Shin Megami Tensei V endings are a bit different from what you might be used to if you’ve played previous SMT games. There’s less signposting than usual, and the hidden ending is locked behind a few missable side activities, including the game's super boss. This guide goes over each SMT V ending and how to get it so you don't have to beat your head against the wall.

How Many Endings Does SMT V Have?

SMT V has four endings, three of which you can access during your first playthrough. Unlike other SMT games, the choices you make during the Nahobino’s journey have little effect on which ending you get, and you’re not locked in at any point until you make the final choice. 

There’s also no mistaking when this choice happens. After defeating Metatron in the Temple of Eternity, you’re literally asked how you want to shape the world. Note that the remainder of the guide contains spoilers for, well… how Shin Megami Tensei V ends. Save before the battle in case you decide you want a different choice.

Each of the endings has its own unique fusions and Miracles.

Shin Megami Tensei V Law Ending

As we mentioned in our review, SMT V doesn’t have easily defined notions of law, chaos, and neutrality, but siding with Abdiel is essentially the Law route. 

Choose: I will uphold God’s order

• This ushers humanity into an era of blind faith without knowledge and self-awareness.
• Unlocks Rank Violation Miracle, so you can fuse any demon regardless of level.
• Opens Michael and Maria for fusion.
• Can take on The Compassionate Queen quest and The Seraph Returns quest.
• If your choices during the game did not align with Abdiel, Michael will charge you 660,000 Macca to take on The Seraph Returns quest.

SMT V Chaos Ending

The chaos ending has the Nahobino follow Koshimizu, the prime minister.

Choose: I will recreate the world and save Tokyo

• This ending frees both gods and humans to decide their own fate.
• Unlocks Inheritance Violation Miracle, which lets you replace a demon’s starting skills during fusion.
• Unlocks Inana and Belial for fusion.
• Unlocks The Wrathful Queen and The Red Dragon’s Invitation quests.
• If your choices did not align with Koshimizu during the game, Belial charges 660,000 Macca to take on the quest.

Neutral Ending

This, too, isn’t your usual neutral ending given who you align with. It’s also the worst in the game, with a less satisfying conclusion and no substantial bonuses to carry with you into New Game+.

Choose: I will destroy the throne

• This allies the Nahobino with Nuwa and leaves humans and gods to fend for themselves.
• Unlocks Danu for fusion.
• Opens The Noble Queen side quest.

True Ending

The true finale is SMT V’s secret ending, and like SMT 3 before it, this one requires you to complete nearly everything in the game before you’re eligible for it.

How to unlock SMT V Secret Ending

You’ll need to complete:

• Amanozako’s questline
• Fionn MacCumhaill’s questline
• Khonsu’s questline
• The Succession of Ra
• Shiva’s questline

The first part of Khonsu’s questline, The Egyptian’s Fate, makes you choose whether to kill or spare Khonsu. Spare Khonsu to unlock The Succession of Ra at the end of his questline, else you’ll be barred from the true conclusion.

You’ll also need to defeat Shiva as an optional boss after you encounter him in the story. He’s Level 96 and the game’s toughest fight, so take only your best team. While New Game+ isn’t required to unlock the true ending, it does make dealing with Shiva easier since you have access to stronger demons.

Once that’s finished, carry on as if you were going to complete the neutral ending and destroy the throne. Nuwa will appear after the fight against Abdiel and give you a new choice: I will make a world for humanity alone.

That’s all you need to know about Shin Megami Tensei V’s endings, but check out our other Shin Megami Tensei V guides for more tips and tricks.

If you’re wondering whether to pick Lilim or Principality in Shin Megami Tensei V, take heart. The choice here is easier than it was in Minato when you chose between Apsaras and Leanan Sidhe, and you have a chance to recruit one of the demons almost immediately after.

Still, there’s a clear winner if you only take time to join with one of the demons, and it’ll make a big difference in your upcoming boss fight.

Choose Lilith or Principality in SMT V?

