Shin Megami Tensei Devil Survivor: Overclocked

[SnowFire]

The year: 2009.
The place: Tokyo.
The problem: Thanks to the Internet and Google Translate, humanity has conquered the curse of Babel, uniting the world under one language, enabling a would-be dictator to rise again, perhaps, and invite a new Judgment of God.  An immortal genius programmer hired by a religious cult decides to use the Internet and a captured rock band member to help automate demon summoning rituals, but it turns out his server merges with the Tower of Babel which is taken to the demon realm, and then
(SEVEN PAGES REDACTED)
the cult members.  Can Our Hero win the war for the Throne of Hell so that he can hold an awesome punk concert which will banish the demons infesting Tokyo via the primal common tongue of music, thus surviving God's deadly seven-day ordeal?  Or will he haXX0r the server to make demons serve the Illuminati?  Or will he order the demons to obey God?  Or will he trust his shifty "cousin" with an agenda?  Or will he GTFO?

--

Devil Survivor 1!  It's…  damn near the same game as Devil Survivor 2 mechanically!  So see the DS2 topic, almost everything there applies here:

http://www.rpgdl.com/forums/index.php?topic=6729.0

So…  what's different about DS1 original vs. DS1 Overlocked vs. DS2?

• Rather than magic cell phones, Our Heroes use magic modded Nintendo DSes.  (Ah, the optimism of 2009, that everyone might have these.)
• While the DS1 protagonist does vacuum up demon powerz into him, Mega Man style, he is not the super ultimate Shining One Bodhisattva that was the DS2 protagonist.  As such, the rest of the cast does not gain elemental resistances from forming a warm relationship with Our Leader.  (Okay, except for one frosty member.)
• Defensively, it feels like Str & Mag are more important defensively relative to DS2, and Vit is less important relative to DS2.  So Keisuke isn't quite as frail as you might expect, Amane gets owned by physical damage, and Izuna & Kaido fear magic damage.
• Stat requirements on skills are higher in DS1 Overclocked than in DS2, and even higher in original DS1.  Hypothetically, this would help uniqueness, except that the money skills the cast wants are generally ones with reasonable stat requirements anyway, so not that much.

This topic is a "Day 7" topic taken at lvl. 55, rather than a "Day 8" topic taken at ~lvl. 65.  This is for three reasons: first, for better compatibility with the original Devil Survivor, where all routes stopped on Day 7.  Second, because even in Overclocked, not all routes even have a Day 8; Gin/Haru & Atsuro both still end on Day 7.  Third, Gin doesn't even have a Day 8 form, so including him would require a Day 7 topic anyway.


Game mechanics / stats

See "Game mechanics" section of the DS2 topic:
http://www.rpgdl.com/forums/index.php?topic=6729.0
Except, two newish stats:
* Move: Some characters have 3 Move, others 4 Move.
* Speed: This is "map speed", the rate of the character's squad gaining turns on the map.  Has nothing to do with how quickly you act in actual skirmishes, which is still AGL.  (Al-Saiduq had good DS2 Spd, but that was hidden.)

In general, map speed is pretty irrelevant IMO - the differences are quite small.  Naoya's 4 Move & 50 Spd is way better than Yoohoo's 3 Move and 52 Spd.  The map-fastest character, Keisuke, will get 8 map turns for every 7 the map-slowest character, Kaido, gets.  Big whoop, most maps are over by then, and so will most DL duels.

"Effective Speed" ignores the "Speed" stat (ugh, nomenclature).  It assumes that a 7 AGL character never gets an Extra Turn, that a 16 AGL character gets a "natural" Extra Turn half the time, and that a 25 AGL character always gets an extra turn.  (This comes out to 7 AGL = 66% speed due to getting 2 turns for every 3 that average gets, and 25 AGL = 133% speed due to getting 4 turns to every 3 that average gets.)

Dancing all Night (Skills)

As with DS2, I'm only allowing basic damage skills for the cast, which sadly makes it very one-dimensional.  Unlike DS2, most of the characters don't even have boss forms for skill inspiration.

Magical skills I've opted to allow:
* There are 4 Dances - 5 if you include Holy Dance, and 6 if you include Cursed Dance - and sure, there's enough to go around.  They are all your best magic damage in a duel.
** Similar to DS2, to show which elements a character is "good" at, I've handed them out based on which element amps they can equip.  In Overclocked, it's a 12-12 stat requirement in two stats (Fire: Mag-Str; Ice: Mag-Vit; Elec: Mag-Agl; Force: Vit-Agl); in original, it was a 14-13 requirement.  I'm using 14-14 in this topic to reflect characters who can use the amp right from the start of Day 7, or by the end of Day 7 in the original.  For example, Gin, with his balanced build, can equip any Amp, and gets all four Dances.  Mari's 12 Agl means she misses out on Elec & Force and sticks to Fire & Ice Dance.  Amane's dedication to Mag & Vit means she only has Ice Dance.
** I would probably only allow Holy Dance to very high Mag characters - there's less Almighty damage in general than in DS2 (Megido & Drain, basically) so less good backups, and the damage is pretty trashy without a good base Mag due to no Amp.  Amane, Yuzu, & Naoya, perhaps.  It's 45 MP and worse on damage so isn't usually relevant, though.


