How to Beat Shiva

Shiva is a boss in Shin Megami Tensei V (SMT 5). Read on to know the best strategies to use against Shiva, Shiva's weaknesses, best demons to use against Shiva, and the best buffs to use to counter Shiva, and the most effective strategies to use to beat Shiva!

How to Beat Shiva

Use the Null Phys Passive Skill Use Ice and Force Skills Use Almighty and Piercing Skills Use Buffs and Debuffs Have Multiple Demons with Mediarahan and Energy Drain

Use the Null Phys Passive Skill

The Null Phys passive skill can be obtained by farming Ongyo-Ki's essence. Since Shiva often uses Physical attacks, having demons equipped with Null Phys is a great way to shorten the enemy turn.

Additionally, you can use the essence of Sandalphon on Nahobino or other demons to inherit his affinities to naturally null Physical damage.

Use Ice and Force Skills

Use Ice-type skills on Shiva as often as you can manage, but as soon as you see an Ananta spawn, hit it hard with Force-type skills to take it down before it can heal Shiva. Be sure to stock up on Ice and Force Gems at Gustave's shop beforehand to ensure you can hit these two weakpoints when necessary.

Use Almighty and Piercing Skills

Since you will have to deal with not only Shiva but the demons he summons, it's recommended that you use Almighty or Piercing Skills to deal damage safely to all targets.

Use Buffs and Debuffs

Using skills like Cleopatra's Frolic, Tao's Light of Order, as well as Debilitate or Luster Candy, can give you the edge over Shiva. Make sure that your dedicated debuffer also knows Energy Drain to replenish MP when possible.

Use Mediarahan and Energy Drain

It's recommended to have multiple demons that know Mediarahan in your party or stock. If a healer doesn't have enough MP left to cast Mediarahan make sure they also know Energy Drain so they can restore MP when they have a chance. If not, you can also swap out your healer for a different demon with healing abilities.

Energy Drain can be obtained by farming the essence of Nebiros near the Shinobazu Pond Leyline.

Best Demons to Use Against Shiva

Demons with Ice and Force Skills

Demons with access to Bufubarion and Mabufubarion can hit Shiva's elemental weakness, extending the player's turn, which you will need to cast buffs/debuffs, heal, and deal damage.

Shiva will also summon several demons, but the most important to take down quickly is the Ananta that spawns which can heal Shiva completely in one turn. This Ananta is weak to Force type attacks, so take it down as soon as it spawns to avoid the fight essentially reseting.

Demons with Buffs and Debuffs

Buffing and Debuffing the enemy team makes a huge difference to your survivability. Cleopatra is an excellent choice if you have access to the DLC, as her Frolic ability lowers the Attack and Defense of all foes by 2 stages with a chance to charm. Additionally Cleopatra naturally learns Luster Candy which raises all party member's attributes by 1 stage for 3 turns.

If you don't have access to the DLC, any demon that knows the skill Debilitate and Luster Candy can fill this role.

After Shiva casts Tandava and lowers the party's defense, Tao's unique skill Light of Order is also very useful as it heals a medium amount of damage, removes the debuff, and buffs the whole party's attributes by 1 stage.

Demons with Almighty or Pierce Effect Skills

Demons with Almighty skills like Megidola or Megidolaon are very useful in this fight since they target all foes and bypass any affinities, so it's safe damage. The drawback is that you won't be hitting any elemental weakness and the MP costs are pretty high for these skills.

Additionally, demons that have piercing skills like Amon's Megido Flame can can be a good alternative.

Shiva Stats and Weaknesses

Recommended Level

Recommended Level	Location	Drops
96 ~ 99	Taito Near the Asakusa Leyline	Shiva's Essence

Shiva Stats

Shiva Weaknesses and Resistances

Elemental Weaknesses and Resistances

Status Ailments Resistances

Shiva Skill Proficiencies

Elemental

Other

Shiva Skills

Shin Megami Tensei Related Guides

Boss Battle Guides | List of Bosses

All Boss Types

Related Boss Guides
Story Bosses	Optional Bosses
DLC Bosses

Story Bosses

Story Boss Guides
Hydra	Eligor
Nuwa	Lahmu (1st Fight)
Loup-garou	Fionn mac Cumhaill
Lahmu (2nd Fight)	Shohei Yakumo
Surt	Ishtar
Chernobog	Arioch
Abdiel	Odin
Zeus	Vasuki
Metatron	Tsukuyomi
Nuwa	Abdiel
Lucifer	Lucifer (Secret Ending)

Optional Bosses

Optional Boss Guides
Pazuzu	Anahita
King Frost	Thunderbird
Loki	Belphegor
Moloch	Amanozako
Camael	Abaddon
Arahabaki	Khonsu
Fionn mac Cumhaill (2nd Fight)	Baal
Huang Long	Asura and Mithras
Amon	Gabriel, Raphael, and Uriel
Belial	Michael
Inanna	Danu
Maria	Khonsu Ra
Zeus (2nd Fight)	Shiva

Optional Mini-Bosses

Optional Boss Guides
Apsaras	Leanan Sidhe
Shiki-Ouji	Xuanwu
Jatayu	Kumbhanda
Quetzalcoatl	Baihu
The Kunitsukami	Futsunushi
Adramelech	Zaou-Gongen

Punishing Foes

Punishing Foes Guides
Oyamatsumi	Horus
Girimekhala	Hecatoncheires
Chimera	Seth
Bishamonten	Jikokuten
Koumokuten	Zouchouten
Garuda

DLC Bosses

DLC Boss Guides
Artemis	Cleopatra
Mephisto	Matador
Daisoujou	Hell Biker
White Rider	Red Rider
Black Rider	Pale Rider
Mother Harlot	Trumpeter
Demi-Fiend