Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance Press Turn System Explained

Learn how to master the Press Turn System in Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance. Learn to maximize turns, exploit weaknesses, and dominate battles.

The Press Turn System is a unique, turn-based combat mechanic integral to the Shin Megami Tensei (SMT) series, making its return in Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance (SMTVV). This guide will delve into the intricacies of the Press Turn System, explaining how to maximize your turn count, exploit enemy weaknesses, and utilize strategic advantages to dominate battles.

What is Press Turn System

The Press Turn System rewards strategic play by granting additional actions for exploiting enemy weaknesses and landing critical hits. The turn icons at the top right of the screen indicate the number of actions available per turn. Successfully hitting an enemy’s weakness or landing a critical hit grants your party extra turns. However, be cautious, as enemies can also exploit your weaknesses to gain additional turns.

Increasing Your Turn Count

• Add More Party Members: Each member in your party, including the protagonist, contributes one turn icon. You can have up to four party members, which equates to four initial turn icons.
• Exploit Weaknesses: Using skills that target an enemy’s elemental weakness significantly increases damage and grants an extra turn. Identifying and exploiting these weaknesses is crucial for maximizing your turn count.
• Land Critical Hits: Achieving a critical hit not only boosts damage but also grants an additional turn. Skills and buffs that increase critical hit chances can be highly advantageous.
• Passing Turns: You can pass a character’s turn to the next teammate without consuming a turn icon. This strategic move can be used to set up more advantageous attacks, especially when waiting for the right moment to exploit weaknesses or land critical hits.
• Utilize Magatsuhi Skills: Magatsuhi skills are a powerful addition in SMTVV. These skills, which require building up the Magatsuhi meter, can provide substantial buffs or deal significant damage without consuming a turn. The Magatsuhi meter carries over between battles, allowing you to plan your strategy across encounters.

Strategic Tips for the Press Turn System

• Plan Your Attacks: Always aim to exploit enemy weaknesses first. This strategy ensures you maximize your turns and inflict the most damage. Keep a diverse set of skills in your party to cover various elemental weaknesses.
• Manage Turn Icons Wisely: Use the passing turn feature to optimize your actions. For example, if a party member’s skills are ineffective against the current enemy, passing their turn to a more effective member can turn the tide of battle.
• Monitor Enemy Turns: Be aware of your party’s vulnerabilities. Equip demons and use skills that minimize weaknesses to prevent enemies from gaining extra turns.
• Build and Use the Magatsuhi Meter: Regularly use Magatsuhi skills to maintain an edge in battle. These skills can provide crucial advantages at key moments, allowing you to turn a difficult fight into a manageable one.
• Buffs and Debuffs: Incorporate skills that enhance your party’s performance or hinder the enemy. Buffs that increase accuracy or critical hit rates and debuffs that lower enemy defenses can be game-changers.

By mastering the Press Turn System, players can transform challenging encounters into manageable skirmishes, ensuring a smoother and more rewarding gameplay experience in Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance. The key to success lies in strategic planning, exploiting weaknesses, and optimizing every action to maintain control over the battlefield.