Quick Links
- Where To Find Minato’s Punishing Foes
- Xuanwu – Level 24
- Jatayu – Level 25
- Zhuque – Level 43
- Baihu – Level 43
- Koumokuten – Level 44
- Koumokuten – Level 65
- Qing Long – Level 45
- Oyamatsumi – Level 48
- Seth – Level 62
Minato is a pretty relaxed area compared to the rest of Shin Megami Tensei 5. The demons that wander the land are weaker, the layout is easier to digest, and it tends to act like a light introduction to the game’s core concepts.
To keep you on your toes, however, Minato is loaded with Punishing Foes who are more than ready to murder a wayward Nahobino. Each one is a formidable foe, it would be best to avoid most of these demons. If you want to test your mettle, however, you better go in prepared.
Where To Find Minato’s Punishing Foes
Minato has EIGHT Punishing Foes roaming its wilderness. They vary in strength, but most of them are mid-late game encounters that should be avoided when first spotted.
Xuanwu – Level 24
Potentials & Resistances and Weaknesses
| Potentials | Resistances and Weaknesses | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Physical | – | Physical | – |
| Fire | -6 | Fire | Weak |
| Ice | +5 | Ice | Block |
| Electric | – | Electric | – |
| Force | – | Force | – |
| Light | – | Light | – |
| Dark | – | Dark | – |
| Almighty | – | ||
| Status | – | ||
| Healing | – | ||
| Support | +2 | ||
Attacks
| Attack | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Ice Breath +5 | Two to five weak Ice attacks to random foes |
| Rakukaja +2 | Raise Defense of one ally by one rank for three turns |
| Heavy Blow | Medium Physical attack to one foe. Greater effect when landing a Critical |
| Bufula +5 | Medium Ice Attack to one foe |
| Critical Aura +2 | The next Strength-based attack of self will be 100% accurate and guaranteed Critical |
Xuanwu is part of The Gold Dragon’s Arrival Side Quest and is found northeast of the Kamiyacho Leyline. Being one of the easier Punishing Foes in Minato, it is very possible to defeat him before you leave the area. His stats aren’t great, but he does do a hefty amount of Ice and Physical damage thanks to Critical Aura and Potentials.
Xuanwu is weak to Fire, but there aren’t many demons at this point in the game who can capitalise on that weakness without being weak to Xuanwu in return. If you decide to fight Xuanwu early, it will probably be a long fight, without much weakness exploitation. Consider bringing some Gems or Shards with you to speed up the process. Also, consider debuffing his Defense, so you can deal as much damage as possible.
Jatayu – Level 25
Potentials & Resistances and Weaknesses
| Potentials | Resistances and Weaknesses | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Physical | – | Physical | – |
| Fire | – | Fire | – |
| Ice | – | Ice | – |
| Electric | – | Electric | Weak |
| Force | +4 | Force | Drain |
| Light | – | Light | – |
| Dark | -3 | Dark | Weak |
| Almighty | – | ||
| Status | – | ||
| Healing | – | ||
| Support | +3 | ||
Attacks
| Attack | Potential |
|---|---|
| Critical Wave | Weak Physical attacks to all foes. High chance of Critical |
| Zanma +4 | Medium Force attack to one foe |
| Sukukaja +3 | Raise Accuracy/Evasion of one ally by one rank for three turns |
| Lunge | Weak Physical attack to one foe |
You can find Jatayu north of the Kamiyacho Leyline. Unlike most of the Punishing Foes in Minato, Jatayu can be taken down pretty early. Its stats are still way too high to tackle when you first bump into it, however. Jatayu will focus on dealing high Physical and Force damage, so plan accordingly. As is normally the case, prioritise Physical resistance on Nahobino.
Jatayu drains Force attacks, so avoid them at all costs. Jatayu is weak to Lightning and Dark attacks, giving you plenty of attack options. You could also use a Physical demon with Charge to lay into Jatayu.
