What to Expect From the SMT V Artemis, Cleopatra, and Mephisto DLC

There’s quite a bit of DLC for SMT V at launch. While the biggest one is a $9.99 Return of the True Demon that harkens back to SMT III Nocturne, the others are smaller updates. Each one is a $2.99-$4.99 add-on that involves an additional demon encounter or in-game boost. But how are those extra characters? To help give people a better idea of what they’d be getting, here’s what Artemis, Cleopatra, and Mephisto are like in SMT V.

How is Artemis in SMT V?

Artemis is a rather good demon to have on-hand in the middle of SMT V. I’d say if you’ve managed to get to the wall of fire, perhaps even gotten the talisman to get past it, you are in a good place to go through her story. Being around level 40 is a good idea.

After talking to the Bethel researcher near the entrance of the Tokyo Diet Building, you can teleport to the Tokyo Tower Leyline in Da’at: Minato. Artemis will be right there. She’ll first want you to face Quetzalcoatl. You’ll find that foe outside the Tokyo Diet Building after speaking with Artemis. After beating that demon, head back to talk to her. She’ll now be ready to face you.

Artemis is only weak against fire skills, so keep that in mind in the fight. She will also block ice and electric skills and is resistant to both light and dark abilities. Beating her unlocks the ability to fuse her and makes her immediately join your team. She’ll be at level 37 when she joins and will know Astral Saintstrike, Headcrush, Somersault, and Matarukaja. As she levels up, she will also learn Mabufula, Lullaby, and Ziodyne. You also get five Vitality Balms for completing the quest when you report back to Bethel at the Tokyo Diet building. Her fight unlocks in the Trainer after you beat her too.

While she is fun to fight alongside, keep in mind that her best points are the fact that she has so many resistances to different elements. While her magic stat isn’t bad, strength is her forte. However, there are other demons you’ll find in-game, without buying add-ons, who will be stronger. I wouldn’t recommend her as strongly as I would Cleopatra or Mephisto.

How is Cleopatra in SMT V?

Cleopatra ended up being my favorite of the SMT V DLC demons. I highly recommend getting this $2.99 add-on. She’s incredibly strong and, if your party is around level 60-65, you might be in a good place to try challenging her.

Like Artemis, you unlock her quest by talking to the researcher in the Tokyo Diet Building. After that, head to Da’at: Minato’s Mita Leyline. Cleopatra will be waiting right there. She will also be quite mad, so expect a fight to start immediately.

Cleopatra’s only weakness is dark-type spells. She has mild resistances to fire, ice, electricity, and force. She will also absorb light attacks. So keep that in mind when facing her. Also, make sure you aren’t weak to light attacks. She will take advantage of that. She might “charm” you as well, though that wasn’t much of an issue when I faced her.

Like Artemis, defeating her and convincing her not to commit suicide both unlocks the ability to fuse her and makes her immediately join your party. She will be at level 61 when she does. Her initial moveset will include Frolic, Hamabarion, Mabufudyne, and Diarahan. She will also eventually learn Mazandyne, Luster Candy, and Mabufubarion. You also get three Stamina Balms once you report back in with Bethel. Her fight gets added to the Trainer too.

There are two reasons why Cleopatra is so great in SMT V. The first is that she a fantastic kit even without using Essences to bolster it. You can immediately add her to your party and she will be fit in well. But what’s also great about her is her incredible magic stat. She arrives with it at 69 points. Since this is one of those games where the majority of enemies are weak to different elements, demons who focus on magic make for fantastic allies.

How is Mephisto in SMT V?

I would say Mephisto is as handy to have in SMT V as Cleopatra. But, should you be in a situation where you only want to buy one of these three demon add-ons, I’d go with her over him. He’s fantastic for $2.99. But you’re also getting him as an end-game character. So you might not get as much use out of him as you would Cleopatra or Artemis.

Like the other three DLC demons, Mephisto’s SMT V quest unlocks via talking to the Tokyo Diet Bethel researcher. After you do, you can find Mephisto near the Da’at: Minato Kamiyacho leyline. But also, be forewarned that he’s the strongest of these three. If you are below level 80, you might have a bad time. Especially if you are weak to dark-type attacks.

Mephisto is only weak against light attacks. He will strongly resist physical attacks and absorb dark spells. However, he has no resistances to fire, ice, electricity, or force spells.

You can add Mephisto to your party after beating him. However, he doesn’t join immediately. Rather, you take the item you get after defeating him to the Bethel researcher at Tokyo Diet. You can then talk to the first researcher that unlocked that questline to acquire him. You also unlock the ability to fuse him. You will get three Health Balms for beating him. As with the other two demons, he’ll show up in the trainer after you win the match.

Once Mephisto is in your party, he arrives at level 79. He knows Walpurgisnacht, Brave Blade, Agibarion, and Stagnant Air. He will also eventually learn Luster Candy, Makajamaon, and Impaler’s Animus. Honestly, everything in his moveset works very well for a late-game character. Luster Candy and Makajamaon especially are handy, and his affinities are quite good. You just might get a bit more use out of Cleopatra than him, depending on how much time you intend to spend with the game.

Shin Megami Tensei V is available for the Nintendo Switch, and the Artemis, Cleopatra, Mephisto, and Mitama DLC are out now.