Turn Press

Turn Press Battle (プレスターンバトルシステム, literally "Press Turn Battle System") is the turn-based battle system introduced in Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne.

Appearance

 * Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne (first appearance)
 * Shin Megami Tensei IV
 * Digital Devil Saga
 * Digital Devil Saga 2

Mechanics
Turn Press Battle employs the Turn Press icon appear in the upper right in either red (corresponding to your enemies) or blue (corresponding to you and your allies). For the most part, there will be the same amount of Turn Press Icons as there are units on each side. The Press Icon can be either a "whole" or "half" (flashing) depending on what kind of action causing the icon to flash.

When the effective Press Icons exceed size of the team due to passing, scoring critical hit, etc., the action order will rewind back to the teammate who act first and continue until all Press Icons deplete.

Variable consumption of Press Icon
Basically performing any action consumes one Press Icon, either half or whole. But other conditions may change the consumption:

Combo skills in Digtial Devil Saga
Additional rules are applied for the inclusion of Combo skills which requires two or three party members to execute exclusively in Digital Devil Saga series.


 * Note

Increasing Press Icon
Some battle unit may possess more than one press icon such as most bosses. In Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne, most bosses and semi-bosses have two Press Icons initially. In Digital Devil Saga series, some boss possesses even more Press Icons such as Garuda (3), Jatayu (3), Brahman (5) and Satan (5).

Whenever the skills Beast Eye (expends a Press Turn to gain two half-turns) or Dragon Eye (expends a Press Turn to gain four half-turns) are cast, and, in Nocturne, if the player has viewed the Izanagi and Izanami cameo by beating every Burial Chamber challenge in the Labyrinth of Amala, in the current game cycle (Izanagi and Izanami bestow the Demi-fiend with an extra Press Turn).

Trivia

 * Albeit normally unattainable, in Digital Devil Saga, the maximum Press Icon each side can possess is capped at eight.
 * Mot's AI during the boss fight in Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne is renowned for abusing the enemy-exclusive skill "Beast Eye" to increase his Press Icon practically infinitely (the skill only consumes 1 MP). Among the Japanese fandom this phenomenon is nicknamed the "Mot's Drama" (モト劇場) for its absurdity.