Zhuque – Level 43
Potentials & Resistances and Weaknesses
| Potentials | Resistances and Weaknesses | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Physical | – | Physical | – |
| Fire | +5 | Fire | Weak |
| Ice | -6 | Ice | Block |
| Electric | – | Electric | – |
| Force | – | Force | – |
| Light | – | Light | – |
| Dark | – | Dark | – |
| Almighty | – | ||
| Status | +1 | ||
| Healing | – | ||
| Support | +1 | ||
Attacks
| Attack | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Agilao +5 | Medium Fire attack to one foe |
| Masukunda +1 | Lowers Accuracy/Evasion of all foes by one rank for three turns |
| Maragion +5 | Medium Fire attack to all foes |
| Dekunda +1 | Negates status debuff effects on all allies |
| Lullaby +1 | Chance of inflicting sleep to all foes |
You can find Zhuque flying around the southeast of the Tokyo Tower Leyline. Coming with a high Potentials in Fire, and a great Magic stat (47), Zhuque is more than capable of dealing huge amounts of damage to an unprepared party.
Zhuque has access to both Maragion and Agilao which forces you to bring some kind of Fire resistance. Zhuque also comes with Lullaby which can mess up your plans if you don’t bring some items to cure it. Worst case scenario would be your entire party falls asleep – maybe consider a demon who is immune to the ailment. Accuracy could also become an issue, so prepare to buff your party to counter it.
Hit Zhuque with Ice Magic – ideally from Black Frost – and you should be fine. Zhuque is also linked to The Gold Dragon’s Arrival Side Quest.
Baihu – Level 43
Potentials & Resistances and Weaknesses
| Potentials | Resistances and Weaknesses | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Physical | +2 | Physical | – |
| Fire | – | Fire | – |
| Ice | – | Ice | – |
| Electric | +5 | Electric | Block |
| Force | -6 | Force | Weak |
| Light | – | Light | – |
| Dark | – | Dark | – |
| Almighty | – | ||
| Status | – | ||
| Healing | – | ||
| Support | +1 | ||
Attacks
| Attack | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Damascus Claw +2 | Two to three Medium Physical attacks to one foe |
| Mazionga +5 | Medium Electric attack to all foes |
| Fierce Roar +1 | Draws enemy hostility, but increases your Defense by one rank for three turns |
| Frenzied Chomp +2 | Medium Physical attack to one foe. Chance of inflicting Poison/Confusion/Charm |
Baihu is just south of the Nagatacho Leyline and is linked to The Gold Dragon’s Arrival Side Quest. Baihu has strong Potentials with Lightning attacks, but thankfully, only has one Lightning attack in his arsenal. His less impressive Physical Potential is backed with a respectable Strength stat, however. Damascus Claw can do serious damage if it strikes three times, and Frenzied Chomp can inflict all kinds of ailments that make this fight especially difficult if it lands on a key demon.
Baihu is also capable of buffing his defense with Fierce Roar, which can drag this fight out somewhat. When it comes to killing Baihu, any demon not weak to Electric will do. He is only Resistant to one element, so hitting him with practically any powerful attack will do work. Force will strike his weakness, however.
Koumokuten – Level 44
Potentials & Resistances and Weaknesses
| Potentials | Resistances and Weaknesses | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Physical | +4 | Physical | – |
| Fire | – | Fire | – |
| Ice | – | Ice | – |
| Electric | -4 | Electric | Weak |
| Force | +4 | Force | Block |
| Light | – | Light | Resist |
| Dark | – | Dark | – |
| Almighty | – | ||
| Status | – | ||
| Healing | – | ||
| Support | +3 | ||
Attacks
| Attack | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Marakunda +3 | Lowers Defense of all foes by one rank for three turns |
| Masukunda +3 | Lowers Accuracy/Evasion for all foes by one rank for three turns |
| Mazanma +4 | Medium Force attack to all foes |
| Fang Breaker +4 | Weak Physical attack to one foe. Lowers target’s Accuracy by one rank for three turns |
| Crusher Onslaught +4 | Medium Physical attack to all foes. Low accuracy. |
Koumokuten can be found west of the Kamiyacho Leyline. His stats are balanced, and he is especially potent when it comes to smacking you in the head with sticks and using Force magic. Physical resistance on Nahobino is once again a must. Many of Koumokuten’s attacks also lower your accuracy, making it much harder for you to hit him. Removing this debuff may become a requirement if it stacks too many times.