Depending on how you explore, you’ll likely run into Lilith first. There’s a group of them behind the destroyed train tracks near the Container Yard, and the leader tells you they want to visit the human world. Not for nefarious reasons, mind — at least, that’s what they say. If you want to help the Lilim, you’ll need to track down Principality in the Container Yard a little ways further on.

Once you get there, Principality gives you the chance to help them instead by defeating the Lilim who are surely up to no good.

As with the first such quest, choosing one bars you from picking the other. The Shinegawa boss uses dark and ice magic, which Principality and Lilim are weak to, respectively, but your choice actually matters a bit less here than you might expect.

Recruit Principality in SMT V

We recommend siding with Principality and defeating the Lilim for a few reasons. Lilim has two weaknesses, light and ice, which are easier to exploit than Principality’s sole weakness to dark. Once you reach the Fairy Village, you’ll run into Lilim up in the hills anyway and can recruit her then. Principality’s multi-target light spell will also be a big boon in the near future.

It’s a good idea to do so as well. Lilim eventually learns Dark Resist, which you can pass on to another demon via fusion. If you obtain the Lilim essence, you can also remove the Nahobino’s natural weakness to dark, which we strongly recommend doing before the Shinegawa boss fight.

That’s all you need to know about whether to choose Lilim or Principality in SMT V, but make sure to check out our other Shin Megami Tensei V guides for more tips.

Mitama in Shin Megami Tensei V are rare demons quick to flee from battle, but if you manage to take them down, you're in for some of the best rewards in the game. Finding them is part of the challenge, though once you know where to look, you can return and farm them at will. 

SMT V Mitama Drops

Each Mitama type drops a rare item or two, and defeating them also rewards you with a sizeable amount of experience.

• Ara Mitama drop (Red): Grimoire, gives demon enough experience to level up
• Nigi Mitama drop (Blue): Glory Crystals
• Saki Mitama drop (Yellow): Rare relics, sell to Gustave for Macca
• Kushi Mitama drop (Gold): Gospels, raises the Nahobino’s level by one

SMT V Mitama Weakness

The thing about Mitama is they have no set weakness. You could fight five different Ara Mitama consecutively, or even two in the same battle, and they’ll each have a different weakness.

If you’re going Mitama farming, make sure to take several spyglasses with you. Have the tool mastery Miracle unlocked as well, so your demons can use items. It gives you a better chance of taking down more than one Mitama in battle.

When you’ve found the weakness, it usually just takes one hit to defeat the Mitama.

Mitama Locations in SMT V

You can find Mitama in a few ways, though randomness governs most of them. There’s a small chance a Mitama will spawn in random battles and a greater chance one will turn up in an ambush battle at an investigation spot. These are the least favorable for you since the enemy almost always goes first.

Mitama run away immediately, or even worse if the enemy party has more foes, they cast Debilitate to lower your stats and then leave.

Some Mitama also spawn at certain points on the map. This isn’t an exhaustive list, as we’re still hunting them down, but here’s where to start looking.

Mitama locations in Minato

Ara Mitama locations

• Onarimon

Kushi Mitama locations

• None that I’ve found

Nigi Mitama locations

• Kamiyacho, on the roof near a cluster of Magatsuhi

Saki Mitama locations

• A little ways west of the Mita leyline fount

Mitama locations in Shinagawa 

Ara Mitama locations

• Lurking near the ruins west of the Fairy Village
• On a rooftop northeast of the Konan 2nd Block leyline fount
• Sometimes, one spawns on the bridge over the Fairy Village

Kushi Mitama locations

• A ruined building in Tennozu near the far northern edge of the map

Nigi Mitama locations

• On the train tracks in the Container Yard area
• On a hill in South Shinegawa

Saki Mitama locations

Shinegawa Pier. Follow the climbing blocks in the southwest part of the map and take the path around.

