Persona 4 Announced

[scy]

Hrm ... oh well, we'll see then I guess. The first optional boss kill was pretty easy since he never used Rampage (huzzah ~290 damage Bufula?) on my successful attempt, which made all my planning seem kind of dumb.

Or something like that >>.

[Maxine MagicFox]

[Akarshi]

[scy]

Basic Fusion Math (spoilered due to Length):
[spoiler]Persona's have an Inheritance Type (for example, Lilim is Inheritance Dark) that determine the chance they inherit a certain skill. The opposite Element of that (Light, in this case) will NEVER transfer. Due to this, you can never 4-Element* an Inheritance Type Fire, Wind, Ice, or Elec. Likewise, you'll be hard pressed to pass over any of the Physical Skills to most Lovers Persona since all the Recovery Types have a 0% Physical Inheritance as well (Queen Mab is Elec though and can inherit Physical).

*Barring freak things like an Elec Inheritance Persona naturally learning Garu, -la, -dyne OR getting lucky on Fusion Forecast Bonus: Change Skill morphing something to Garu, -la, -dyne.

In short, don't try to Fuse any Fortune Persona and aim for Zio (they're all Wind Inheritance ... well, except the Physical Ananta). Don't assume a certain Arcana will be a certain type either. For example, Strength only has four Physical Inheritances (Rakshasa, Oni, Hanuman, Siegfried) with the rest spaced out amongst the Elements (with the final being Fire).

This is why when you're fusing you can never seem to NOT get that damn Garu off of Wind Inheritance types; they're probably 20 times more likely to inherit that than, say, Wind Boost (144 vs 6). The NUMBERS themselves mean little beyond how likely they will inherit it. There's no funny math here ... just know that 144 is greater than 6.[/spoiler]

Again, ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW for the MATH is Persona inherit skills of their own type more often than others. Beyond that, it's just comparing the numbers. For example, a Type Wind trying to Inherit a Physical Skill, a Fire Skill, a Wind Skill, an Almighty Skill, and a Passive Skill will have the following ratio:

10 : 6 : 144 : 3 : 6

The Persona will almost always inherit the Wind skill then more likely to get the Physical then either the Fire or Passive and finally the Almighty. ALL 5 Skills are available as nothing is 0% here. Just cancel a lot.

____

Incidentally, for my own purposes since I bet I'll forget, if I want another 4-Element Persona, it'll be a Dark, Light or Recovery types. Maybe Recovery since they have a better Inheritance ... plus that opens up Undine (Null Ice!) for later ... and Cybele or Ishtar. Hooray Lovers Arcana!

Aaanyway, I plan to do the optional bosses immediately after finishing their Dungeon (well, the deadline passes for it at least) ... since that's when the Requests open up (or seem to, at least). Plus it's easier to free up a day immediately after the dungeon re-opens. I hate wasting afternoons in the TV World ... but, then again, P4 does seem a lot easier to raise S. Links than P3 (i.e., I may not have to PLAN anything!).

Edit: Thoughts on the third Boss Dungeon:

[spoiler]...
...
...

*shrugs*

Mini-boss was easy, Kanji was easy. I had more trouble REACHING him thanks to dumb Ambushes with those silly Mages Only trouble I had with Kanji himself was I said fuck it to restoring SP before the fight and my only Dispeller (Yosuke) had 0 SP after his initial buffing of Chie. Oh well. A bad Power Charge + Heat Rise Swift Strike didn't do much besides send everyone into <50 HP range but double healers made it pretty simple. Chie Rampaged until Nice Guy died then Assault Dived after and pretty much solo'd the fight. Tough Guy hit like a little bitch so I left him alone.

Only other "hard" part was Yosuke not Dodging Elec (thanks Elec Suppressor!) near the end of the fight and letting Kanji do a Fatal Spark -> 1 More -> Swift Strike that decimated my group on the turn before he died. Oh well.

Then again, I WAS pretty overlevelled imo. Had just hit 27 before reaching the 11th Floor. Also, I totally had no use for my Null Elec Persona really >>. Should've brought a Phys Resist one or something I guess ... though I DO have a good one for this fight (All three Debuffs, Phys Resist, Null Elec, and decent Physical/Magic growth and skills -- Empress Yaksini) that I should've brought. Tarunda would've made the fight a joke and she'd have just tanked his other damage like a pro ... though no Media on her.[/spoiler]

[Akarshi]

Thanks, Scy. =D I get it a bit more now...

