Effects of Skill Potential

Skill Potential is a mechanic in Shin Megami Tensei V (SMT 5) that affects different types of skills. To know the effects of Skill Potential on the different types of skills learned in the game and how this affects party setup, read on!

Effects of Skill Potential

Affects Skill Potency

Skill Potential for the Nahobino can be increased through Miracles that are purchased in the World of Shadows, while Skill Potential for demon allies are fixed.

Skills that align with the increased Skill Potential of that type will increase their potency, making them stronger.

However, low Skill Potential of a type will inversely make a skill weaker.

You can view a character's Skill Potential values at the top right part of their stats screen.

Increased Skill Potential types are denoted with a +, while those that are weaker are denoted with a -.

Affects MP Costs

The higher the Skill Potential, the cheaper the MP cost of a corresponding skill of that type.

As shown in the example above, the Nahobino does not have any Skill Potential points and has Agi at 10 MP, while the Daemon has +2 in Fire Skill Potential and thus has Agi +2 for 8 MP.

It is recommended to increase Skill Potential of your demons later in the game by using Sutras and the Nahobino's through Miracles in order to save up on MP in battles.

How Skill Potential Affects Party Setup

Higher Skill Potential is Ideal

Having a party with high Skill Potential in certain types is ideal, as not only will their skills be stronger, they'll be cheaper to cast as well.

This makes MP management easier and allows the party to exploit a foe's weakness even more.

Makes Skill Inheritance Tricky

Demon Fusion allows a new demon to inherit skills from their parent demons.

However, the new demon may have not have the same Skill Potential values as its parents and may have weaker Skill Potential in a type.

This can happen even though both parents have increased Skill Potential of that type.

Keep this in mind when inheriting skills and avoid giving your new demons weaker skills.

Shin Megami Tensei V (SMT 5) Related Guides

Tips and Tricks | Beginner's Guide

Game Mechanics

Press Turn System Guide	Battle System Explained
List of Difficulty Modes	How to Fuse Demons
List of Affinities	Effects of Skill Potential
List of Status Ailments	How to Use Magatsuhi Skills
Moon Phases Effects	How to Fast Travel
Interactable Objects	How to Get Essences
All Miman Locations

Stat and Build Guides

All Stats Explained	Best Nahobino Builds
Strength	Vitality
Magic	Agility
Luck

Farming Guides

How to Level Up Fast	How to Farm Macca
How to Farm Glory	How to Farm Mitamas

Tips and Tricks

Best Names for the Nahobino	Best Demons to Use
Best Miracles Tier List	All Abscesses Locations
All Cironnup Locations	All Aogami Essence Locations
List of Special Fusions

FAQ

Apsaras or Leanan Sidhe	What Carries Over in NG+
Principality or Lilim	Should You Eat the Golden Apple?
Black Frost or Dionysus	Where to get the Horn of Plenty
How to Get Dragon Scales	Should You Spare Khonsu?
Futsunushi or Adramelech