Mitama locations in Chiyoda

Ara Mitama locations

• Under the bridge near Sukibayashi leyline. Hua Po wander around here, so you’ll know you’re in the right place.
• Ochanomizu, southwest of the Kanda leyline fount. Hua Po also call here home

Kushi Mitama locations

• North of Akihabara leyline fount on the rooftop

Nigi Mitama locations

Didn’t find any roaming the map in Chiyoda

Saki Mitama locations

• Southeast of Mansei Bridge leyline fount

Mitama Farming in SMT V

It’s worth noting that Mitama won’t appear every time in these locations. If that’s the case, or if you lose a battle, head back to the nearest leyline fount, travel away, and come back. This usually gets demons to respawn, which increases your chance of finding Mitama.

Chiyoda is a fairly small and open region, and I had the easiest time farming Mitama there, or at least, Mitama that aren’t Nigi Mitama. 

That’s it for our SMT V Mitama guide, but check out our other Shin Megami Tensei V guides for more tips and tricks.

Whether you’re new to Shin Megami Tensei or you’re a long-time fan, there’s a lot to get to grips with in Shin Megami Tensei V. That's why we've put together this tips and tricks guide.

The early SMT V tutorials do a decent enough job of getting you familiar with the Press-Turn system and the basics of surviving, but there are a few additional tips that make life as a Nahobino much easier.

Look for Leylines

Leyline Founts are save points in SMT V. They’re also where you’ll access the World of Shadows for fusion, Cadaver’s Hollow, and recovery facilities. There’s no checkpoint system in Da’at, though most regions have founts scattered around fairly generously.

If it’s been a while since you found a Leyline, and you’ve ventured far from the last one, prioritize finding a new fount. That way you avoid backtracking both for recovery or if you die.

Save, Always

Anytime you’re near a Leyline Fount, you should save. SMT V also has no checkpoints, and there’s a good chance even random encounters will send you back to the game over screen. Frustration is inevitable in Da’at, but frequent saving takes some of the edge off, at least.

Nahobino the Explorer

You can just go to your next objective immediately, but you really should take the time to explore. You'll find golden starbursts marked on the map. Destroying them gives you items and, sometimes, essences. Each area usually has at least one that contains a new Aogami essence, which is how the Nahobino learns skills exclusive to his class.

Less common, but equally important, are the white glory clusters. You'll need these to acquire miracles, though they often take a bit of work to reach.

Toss a Coin to Your Cadaver

Spend money at Gustave’s shop in Cadaver’s Hollow. Lesser items such as Medicine or Amrita Soda are good to keep on hand for demon negotiation, but it’s also vital to have a few Dampeners on hand at any time.

These block a specific type of attack, such as force or electric, which reduces your enemy's turn count by two. It’s handy in regular fights should you get in a pinch and vital for most boss fights once you learn their patterns.

Likewise, keep a few elemental shards in your inventory. They might be weak, but they hit multiple targets at once. Never leave without a few Spyglasses either, so you’re never left wondering what your enemy’s weakness is.

Short on Cash? Respawn

The only things you should sell at Gustave’s are relics, the random items you get from vending machines. These tend to restock if you leave the area, so fast travel away and come back to get more; it's a great farming method.

There’s a Miracle you can get fairly early that gives you a higher chance of grabbing more Relics each time, and it’s worth spending a bit of Glory to get that.

Ignore Elemental Boost Miracles at First

Speaking of Miracles, your first priority should be to expand your demon stock and skill stocks. Demons and the Nahobino learn new skills fast, and erasing old ones isn’t always the best idea.

Elemental boost Miracles give the Nahobino extra affinity in a specific element area, which is fine, but hardly crucial, not when you can get significantly higher boosts in the right demon.

Think Before You Fuse

Fusion seems like the smart thing to do, but bigger demons with higher numbers aren’t always the best idea. When you arrive in a new region or a new section of an existing region, get into some fights (after you save) and see what demons you’ll be running into. Fusing new demons with weaknesses your foes can exploit is a bad idea.