Anyways...

FFFFFFFFF! I JUST GOT SPOILED ON WHO THE KILLER IS! FFFFFF! >_<;; It was unmarked, too, just sitting right there, my eyes accidentally scanned it, and before I could unsee it's already imprinted in my mindddddd....

...*cries*

[Maxine MagicFox]

:O WHERE?! I hope not here! Couldn't be me since I'm not 100% sure.

Sorry to hear that Akarshi. -_- Spoilers completely suck.

[scy]

Hah~ 6/21 is a great day for Fusing. +Stats, +S. Link EXP, and +Healing Skill (nabbed Media for a High Pixie I made solely for Zio skills). Now I just need to find out what I can reach with my Sarasvati (4-Element, Invigorate 2) and High Pixie (Zionga) ... hopefully Undine (Inheritance Type Recovery!) so I can keep going on 4-Element. Only need Zionga (or settle for Mazio), Maragi, and Magaru on her since she naturally learns Bufu skills ... plus Invigorate 2's sexy +5 SP per turn.

I'm also sad I wasted a Devil Arcana Chance on a fucking throw-away Chariot Persona I had for the purposes of S. Links (greeeat, Nata Taishi -> Valkyrie. WOOHOO. Couldn't upgrade Sarasvati or something? Bah!). Ironically, I got a Reverse Devil that dropped it right back a few fights later. Oh well.

That and I guess a wasted Strength AC (why is it +Magic anyway?) on a, ironically, Strength Persona. Grats +2 Magic on a Physical Powerhouse. CONFUSED.

Oh well. At least got my Auto-Tarukaja, Auto-Sukukaja, Power Charge, Power Slash Ose made. Mmm...Physical beast! Can't grind to 33 for Undine though so ... no bonuses for her (outside of whatever is in effect when I go back to level I guess). Still, he's pretty manly and can't say no to double-Auto's.

Anyway, Optional Boss for Dungeon 3:
[spoiler]Zionga, All-out Attack. Zionga (Kanji), All-out Attack. Repeat. Oh ... boy? You sure this wasn't just a normal encounter with tons of HP?

Okay, sure, Bufula from him hit hard (~250 on MC, ~300 on Yukiko) but since he lasted 4 turns ... meh? Ice Suppressor on Yukiko and a natural Dodge Ice on MC (from High Pixie) made this irrelevant. Plus he wasted turns attacking Kanji and the "Take a Mortal Blow" thing from S. Links kicked in and saved my MC's butt. Thanks Yosuke!

Oh well. Maybe I was overlevelled for this? Was 29 across the board except Kanji who was 27 (hit 28 after fight).[/spoiler]

Edit: Hahaha. Just nabbed an Upright Magician that turned Sarasvasti's Rakunda to Marakunda >>. WINNER.

[Maxine MagicFox]

I have the problem that I keep forgetting about the forecast. There are several days that will go by (doing social links) when I don't even enter the Velvet Room. I get the feeling I miss a LOT doing that.

Also.. this boss I'm on (7th?) is fuggin' annoying!

[scy]

I got lucky and I made some Personas for S. Link stuff and I checked the Forecast and lucked out on noticing 6/21 being +Stats, +Healing Skill, +S. Link EXP. After that I cheated a little and pulled up the Forecast >>. There's nothing really special ever again.

That said, 7th Boss is September? If so, the only big days are:
[spoiler]
Use Leanan Sidhe (Lovers) => +Ice Skill, +S. Link EXP (September 17)
Use Throne (Justice) => +Ice Skill, +S. Link EXP, Random Skill Change (September 25)
Use Any Hermit Persona => +S. Link EXP, +Healing Skill
[/spoiler]

There's a few +Stats or Skill Change or +S. Link EXP but nothing big like those.

I also lucked out big time with a Magician Arcana Change and nabbed Mediarama ... on Principality. T.T. Useless low-tier Justice Persona. How the hell am I transferring that to ANYONE useful? I might be able to get it to Titania but after that ... ugh.

Edit: Haha ... made that Ose finally. Got Diarama on him. Grats me?! Also, High Pixie x Sarasvati x Ose => Undine ... so I can still get a 4-Element, Invigorate 2 Undine. Or I can go for Fortuna (no Zio though due to Wind Inheritance) and nab Ice Boost (or Fire Boost ... or both if I re-do some Magician Fusions).

Edit: Hama and Last Resort make me cry. Game Overs after 7 floors of exploring and decent loot too +2 All Stats Accessory!