Physical skills I've opted to allow:
* Berserk & Deathbound.  (And vanilla damage skills, I guess, but those hardly matter.)  There are two of these so you can outfit 2 fighters and they're just plain the best physical damage options.  Berserk is based off raw HP & Str, while Deathbound is HP / Vit / Str.  (Raw HP, not % HP, so Izuna does more damage than Atsuro with Berserk at full health despite them both having 22 Str.  She'd do the same damage when reduced to Atsuro's HP.)  I'm allowing these to characters that can use all of Berserk, Deathbound, and Phys Amp - in other words, Atsuro / Gin / Izuna / Black Frost / Kaido.  Keisuke, no dice, as his trash Vit means no Phys Amp for him.

Physical skills that are borderline on DL legality:
* Multistrike.  Unlike DS2, there isn't a Multi-Hit skill, just one Multistrike, so you can only outfit 1 character with it.  I might overlook that, but Multistrike is also crazy late; like, Belberith battle late.  And it wasn't in the original.  Nah.  (Izuna is really the only person who might be missing out here anyway.)
* Mighty Hit.  It's an automatic critical hit and pretty good (or, alternatively, the Anger Hit + Marksman Auto Skill combo for a much smaller HP cost).  However, there's only one of it ignoring the Anger Hit strat, and it makes speed a bit janky and weird, since crit-farming is a way to make yourself "faster" sort of and harvest more extra turns, at least if you're slow and/or the enemy is fast.  Kaido is the main character who wants it (maybe Black Frost if you squint, as well).

Damage Figures

I've tested damage from skills on an L54 Catoblepas with 22 Str and 18 Mag.  So yes, that means physicals are somewhat underrated by this topic as it stands.  (Alas, this was the closest to balance I could find.  An equal Str & Mag enemy would have been ideal to test on.)  OTOH, phys damage has some issues in DS1, most notably in absolutely requiring the "Pierce" passive to be equipped to deal with all the resistance floating around (almost all the Day 7 bosses either Resist/Null/Drain Phys, or have Tetrakarn), so maybe this is fair minor penalty to pay.  Up to you.

[SnowFire]

Stat chart, Level 55

_	HP	MP	Str	Mag	Vit	Agl	Spd	Mov
Hero	438	269	18	18	18	17	53	4
Atsuro	458	122	22	13	19	17	50	4
Yuzu	371	267	14	26	15	17	52	3
Keisuke	383	184	17	22	10	22	55	4
Midori	401	195	13	23	18	17	50	4
Mari	389	240	14	25	20	12	53	4
Amane	360	301	10	31	17	13	50	3
Black Frost	390	231	20	22	16	13	50	3
Izuna	539	90	22	5	22	22	50	4
Gin	452	126	21	15	18	16	52	4
Naoya	432	243	14	26	17	17	50	4
Kaido	539	94	27	8	22	13	47	4
Avg. no Hero	429	190	17.6	19.6	17.6	16.3	50.8	3.7

Damage average (no Hero): 361, 2.5 killpoint: 903
Standard deviation for agility: 3.3



Hero not in averages
438 HP, 269 MP, 18 Str, 18 Mag, 18 Vit, 17 Agl
1.02 PCHP, 1.00 DefMult, 1.04 MagicMult, 1.02 PDurability, 0.98 MDurability, 1.03 effective speed, 1.04 map speed.

This is equal-build hero, a terrible idea.  Do not try this at home.

Berserk (13% HP): 2-3 hits of 135 damage @ 100% health, avg. 2.33 hits: 315.  Does less at low HP.
Fire/Ice/Elec/Force Dance (23 MP): 2-3 hits of 105 damage, avg. 2.33 hits: 245.  ~20% chance of Freeze/Shock per hit.
Hero with 40 Mag's Dances: 2-3 hits of 455 damage, avg. 2.33 hits: 1060


Atsuro Kihara
458 HP, 122 MP, 22 Str, 13 Mag, 19 Vit, 17 Agl
1.07 PCHP, 0.91 DefMult, 1.20 MagicMult, 1.18 PDurability, 0.89 MDurability, 1.03 effective speed, 0.98 map speed.

