Build Guide: Best Demi-fiend Stat Builds

This is a build guide detailing the best Demi-fiend stat builds for Shin Megami Tensei III HD Remaster (SMT Nocturne) for the Switch, PS4, and Steam! Read on to learn about the best Demi-fiend stat builds and how to build him, for your playthrough!

How to Build the Demi-fiend

The Demi-fiend is the most important character in a player's party. If he dies, it's game over. Here are ways to build your Demi-fiend into the strong protagonist he was meant to be.

Magatama

The Demi-fiend can have a variety of different builds since he is the only unit in the game that can use Magatamas.

Magatamas give him different stats boosts while also giving him the chance to learn many new skills.

Picking the right Magatama is crucial for building a strong Demi-fiend. For a list of Magatamas, their effects, and learnable skills, refer to our Magatama page.

List of Magatama

Stats

Feeling lucky?

Stats are also very important to building a powerful Demi-Fiend. Different stat priorities will be featured in the builds below.

Make sure to take note of which stats are important to the type of damage/magic you want your Demi-fiend to be using. Use our helpful stat guides to know what each of them do!

Stat Guides
What Does Strength (Str) Do	What Does Magic (Mag) Do
What Does Vitality (Vit) Do	What Does Agility (Agi) Do
What Does Luck (Lck) Do

It is also important to note that the max stat available for each stat is 40. Having 40 Strength and equipping a Strength-boosting magatama will not increase your strength further. Therefore, it is suggested to leave at least 10 extra stat up slots to your stats and increase your other stats instead.

Skills

The learning system for skills in SMT3 is very punishing. While the Demi-Fiend can learn many skills, he can only ever keep 8 of them at a time.

If players have all 8 skill slots occupied, they will be asked to discard one skill in order to learn a new one.

Caution: Skills that have been discarded cannot be re-learned! Make sure to read what each new skill does before deciding to discard your other skills. Refer to our list of skills for more details!

List of Skills

Best Stats to Increase

A common question asked when building the Demi-Fiend is what is the best stat to raise for him. However, this stat hierarchy is for combat purposes only. Some stats require certain value to unlock doors in the Kalpa area.

High Tier (Raise When Possible)	Strength, Vitality
Mid-Tier (Can Be Raised After Maxing High Tier Stats)	Mag, Agility
Low-Tier (Ignore)	Luck

Demi-fiend Best Builds

Here are our current best builds for the Demi-fiend. We will update this page as we gain newer and more powerful skills in SMT3, so stay tuned!

Demi-Fiend Builds Directory
Early-Game Build	Strength Glass Cannon	Mid-Game Phys Build
Late-Game Phys Build	Late-Game Mag Build

Early-Game Build

Build Overview
Magatama	Kamudo
Skills	Focus Might Heat Wave Berserk
Stat Priority
High	Strength (Str), Vitality (Vit)
Medium	Agility (Agi), Magic (Mag)
Low	Luck (Lck)

This build prioritizes Phys. damage and Vit. so that the Demi-fiend can dish out damage while still surviving combat encounters.

Kamudo has its strength in Phys., a bonus to the early game Demi-fiend as your first Magatama imparts Phys. skills.

The thing to really remember is to add a few magic ablities to this build like Heat Wave or Ice Breath. This makes your party ready to face new combat encounters, as other types of damage can be handled by your demons.

Strength Glass Cannon

Build Overview
Magatama	Kamudo
Skills	Focus Might Heat Wave Mind's Eye Counter
Stat Priority
High	Strength (Str), Agility (Agi)
Medium	Vitality (Vit)
Low	Magic (Mag), Luck (Lck)

Prove your strength to the Mantra demons with this build. Prioritize Str. to boost Phys. damage to absurd levels and Agi. to keep you hitting first and missing less.

Since Vitality is kept as medium priority for stats, the Counter Skill will be useful as it can give you chances to hit back when damaged. Remember, keep the damage up and recruit demons who have healing skills to help the Demi-fiend survive.

This build will carry well into the late game as more and more of the Demi-fiend's signature skills will be Phys. skills.

Mid-Game Phys Build

Build Overview
Magatama	Nirvana
Skills	Focus Might Attack All Divine Shot Null: Dark Javelin Rain
Stat Priority
High	Strength (Str), Vitality (Vit)
Medium	Agility (Agi), Magic (Mag)
Low	Luck (Lck)

This build can carry players through any content found in the mid-game. Prioritize Strength and Vitality to alot for the HP costs of the Phys skills while still investing in Strength. Get your Agility to a decent enough level (20-25), while slowly adding points to Mag as some of the better Magic Skills become available around this time.

Do note that when going with this build, it is good to have a strong Magic-using demon on your team as many of the mid-game bosses will have resistances to Phys. If you find yourself skipping turns instead of fighting on the Demi-fiend, invest in a strong Elemental Skill like Magma Axis to compensate.

Late-Game Phys Build

Build Overview
Magatama	Masakados
Skills	Focus Freikugel Divine Shot Endure Tarukaja Magma Axis or Wind Cutter Pierce
Stat Priority
High	Strength (Str), Magic (Mag)
Medium	Agility (Agi), Vitality (Vit)
Low	Luck (Lck)

This is a very strong late-game build that can have your hits dealing over a thousand or so damage per hit. Focus is amazing when paired with the heavy-hitting Freikugel, while Endure allows the Demi-fiend to survive some of the more broken abilities of late game bosses like Ahriman or Kagutsuchi.

Masakados is the best in this scenario as it Nulls everything except for Almighty skills, pretty handy since it frees up your skills slots for actual skills rather than that random, Null: Dark.

Prioritize Strength and Magic as, at this point, you should slowly be approaching the 999 HP cap, making Vitality investments moot. Str and Mag will allows players to consistently scale their damage to each boss they fight. Note, Pierce is a must-have for players that want to tackle the True Demon ending.

Late-Game Magic Build

Build Overview
Magatama	Masakados
Skills	Mana Surge Bufudyne Freikugel Makakaja Endure Wind Cutter Magma Axis
Stat Priority
High	Strength (Str), Magic (Mag)
Medium	Agility (Agi), Vitality (Vit)
Low	Luck (Lck)

Again, much like the Phys build, Magic Builds will hit very hard in late-game provided you have the right amount of stat points invested in Mag. Do not skimp out on getting multiple Elem skills, but the best would have to Wind Cutter as it is one of the most effective Magic skills against most bosses in the game.

Once again, equip Masakados for the Null: All (except Almighty) passive, and steadily invest in Mag and Strength. Freikugel is included in this build since it is still one of the best Almighty damage skills the Demi-fiend can have. After all, the rule-of-thumb during late-game is to always have a varied set of skills. This will allow players to adjust for any situation (e.g., Ahriman and Noah fight).

Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne Related Guides

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