Summary
Given howPersona 3 Reloadserves as more of a graphical overhaul of the corePersona 3experience, the title boasts a more updated core gameplay system that can make venturing into the Dark Hour as a SEES Operative more exciting than the original release. Taking on the role of a supernatural agent, players rely on their Personas to defeat Shadows and hopefully save the world from utter doom. Thankfully, equipping their Personas with the right skills can make them more reliable assistants in a player’s world-saving adventure, withAlmighty Skillsproviding heavy-hitting moves against most foes.
Unlike other elemental properties, Almighty Skills inPersona 3 Reload,and much of theMegami Tenseifranchise, cannot be blocked, drained, or repelled. This makes Almighty Skills a recommended addition to a player’s arsenal, especially when fighting stronger foes with guaranteed resistances. However, across the game’s many Almighty Skills, some are better than others.
12 SP
Effect
Increase the chance of inflicting Ailments to all combat participants
With Ghastly Wail serving as one of the more common combos associated with the Almighty elementinPersona 3 Reload, players who want to maximize the potential of this status-based attack should keepStagnant Airhandy. This is a double-edged sword, however, as this Almighty Skill increases the chances of receiving Ailments not just for enemies, but also for the player’s own party.
However, players who want to experiment with the game’s potential to debilitate enemy teams with Ailments should consider using Stagnant Air instead of inflicting the same effect on one enemy with the costly Foul Breath (8 MP). This is because pairing Stagnant Air with a cure-all via Mabaisudi or Me Patra (Recovery, 10 SP each) can remove any other inconvenient effects on all allies.
5 SP
Drain 20 SP from 1 Enemy
On top of HP becoming an essential component in the survival ofany party inPersona 3 Reload, maintaining SP is also an integral part in ensuring the team has consistent performance across all forms of combat. Players looking for a way to consistently get SP, aside from Items, may want to useSpirit Drain, especially since its 5 SP cost does come with a return of 20 SP from one foe.
Math-wise, this does mean players only get 15 SP for a single use of Spirit Drain. However, 15 SP should be enough for players who pack a basic Dia (4 SP), life-stealing Life Drain (5 SP), or even spending it on Foul Breath (15 SP), depending on what emergency combos players have prepared for their lower-cost Skills.
Drain 35 HP from 1 Enemy
As withother turn-based RPGs, life is an essential component in any party’s survivability inPersona 3 Reload’sgameplay. In the face of extremely dangerous foes, healing can become an important aspect to ensure a teammate’s survival, and not getting off a valuable Dia on time can cost someone the battle, especially if this means the team’s DPS falling in combat. With an Almighty Skill likeLife Drain, players have a better shot at surviving against opponents in any encounter.
When cast, Life Drain will pull 35 HP from the enemy to give to the player. By the time a player’s health gets into the 500+ range, 35 HP seems negligible. However, if a damaged ally uses this against an opponent close to death, the 5 SP is a worthwhile investment for a damage-and-heal versus a mere Dia for 4 SP that only heals its user.
25 SP
All Enemies
All Enemies receive Almighty Damage, and have a chance of being Poisoned
In thetactical metagame ofPersona 3 Reload, players might realize that not all battles can be settled immediately with sheer firepower. This is especially the case when on the higher floors of Tartarus, which often contain stronger opponents. In these situations, an attack that puts enemies at a disadvantage is always welcome in a player’s arsenal, withVirus Breatha worthwhile investment for players with a penchant for boosting the effects of Ailments.
When used, Virus Breath deals Almighty damage to all foes on the battlefield. This amount of damage isn’t as massive as other Almighty attacks, but this is mostly due to its secondary effect. Virus Breath has an innate chance of Poisoning foes, ensuring the team deals damage over time to enemies as well.
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80 SP
1 Enemy
1 Enemy receives Almighty Damage, and receives more damage if Downed
When players purchase thePersona 5 Royal Set 2DLC forPersona 3 Reload, they get access to the ultimate Persona of Goro Akechi of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts: Loki. While the Persona itself boasts potent Fire and Ice Resistances on top of Dark Immunity, it’s hisRebellion Bladethat can make Loki quite a heavy-hitter in terms of Almighty damage.