Berserk (13% HP): 2-3 hits of 165 damage @ 100% health, avg. 2.33 hits: 384.  Does less at low HP.
Force Dance (23 MP): 2-3 hits of 75 damage, avg. 2.33 hits: 175
Attack: 165 damage


Yuzu Tanikawa
371 HP, 267 MP, 14 Str, 26 Mag, 15 Vit, 17 Agl
0.86 PCHP, 1.15 DefMult, 0.85 MagicMult, 0.75 PDurability, 1.01 MDurability, 1.03 effective speed, 1.02 map speed.


Fire/Ice/Elec/Force Dance (23 MP): 2-3 hits of 200 damage, avg. 2.33 hits: 466.  ~20% chance of Freeze/Shock per hit.
Attack: 85 damage


Keisuke Takagi
383 HP, 184 MP, 17 Str, 22 Mag, 10 Vit, 22 Agl
0.89 PCHP, 1.21 DefMult, 1.02 MagicMult, 0.74 PDurability, 0.87 MDurability, 1.21 effective speed, 1.08 map speed.


Fire/Elec Dance (23 MP): 2-3 hits of 155 damage, avg. 2.33 hits: 361.  ~20% chance of Shock per hit.
Attack: 105 damage


Midori Komaki
401 HP, 195 MP, 13 Str, 23 Mag, 18 Vit, 17 Agl
0.93 PCHP, 1.04 DefMult, 0.95 MagicMult, 0.89 PDurability, 0.98 MDurability, 1.03 effective speed, 0.98 map speed.


Ice/Elec/Force Dance (23 MP): 2-3 hits of 165 damage, avg. 2.33 hits: 384.  ~20% chance of Freeze/Shock per hit.
Attack: 75 damage


Mari Mochizuki
389 HP, 240 MP, 14 Str, 25 Mag, 20 Vit, 12 Agl
0.91 PCHP, 1.00 DefMult, 0.83 MagicMult, 0.91 PDurability, 1.10 MDurability, 0.84 effective speed, 1.04 map speed.


Fire/Ice Dance (23 MP): 2-3 hits of 185 damage, avg. 2.33 hits: 431.  ~20% chance of Freeze per hit.
Attack: 85 damage


Amane Kuzuryu
360 HP, 301 MP, 10 Str, 31 Mag, 17 Vit, 13 Agl
0.84 PCHP, 1.21 DefMult, 0.83 MagicMult, 0.69 PDurability, 1.01 MDurability, 0.88 effective speed, 0.98 map speed.


Ice Dance (23 MP): 2-3 hits of 270 damage, avg. 2.33 hits: 629.  ~20% chance of Freeze per hit.
Holy Dance (45 MP): 2-3 hits of 235 damage, avg. 2.33 hits: 548.
Attack: 55 damage


Black Frost
390 HP, 231 MP, 20 Str, 22 Mag, 16 Vit, 13 Agl.
0.91 PCHP, 1.00 DefMult, 1.00 MagicMult, 0.91 PDurability, 0.91 MDurability, 0.88 effective speed, 0.98 map speed.
Reflects Fire, Ice.  Weak to Force.  Fiend type rather than Human type for Race-O/Race-D skills.


Fire/Ice Dance (23 MP): 2-3 hits of 155 damage, avg. 2.33 hits: 361.  ~20% chance of Freeze per hit.
Berserk (13% HP): 2-3 hits of 145 damage @ 100% health, avg. 2.33 hits: 338.  Does less at low HP.
Attack: 150 damage


Misaki Izuna
539 HP, 90 MP, 22 Str, 5 Mag, 22 Vit, 22 Agl
1.26 PCHP, 0.86 DefMult, 1.30 MagicMult, 1.47 PDurability, 0.97 MDurability, 1.21 effective speed, 0.98 map speed.


Berserk (13% HP): 2-3 hits of 180 damage @ 100% health, avg. 2.33 hits: 419.  Does less at low HP.
Deathbound (20% HP): 2-3 hits of 210 damage @ 100% health, avg. 2.33 hits: 489.  Does less at low HP.
Zan (4 MP): 20 damage
Attack: 165 damage


Gin (Eiji Kamiya)
452 HP, 126 MP, 21 Str, 15 Mag, 18 Vit, 16 Agl
1.05 PCHP, 0.94 DefMult, 1.11 MagicMult, 1.12 PDurability, 0.95 MDurability, 0.99 effective speed, 1.02 map speed.

Berserk (13% HP): 2-3 hits of 155 damage @ 100% health, avg. 2.33 hits: 361.  Does less at low HP.
Fire/Ice/Elec/Force Dance (23 MP): 2-3 hits of 85 damage, avg. 2.33 hits: 198.  ~20% chance of Freeze/Shock per hit.
Attack: 155 damage


Naoya
432 HP, 243 MP, 14 Str, 26 Mag, 17 Vit, 17 Agl
1.01 PCHP, 1.08 DefMult, 0.92 MagicMult, 0.94 PDurability, 1.10 MDurability, 1.03 effective speed, 0.98 map speed.


