Shin Megami Tensei Nocturne: Challenging Bandou Shrine

After obtaining all 24 Magatama, visit the Cathedral of Shadows to receive a special item needed to access Bandou Shrine.  Link to Assembly of Nihilo and travel northward toward the small shrine atop the sandy hill.  The gravestone will react and warp the demi-fiend to Masakados’ resting place.

Immediately upon entering, take the right path and enter the red shrine.  From the warp point, follow the spiral path until the pillar.  This is the first of four boss battles within the shrine.  Bishamon uses fire-based attacks, meaning ingest Gehenna or any other Magatama with strength against fire.  His attacks: Hellfire, Maragidyne, Dragon Eye, Tarukaja, Tempest, Dekaja, Debilitate, Makakaja, Megidolaon, and Prominence.

Upon winning, return to the beginning and take the left path into the yellow shrine.  Continue along the path, remaining north at the fork.  Spiral down to another fork and take the rightmost path to the second pillar to face Zouchou.  His attacks consist of Dragon Eye, Makakaja, Bolt Storm, Maziodyne, and possibly more, but I knocked him out witnessing only these moves.

Once the Kishin is defeated, return to the fork before the second pillar and take the left path to reach a cache cube containing 50,000 Macca.  Go back to the first fork encountered after entering the yellow shrine.  This time, turn west and follow the downward slope to reach yet another fork.  Turn north and spiral down toward the lowest floor of the shrine.  From the blue soul, head southeast onto the ramp to find the third pillar hiding Jikoku.  His attacks include Dragon Eye, Makakaja, Glacial Blast, Mabufudyne, Focus, and Bufudyne.

Head west back up the ramp, following around until the fork.  Continue south and take the next west turn.  Before entering the purple shrine, turn around to find a cache cube with another 50,000 Macca.  From the warp point, head south into the green shrine.  The last pillar remains at the end of the path.  Koumoku awaits, ready to use his wind element, although he mainly slammed me with a physical assault.  Moves shown are Rakukaja, Dragon Eye, Rakunda, Deathbound, Zandyne, and Mazandyne.

Head north, east, south, east, south all the way down until the stonewall, then east for a cube with 50,000 Macca.  Turn around and head west toward the blue soul, then north on the higher, flat path.  Head east at the next fork, and continue east until the stonewall.  Turn north and follow the path downward until the fork.  Turn west to reach the front of the inner sanctum.  Open the door to retrieve the prize from Masakados.  To leave, take the northern route back to the yellow shrine.

The strategy for winning is basically the same for each Kishin.  Build up team strength using Tarukaja, while Debilitate tears down enemy stats.  Provoke or Taunt boost attack even further, and the party should be able to take the extra damage if properly trained into the 80-level range. Deal out the attacks, healing with Medidiharan when needed and making sure to use Freikugel (mine dealt 2500+ damage).  Remember to equip Magatama resistant to each element of the Kishin currently being challenged, as well as using party members with magical resistance.  I start with Bishamon as the first battle, because he is the easiest to travel toward and proves to be the toughest.  Defeating him first decreases the chance of losing further into the shrine; no save points exist like in other dungeon areas.