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Guarding is a recurring mechanic in the series.
Appearances[]
- Shin Megami Tensei
- Shin Megami Tensei II
- Shin Megami Tensei: if...
- Shin Megami Tensei NINE
- Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey / Redux
- Shin Megami Tensei V
- Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner
- Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers
- Megami Ibunroku Persona
- Persona 2: Innocent Sin
- Persona 2: Eternal Punishment
- Persona 3 Portable
- Persona 4 / Golden
- Persona 4 Arena / Ultimax
- Persona 5 / Royal
- Devil Survivor / Overclocked
- Devil Survivor 2 / Record Breaker
Overview[]
Guarding is an option available in the battle menu. If used, the user will not do anything, but during that turn they will have their defense increased against other attacks. In some games in the series, defending characters will be protected from being Downed against elemental weaknesses.
Shin Megami Tensei NINE[]
Reinforcements will guard if they have no healing or support moves available.
Shin Megami Tensei V[]
Guarding is a command option available for both the protagonist and demon allies. The user needs to Guard at their last turn for it to have an effect: guarding beforehand has no effect.
Guarding lowers the damage taken by roughly 20%, similarly to a single buff of Rakukaja. It stacks via multiplication. It does not stack with resistances.
Guarding protects against Critical hits from both regular attacks, and unlike with resistances, it also protects from Omagatoki: Critical. It also prevents their weaknesses from being exploited, in which case, users weak to Light and Dark cannot be killed by instant-death when guarding.
Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers[]
Defense Kuzushi and Defense Yaburi deal more damage to guarding targets.
Megami Ibunroku Persona[]
Both party members and enemies can guard. While there are enemies in later games capable of doing this, such as Shadow Yosuke from Persona 4, they are exceptions rather than the norm, and as such the first Persona remains the only entry in the series where all enemies and bosses are capable of guarding.
Persona 2: Eternal Punishment[]
The enemy-exclusive skill Guard Punish deals high Almighty damage to all party members and will ignore damage reduction from defending targets. Instead, it will do double damage to guarding targets.
Persona 3 Portable[]
The "Wait" command in battle from Persona 3 and FES has been replaced with the "Defense" command.
Persona 5 / Royal[]
This topic is in need of research for the following reason: * Does Guard deactivate if the user participates in Baton Pass afterward? This can be discussed on the article's talk page. |
If the user guards, the damage they'll take will be subtracted by x0.4. Guarding also prevents the user from being knocked down and being afflicted with ailments.
Guarding does not reduce the effects of Life Leech. Guarding does not protect against weaknesses if they've been afflicted by Artist's Grace.
Gallery[]