Hrd mode or normal?

[It´sAllAimAssist]

for people who have finished it etc, is hard just more grindy and more RNG or does it make you play differently?

[solaris32]

https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/Difficulty#Shin_Megami_Tensei_V
Don't know what might have been tweaked for Vengeance.

[fleem]

It does make the game a bit more grindy in that you have to prepare for boss fights more than you would on normal, but regular encounters aren't affected that much.

You can't change back to hard after starting on or switching to normal though, so I would say just play up until about the hydra and see if you enjoy it.

[Emerald Lance]

It's mostly just more grind, which I see as artificial difficulty. However, all battle numbers are also skewed against you on hard, including chances for things to happen (statuses, insta kills, ambushes, etc) so it does encourage more deliberate team and skill building. Even still, it's just the number being juiced; enemies don't get new attacks or anything like that.

If you've already beaten the game before and don't want to breeze through it on the replay, then hard mode will provide a good challenge.

[It´sAllAimAssist]

I see thanks, only a couple hours in but so far the most problematic thing is a mini boss that does things I don´t think I have a counter for like insta killing my main. Well I can block the entire fight I guess.
I´ll give it a few more hours , maybe Ill turn it down if it becomes more tedious than fun.

[BiskutMentega]

I did 0 grinding with the original on hard. Just finish all sidequests before going for the boss, everything should be good. Had bit of luck stumbling on mitama along the way, that helped too.

It does forces me to play differently according to enemies - find other demon with certain weakness/immune or find other demon with certain magatsuhi skills.

But for the most part, I uses physical damage with high crit chance + accursed poison.

oh, and there is one boss AI which act differently when you have 3 party members instead of 4. I found this weird AI behavior and used it to make to fight easier. will try it again in this version when i have the chance.

[Topzchi]

hard all the way and always in every game.

[viktorhallo]

if you plan on exploring and playing around with the fusion system + doing side quests. hard is the way to go. if you want to rush without doing any side quests or playing with the fusion system hard might be to hard unless your super experience in turn based games.

i recommend not turning it down before you beat the hydra - first real boss. if memory serves right that was one of the hardest bosses for me in the original at hard.

[bakasora]

Play hard if you have more time.