Explore as well. Between items you find, quests you can take on, and the demons you can fight, you can usually get a feel for the boss’ elemental affinity ahead of time, the fuse accordingly.

The Essence of Life

Use your essences, and don’t stick with the Nahobino’s starting affinities, tempting as it may be. Unlike SMT IV, you don’t have equipment to alter weaknesses. You have essences, and you’ll usually end up with plenty of them.

Use essences with stronger skills to teach the Nahobino or demons those skills, and once you purchase the Divine Amalgamation Miracle, you can change the Nahobino's elemental resistances by absorbing affinities.

Essences from weaker demons are perfect for absorbing affinities, and covering your weaknesses for a boss fight makes life so much easier. 

Be On Guard

When an enemy gathers Magatsuhi, and you know you can't defeat them in the next turn, it's best to guard. Guarding negates critical hits, which means you're more likely to survive.

Drain Your Abscess

Removing the first Abscess is part of the story, but from then on, it's up to you whether you attack them. You should always find and destroy Abscesses. It clears the fog on your map, but beyond that, destroying Abscesses is the only way to unlock new Miracles.

It’s Okay to Fail

That said, you’ll probably fail at a boss fight or tougher mini-bosses more than once — and it’s okay. Each boss has a distinct pattern, and you usually discover it at the expense of seeing the game over screen a few times. Once you’ve figured it out, see where you can shore up your defenses, either with new demons or just by grinding a few levels. 

Pay attention to what attacks bosses use after gathering Magatsuhi as well. Using a dampener to negate it means no one takes damage and the boss loses a turn, and it frees you up to still attack instead of having to guard.

Hold Onto Your Gems

Elemental Gems deal heavy damage to one enemy, but you shouldn’t use them in normal fights. MP runs out fast in SMT V, and sometimes, using a Gem is the best way to move boss battles and other drawn-out fights forward. Shards are fine for regular battles since you can just buy more from Gustave.

Stat Check

Having demons that can exploit each element is just the start. Stat effects are highly important in Shin Megami Tensei V, and most bosses are vulnerable to stat reductions. Reducing attack or raising your party’s defense can literally make the difference between surviving and dying once again.

Fruitful Negotiations

In almost every case outside special fusions, it’s best to negotiate instead of spending money on the Compendium. Negotiation is random and sometimes frustrating, but even with the discount Miracles, Sophia’s Compendium prices are far higher than is practical. It’s much easier to just find the demon you want again and get them to join you.

It’s also worth speaking with demons above your level if you think you’ll want them later. Completing the negotiation process means you can speak with them again once you match or exceed their level, and they’ll join you immediately.

That's it for our list of Shin Megami Tensei V tips and tricks, but keep an eye out for more Shin Megami Tensei V guides in the coming days.

One of the early quests in Shin Megami Tensei V asks you to choose between Apsaras and Leanan Sidhe. It seems like a weighty decision, and while the consequences of your choices won't affect the game's ending, it does play a role in how easy — or not — the upcoming boss fight is. So, who should you choose?

Unless you explore quite a bit, you'll probably encounter Apsaras' side of the story first. Apsaras wants to help weak demons, but Leanan Sidhe feeds off the shattered dreams of those she instills with false hope. You're asked to defeat her.

Once you arrive in the mountains above Shiba Park, though, you hear a different story. Leanan Sidhe wants to give demons a chance to succeed, where Apsaras is only concerned with making them worship her. 

Whichever one you're speaking with, you'll have a choice to take their side or engage in battle, and then one more chance to make sure it's what you really want to do.

Neither demon fights alone. Leanan Sidhe summons Ippon Datara to fight, and Apsaras has a small army of Agathion.

Apsaras is easier to deal with. Agathion are weak to ice, but Ippon Datara hits hard and is weak to only light, which you won't have much access to by now.

