DARK: (2)

Learn about the different demon races like Jashin, Maou, and Yo-Ju in Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster. Understand their strengths and weaknesses to build a powerful party.

Hey there! So you're diving into Nocturne HD Remaster and want to get a handle on all the different demon types you'll be running into? It can be a lot at first, but knowing what each race generally brings to the table will make building your party way easier. Let's break down some of the key demon races you'll encounter.

First up, we have the Jashin (邪神). Think of these guys as the 'bruisers' of the demon world. They're tied with Maou for the most powerful Dark race, and honestly, they can go toe-to-toe with any of the Light races. Most Jashin are super offense-oriented and are pretty versatile, meaning they can handle a lot of different roles.

Then there are the Maou (魔王). These are the arch-villains of their pantheons, and they're the absolute top-tier Dark race, and honestly, one of the most powerful races in the whole game. They're good at pretty much everything and are often compared to a Dark version of Majin. Just a heads-up, they can be a real pain to fuse, so be prepared for that.

Next, we've got Yo-Ju (妖獣), which are basically monstrous beasts that people in their home pantheons fear. As allies, they're kind of the Dark mirror to Maju. They mostly focus on physical attacks, using claws and jaws, and are generally average allies. A cool bonus is that all Yo-Ju are immune to Curse magic.

Yuki (幽鬼) are your undead – ghosts, zombies, spirits, you name it. They're all about Curse magic and are immune to it, which is neat. However, most Yuki aren't that great unless they're the really strong ones. They can hit hard but are usually weak spellcasters and don't have a lot of HP. Since they're undead, most are weak to Hama spells, which is bad if you have them but great if you're fighting them!

Gedo (外道) are the weird ones – slimes, blobs, things that blur the line between living and non-living. They can be surprisingly useful allies. Most Gedo are strong against physical attacks and can soak up a lot of damage. They're also better at spellcasting than Yuki, but watch out – every single one of them is weak to Hama spells. Overall, they're pretty average, maybe a bit below.

There's also a unique race called Kyocho (凶鳥). There's only one in the game, and you can only get him through a special fusion. He's the only 'unique race' enemy you'll find outside of fusion, mutation, or boss fights. As an ally, he's not too bad and can be helpful later in the game. His stats are decent across the board except for Luck, and it's a bummer that he's weak to Hama spells.

Finally, a quick note on recruiting demons: In Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster, negotiations are way simpler than in past games. You can't have actual conversations anymore. Instead, you just cut straight to the chase and bribe demons with money and items to get them to join your party.