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TouhouGensoumarokuW - The Devil of Decline > Guides > Gloochi's Guides
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A Master Commander ~ A Guide for Learning and Understanding Every Formation
By Gloochi
A guide to the 43 formations in the game, listing their effects and how to obtain them.
   
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Created by
Gloochi
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Category: Achievements, Secrets, Walkthroughs
Languages: English
Posted
Updated
15 Jul, 2024 @ 12:59pm
16 Jul, 2024 @ 6:02am
324 Unique Visitors
7 Current Favorites
Guide Index
Overview
Introduction 
Formations Pt. 1 
Formations Pt. 2 
Formations Pt. 3 
Formations Pt. 4 
Comments
Introduction
Much like in GoS, your party's formation is an incredibly important part of your strategizing, providing various buffs, debuffs, and miscellaneous effects to your party members, all while deciding who is more likely to be targeted by enemy attacks and which of your other party members will be close enough to be hit by AoEs. Your formation can make or break fights, so it's important to have a feel for which ones work best with your party setup and which ones may be able to help you out in more niche situations.

Keep in mind that formations will require you to have a full party. If you enter a fight with less than 5 party members or if someone is defeated in battle, you'll be placed in a formation-less state and gain none of your selected formation's bonuses. If someone falls in battle, try to revive them or finish the fight ASAP.

Learning all 43 formations will award the achievement Master Commander.
Formations Pt. 1
Freeform

Acquisition: Always available
Features
1
2
3
4
5
Target Chance
20%
20%
20%
20%
20%
Row
Middle
Middle
Middle
Middle
Middle
Last Word Chance
+1%
+1%
+1%
+1%
+1%

Hakurei Type

Acquisition: Reach level 71 with Reimu or choose her as the protagonist
Features
1
2
3
4
5
Target Chance
50%
15%
15%
10%
10%
Row
Middle
Front
Front
Rear
Rear
Phys Damage
X
+15%
+15%
X
X
Magic Damage
X
X
X
+15%
+15%

Neo Hakurei Type

Acquisition: Reach level 71* and defeat 100 foes with Spirit Sign "Dream Seal" with Reimu
Features
1
2
3
4
5
Target Chance
40%
18%
18%
12%
12%
Row
Middle
Front
Front
Rear
Rear
Phys Damage Taken
-25%
X
X
X
X
Block Conditions
25%
X
X
X
X
All Action Cast Speed
X
+5%
+5%
+5%
+5%

*The level requirement is reduced to 30 if you selected Reimu as your protagonist.

Gap Barrier

Acquisition: Reach level 71 with Yukari or choose her as the protagonist
Features
1
2
3
4
5
Target Chance
25%
25%
25%
15%
10%
Row
Front
Front
Front
Middle
Rear
Phys Damage Taken
-25%
-25%
-25%
X
X
All Action Cast Speed
X
X
X
+5%
+5%

The Gap Express

Acquisition: Reach level 71* and defeat 200 foes with physical attacks with Yukari
Features
1
2
3
4
5
Target Chance
8%
23%
23%
23%
23%
Row
Rear
Front
Front
Front
Front
Phys Damage
+33.3%
X
X
X
X

*The level requirement is reduced to 30 if you selected Yukari as your protagonist.

Magicians' Circle

Acquisition: Reach level 71 with Byakuren or choose her as the protagonist.
Features
1
2
3
4
5
Target Chance
25%
25%
20%
15%
15%
Row
Front
Front
Middle
Rear
Rear
Magic Damage
+17.5%
+17.5%
+17.5%
+17.5%
+17.5%

Upanishad Veda

Acquisition: Reach level 71* and defeat 200 foes with magic attacks with Byakuren
Features
1
2
3
4
5
Target Chance
8%
23%
23%
23%
23%
Row
Rear
Front
Front
Front
Front
Magic Damage
+33.3%
X
X
X
X

*The level requirement is reduced to 30 if you selected Byakuren as your protagonist.

Kishin Gatekeeper

Acquisition: Reach level 71 with Meiling or choose her as the protagonist
Features
1
2
3
4
5
Target Chance
30%
20%
20%
15%
15%
Row
Front
Middle
Middle
Rear
Rear
Phys Damage
+20%
+15%
+15%
X
X
Phys Damage Taken
-20%
X
X
X
X

Offense is the Best Defense

Acquisition: Reach level 71* and defeat 300 foes with Meiling
Features
1
2
3
4
5
Target Chance
30%
20%
20%
15%
15%
Row
Front
Middle
Middle
Rear
Rear
Phys Damage
+15%
+15%
+15%
X
X
Phys Damage Taken
-15%
-15%
-15%
X
X
All Action Cast Speed
+3%
+3%
+3%
X
X

*The level requirement is reduced to 30 if you selected Meiling as your protagonist.

