Alciel

Alciel
Japanese Name	アルシエル
Romaji	Arushieru
Also known as	Aciel
Origin	Abrahamic Mythology Mesopotamian Mythology
First Appearance	Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne
Alignment(s)	Chaos (SMT IMAGINE) Dark-Law (SMT: SJ)
Race(s)	Tyrant (Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne, Shin Megami Tensei IMAGINE) Vile (Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey, Shin Megami Tensei IV, Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse)
Evolves from	Abaddon (SMT3)

Alciel or Aciel is a demon in the series.

History

According to Midrash ha-neʿelam (“The Mystical Midrash”), a work of medieval Jewish mysticism, Arsiel is the entity in charge of Gehenna. He confronts the righteous souls to prevent them from praying for the wicked. Elsewhere, this role of the prince of Gehenna is instead given to Ashmedai, Satan, Abaddon or Samael. While English translations of the Bible often treat Gehenna and Hell interchangeably, the concept has a distinct meaning in rabbinic literature and in kabbalah, closer to the notion of purgatory. Gehenna is a place where a soul resides briefly (at most for a year) and becomes aware of all own deeds, rather than one of eternal damnation.

In Praxis cabulae nigrae Doctoris Johannis Fausti, Magi celeberrimi, a book written in 1612, Aciel (Alciel) is one of seven "planetary spirits," a concept present already in earlier writing related to the character of Faust. These spirits were regarded as servants of Lucifer, and the more famous Mepistopheles has his origin among them. In at least one similar Faustian text, Aciel was specifically identified as the demon associated with the sun.

Megami Tensei seemingly conflated these two unrelated demons, likely influenced by The Woman's Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets, where it's claimed that Arsiel was copied in Jewish beliefs from "the Chaldean "Black Sun" Aciel, the negative deity corresponding to the god of light in the celestial realm." In truth, neither Arsiel nor Aciel appear to have distinctly Mesopotamian origins, and they aren't present in works predating the Middle Ages. Attribution of either of them to "Chaldean" mythology might be a misconception rooted in the usage of the term "Chaldean" for anything occult or mystical in European literature.

Appearances

• Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne: Tyrant Race, Boss
• Shin Megami Tensei IMAGINE: Tyrant Race
• Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey: Vile Race
• Shin Megami Tensei IV: Vile Race, Boss
• Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse: Vile Race

Profile

Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne

"According to the mystic Cornelius Agrippa, he is the prince of 'Gehenna', one of the seven levels of hell. His name means 'the sun of night'. He is commonly seen as one and the same with Abaddon and Satan."

—Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne compendium

Alciel is first encountered as a boss in the Black Temple of the Amala Temple. Its most dangerous move is Sol Niger, which reduces the Demi-fiend's party to 1 HP, leaving them vulnerable to a physical attack. Alciel will always telegraph this move by spamming Mana Drain the turn before, and the most effective way to prevent an untimely death is to use Tetrakarn or an Attack Mirror in preparation for Sol Niger.

After his defeat, the player can obtain Alciel for themselves. Alciel can only be obtained by evolving an Abaddon at level 74. Alciel also appears as a random encounter in the higher levels of the Tower of Kagutsuchi or the depths of the Fifth Kalpa of the Labyrinth of Amala, but as a member of the Tyrant race it cannot be recruited.

Shin Megami Tensei IMAGINE

Alciel appears as the final boss in the Shinjuku Under Wonder Ground event, accessible only by traveling to the 100th floor. He is supported by Abaddon and Moloch.

Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey

"The "Black Sun" who lives in the underworld in Babylonian lore. His original name is Aciel, which the Jews borrowed from a Babylonian god, and called him the "King of Gehenna." But in some Asian faiths, all things are reborn only in darkness, so Alciel is not all bad."

—Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey compendium

Shin Megami Tensei IV

Alciel is the creator of the Domain at the Kabuto Shrine in the Ginza region. Defeating him earns the relic Kusanagi Tsurugi, one of the Three Sacred Treasures.

Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse

"The "Black Sun" who lives in the underworld in Babylonian lore.
His original name is Aciel, which the Jews borrowed from a Babylonian god, and called him the "King of Gehenna." But in some Asian faiths, all things are reborn only by darkness, so Aciel is not all bad."

—Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse compendium

Alciel can be found in Camp Ichigaya. He can teach Nanashi the Poison Breath, Tetrakarn and Magaon skills through his Demon Whisper. He benefits from learning ailment, Darkness and support skills.

Stats

Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne

• Boss
• Summonable Ally

Race Level HP MP Strength 35 Magic 38 Vitality 20 Agility 1 Luck 1 Tyrant 70 8000 2000 Reflects Absorbs Void Resists Weak Death - Expel/Ailments - - List of Skills Skill Cost Effect Dragon Eye 1 MP Grants user's team four blinking turn icons. (Enemy-only) Mana Drain 2 MP Drains a small amount of MP from one foe. Almighty-type. 70% accuracy. Sol Niger none Drops all foes' remaining HP to 1. (Enemy-only) Dekaja 10 MP Removes all buffs from all foes. Dekunda 10 MP Removes all debuffs from all allies. Tempest none Medium physical damage to all foes. 70% accuracy, 30% critical rate.

