Prompt: "> Press the button on the remote?"
Response	Points
Press the button	+5Change is negated if previously chose second choice
Don't press the button	0

Prompt: "The White: Do you intend to preserve the current status quo? Are you going to destroy the order of things?"
Response	Points
I'll preserve the status quo	+10
I'll destroy the order of things	-10
I don't knowReturns to the White's previous question	0

Optional

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	Reason: Missing in-game prompt.

One optional prompt choice occurs in Ikebukuro involving a woman found inside the district's freezer room. After the Alignment lock, she will disappear.

Prompt: ?
Response	Points
I'm a human	+10
I'm a demon	-10

Challenge Quests

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	Reason: Missing other Challenge Quests that affect Alignment.

Certain optional Challenge Quests will affect Flynn's Alignment score upon answering prompts presented during the quest.

Challenge Quest: "Hunter Tournament Prelims"
Prompt: Spare or finish the opponent (occurs three times)
Response	Points
Spare your foe	+1
Finish him	-1

Challenge Quest: "Hunter Tournament Finals"
Prompt: Spare or finish the opponent (occurs three times)
Response	Points
Spare your foe	+1
Finish him	-1

References

General

• Shin Megami Tensei IV Official Complete Guide (2013). Published by Enterbrain. Japanese. ISBN-13: 978-4047290525.

Specific