As for your other demons, you want to be able to deal Lightning damage without being punished with a Force weakness. You could also bring along powerful Physical demons since they are starting to scale better than Magic at this point in the game. A support demon that can remove debuffs is also a strong pick for this fight.
Koumokuten – Level 65
Potentials & Resistances and Weaknesses
| Potentials | Resistances and Weaknesses | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Physical | +4 | Physical | – |
| Fire | – | Fire | – |
| Ice | – | Ice | – |
| Electric | -4 | Electric | Weak |
| Force | +4 | Force | Block |
| Light | – | Light | Resist |
| Dark | – | Dark | – |
| Almighty | – | ||
| Status | – | ||
| Healing | – | ||
| Support | +3 | ||
Attacks
| Attack | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Marakunda +3 | Lowers Defense of all foes by one rank for three turns |
| Masukunda +3 | Lowers Accuracy/Evasion for all foes by one rank for three turns |
| Zanbarion +4 | Severe Force attack to one foe |
| Killing Wind +4 | Heavy Force attack to one foe. Ignores affinity resistance and pierces through |
| Fang Breaker +4 | Weak Physical attack to one foe. Lowers target’s Accuracy by one rank for three turns |
| Rampage +4 | Two to five Medium Physical attacks to random foes. Low accuracy |
| Mazanbarion +4 | Severe Force all to all foes |
| Impaler’s Animus +3 | Increases the damage of the next attack and adds Pierce effect for self |
Koumokuten reappears during the Lord’s Sword quest chain. This version of Koumokuten is significantly more powerful than his original form, but the same strategies apply – mostly. Because of Killer Wind and Impaler’s Animus, you can’t rely on your Resistances to stay alive. You will need to apply defensive buffs and keep your health topped up. Accuracy will still be an issue in this fight, so try and keep on top of that too.
Qing Long – Level 45
Potentials & Resistances and Weaknesses
| Potentials | Resistances and Weaknesses | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Physical | – | Physical | – |
| Fire | – | Fire | – |
| Ice | +2 | Ice | Resist |
| Electric | -6 | Electric | Weak |
| Force | +5 | Force | Block |
| Light | – | Light | – |
| Dark | – | Dark | – |
| Almighty | – | ||
| Status | – | ||
| Healing | – | ||
| Support | +1 | ||
Attacks
| Attack | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Bufula +2 | Medium Ice attack to one foe |
| Wind Breath +5 | Two to five weak Force attacks to random foes |
| Matarunda +1 | Lower Attack for all foes by one rank for three turns |
| Eat Whole | Medium Physical HP-draining attack to one foe |
Qing Long is found roaming southeast of the Hamamatsucho Leyline. He is linked to the Gold Dragon’s Arrival Side Quest and can be quite the bugger to kill due to his high level. He will blast the party with potent Ice and Force attacks, and it can even heal with Eat Whole. Matarunda will also extend the fight, so consider removing the debuff or countering with your own buffs.
Qing Long is only weak to Lightning, so capitalising on this to gain extra turns is wise. A strong Physical demon can go a long way too. You will want to give Nahobino Force Resistance or Block to punish Qing Long for using Wind Breath – although any Force Blocking demon would suffice.
