Matador has an notorious repute within the Shin Megami Tensei canon, and Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance isn’t any exception. As the primary boss within the Return of the True Demon sidequest, Matador can and can wipe the ground with you when you problem him unprepared. Although Matador was a problem within the vanilla model of Shin Megami Tensei V, the Vengeance rerelease provides a brand new gimmick that you simply’ll must intentionally mess around. Happily, so long as you convey the fitting abilities and demons, you possibly can simply overcome this problem.
For greatest outcomes, your most important character needs to be at degree 24 earlier than difficult Matador. If you happen to’re underleveled, think about advancing the principle story and returning to this encounter later. That is particularly useful when you’re enjoying the Vengeance story, because you’ll recruit Visitor characters who can are available in clutch for this combat. Additionally think about stocking up on Elec Shards from Cadaver’s Hole to provide the Nahobino and some other human characters a solution to exploit Matador’s weak point.
With that out of the way in which, right here’s every thing you should find out about overcoming Matador.
![Matador's stats.](https://i.kinja-img.com/image/upload/c_fit,q_60,w_645/e8b80e45af74b0a39691d5ecbc3671f1.jpg)
Matador’s skills and weaknesses
At first look, Matador doesn’t appear too dangerous. He’s weak to Electrical (Zio) injury, Proof against Power (Zan) injury, and resists Hama and Mudo. He additionally resists a selection of standing illnesses, although you possibly can nonetheless inflict these situations since he’s not full immunities. Whereas Electrical injury is your best choice right here, Bodily attackers are completely viable too. That is very true of any Bodily strikes which have a better chance to inflict a crucial hit (like Aramasa).
The true problem right here is Matador’s abilities. New to Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is the Crippling Blow innate talent, which provides Matador an opportunity to immediately kill anybody when it hits a weak point or scores a crucial hit. Sure, only one unfortunate cube roll when Matador strikes the Nahobino can flip an in any other case profitable encounter into an on the spot loss. Matador will solely inflict Bodily and Power injury, so keep away from bringing any demons who’re weak to both of these.
You’ll additionally wish to be careful for Purple Capote, which can increase Matador’s accuracy and evasion by two phases each time it’s used. Shin Megami Tensei V actually punishes you for lacking assaults, so that you’ll wish to use Sukunda to counter this buff. In actual fact, any and all debuffs will serve you nicely right here, since Matador doesn’t have any solution to neutralize these situations.
![Image for article titled How To Defeat Matador In Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance](https://i.kinja-img.com/image/upload/c_fit,q_60,w_645/41659b6a2d8d62082a8c2c503997bb9f.jpg)
Matador’s battle technique
Earlier than you actually have a probability to assault, Matador will use Purple Capote. Use Sukunda and different debuff strikes ASAP so that you don’t threat letting Matador dodge your assaults, since this can put you on the backfoot instantly. You need to use a Purge Appeal to instantly take away the results of Purple Capote, which helps a fantastic deal when you don’t have a number of demons utilizing Sukunda.
Happily, Matador casts Purple Capote occasionally past this level. Although it could actually use Marakunda to decrease your get together’s protection, you shouldn’t have to fret an excessive amount of when you hold Matador’s assault debuffed with Tarunda or equal assaults. In any other case, Matador will primarily hit you with Bodily assaults and the occasional Mazan, so be certain to defend accordingly.
As has been the case with different bosses, you’ll ultimately see the textual content “Matador started gathering close by Magatsuhi!” To counter this, be certain your get together makes use of Guard on the finish of their flip. Guarding is the one approach you possibly can fully negate the prospect of struggling a crucial hit, which Matador will inflict after gathering Magatsuhi. This can be a good tip for a lot of boss encounters, however it’s particularly very important right here.
That stated, based mostly on my testing, Matador appeared to make use of Mazan after gathering Magatsuhi, which he then adopted with Andalucia (which inflicts a number of Bodily hits) on the subsequent flip. Due to this, chances are you’ll wish to have the Nahobino use Guard for one more flip to keep away from the opportunity of catching an unfortunate crucial hit. This additionally signifies that anybody in your get together proof against Power might be able to endure his Magatsuhi-charged assault with out guarding. Your mileage might fluctuate.
Apart from this, Matador doesn’t have some other surprises to throw at you. Maintain him comprehensively debuffed, exploit his thunder weak point as a lot as you possibly can, and pile on the injury till he goes down. Your ways past that may rely in your get together composition, so let’s offer you some pointers.
![An important screen for beating Matador.](https://i.kinja-img.com/image/upload/c_fit,q_60,w_645/1ae4b63da7e4fee5028bffcb033184f6.jpg)
Find out how to construct the Nahobino to combat Matador
Given Matador’s moveset, you’ll mitigate a ton of injury by imbuing the Nahobino’s Affinities with the Sudama Essence. This can grant your protagonist complete immunity to Power injury, defending him from potential crucial hits through Mazan and making him lower Matador’s turns brief (enemies abide by the identical Press Flip system the get together does, so hitting an immunity inflicts a flip penalty). Sudama’s weaknesses aren’t related on this encounter, and you should purchase the essence from Cadaver’s Hole.
