Support Skills (補助, Hojo)?, formerly categorized as Prayer (天啓, tenkei)? are a skill type in the series, consisting of such as stat buffs and debuffs, and other similar modifiers.
In the Shin Megami Tensei main series (with the exception of Shin Megami Tensei V), Prayer spells usually target the whole party, unlike the Persona (with the exception of Megami Ibunroku Persona) series where they usually have both single-target and all-target versions, as displayed below. They use the classic Maha/Ma prefix to denote all-target version.
In the original version of Shin Megami Tensei, each -kaja effect can stack up to 8 times and 4 times for -nda effect. This was changed to 4 times for both -kaja and -nda effects in most subsequent installments. Few games, like Shin Megami Tensei IV and Digital Devil Saga 2, even cap the buff/debuff limit at 3 times. In Megami Ibunroku Persona, all -kaja and -nda spells can stack without a limit. In the other Persona games, -kaja and -nda spells cannot be stacked, and their effect ends after three turns.
If an opponent casts a -nda skill to debuff the party and a party member casts a -kaja skill to buff it, both skills cancel out each other. However, in the Q series, due to Etrian Odyssey stat change rules, both the -kaja and -nda effects will stack on the affected characters until the duration ends, requiring a Dekaja or Dekunda to undo the canceling effect.
The basic skills which affect one statistic by one level use two sets of roots to form the skill names systemically:
First root
Taru-
Physical power related. If Maka- type is not available, it affects magical power as well.
Maka-
Magical power related including healing.
Raku-
Physical defense related. If Sama- type is not available, it affects magical defense as well.
Sama-
Magical defense related without affecting healing.
Maximizes party's stat bonuses and maximizes foes' stat penalties.
Universal
Enervate
Decreases attack power by two levels.
All foes
Spell Gloom
Decreases magic power by two levels.
All foes
Void Fire
Nullifies one Fire attack.
All allies
Void Ice
Nullifies one Ice attack.
All allies
Void Wind
Nullifies one Wind attack.
All allies
Void Earth
Nullifies one Earth attack.
All allies
Void Electric
Nullifies one Electric attack.
All allies
Void Phys
Nullifies one physical attack.
All allies
Void Expel
Nullifies one Expel (Holy) attack.
All allies
Void Death
Nullifies one Death (Dark, including Petrifying) attack.
All allies
Void Charm
Nullifies one Charm attack.
All allies
Void Panic
Nullifies one Panic attack.
All allies
Void Poison
Nullifies one Poison attack.
All allies
Void Mute
Nullifies one Mute attack.
All allies
Void Nerve
Nullifies one Nerve attack.
All allies
Void Ailment
Nullifies all kinds of ailment attack (DDSAT2).
All allies
Fire Repel
Repels one Fire attack.
All allies
Ice Repel
Repels one Ice attack.
All allies
Wind Repel
Repels one Wind attack.
All allies
Earth Repel
Repels one Earth attack.
All allies
Elec Repel
Repels one Electric attack.
All allies
Expel Repel
Repels one Expel (Holy) attack.
All allies
Death Repel
Repels one Death (Dark, including Petrifying) attack.
All allies
Fire Drain
Drains one Fire attack.
All allies
Ice Drain
Drains one Ice attack.
All allies
Wind Drain
Drains one Wind attack.
All allies
Earth Drain
Drains one Earth attack.
All allies
Elec Drain
Drains one Electric attack.
All allies
Void, Repel, and Drain skills often appear as Passive/Auto skills.
Gallery[]
Persona 2: Innocent Sin skill cards
Tarukaja Card
Rakukaja Card
Makakaja Card
Samakaja Card
Sukukaja Card
Dekaja Card
Attack Mirror Card, which grants Tetrakarn
Magic Mirror Card, which grants Makarakarn
Tetraja Card
Persona 2: Eternal Punishment skill cards
Taru Kaja Card
Raku Kaja Card
Maka Kaja Card
Sama Kaja Card
Suku Kaja Card
De Kaja Card
Anti-Force Card, which grants Tetrakarn
Anti-Magic Card, which grants Makarakarn
Tetraja Card
Game Icons
Megami Ibunroku Persona
Persona 2: Innocent Sin
Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE
Persona 5 / Royal
Trivia[]
The statistic modifier skills introduced in this article except for Makakaja and Power Charge are absent from the Majin Tensei series and Devil Survivor series. In the Devil Survivor series, these are replaced by auto skills, which only last for the duration of the short skirmish.