Determine your alignment path in Shin Megami Tensei IV based on your choices. Calculate your Law, Neutral, and Chaos alignment points to see which ending awaits you.
Alignment Distribution
Path Progression
Law Alignment
The Law path focuses on order, divine will, and the greater good. Followers believe in sacrificing individual freedom for universal peace and stability under a higher power.
Neutral Alignment
The Neutral path seeks balance between extremes, valuing human freedom and self-determination. It rejects both absolute order and absolute chaos in favor of moderation.
Chaos Alignment
The Chaos path champions individual freedom, strength, and survival of the fittest. It rejects imposed order in favor of personal power and natural selection.
In the complex world of Shin Megami Tensei IV, player choices don’t just affect immediate outcomes—they determine the very fabric of reality through an intricate alignment system. This guide explores the philosophical underpinnings and mechanical implementation of the Law, Chaos, and Neutral alignments that shape your journey through the post-apocalyptic Tokyo.
Understanding Alignment in SMT IV
The alignment system in Shin Megami Tensei IV represents one of the series’ most refined implementations of its core philosophical conflict. Unlike simple morality systems in other RPGs, SMT’s alignments represent fundamentally different worldviews about how society should be structured and what values should guide humanity.
Your alignment is determined by a hidden point system that tracks your responses to key questions and decisions throughout the game. While the exact calculations remain somewhat mysterious, this guide will illuminate the patterns and philosophies behind each path.
The Three Philosophical Paths
The Law Alignment: Order Above All
The Law alignment in Shin Megami Tensei IV represents a worldview that values collective harmony, divine order, and the elimination of conflict through unified purpose. Followers of Law believe that free will leads to suffering and that true peace can only be achieved through submission to a higher power.
Key Tenets
- Submission to divine authority brings peace
- Individual desires must yield to collective good
- Rules and structure prevent chaos and suffering
- Free will is the root of conflict and must be controlled
Representative Characters
- Jonathan – Your companion who embodies Law principles
- The Archangels – Gabriel, Uriel, Raphael, and Michael
- Mercy and Hope – Key virtues emphasized in Law route
Law Alignment Formula
Law Points = Σ(Decision Values) + Σ(Dialogue Values) + Alignment Questions
Law points accumulate through decisions that prioritize order, obedience, and collective benefit over individual freedom.
The Chaos Alignment: Freedom Through Strength
The Chaos alignment champions individual freedom, natural hierarchy, and the right of the strong to rule. Proponents argue that constraints on personal liberty create artificial societies that go against natural order, and true justice comes from allowing power to determine position.
Key Tenets
- Might makes right – strength determines authority
- Individual freedom is the highest value
- Artificial rules suppress natural order
- Conflict strengthens society by eliminating the weak
Representative Characters
- Walter – Your companion drawn to Chaos ideology
- Demon Lords – Lucifer, Beelzebub, and other powerful demons
- Tribal leaders – Those who rule through strength in Tokyo
Chaos Alignment Formula
Chaos Points = Σ(Decision Values) + Σ(Dialogue Values) + Alignment Questions
Chaos points accumulate through decisions that prioritize freedom, strength, and individual will over collective harmony.
The Neutral Alignment: Balance and Compromise
The Neutral path seeks a middle ground between the extremes of Law and Chaos, valuing human agency, balanced systems, and pragmatic solutions. This alignment rejects both absolute control and absolute freedom in favor of a society where humans determine their own destiny.
Key Tenets
- Balance between order and freedom creates stability
- Humanity should determine its own future
- Extremes in either direction lead to oppression
- Pragmatic solutions over ideological purity
Representative Characters
- Isabeau – Your companion who values balance
- Stephen – The mysterious creator who observes all paths
- Various human factions in Tokyo seeking independence
Neutral Alignment Formula
Neutral = |Law Points – Chaos Points| ≤ Threshold
The Neutral path requires maintaining relative balance between Law and Chaos points, typically within 8 points of each other.
Alignment Mechanics and Calculations
How Alignment Points Accumulate
The alignment system in SMT IV uses a hidden point system that tracks your decisions throughout the game. While the exact values are not displayed to players, careful observation has revealed patterns in how points are awarded.
