SMT: Digital Devil Saga 2 - The Seraphim (Low Level, Hard)

I am Angel. I am the one you invoke as you gaze at the heavens. Lowdown on the restrictions of this challenge: - EXP gain is only permitted in boss fights and forced encounters, and must be minimised by only having 1 character active at the end of each battle. - Autolevelling must also be minimised as much as possible. Argilla and Roland take all XP before they leave the party to reduce the impact of this later on, and Argilla’s level must not exceed 12 so it doesn’t affect Sera’s starting level. - This is a cycle 2 playthrough on hard difficulty with no data transfer bonuses. - I will be fighting all bosses rather than doing a true minimum EXP run, cuz that’s more fun. And let’s face it, you’re only here for Satan. - The use of Data items to permanently raise stats is forbidden for as long as possible - at least until Shiva. As you’ve already seen, these fights aren’t tricky individually, but finding the best setup to deal with them all back to back was a bit of a puzzle. For starters, it’s important not to buff to /-3 this time as this will cause them to cast Rage and buff removal. Uriel and Raphael are basically the same as before, but Gabriel is handled slightly differently this time. I discovered that if you throw a Magic Mirror up, she will switch to a rotation of Mind Charge Megidolaon, which is pretty much game over. However, if you throw a mirror on the same turn you push her below 1750 HP, she’ll use Heavenly Smile first (an almighty spell that inflicts ailments, but the mirror protects you from these) then Mind Charge... leaving you free to kill her. This isn’t hugely important but did allow me to carry Life Bonus instead of Void Nerve on Sera, which protects her from double Skull Cleave from Uriel after buffs, or a double hit from Michael’s Demon Rage. The only consistent way to get through Michael at this level is Magic Mirror spam. With mirrors you’re safe from everything except the rare double Demon Rage. Without them, even if you cover your elemental weaknesses Demon Rage any dyne spell threatens a K.O. on your characters, and if people start dying you can’t reapply buffs on revival because the other characters will hit 3. In order to kill him without forking out for an Impel Stone, I keep track of his HP down to ~1500. Then hit him with a charged Bufudyne, throw an Attack Mirror and charge again. He will always bounce an Omnipotence for at least ~400 damage (it may only target 2 characters) which leaves me free to finish him off with another Bufudyne.