Unleashing Rebellion Blade deals a lot of Almighty damage to a single enemy. Its hefty 80 SP cost is an uptick from the multi-hits Megidolaon (50 SP) and Sinful Shell (66 SP), and it packs lower firepower compared to Morning Star (64 SP). However, where Rebellion Blade shines is how it deals extra damage to a Downed opponent, emphasizing combo-based attacks that capitalize on a party’s potential for dealing status Ailments.
40 SP
All Enemies receive Almighty Damage
Common to thePersonaexperience inits high-stakes storyare multi-hit attacks spread across elemental types, all dealing different damage amounts based on the Skill’s intensity and SP cost. Such is the case ofCosmic Flare, a unique multi-hit attack with the Almighty classification. When cast, Cosmic Flare deals Almighty Damage to all enemies.
At first glance, Cosmic Flare seems to deal around the same damage range as its closest SP equivalent, Megidola (32 SP). While Megidolaon (50 SP) theoretically deals more damage for a manageable rise in cost, Cosmic Flare is a more practical choice when players acquire Anat, as some other low-cost Skills can be squeezed into the 10 SP difference.
66 SP
All Enemies receive Massive Almighty Damage, with a Medium Chance of Insta-Kill (Dark)
Should players ofPersona 3 Reloadacquire thePersona Set 2DLC Pack, they can acquire nine Personas ranging from the likes of Kasumi Yoshizawa or Goro Akechi, as well as the powerful Satanael. When summoned via the Compendium for free, not only does this Persona come with some of the game’s best resistances, but itsSinful Shellpacks quite a punch when it comes to Almighty coverage.
Using Sinful Shell will cost 66 SP, but it deals Massive Almighty damage to all foes. Not only that, it has a medium chance of inflicting Insta-Kill, a Dark-type effect that instantly obliterates foes. Despite its hefty cost, players who have sustainable ways of generating SP can spam Sinful Shell against even the toughest foes.
65 SP
All Enemies receive Heavy Almighty Damage
As with any turn-based RPG, players ofthis darkPersonagamecan hyper-optimize theirPersona 3 Reloadcombat by utilizing multi-hit attacks to constantly damage targets while depleting the least amount of resources. In the case of Almighty damage,Megidolacan serve this purpose for a manageable 65 SP.
At first glance, the costly 65 SP can seem bad for resource management, as even a character with 300 SP can only use Megidola around four times before having to recharge. However, as with other Almighty attacks, enemies not being able to conventionally resist this element can make this multi-hit attack a more worthwhile investment compared to similarly-damaging attacks of other elements at the same cost.
85 SP
All Enemies receive Massive Almighty Damage
As expected of the Almighty element inPersona 3 Reload, it also has its fair share of tiered multi-target Skills that players can use on their enemies, provided they have the SP to support such firepower. Among these multi-target attacksin the RPG,Megidolaonis a worthwhile investment as its 85 SP cost does come with a devastating attack that deals Massive Almighty Damage to all enemies on the battlefield.
Granted, its 85 SP can seem rather costly in the context of resource management, especially in terms of battles of attrition. However, Megidolaon becomes a more justified acquisition when players realize that enemies can’t block, nullify, resist, or repel the Almighty element - making it a pure, non-elemental damage type.
28 SP
All Enemies are instantly killed if under Fear, otherwise the attack fails
Compared toother turn-based RPGs,Persona 3 Reloadwill eventually demand players be more tactical in their choice of moves as enemies become stronger and increase in numbers throughout the player’s adventures in Tartarus. This is why both enemies and players have access to insta-kill moves, and sometimes at a manageable cost once they fulfill certain requirements. It’s for this reason thatGhastly Wailbecomes a must-have for teams, especially if their Personas are already capable of inflicting Fear on opponents.
When used, Ghastly Wail immediately kills all opponents who are inflicted with Fear. Enemies who don’t die in the process are instantly cured of the affliction, which typically only happens against boss opponents. If players want to use Ghastly Wail as a focal point of their combos, they need to focus on inflicting Fear as often and accurately as possible.