Fire/Ice/Elec/Force Dance (23 MP): 2-3 hits of 200 damage, avg. 2.33 hits: 466.  ~20% chance of Freeze/Shock per hit.
Attack: 85 damage


Kaido (Tadashi Nikaido)
539 HP, 94 MP, 27 Str, 8 Mag, 22 Vit, 13 Agl
1.26 PCHP, 0.79 DefMult, 1.25 MagicMult, 1.59 PDurability, 1.01 MDurability, 0.88 effective speed, 0.93 map speed.


Berserk (13% HP): 2-3 hits of 210 damage @ 100% health, avg. 2.33 hits: 489.  Does less at low HP.
Deathbound (20% HP): 2-3 hits of 245 damage @ 100% health, avg. 2.33 hits: 571.  Does less at low HP.
Mighty Hit (15% HP) - 350 damage.  (Automatic critical.  At best, will give Kaido an extra turn and take away the extra turn a fast opponent already had, in effect making him "faster" than the speedier opponent.  Questionable legality.)
Attack: 215 damage
Zan (4 MP): 30 damage

[SnowFire]

Damage chart

Normal figure assumes 2.33 hits for Berserk / Elemental dances.  Berserk damage is taken at 50-65% HP and is offset by ~15.5% PCHP (it costs 13% max HP, but the three users all have above-average HP, so a bit more than 13% PCHP).
Figures in brackets [] are Berserk damage @ 100% HP.
Figures in braces {} are without the self-damage offset, and also take Berserk @ 100% HP.

1.  629 Amane: Ice Dance
2.  466 Yuzu: Fire/Ice/Elec/Force Dance
2.  466 Naoya: Fire/Ice/Elec/Force Dance
4.  431 Mari: Fire/Ice Dance
5.  384 Midori: Ice/Elec/Force Dance
6.  361 Keisuke: Fire/Elec Dance
6.  361 Black Frost: Fire/Ice Dance (Berserk: 147, [198], {338})
8.  276 Kaido: Berserk [349] {489}
-- 245 Hero: Fire/Ice/Elec/Force Dance
9.  216 Izuna: Berserk [279] {419}
10. 198 Gin: Fire/Ice/Elec/Force Dance (Berserk: 167, [221], {361})
11. 186 Atsuro: Berserk [244] {384}

Damage average (no Hero): 361, 2.5 killpoint: 903

[SnowFire]

Appendix

As usual, see the DS2 topic for notes on status in this game, skill crack, range, & critical hits.

Character availability

In general, Hero, Atsuro, Yuzu, Keisuke, & Midori have excellent availability, existing on Days 1-6 and joining in all or almost all endgame routes.
Mari, Amane, Izuna, and Black Frost only join on Day 7, which is kinda late.  Mari joins on almost all paths (if you saved her); the others are hit-or-miss.
Gin, Kaido, and Naoya only join on Day 7, and are very picky; they only join on their own route (Gin/Haru route or Naoya/Kaido route…  although Kaido will join Yuzu's route on Day 8, I guess.)  You could argue they should be less a part of the stat & damage averages, perhaps.

Gin has one additional wrinkle: Atsuro is a required deploy on the final map of Gin's route….  Atsuro, the person who has the same dang stat build as Gin.  If you wanted to deploy both, they're likely competing over the same skills (e.g. Pierce, Phys Amp).  Who did Gin offend at Atlus HQ?



DL thoughts:
Well this is easy.  They're all Lights.  Maaaaaaaaaaybe Naoya or Magical Dolly, Warrior of Love might pull themselves into Low Middle off slightly above average speed backed by borderlineish 2HKO-on-average damage with status proc chances, but they're not stellar.  Hero if you let him customize his stats probably makes Middle too.

At least most everybody is a *good* Light, at least.  Yoohoo is a frailer Naoya-lite, Keisuke can steal some victories off his good AGL, Izuna & Kaido are tanky against Light's many physical fighters, Mari & Amane have good damage (even if they're frail & slow), and Black Frost will hax a few victories thanks to his elemental reflection. 

Atsuro & Gin are left holding the short end of the stick in the lower depths of Light, despite their Magic advantage on Izuna/Kaido being a genuine point in their favor in-game (less magically frail when that's the easiest way to die, better healing spells they can equip).  Their damage is just too crappy.  (Which is pretty annoying vs. the various bosses that have "regen 10% HP after each skirmish" or the like; you want to DPS check 'em hard)