Part 5

Understand stats like Vi, Ag, Lu, and Level, plus resistances (Wk, St, Nu, Rf, Dr) and the Demon Co-Op system in Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux.

Stats:

• Vi (Vitality): Increases defense against physical and gun attacks, and adds 3 HP per point. The main character's damage reduction is also influenced by armor's Defense value.
• Ag (Agility): Largely determines acting order in a turn. The main character always goes first when using an item or summoning a demon, regardless of Ag.
• Lu (Luck): Helps determine hit/evade rates and likely item drop rates.
• Level: Increases attack and defensive values slightly per level, and heavily affects Hit/Evade rates, making low-level playthroughs very difficult.

Stats are assigned randomly with a percentage chance per stat on level up, totaling 3 points per level-up, excluding the effect of certain Sub Apps that can grant demons extra stats when equipped during demon level-ups.

Resistances:

Resistances determine how effective each element is against you, your demons, and enemies. These are displayed on the status screen.

• Wk (Weak): Target takes 150% damage or has a 150% normal chance to be hit by Expel and Curse skills.
• - (No resistance): Target takes regular damage and has a regular chance to be hit by Expel and Curse skills.
• St (Strong): Target takes 50% damage or has a 50% normal chance to be hit by Expel and Curse skills.
• Nu (Null): Attack does not affect the target.
• Rf (Reflect): Target reflects the attack. In Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux, reflected attacks deal damage as if the target had a '-' resistance, regardless of their actual resistance. This means even if normally strong, null, reflect, or drain, the target takes full damage.
• Dr (Drain): Target is healed by the attack.

There are 8 elements that can have resistances: Phys, Gun, Fire, Ice, Elec, Wind, Expel, and Curse. Almighty attacks cannot be resisted.

A demon's resistances can only be changed by fusing skills that alter them. The main character's resistances are determined by equipped armor. He has an innate Null Expel unless armor modifies this. Armor can add weaknesses, strengths, or nulls. It is recommended to buy various armor types and equip them as needed for specific fights.

Demon Co-Op:

Demon Co-Op is a gimmick system where if you or a demon hits an enemy's weakness, all other same-alignment party members perform an extra attack that deals Almighty damage. This only occurs if there are other party members of the same alignment as the attacker. Demon Co-Ops only trigger on hitting an enemy weakness, unlike systems where critical hits also activate bonus turns.

Alignment for Demon Co-Op is based on the Law-Neutral-Chaos axis, indicated by name color: Blue (Law), White (Neutral), Red (Chaos). The Light-Neutral-Dark alignment axis is unrelated to Co-Op and affects negotiation.

The damage of Demon Co-Op attacks is based on the Level, St (Strength), and Ma (Magic) stats of the participating characters/demons and the number of allies:

• 1 ally: (ally #1 co-op damage) x 1.0
• 2 allies: (ally #1 + ally #2 co-op damages) x 0.75
• 3 allies: (ally #1 + ally #2 + ally #3 co-op damages) x 0.7

Alignment:

Alignment plays a role in determining your Ending and is important for the Demon Co-Op system. Unlike some previous Shin Megami Tensei titles, you can use demons of all alignments regardless of your own. Demon Co-Op attacks are restricted to same-alignment characters and demons. Demons will Co-Op with other demons of the same alignment, even if they are not the same alignment as the main character.