However, Apsaras also less helpful. Leanan Sidhe is weak to force (wind), and Apsaras is weak to thunder, both of which the Tokyo Diet building boss has access to. Whichever you pick, swap the Nahobino's affinities where he blocks that weakness (e.g. blocking force), and it automatically ends the boss' turn.

The biggest difference is overall utility. Leanan Sidhe learns Media, a party healing skill. Using that makes the boss fight much easier, and you can pass it on to another demon during fusion.

Expect similar quests in every region, with similar results. For example, in Shinegawa, you'll choose between Lilim and Principality. Lilim learns dark resistance, which is helpful against the Shinegawa boss, but Principality exploits its weakness to light.

That's all you need to know about the big Shin Megami Tensei V Apsaras or Leanan choice and who you should choose, but make sure to check out our other Shin Megami Tensei V guides for more tips.

Shin Megami Tensei V negotiation is a difficult but vital part of combat and expanding your demon roster. Negotiation is the only way to gain new demons aside from fusion, and you'll quickly fall behind if you don't recruit new demons in each new area.

Negotiations aren't easy, thanks in large part to how random the conversations are. Still, there are some ways to make the most of it and (usually) come out on top.

Shin Megami Tensei V Negotiations Explained

The most important thing to understand about negotiations in Shin Megami Tensei V is that they're completely random. The questions you’re asked are random, and while there are some basic patterns that demons follow based on their type, their reactions are still ultimately arbitrary.

I had several negotiations where a question-and-response that elicited a favorable reaction from one demon earned a very negative response the next time I spoke with the same demon in the same fight.

Still, there are some rules that normally apply. For example, the more intense demons — Brute or Foul — scoff at weak responses, while playful ones, such as Fairy or Jirai — prefer lighthearted responses.

Negotiation usually has two phases. The first is where you speak with the demon, and if that goes well, they’ll demand things from you. In most cases, they’ll ask for Macca or common items, such as Life Stones or Amrita Sodas. 

Randomness governs this process as well. You can:

• Agree
• Tell them to ask for something else
• Decline the demand

Normally, you’ll have two or so chances to say “ask for something else,” though sometimes a demon takes offense the first time you say it. If your HP is high, turn down requests for inordinate amounts of money and demands for rare items.

You can instigate another negotiation easier than you can recoup those losses. As far as I can tell, a demon’s personality has no effect on this part of the process.

Most veteran SMT players recommend you never give Macca, though if you can spare a thousand or two, it does make the process smoother.

Since there’s almost no guarantee how a conversation will go with any demon, it’s best to heal up before speaking with them. Hostile endings cost you a turn, but if the demon decides it wants to kill you, you lose all turns and the enemy phase begins.

Negotiation Exceptions

"Almost" is key, as there’s one instance where you might have a demon join you without the hassle. Often during a full moon, you can skip the first phase of negotiation and move straight to the demands. During a new moon, however, demons are too depressed to speak, and you can’t recruit any. I had this happen a few times during a full moon too, though less frequently.

After you’ve cleared a few Abscesses, you’ll unlock the Intimidation Miracle. There’s a chance demons with low health will beg for mercy, and you can tell them to join you without having to go through the negotiation process.

That's all you need to know about negotiation in Shin Megami Tensei V. It's a hassle, but as we said in our tips guide, it's more convenient and feasible than throwing mountains of Macca at Sophia's compendium. And that's just the start of our ineffable wisdom. Check out our other Shin Megami Tensei V guides for more tips and tricks.

Shin Megami Tensei V fusion is the game’s foundation, and you’ll need to use the system frequently if you want to survive. Fusion turns your old demons into something new and, ideally, more powerful. However, you’ll need to pay more attention to what you’re doing here than in previous SMT games thanks to demon affinities and the newly added essence system.

Our Shin Megami Tensei V fusion guide walks you through the basics to get you off to a strong start.