*cries*

[Maxine MagicFox]

:3 I got that accessory! XD

I haven't decided who to hook it up to yet or if I want to attach it yet since I like the other stuff I have.... hrrrm....

[scy]

I lost it and a few resets and reruns of the dungeon (thanks Death Arcana Chance) and still no dice. Also lost a Wind, Fire, and Ice Vow (+20% their Damage) ... but did get a Volt. I guess that's worth keeping in mind.

Except not.

I also have like 4 of this stupid Fan that is oh-so-inferior to the 1st Optional Boss Drop >>.

4th / 5th Boss (5th / 6th??)~~
[spoiler]Mini-boss (Snake) thing ... died in three turns (Maragi from MC, Agilao from Yukiko).

Shadow Rise fight:
MC > Power Charge
Yosuke > Garula
Chie > Assault Dive
Yukiko > Agilao

MC > Power Slash > All-out Attack (lucky Crit!)
Yosuke > Garula
Chie > Assault Dive
Yukiko > Agilao

Rise enters that silly invulnerability phase. Fight ends.

...wait, what?

Anyway, Shadow Teddie ... forgot to bring a White Wall Persona so Yukiko can not sit there Defending forever. She has a Snow Pin though (-20% Ice Damage)! ...! Except ... she didn't Defend much since he only Mind Charged two times (and one non-charged Mabufula that I randomly Defended on accident. Hah!)

Meh. Fight was pretty easy though. Undine Absorbs Ice and Chie has a Snow Pin as well as her Natural Resist so those two just take blows like champs during Mind Charge > Mabufula. Otherwise, kept Ose out to Power Charge > Power Slash (with Tarukaja from Chie and sometimes a Rakunda if I felt brave to switch out to an Ice Weak High Pixie to cast it!) to keep some good damage going.

Meh. Way too easy Level 38 across the board for the fight except Chie who was 37 (hit 38 after the fight). Wish I had been 38 to get Black Spot over Assault Dive though >>[/spoiler]

[Maxine MagicFox]

Fire Vow on Yukiko = serious win. *nods*

I'd kill for a Wind Vow for Yosuke.


:3 I got Yosuke's S.L. up to 9. ^_^ I dunno why but I love his character so much! I'm going to be sad when I get the last scene, which I'm hoping I can do before the end of Summer Break (prolly not going to happen).

Getting scenes seems to be a lot easier in this game than it was in P3FES (which I heard was easier than the original). Not that I particularly mind...

Okay... call me a COMPLETE idiot, but, I've been trying to figure it out and I fear looking at walkthroughs for spoiling things.

How in the hell do you get one of the girls to be a "girlfriend"? I'm pretty far up with Yukiko but apart from a few cutsy lines it just doesn't seem "relationship" material. I hope it has nothing to do with the choices that say "You don't have enough courage..."

[scy]

It might. There's a lot of more "relationship"-y choices on the way up to Rank 8 and it's usually the Courage (or Expression ... or Understanding) based choices. That said, I don't think it's required as they pretty obviously show affection towards you regardless ... maybe? I mean, my Yukiko and Chie spend half the damn conversations blushing when I got them up to Rank 8 (especially Yukiko) but I did pass nearly all those checks (had Courage 3 and 4 pretty early in the game; I think mid-May for 3 and early June for 4?).

Anyway, at Rank 9-ish (that is, going from Rank 8 to Rank 9), you have an option you can choose to take it further. Not the same for all girls I think; some earlier and there's at least one that's done at the Rank 10 step ... which makes so little sense it hurts my head.

Anyway, the choices are pretty obvious.

~~ Conversation Spoilers ~~
[spoiler]Like, Rank 8 -> Rank 9 Yukiko has a pretty flat out obvious one: "Cause I like you." HRM.

Chie's too I guess. "Please feel free to involve me" or something along those lines.[/spoiler]

I had planned to have Yukiko maxed prior to the 3rd Dungeon but I was stuck in a lot of "You spent time with X!" crap at Rank 8 so I just said fuck it and I'm waiting for story / forced events that give +S. Link status so I can not waste a day. Sadly, I'm now nearly a month after that and looks like I'll be waiting for Exams for 8 -> 9 and then probably a making Lunch event for 9 -> 10. Baaah. On the bright side, gives me a chance to get EVERYONE up to the same point so the Exam S. Link boost hits them all >>. Oh well.