Law-Promoting Actions
- Supporting authority figures
- Choosing peaceful resolutions
- Prioritizing group safety over individual risk
- Expressing faith in higher powers
- +2 to +5 Law points per decision
Chaos-Promoting Actions
- Challenging established authority
- Choosing aggressive solutions
- Prioritizing personal freedom
- Expressing skepticism toward higher powers
- +2 to +5 Chaos points per decision
Neutral-Promoting Actions
- Seeking compromise positions
- Balancing different perspectives
- Questioning both authority and rebellion
- Valuing human independence
- Typically balances Law and Chaos points
Critical Alignment Moments
While many small decisions affect your alignment, certain key moments carry significantly more weight:
- Naraku decisions – Early choices that establish initial alignment tendency
- Tokyo exploration dialogue – Responses to citizens and faction leaders
- Alignment-specific quests – Missions that clearly favor one philosophy
- The White ending decision – The ultimate choice that can override previous alignment
Alignment Distribution Visualization
The chart below illustrates how alignment points typically distribute across the three paths based on player decisions. Adjust the sliders to see how different choices affect your alignment standing.
Current Alignment Status
Philosophical Analysis of Alignment Choices
Moral Philosophy in SMT IV
The alignment system in Shin Megami Tensei IV draws from real-world philosophical traditions, presenting players with genuine ethical dilemmas rather than simplistic “good vs. evil” choices.
Law: Utilitarian Collectivism
The Law alignment closely aligns with utilitarian ethics and collectivist political philosophy. It prioritizes the greatest good for the greatest number, even at the cost of individual rights.
Philosophical parallels: Platonic philosopher-kings, Hobbes’ Leviathan, Bentham’s utilitarianism
Chaos: Nietzschean Individualism
The Chaos alignment reflects Nietzsche’s concept of the will to power and social Darwinism. It values the exceptional individual over the mediocre collective.
Philosophical parallels: Nietzsche’s Übermensch, Social Darwinism, Stirner’s egoism
Neutral: Aristotelian Golden Mean
The Neutral path embodies Aristotle’s concept of the golden mean—finding virtue between extremes. It acknowledges value in both order and freedom while rejecting their excessive forms.
Philosophical parallels: Aristotle’s virtue ethics, Buddhist Middle Way, modern liberal democracy
Narrative Consequences of Alignment
Your alignment doesn’t just change the ending—it transforms the entire narrative experience, including which characters remain allies, which areas become accessible, and how key story events unfold.
| Story Element | Law Path | Neutral Path | Chaos Path |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Ally | Jonathan | Isabeau | Walter |
| Tokyo Status | Restored to order under divine rule | Rebuilt by humans for themselves | Becomes demon-dominated wasteland |
| Final Boss | Ancient of Days/Lucifer | Divine Powers/Merkabah | Divine Powers/Lucifer |
| Humanity’s Fate | Becomes part of collective consciousness | Gains independence to shape own future | Survives through strength or perishes |
Gameplay Implications of Alignment Choices
Beyond narrative consequences, your alignment in SMT IV affects gameplay mechanics, including demon recruitment, available quests, and even which endings you can access.
Demon Recruitment and Negotiation
Your alignment affects how demons respond during negotiation:
- Law-aligned demons respond better to selfless, orderly responses
- Chaos-aligned demons prefer aggressive, self-interested answers
- Neutral demons value balanced, pragmatic approaches
- Extreme alignment mismatches can make recruitment nearly impossible
Quest Availability
Certain side quests become available or locked based on alignment:
- Law-exclusive quests often involve helping established authorities
- Chaos-exclusive quests typically involve challenging power structures
- Neutral quests focus on balancing competing interests
- Some quests have different outcomes based on alignment
Alignment-Locked Content
Each alignment path unlocks unique content that isn’t accessible on other paths:
Law Exclusive
- Angelic allies and equipment
- Divine protection buffs
- Access to sacred areas
Neutral Exclusive
- Most extensive quest lines
- Access to all human settlements
- Balance-themed abilities
Chaos Exclusive
- Powerful demon allies
- Forbidden knowledge and magic
- Access to demon strongholds
Advanced Alignment Strategies
For players seeking specific outcomes or attempting to manipulate the alignment system, understanding these advanced strategies can be invaluable.
Alignment Manipulation Techniques
- Save scumming – Save before major decisions to test different outcomes
- Counter-balancing – Intentionally make opposite-alignment choices to maintain neutrality
- Quest sequencing – Complete alignment-neutral quests first to gather information
- Dialogue pattern recognition – Learn which response patterns yield which alignment points
Achieving Specific Endings
- For Law ending – Consistently support order, authority, and collective solutions
- For Chaos ending – Champion freedom, strength, and challenge authority
- For Neutral ending – Balance decisions and reject extremes from both sides
- For White ending – Make specific choices that transcend the alignment system
Important Note on Alignment Points
While this guide provides comprehensive information about the alignment system, the exact point values for decisions remain partially obscured by the developers. Different sources may provide slightly different values for the same decisions. The patterns and philosophies outlined here are more reliable guides than attempting to calculate exact point totals.