Past that, Nahobino’s moveset will rely upon the way you’ve constructed him and what get together members you’ll convey to the combat. Aramasa stays considered one of your strongest strikes in a Bodily construct, whereas Zio or Zionga will clearly excel in a magic construct. Bodily Nahobinos should still favor to convey Zio when you don’t wish to financial institution on crucial hits for additional turns. Past that, debuff strikes are helpful to convey, and Miracle Water will are available in clutch when you don’t have a viable healer. Inflaming Divinity can assist when you’ve progressed far sufficient to entry it, although this can drain your MP very quick. Rooted Soul is all the time viable for the additional HP and MP, so use that if in case you have a talent slot to spare.
The very best demons and get together members to counter Matador
You’re compelled to take your protagonist into the encounter, however your different monsters are a special story. Convey these beasts to cope with Matador.
![The demon Shiisaa](https://i.kinja-img.com/image/upload/c_fit,q_60,w_645/1d1bfae5b7260ebc2ee51b5c38d5a591.jpg)
Shiisaa
Shiisaa feels tailored to counter Matador. It naturally learns Zionga to use Matador’s weak point, Sukunda, to mitigate the results of Purple Capote, and it resists Power injury. It could even counter Matador’s assaults because of its Guardian Beast innate talent.
Since different Zio-focused demons are weak to Power, Shiisaa is uniquely among the finest injury sellers you can use on this encounter. You actually don’t must do a lot to construct it, simply degree it up so it learns its full moveset.
![Kikuri-Hime's screen.](https://i.kinja-img.com/image/upload/c_fit,q_60,w_645/a8564a427943f5ff65ecc5e0379223a0.jpg)
Kikuri-Hime
If you happen to want a devoted healer, Kikuri-Hime is considered one of your greatest choices. Her major boon is her Power immunity, fully negating Matador’s Mazan. Moreover, she naturally learns Recarm and Media, which lets you heal and revive get together members as wanted. Her innate talent Divine Benevolence may even cut back the MP price of help abilities, which incorporates debuffs.
Kikuri-Hime’s solely draw back is her damaging electrical proficiency, so she struggles as a injury vendor regardless of her nice Magic stat. That stated, her help proficiency makes her particularly good at utilizing debuffs like Tarunda, which she will study naturally. Additionally think about giving her the Essence of Obariyon to let her study Sekunda and/or Sekukaja.
![The Oni screen.](https://i.kinja-img.com/image/upload/c_fit,q_60,w_645/0f74594ab41d2b63b0c916abce5e428f.jpg)
Oni
With the specter of Matador’s crucial hits hanging over you, a devoted tank like Oni turns into enormously interesting. With good Power, even higher Vitality, and native entry to the Taunt talent, Oni can soak Matador’s Bodily assaults like a champ. What’s extra, his Bodily resistance will dampen Matador’s hits and ease strain in your healer(s). Fang Breaker can also be a fantastic help talent, because it offers injury and lowers the enemy’s offenses by one stage.
If you wish to optimize Oni even additional, give him the Counter capacity. This can give Oni an opportunity to counter assault any enemy that makes use of a strength-based assault, which is excellent for a tank. You may study this talent from the Nozuchi or Rakshasa Essences.
Ippon-Datara is a serviceable various to Oni, because of its native entry to Taunt and its tank-supporting One-Foot Hop capacity. That stated, Oni is usually superior, and also you don’t want to make use of each.
![Yoko's character page.](https://i.kinja-img.com/image/upload/c_fit,q_60,w_645/cfdf69263a7f2692f0ee36892384434f.jpg)
Yoko Hiromine
For these enjoying via the Vengeance story path, Yoko Hiromine fares nicely on this combat. Her most blatant perk is Zio, which upgrades to Zionga after a small quantity of story progress. Because of her excessive Magic stat, she will make good use of those spells. She will be able to heal and debuff Matador’s assault in a pinch too, although you’ll wish to save her MP for these electrical spells.
As a human character, Yoko can use gadgets as wanted. Given how useful gadgets are in Shin Megami Tensei V, this alone makes Yoko extra versatile than she has any proper to be. Completely no funding or constructing is required to make use of Yoko, so slot her into your get together when you’re uninterested in devoting assets to this combat.
Honorable Mentions
Apart from the above, any demons that may inflict Electrical injury and aren’t weak to Power can work. For instance, Feng-Huang resists Power and doesn’t have a damaging Electrical proficiency, so you possibly can train it Zio and use it as nicely.
![A screen showing the stats and skills of Feng Huang, which has the apperance of a colorful, regal bird.](https://i.kinja-img.com/image/upload/c_fit,q_60,w_645/816e6ee733479b8fe8b6a44ed6e9fc80.jpg)
So long as you play rigorously, you shouldn’t want many backup demons to get via Matador. Construct your workforce proper, react to Matador’s assaults, and you need to get your clear very quickly. As a reward, you’ll unlock a particular fusion for Matador, so you should use his powers towards all who stand towards you. Good luck in the remainder of your journey via Da’at!