Edit: On Yosuke ... I kind of want to beat him with something for the whole dwelling on Saki thing. But I could just be a dick ... but, hey, so is he half the time in the story scenes! Plus:

Magician / Hanged Man
[spoiler]DO WE REALLY NEED TWO S. LINKS FOR HER?! Christ ... she was in the game for all of 15 minutes.

Though, I really just want to beat the two annoying girls in Yosuke's S. Link. Hard. Not far enough in Naoki's to know anything but the neighborhood sucks. Incidentally, the same two gossiping housewives from Yosuke's early S. Link at the SAME spot. I found it funny.[/spoiler]

[Maxine MagicFox]

I decided to work on knowledge first and then 'cause I wanted to do Nanako and Dojima I then worked on my Expression (which I maxed out tonight). I have one more for Knowledge. The others are sitting in the #2 slots.

Sports S.L. Spoiler
[spoiler]I will definitely be working on courage since there's a girl from the Sports Team S.L. that arrived but she won't hang out with me unless I have enough courage to skip afternoon classes.[/spoiler]

What are ways to increase courage? I know the "look in the fridge for Mystery Food X" and reading a book will increase it. Any other ways?

[scy]

About your Spoiler~
[spoiler]That's the Moon S. Link. Also...

I HATE HER I HATE HER I HATE HER.

You may want the conversation paths OR a save file ready for her. Some of the "being nice" responses WILL put you in Reverse and, no, you're not otherwise mean to her or anything. Just randomly you have to be to not be put into Reverse.

Also, I wish I could embed a spoiler into a spoiler but, Moon S. Link tidbit on the dating stuff:

She's the EASIEST girl to date as the choice comes up ridiculously early compared to the other S. Links (like ... Rank 5?). I still fucking hate her.[/spoiler]

My favorite Courage method is, on Rainy Days, to go to Aiya. You can get +Knowledge, +Courage, +Understanding, and +Diligence (3 of the 4 per trip) for 3000 Yen. There's little to do on Rainy Days otherwise (except TV World since the Rare Material drops show up then!) so makes a good use of the day. I'm at the start of July and have 4 in everything sans Diligence which hates me for ... some reason. And that's with me at 8 in Sports S. Link. Oh well.

The other way is to start the Devil S. Link but that requires a 3 Diligence, I think. It's done at Night so easy to fit in your schedule. Just grab the Hospital Part Time Job for it (you also score 5000 Yen a night! ... ... which is piddly and money isn't hard to get anyway).

Still, find it odd you're at only 2 for Courage. Eat the food when you can OR eat it the night before you're forced to watch the Midnight Channel* (since you normally sleep after Eating, the forced watch still happens so you "waste" nothing! Yeah I'm weird like that) and at least by end of May you have two Forever Macho books (+8 Significant Courage increases) and there's quite a few +Courage story moments (and the Optional Bosses).

*Admittedly, this requires some reloading and otherwise time wasting so it's probably only something I'd do ... then again, I reloaded a lot if I didn't get the double +Knowledge study nights >>

Edit: Some other 4-Elemental Personas:

*Spoilered due to length*
[spoiler]Level 28:
King Frost (Bufula) + Hua Po (Agilao) = 4-Element Kusi Mitama (Garula, Zionga, Inherit Agilao and Bufula)

Elec Weakness and Nulls Wind. Naturally learns Survive Light and Dark.

Incidentally, you can also get Ice and Fire Boost here if you want or a Dodge Fire/Ice for the hell of it (or Null Fire if you level the King Frost even higher). Kusi Mitama's skills suck massively.

Level 33:
4-Element Sarasvai + High Pixie + Ose = 4-Element Undine

Fire Weakness and Absorbs Ice.

You can also substitute in a King Frost or Phoenix, I believe, for the High Pixie. I don't remember my EXACT choices here but I did end with a Agi (sad), Mabufula (learned naturally), Mazio, and Magarula Undine ... so I think I had to have used Phoenix to get that Magarula.

Level 48:
Virtue + Orthrus = Parvati (Inherit Garula)

High Pixie (Zionga [Level 24]) + Ganga (Bufula) + Parvati (Garula) = 4 Elemental Kikuri-Hime (Agilao + Inherited Bufula, Garula, Zionga)

Dark Weakness, Nulls Fire, Resists Elec. Naturally learns Resist Dark.

Also naturally comes with Mediarama, learns Diarahan and Samarecarm, AND obtains Divine Grace (+50% Healing Boost).[/spoiler]