Conclusion: The Philosophy of Choice in SMT IV
The alignment system in Shin Megami Tensei IV represents one of the most sophisticated implementations of player choice in modern RPGs. Unlike systems that reduce morality to a simple binary, SMT IV presents players with genuine philosophical dilemmas that have meaningful consequences for both narrative and gameplay.
What makes the system particularly compelling is how it refuses to clearly label any path as objectively “right” or “good.” Each alignment offers compelling arguments and troubling consequences, forcing players to engage with the underlying philosophies rather than simply optimizing for a “good” ending.
The Law path offers peace and security at the cost of freedom and individuality. The Chaos path champions liberty and self-determination while accepting violence and inequality as natural outcomes. The Neutral path seeks balance and human agency but requires constant vigilance against the pull of extremes.
This nuanced approach to player alignment transforms SMT IV from a simple monster-collecting RPG into a genuine philosophical exploration. The game doesn’t just ask players what they want to do—it asks them what kind of world they want to create and what values they believe should guide society.
Ultimately, the SMT IV alignment system serves as a mirror, reflecting players’ own values and priorities back at them through the lens of its post-apocalyptic Tokyo. The choices matter not because they lead to different endings, but because they force engagement with questions about order, freedom, and what makes a society worth saving.
Frequently Asked Questions
The alignment system uses a hidden point counter that tracks your decisions throughout the game. Most dialogue choices and key decisions add points to either Law or Chaos alignments. The Neutral path is achieved when your Law and Chaos points are within a certain range of each other (typically within 8 points). The exact values for each decision are not displayed to players, creating an organic alignment progression based on your consistent philosophical leanings.
Yes, alignment can shift throughout most of the game. Early decisions establish a tendency, but later choices can significantly alter your alignment standing. However, after certain plot points (particularly after reaching Tokyo), your alignment becomes more fixed, and major shifts require consciously making decisions that counter your established pattern. The final alignment lock happens quite late in the game, giving players substantial opportunity to course-correct.
The White ending is a special ending that transcends the standard Law/Chaos/Neutral alignment system. To achieve it, players must make specific choices that reject all established factions and philosophies. This ending represents a complete rejection of the game’s central conflict rather than an alignment itself. It requires very specific dialogue choices at key moments, particularly when speaking with the White at the end of the game.
Maintaining a balanced alignment (leaning toward Neutral) provides the most flexible gameplay experience. You’ll have better demon negotiation success with a wider variety of demons, access to most quests until very late game, and more narrative options. However, committing strongly to Law or Chaos early can provide alignment-specific benefits like unique demons, equipment, and quests that aren’t available to Neutral players. There’s no “wrong” approach—it depends on whether you value flexibility or specialization.
In New Game Plus, your alignment from the previous playthrough does not carry over. You begin with a clean slate, allowing you to explore different paths without being constrained by previous choices. However, NG+ does carry over other elements like demon compendium progress, equipment, and level, making it easier to experience alternative alignments since you’re not struggling with gameplay challenges while making unfamiliar narrative choices.
No, the game does not provide a direct numerical display of your alignment points. However, there are subtle indicators of your current alignment tendency: which companion (Jonathan or Walter) agrees with you more often, how certain characters address you, and which alignment-specific options appear in dialogue. The most reliable way to gauge alignment is to pay attention to which philosophical perspective your character naturally supports in key story moments.
If you successfully maintain balance between Law and Chaos points (typically within 8 points of each other), you will qualify for the Neutral alignment path. This is actually more challenging than it sounds, as many story decisions naturally push toward one extreme or the other. Players aiming for Neutral often need to deliberately make some decisions that counter their natural tendencies to maintain balance. The game does provide some specifically “Neutral” options in key decisions that help maintain this balance.
Both main story decisions and side quests can affect alignment. While main story decisions typically carry more weight, significant side quests—especially those with moral or philosophical dimensions—can also shift your alignment points. Some side quests are specifically designed to test your alignment preferences, offering different solutions that align with Law, Chaos, or Neutral philosophies. Completely avoiding alignment influence would require skipping substantial content.