Moriya Wall

Acquisition: Recruit Sanae
Features
1
2
3
4
5
Target Chance
32%
30%
30%
4%
4%
Row
Front
Middle
Middle
Rear
Rear
Phys Damage Taken
-25%
-25%
-25%
X
X

Altar of Moriya

Acquisition: Use Yasaka's Divine Wind 10 times with Sanae
Features
1
2
3
4
5
Target Chance
40%
40%
6%
8%
6%
Row
Front
Front
Rear
Rear
Rear
Phys Damage Taken
-33.3%
-33.3%
X
X
X
Formations Pt. 2
Phoenix Skydance

Acquisition: Recruit Mokou
Features
1
2
3
4
5
Target Chance
60%
12%
12%
8%
8%
Row
Middle
Front
Front
Rear
Rear
Phys Damage Taken
-50%
X
X
X
X

Phoenix Wing

Acquisition: Reach level 30 and defeat 40 foes with Undying "Houyoku Tenshou" with Mokou
Features
1
2
3
4
5
Target Chance
44%
16%
16%
12%
12%
Row
Middle
Front
Front
Rear
Rear
Fire Damage
+25%
+25%
+25%
+25%
+25%
Fire Damage Taken
-25%
-25%
-25%
-25%
-25%
Fire Land Regen
VIT/3
VIT/3
VIT/3
VIT/3
VIT/3

Kappa Camouflage

Acquisition: Recruit Nitori
Features
1
2
3
4
5
Target Chance
24%
24%
20%
16%
16%
Row
Front
Front
Middle
Rear
Rear
Guard Phys Attack
20%
20%
20%
20%
20%

Great Tidal Wave

Acquisition: Reach level 30 and defeat 50 foes with Water attacks with Nitori
Features
1
2
3
4
5
Target Chance
24%
22%
20%
18%
16%
Row
Middle
Middle
Middle
Middle
Middle
Water Damage
+25%
+25%
+25%
+25%
+25%
Water Damage Taken
-25%
-25%
-25%
-25%
-25%
Water Land Regen
VIT/3
VIT/3
VIT/3
VIT/3
VIT/3

Fairy Ring

Acquisition: Recruit Sunny
Features
1
2
3
4
5
Target Chance
8%
28%
28%
28%
8%
Row
Front
Middle
Middle
Middle
Rear
Phys Damage
+15%
X
X
X
X
Magic Damage
X
X
X
X
+15%
All Action Cast Speed
+5%
X
X
X
+5%

Rainbow Prism

Acquisition: Reach level 30 and land max hits with Star's Shooting Sapphire with Sunny
Features
1
2
3
4
5
Target Chance
24%
24%
24%
14%
14%
Row
Front
Front
Front
Rear
Rear
Light Damage
+25%
+25%
+25%
+25%
+25%
Light Damage Taken
-25%
-25%
-25%
-25%
-25%
Light Land Regen
VIT/3
VIT/3
VIT/3
VIT/3
VIT/3

Master Star

Acquisition: Recruit Marisa
Features
1
2
3
4
5
Target Chance
25%
25%
20%
20%
10%
Row
Front
Front
Middle
Middle
Rear
Magic Damage
X
X
+15%
+15%
+15%
All Action Cast Speed
X
X
X
X
+5%

Final Burst

Acquisition: Defeat 40 foes with Love Sign "Master Spark" with Marisa
Features
1
2
3
4
5
Target Chance
26%
26%
20%
20%
8%
Row
Front
Front
Middle
Middle
Rear
Magic Damage
X
X
+20%
+20%
+20%

Sunshine Lunch

Acquisition: Recruit Yuuka
Features
1
2
3
4
5
Target Chance
23%
23%
18%
18%
18%
Row
Middle
Middle
Rear
Rear
Rear
Phys Damage Taken
-25%
-25%
-25%
-25%
-25%

Sunflower

Acquisition: Reach level 30 and defeat 50 foes with Earth attacks with Yuuka
Features
1
2
3
4
5
Target Chance
60%
10%
10%
10%
10%
Row
Front
Rear
Rear
Rear
Rear
Earth Damage
+25%
+25%
+25%
+25%
+25%
Earth Damage Taken
-25%
-25%
-25%
-25%
-25%
Earth Land Regen
VIT/3
VIT/3
VIT/3
VIT/3
VIT/3

Power Library

Acquisition: Recruit Patchouli
Features
1
2
3
4
5
Target Chance
28%
28%
20%
12%
12%
Row
Front
Front
Middle
Rear
Rear
Magic Damage
X
X
+15%
+20%
+20%
Formations Pt. 3
Hound Spirits

Acquisition: Defeat 10 foes with Extreme Land Gauge attacks* with Patchouli
Features
1
2
3
4
5
Target Chance
30%
20%
20%
20%
10%
Row
Front
Middle
Middle
Middle
Rear
Land Power Influence
+25%
+25%
+25%
+25%
+25%
Land Power Effect
+25%
+25%
+25%
+25%
+25%

*Extreme Land Gauge attacks are any attack using an element that is current at maximum Land power.

