Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne (SMT Nocturne)

Press Turn Battle System Guide

Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne - Press Turn Battle System Guide.png
This is a guide to the Press Turn Battle System of Shin Megami Tensei III HD Remaster (SMT Nocturne) for the Nintendo Switch, PS4, and Steam. To learn all about the Press Turn Battle System and how it works, read on.

Press Turn Battle System Overview

Press Turns

Player Press Turn Enemy Press Turn
Player Press Turn Icon Enemy Press Turn Icon

When combat starts, players are given Press Turns. Each player character or demon active on the field gets 1 Press Turn. The more demons you have (max. 4), the more Press Turns you start with.

Enemies obey the same rule. The more enemies there are, the more Press Turns they get. Caution: Unlike the Demi-Fiend, enemies can have more than 4 demons on the field.

Boss Press Turns

2 Press Turns Specter.jpg

Not all enemies will have only 1 Press Turn. Bosses, despite being only 1 demon, can sometimes have 2 or more Press Turns when they begin combat.

One example is the Specter demon in the Amala Network. It will have 2 Press Turns despite being only 1 demon.

SMT 3 Boss Guides

Press Turns in Battle

How to count the number of turns

Press Turns can be counted by looking at the top-right corner of the game-screen. How the icon looks determines the count of each Press Turn.

Icon State Turn Count
Press Turn Icon 1 Turn
Half Turn Icon 1/2 Turn

Press Turn Action Cost

Any action a player or enemy does will always cost Press Turns. The type of action and whether it hits/misses determines the number of Press Turns consumed.

Action Turn Cost
Critical Hit 1/2 Turn
Weakness Exploit 1/2 Turn
Pass 1/2 Turn
Successful, Normal Attack or Magic Skill 1 Turn
Unsuccessful Negotiation 1 Turn
Summon Demon 1 Turn
Dodged or Missed Attack 2 Turns
Repel 2 Turns
Absorb All Turns
Null All Turns
Interrupted Negotiation All Turns
Successful Negotiation Ends Combat

1/2 Press Turn Mechanic

Actions that cost 1/2 Press Turns does not mean that players can only use the remaining half for actions that also cost 1/2 Press Turns!

The remaining 1/2 Press Turn is always treated as if it were 1 Whole Turn.

Press Turn Battle Strategies

Weakness and Critical Hits

Nekomata weakness.jpg

Weakness and Critical hits consume only 1/2 Press Turns. This gives players an extra action to perform for exploiting a weakness or landing a critical hit.

Use this tactic against enemies who have more numbers than your party. Use Weakness exploits especially, as a lot of non-boss demons will have weaknesses.

Analyze Enemies

It is important to know the stats of your enemies. Nullified, Absorbed, or Drained attacks will consume more than 1 Press Turns. This can turn battles against players if they are not careful. Alternatively, you can also check our demon pages to avoid wasting turns during crucial fights!

List of Demons

Skip Turns

Status ailments can affect how your allied demons perform in battle. Sometimes, it is better to skip their turn since they usually waste it when they have negative status effects like Confuse.

Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne Related Guides

Tips and Tricks

Tips and Tricks

All Tips and Tricks

Tips and Tricks
How to Get Raidou How to Get Dante
How to Heal and Revive Demons How to Recruit Demons
Fusion Calculator Guide How to Farm Lucky Tickets
Rag's Jewelry Shop Build Guide: Best Demi-fiend Stat Builds
How to Fuse Demons Mystical Chests Guide: List of Mystical Chests
What is the Kagutsuchi List of Evolving Demons
Best Leveling Areas How to Unlock the Compendium
Joining the Mantra: Gozu's Question List of Trophies and Achievements
How to Get Deathstones How to Return to the Amala Labyrinth
Fiend Bosses List and Locations How to Open All Kalpa Doors
Burial Chamber Guide List of Shady Brokers
Junk Shop List New Game Plus Features : How to Unlock NG+
Beginner Guides
Press Turn Battle System Guide Differences Between Difficulty Settings
How to Swap Demons How to Talk to Demons
How to Change Voice language How to Save Game
How to Remove Curses How to Farm Macca
Stat Guides
Stat Guide: All Stats Explained What Does Strength Do
What Does Magic Do What Does Agility Do
What Does Vitality Do What Does Luck Do
Faqs
Where to Find Bill Should You Release Pixie
Jumping from Mantra Headquarters Demi-Fiend Canon Name
How to Open the Door in Ikebukuro Four Oni Locations

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