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Macca Coin and Bill Imagine

A macca coin and bill as seen in Shin Megami Tensei IMAGINE

"Macca opens many doors."
Charon, Shin Megami Tensei IV

Macca (魔っ貨 / 魔貨, Makka)? (sign: ћ) is the standard currency used in games that do not use yen. It is the official currency used in the Expanse, minted by Lucifuge. The symbol for macca is an 'h' with a line crossing the upper half of the neck, closely resembling the Cyrillic alphabet Tshe (ћ). The symbol also closely resembles the astrological symbol for Saturn (♄), especially in Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne, where the "h" portion of the symbol is curved. It might also be the Reduced Planck constant (ℏ).

Appearances[]

Profile[]

Most, if not all games related to the Megaten franchise use Macca as their sole currency, usually on games that takes place in an post-apocalyptic world or in otherworldly areas that contains demons, such as the Expanse or in the Schwarzwelt. The notable exception is the Devil Summoner and Persona series. It is explained in Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner that the Devil Summoner series takes place in an alternate timeline from Shin Megami Tensei where the Great Cataclysm never happened, thus macca never exists, and the real-life Yen was commonly used instead. However, many games that take place in the modern era, such as the Devil Survivor series, does not go into detail on why macca is used, and the backstory on why Macca is used for currency is rarely discussed about in many games.

Macca can used to buy various items and equipment, summon demons to be used in the overworld and in battle, to summon demons from the compendium, to progress the story, amongst others. It is also used in negotiations, with some demons requiring Macca in order to be recruited. They can be gained through defeating enemies, selling items (especially items whose purpose is to be sold), found in chests, and other means depending on the game.

Shin Megami Tensei[]

Shin Megami Tensei uses both currencies at separate points in the game. When the protagonist returns from the Diamond Realm, the party will learn that Yen is rendered useless due to the downfall of the government after the Great Cataclysm, and macca becomes the new and only currency in Japan. Macca is still obtained the same the protagonist can obtain yen though. An exchanger can be found in the Shinjuku mall to convert the player's old Yen into macca, though this results in only a fraction of the total.

Shin Megami Tensei II[]

Macca is still used as the currency of the game, even for the services in the Tokyo Millennium. In Lucifer's Castle in Makai, Lucifuge Rofocale states that he is the one who created macca.

Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne[]

Macca is used as the currency for demons living in the Vortex World. It is shown that macca is physically a coin of roughly gold or bronze coloring with the Macca symbol printed on it.

Shin Megami Tensei IMAGINE[]

Macca acts as the primary player currency within the game. Most vendors will only accept macca and the player-based economy functions mainly through the exchange of macca. It can be acquired through defeating demons, negotiating with demons, selling equipment and gems, and completing some quests. It stacks up to 50,000 coins at a time, which can be exchanged into Macca bills at some Yagiya vendors.

The only zone in which Macca is ineffective is Ikebukuro, which uses kreuz as currency.

Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey[]

In Strange Journey, Macca is regarded to be an energy source. Its use includes fueling ships, powering the treatment of the party in the Sickbay, and to develop new weapons, equipment, and items. It is shown that it is possible to break down physical objects to yield it. Strange Journey doesn't make it clear whether or not macca is physically a coin like it is in other Megaten games but nonetheless, it is still used as a currency among demons.

Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse[]

"Currency from the Expanse. Has the mark of Jupiter engraved on it. Written as 魔貨 in kanji, which translates to "demon currency." Now used by humans in the place of the yen.

Lucifuge had Macca minted for use as the Expanse's official currency. Before God's Plan, only demons used Macca. But once Tokyo became encased in the rock dome, its citizens began to use Macca to barter with demons. Its use has since become common."
Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse Notes, entry - "Macca"

It is explained in IV Apocalypse's notes about Macca is that they were the currency of the demons living in the Expanse and only demons used them. But when Tokyo was encased in the rock dome after God's Plan caused demons to be released in the modern world, the humans of Japan used Macca to barter with the demons and has replaced Yen to become the common currency of the IV duology. It is also mentioned that Lucifuge created Macca as well, mirroring on how he was also the creator of Macca in Shin Megami Tensei II.

Shin Megami Tensei V[]

Macca is the primary currency of the game, used to buy various items, fuse demons and add essences to other demons. It is also used in negotiations, with some demons requiring Macca in order to be recruited. Enemy demons that start first in the overworld (outside of specific fights) may demand Macca to let the protagonist and his team leave without fighting them.

Macca is primarily dropped by demons after battle, with each demon granting a set amount. The value of Macca gained after battle can be quadrupled while ending the battle on the turn with Omagatoki: Luck. Macca can also be gained by selling relics to Gustave at Cadaver's Hollow. Relics are found in vending machines found throughout Da'at or can be obtained by defeating some demons. Saki Mitama will drop the highest value relics available in each region upon being defeated. Macca may also be obtained from treasure chests or discovered at search points a navigator may discover.

