"Furthermore, by using Essences obtained from demons, you can transform you and your allies' skills and affinities."
Essence (写せ身, Utsusemi)? are unique items that are also part of a mechanic in Shin Megami Tensei V and Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance. They are described as the "copied, astral form" of a demon's abilities.
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Essences generally represent the titular demon's regular properties in the shape of special consumable items (for instance, "Agathion's Essence.") This includes all of their skills and affinities. Essences are the base subject of Essence Fusion, a process accessed within the Apothesis tab in the World of Shadows, which is immediately available upon meeting Sophia for the first time.
Essences can be used to modify the skill set of either the Nahobino or any ally demons, and even let the protagonist himself the ability to modify his affinity chart, though only after a Miracle upgrade. Although skills can be handpicked, letting the party member inherit any skills as pleased, the affinity chart can only be copied in its entirely, which includes any weaknesses.
The ability to implement skills from Essence Fusion is greatly restricted at first and will need the "Art of Essences" series of Miracles to unlock more of the skill pool. Without these miracles, only the demons' innate skills as of their recruitment can be unlocked, with each Art of Essences increasingly unlocking more skills the essence's respective demon would unlock by leveling up. The maximum is 3 levels, in which case all skills will be unlocked.
Demons are able to give their own Essences in battle after leveling up and quests, and they can also be found in Treasure Chests and Search Points. Cornered demons in the wild can also offer their Essence to appeal for their survival once the Miracle "Deathly Aura III" has been acquired.
There are also certain Essences of entities that cannot be recruited as party members. There are multiple variants of Aogami, all of which grant their own sets of skills, in addition to the unique skills exclusive to the Nahobino. Nearly all unique skills are innate, and as such do not require any additional Miracles to be learned, though the Nahobino can only learn unique skills from the Aogami series of essences, so not even he can learn and use skills that are unique to other demons, such as Zeus's Keraunos or Nuwa's Sacrifice of Clay. In Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance, Aogami's essences can now primarily be found in the overworld by finding the remains of other Proto-fiends, though the essences can still be found outside of these via search points. In the Canon of Vengeance, the Nahobino can learn unique skills provided by the three Tsukuyomi series of essences, which are unlocked by reaching various parts in the story, with more being able to be purchased from Cadaver's Hollow for the rest of that CoV run.
Additionally, in the "Return of the True Demon" DLC and Shin Megami Tensei: Vengeance's base game the Demi-fiend also has an Essence of his own, that will be dropped upon defeating him.