Oyamatsumi – Level 48
Potentials & Resistances and Weaknesses
| Potentials | Resistances and Weaknesses | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Physical | +2 | Physical | – |
| Fire | -6 | Fire | Weak |
| Ice | +5 | Ice | Resist |
| Electric | – | Electric | Resist |
| Force | – | Force | – |
| Light | – | Light | – |
| Dark | – | Dark | Block |
| Almighty | – | ||
| Status | – | ||
| Healing | +1 | ||
| Support | +4 | ||
Attacks
| Attack | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Ice Dracostrike +5 | Medium Ice Strength-based attack to one foe |
| Tarukaja +4 | Raise Attack of one ally by one rank for three turns |
| Crusher Onslaught +2 | Medium Physical attack to all foes. Low accuracy. |
| Mabufudyne +5 | Heavy Ice attack to all foes |
| Beatdown +2 | Weak-Heavy Physical attack to one foe. The more remaining HP you have, the stronger the attack. |
Oyamatsumi is the first Punishing Foe you will encounter, just north of the Shiba Leyline. He is a ginormous rock golem that is likely to be ten times your current level. Needless to say, fighting him is a death sentence early on. You will want to avoid him until roughly midway through Chiyoda. He is also a part of The Search For Oyamatsumi Side Quest.
Oyamatsumi is a Physical and Magical force of nature. You want to come in with Physical resistance on Nahobino, and ensure no demon is weak to ice. Ice Dracostrike is a devastatingly powerful single-target attack, and you don’t want to be weak to it. Mabufudyne is also a threat. Oyamatsumi can also increase his damage, so consider debuffing him to prevent him from scaling out of control. Beatdown is a serious threat early on, so consider using a Physical Damper until you reduce his health low enough to not care about it.
You could consider bringing Ice Dampers and going for a three-turn burst down – but that might not be possible based on when you decide to fight him. In any case, you will want to bring demons who can hit hard using Physical attacks such as Yoshitsune, or deal Fire damage. In the latter case, remember to focus on demons who aren’t weak to Ice.
Seth – Level 62
Potentials & Resistances and Weaknesses
| Potentials | Resistances and Weaknesses | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Physical | +3 | Physical | – |
| Fire | – | Fire | – |
| Ice | -6 | Ice | Weak |
| Electric | +3 | Electric | Block |
| Force | +3 | Force | – |
| Light | – | Light | Resist |
| Dark | – | Dark | Resist |
| Almighty | – | ||
| Status | +2 | ||
| Healing | -5 | ||
| Support | – | ||
Attacks
| Attack | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Madness Nails +3 | Two to five Heavy Physical attacks to random foes |
| Maziodyne +3 | Heavy Electric attack to all foes |
| Mazandyne +3 | Heavy Force attack to all foes |
| Tentarafoo +2 | Chance of inflicting Confusion to all foes |
| Matarunda | Lowers attack of all foes by one rank for three turns |
| Frenzied Chomp +3 | Medium Physical attack to one foe. Chance of inflicting Poison/Confusion/Charm |
Seth is the strongest Punishing Foe in Minato. He can be found Northeast of the Odaiba Leyline – on the bridge. He is only accessible once you have accepted The Egyptian’s Fate Side Quest. He is very easy to miss as he does not roam an accessible part of Minato.
Coming in with a nasty-looking 66 Strength and 59 Magic, Seth is no pushover. Seth also has great Potentials in Physical, Electric, and Force, giving him a lot of ways to kill your party. Most of his attacks are AoE to boot, making a Taunt strategy mostly useless. Tentarafoo is also a pain as it will inflict Confusion on your party. Frenzied Chomp is no better as it can inflict Charm, which can be devastating. You will want to buff your attack to prevent Seth from seriously damaging your party’s Attack stat.
Seth is weak to Ice and has no attacks that specifically counter the usual Ice demon. Bringing a few along with you will go a long way. You will also want demons who are immune to Force and/or Lightning to punish Seth’s AoE damage. Dampers can also work here.