The protagonist can pay Macca to friendly NPC Cironnups to reveal the location of all the Miman in the region they're in.

Persona 2: Eternal Punishment[]

One of Baofu's weapons is a One Hundred Million Macca Coin. It can be bought at Clair de Lune after Sumaru Castle for 380,000 Yen. In the English version of the game, it is translated as Billion Maka Coin.

DemiKids series[]

Macca, in addition to being used as currency, is also depicted as being edible by demons in the Devil Children series.

Digital Devil Saga series[]

In Digital Devil Saga: Avatar Tuner, Macca is used as the currency for the game. But in its sequel, the game uses dollars ($) as the currency of the game due to Avatar Tuner series taking place in some areas of North America.

Gallery[]


General
Dungeon - Combat - Turn - Action - Level - Experience - Party - Stats - Skills - Items - Equipment - Melee Attack - Ranged Attack - Damage (Fixed) - Guard - Escape - Accuracy - Critical - Multi-hit - Insta-Kill - Ailments - Drops - Encounter - Random Encounters - Symbol Encounters - Ambush - Difficulty
Franchise-wide
Demon - Magic (Fusion Spell) - Affinities - Unique skills - Extra Skills - Macca - Yen - Magnetite - Incense - Alignment - Moon Phase System - Demon Summoning Program (COMP) - Cathedral of Shadows (Fusion - Skill Inheritance - Accidents / Special / Three-demon / Sacrificial / Sword) - Demonic Compendium - Evolution - Negotiation (Special conversation) - Rag's Jewelry - Code Breaker - Press Turn - New Game Plus - Ultimate boss - Streetpass - Password - Skill Mutation - Energy Drain - Party Talks
Shin Megami Tensei series
Terminal - Guardian (if...) - Tactical Battle (NINE) - Capacity (NINE) - RTS (NINE) - Reinforcements (NINE) - Race Shift (NINE) - Modules (NINE) - Magatama (3) - Reason (3) - Demon Co-Op (SJ) - EX Missions (SJ) - Challenge Quest (4) - Skill Potential (4/A-5) - Smirk (4) - Barrier (4) - Partners (4A) - Jade Dagger (4A) - Magatsuhi Skills (5) - Essence (5) - Glory (5) - Miracles (5) - Demon Statues (5) - Abscess (5)
Devil Summoner series
Loyalty - Personality - Mystic Change - Nemechi (SH) - Case Files (RKKA)
Majin Tensei series
Rank - Affinity (2) - Arcana (Ronde)
Persona series
Shadows / Personas (Initial / Prime / Ultimate / Ancestor / Reverse / Sub) - Skill Card - Totem (1) - Type/Subtype (1+2) - Affinity (1+2) - Rank (1+2) - Mystic Change (1+2+5) - One More (3-5) - Growth Rate (1+2) - Unknown Power (1+EP) - Personality (1+2, 5) - Material Card (2) - Mutation (2) - Follow Up - All-out Attack (Cut-in) - Heart Item (3) - Shuffle Time (3+4) - Daily Life (3-5) - Activities (3-5) - Calendar (3-5) - Social Stats (3-5) - Social Link (3+4) - Tactics (3-5) - Requests (3-5; Q+Q2) - Clock (3P+3RE) - Linked Episode (3RE) - Great Clock (3RE) - Theurgy (3RE) - Arcana Chance (4) - Forecasts (Fusion / Weather) (4+5) - Boost (Q+Q2) - Power Spot (Q+Q2) - F.O.E (Q+Q2) - Confidant (5) - Technical (5+5S) - Treasure Demon (5+5S) - Party Switch (5+5S) - Baton Pass (5+5S; Q2) - Disaster Shadow (5R) - Fusion alarm (5R) - Persona Traits (5R) - Third Eye (5+5S) - Master Arts (5S) - BOND (5S) - Persona Points (5S)
Devil Children series
Trainer - Bank - BattleNet - Relic Fusion - Power Fusion - Powers
Digital Devil Saga series
Berserk Mode (2)
Devil Survivor series
Devil Auction - Extra Turn Battle - Skill Crack - Titles (DSO / DS2 / RB) - Fate System (2) - Add-On (2)
Other
Equip Type (GMT:TM) - Skill Systems (GMT:TM) - Sword Exchange (GMT:TM) - Class (TMS♯FE) - Class Change (TMS♯FE) - Topic System (TMS♯FE) - Side Quests (TMS♯FE) - Ad-lib Performance (TMS♯FE) - Session (TMS♯FE) - Dual Arts (TMS♯FE)
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