• The Basics
• When to Fuse
• Affinities and +1
• Apotheosis

Shin Megami Tensei V Fusion: The Basics

Fusion unlocks almost as soon as the game begins, though you’re limited in what you can do with it until you reach Tokyo Tower in the Netherworld. By that point, you’ll have access to enough demons that you should be able to get a few good fusions in, and it’s worth experimenting for a bit. 

SMT V is similar to Pokemon in that even at the same level, demons obtained through fusion are stronger than demons picked up in the wild. The resulting demon might have boosted stats if you fuse during the full moon, but even if not, this system lets you add new skills it might not have learned otherwise.

There are four options:

• Dyad fusion — Basic fusion of two demons
• Reverse fusion — Lets you see all available fusions based on your current party
• Reverse compendium — Shows all available fusions based on the demons in your compendium and party
• Special fusion — It’s a special fusion

You must be at least the same level as your target fusion, though if you have the Unforgotten Memories Miracle, the experience boost it provides can push the bonding result past your level. 

Don’t waste your Macca on summoning demons from the compendium. Even with discount Miracles, Sophia charges far too much to make it a practical way of getting demons. Just fast travel back to the area where your target demon roams, and negotiate to recruit it again.

When to Fuse in SMT V

So when do you fuse in SMT V? The answer depends on your playstyle and what’s in your stock at a given point. Fusion in SMT V is more situational and less “fuse it or lose it.” For example, even if a demon learns all its skills, it might have an elemental resistance you need to deal with a difficult foe or boss.

In that case, it makes more sense to keep it and maybe boost its stats with some incense than it does to fuse something with a pesky weakness. This was particularly common for me in the first Netherworld region and the early part of Shinegawa, where the variety of available bonds were still scant.

You’ll know it’s time to ditch your demons — or at least start trying — when there’s a level gap of five or more between them and you. No resistance will make up for the fact that they just won’t be useful in combat anymore at that point.

Special Fusions

You’ll recognize Special Fusions if you’ve played Persona. These mash two or more demons together to create a more powerful being that's usually unavailable through normal bonding event.

When do Special Fusions unlock? Special fusions unlock after meeting certain requirements, such as defeating a boss or completing a specific side quest. However, they’re often at a much higher level when you unlock them, so it’ll take a while before you can actually fuse them.

Affinities: What Does +1 Mean?

Sophia is less than forthcoming about the numbers next to your skills, and +1 in SMT isn’t code for a thumbs up. Your demons’ affinities and your own influence how much MP a skill costs, and that’s very important. SMT V’s more intense fights require plenty of spells and careful MP management. The higher an affinity, the more MP you save.

The opposite is also true. If a demon has negative numbers in a given area, MP costs increase.

In short, pay attention to affinities in the fusion results screen before starting the ritual. It’s often best to wait until you have a more favorable combination so you don’t end up wasting time and demons on a fusion that ultimately hampers you in battle.

Apotheosis: SMT V Essence Fusion

Apotheosis is fairly straightforward and something you should make part of your normal fusion routine. If you’re exploring or doing side quests, you’ll run across several high-level essences with spells that would normally be off-limits for a while.

Obviously, you should use these on your higher-level demons with favorable affinities, though it’s also a handy way to teach the Nahobino some extra skills.

Only use Aogami essences on demons if you’ve either already taught the Nahobino its unique skill or don’t want it. Nahobino skills such as Holy Water and Sakanagi are too good to waste otherwise.

We touched on how essences and affinities work with the Nahobino in our tips guide, but the brief version is that you should use unwanted essences to bolster the Nahobino’s weak points before a major fight.

For example, the second boss uses dark spells. If you’ve got a spare Baphomet essence (or anything else with dark resistance), using it gives the boss one less chance of scoring a critical hit and getting an extra turn.

Gustave sells essences if there’s a specific one you want, but they’re ridiculously overpriced. Your demons will randomly give you their essence after leveling up as well. Either way, you shouldn’t be short of essences to tinker with.

That’s all you need to know about Shin Megami Tensei V fusion, but make sure to check out our other Shin Megami Tensei V guides for more tips and tricks.