Race Level HP MP Strength 29 Magic 25 Vitality 27 Agility 14 Luck 16 Tyrant 77 624 306 Reflects Absorbs Void Resists Weak Death - Expel Magic - Obtainable Evolution only after boss battle. Open to trading. Evolved from Tyrant Abaddon List of Skills Skill Cost Effect Level Life Surge Passive Equipper's max HP is boosted by 30%. 78 Tetrakarn 45 MP Creates shields which repel non-almighty physical attack for all allies. Shield lasts one turn or until it has blocked one attack. 79 Hell Fang 15% HP Heavy physical damage to one foe. 65% accuracy, 45% critical rate. 80 Victory Cry Passive Equipper fully restores HP and MP after battle. Only effective when the user is the active combatant. 81

Shin Megami Tensei IMAGINE

Race Alignment Level HP MP Growth Inherit St Ma Vi In Sp Lu Tyrant Chaos 90 500,003 4508 Irregular Expel 0 0 0 0 0 0 Force Slot Close Long Spell Support P.Def M.Def Critical Crt.Def 7 26 37 61 48 249 249 400 650 Features Null Instant Death, The Greatest Fruit See also [1] Default Skills Skill Cost Effect Violent Wind 11% HP Deals force damage to all enemies in front of user. Mabufudyne 30 MP, 20 Mag Deals ice damage to all enemies in range and inflicts freeze ailment (70%). Death Touch 3 MP Deals magic affinity damage to a single target. User's HP regenerates 50% of damage done. Hades Blast 22% HP, 10 Mag Deals charge damage to all enemies surrounding user. Megidora 50 MP, 40 Mag Deals almighty damage to all enemies in range. Learned Skills Skill Effect Special Blunt Attack ? Switch of Destruction ? Vajra Formation ? Rondo of Destruction User is Enraged. Multiple characters can target. Immune to Knockback, damage does not cancel skills or attack recovery.

Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey

Race Alignment Level HP MP Strength 43 Magic 42 Vitality 40 Agility 39 Luck 39 Vile Dark-Law 61 513 280 Attack Type All Foes/1/Physical/None Weak Weak - Strong - Strong Weak Null - Poison Paralyze Stone Strain Sleep Charm Mute Fear Bomb Rage - - - - - - - - - - Natural Skills Hades Blast Counter Life Gain D-Source Skills Retaliate Life Surge Password ALCARMOR

Shin Megami Tensei IV

• Boss
• Summonable Ally

Race Level HP MP Strength -- Dexterity -- Magic -- Agility -- Luck -- Vile 75 3444 ∞ Phys Gun Fire Ice Elec Force Light Dark Weak Weak Null Null Null Null Null Null Ailment Resistance ?? Normal Attack Phys x1, 1 enemy Drop Kusanagi Tsurugi List of Skills Skill Effect Poison Breath 70% poison to all foes. Acid Breath Debuffs all foes' defense and agility by 1 level. Titanomachia Heavy physical damage to all foes. High critical but low accuracy. Tetrakarn Bestows physical/gun-repelling shields for one turn to all allies.

Race Level HP MP Strength 90 Dexterity 79 Magic 62 Agility 72 Luck 59 Vile 66 719 143 Phys Gun Fire Ice Elec Force Light Dark Weak Weak Null Null Null Null Weak Null Ailment Resistance None Normal Attack Phys x1, 1 enemy List of Skills Skill Cost Effect Level Poison Breath 11 MP 70% poison to all foes. Innate Tetrakarn 50 MP Bestows physical/gun-repelling shields for one turn to all allies. Innate Acid Breath 45 MP Debuffs all foes' defense and agility by 1 level. 67

Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse

Race Level HP MP Strength 65 Dexterity 58 Magic 86 Agility 69 Luck 76 Vile 67 472 262 Phys Gun Fire Ice Elec Force Light Dark Weak Weak Null Null Null Null Weak Drain Ailment Resistance Resist: Mute Normal Attack Phys x1, 1 enemy Skill Affinities Ailment +3 · Dark +2 · Support +2 · Light -3 · Physical -4 · Gun -4 List of Skills Skill Cost Effect Level Poison Breath 15 MP 70% poison to all foes. Innate Tetrakarn 50 MP Bestows physical/gun-repelling shields for one turn to all allies. Innate Magaon 10 MP Removes smirk from one foe. 68

Gallery

Attack artwork in Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne

Model in Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne

Alciel in Shin Megami Tensei IMAGINE

Alciel casting Sol Niger in Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne.

In Other Languages

Language	Name
English	Aciel Alciel
Japanese	アルシエル (Arushieru)
French	Alciel
Italian	Aciel
German	Arsiel
Spanish	Aciel