Konpaku Style

Acquisition: Recruit Youmu
Features
1
2
3
4
5
Target Chance
30%
20%
20%
15%
15%
Row
Front
Middle
Middle
Rear
Rear
Phys Damage
+10%
+10%
+10%
X
X
All Action Cast Speed
+5%
+5%
+5%
X
X

Konpaku Charge

Acquisition: Defeat 30 foes with Matsuyoi-Reflecting Satellite Slash or Human Oni "Slash of the Eternal Future" with Youmu
Features
1
2
3
4
5
Target Chance
32%
22%
22%
12%
12%
Row
Front
Middle
Middle
Rear
Rear
Phys Damage
+20%
+15%
+15%
X
X
Phys Damage Taken
-15%
-10%
-10%
X
X

Scarlet Shoot

Acquisition: Recruit Remilia
Features
1
2
3
4
5
Target Chance
28%
20%
20%
16%
16%
Row
Front
Middle
Middle
Rear
Rear
All Action Cast Speed
+8%
+8%
+8%
+8%
+8%

Scarlet Solitude

Acquisition: Defeat 20 foes at turn start with Scarlet Sign "Red the Nightless Castle" with Remilia
Features
1
2
3
4
5
Target Chance
60%
10%
10%
10%
10%
Row
Front
Rear
Rear
Rear
Rear
All Action Cast Speed
X
+15%
+15%
+15%
+15%

Jizou Wall

Acquisition: Recruit Eiki
Features
1
2
3
4
5
Target Chance
22%
22%
22%
17%
17%
Row
Middle
Middle
Middle
Rear
Rear
Magic Damage Taken
-20%
-20%
-20%
-20%
-20%

Bodhisattva Wall

Acquisition: Prevent Death from occurring 5 times with Eiki*
Features
1
2
3
4
5
Target Chance
32%
32%
12%
12%
12%
Row
Front
Front
Rear
Rear
Rear
Block Conditions
33.3%
33.3%
33.3%
33.3%
33.3%

*The unlock condition for this formation is worded in an odd way. All that needs to occur is that Eiki needs to survive instant-death effects from attacks that hit her at least 5 times.

Scattered Sakura

Acquisition: Recruit Yuyuko
Features
1
2
3
4
5
Target Chance
20%
20%
36%
12%
12%
Row
Middle
Front
Front
Rear
Rear
Phys Damage
+10%
+10%
X
X
X
Magic Damage
X
X
X
+10%
+10%
Phys Damage Taken
X
X
-25%
X
X

Note: As of version 1.0.0, positions 1 and 3 seem to have swapped their intended effects, leading to a mismatch between the description and the listed effects; thus, this formation struggles with AoEs more than it's intended to.

Netherworld Unburial

Acquisition: Reach level 30 and defeat 5 foes with Resurrection Butterfly with Yuyuko
Features
1
2
3
4
5
Target Chance
26%
26%
16%
16%
16%
Row
Front
Front
Rear
Rear
Rear
Dark Damage
+25%
+25%
+25%
+25%
+25%
Dark Damage Taken
-25%
-25%
-25%
-25%
-25%
Dark Land Regen
VIT/3
VIT/3
VIT/3
VIT/3
VIT/3

Atomic Offense

Acquisition: Recruit Utsuho
Features
1
2
3
4
5
Target Chance
28%
24%
20%
16%
12%
Row
Front
Middle
Middle
Rear
Rear
Phys Damage
+12.5%
+12.5%
+12.5%
+12.5%
+12.5%
Magic Damage
+12.5%
+12.5%
+12.5%
+12.5%
+12.5%

Youkai Power Plant

Acquisition: Reach level 30 and defeat 50 foes with Thunder attacks with Utsuho
Features
1
2
3
4
5
Target Chance
25%
25%
20%
15%
15%
Row
Middle
Front
Rear
Front
Rear
Thunder Damage
+25%
+25%
+25%
+25%
+25%
Thunder Damage Taken
-25%
-25%
-25%
-25%
-25%
Thunder Land Regen
VIT/3
VIT/3
VIT/3
VIT/3
VIT/3
Formations Pt. 4
Satori Nightmare

Acquisition: Recruit Satori (Shikigami)
Features
1
2
3
4
5
Target Chance
24%
22%
18%
18%
18%
Row
Front
Middle
Rear
Rear
Rear
Guard Any Attack
20%
15%
10%
10%
10%

Drizzle

Acquisition: Recruit Kogasa
Features
1
2
3
4
5
Target Chance
30%
22%
16%
16%
16%
Row
Front
Middle
Rear
Rear
Rear
Meditation (MP Regen)
1%
1%
1%
1%
1%

Lunar Rainbow

Acquisition: Reach level 30 and inflict Death on 5 foes with One-Legged Comebacker with Kogasa*
Features
1
2
3
4
5
Target Chance
52%
12%
12%
12%
12%
Row
Rear
Front
Front
Front
Front
Attacks Ignore Evasion
25%
15%
15%
15%
15%
Guard Physical
X
15%
15%
15%
15%

*Keep in mind that One-Legged Comebacker also deals damage. If you inflict Death AND deal enough damage to defeat the foe at the same time, it won't count as progress towards unlocking this formation.

Fist of the Oni

Acquisition: Recruit Suika
Features
1
2
3
4
5
Target Chance
24%
24%
24%
14%
14%
Row
Front
Front
Front
Middle
Middle
Phys Damage
+20%
+20%
+20%
X
X

Sake from the Gourd

Acquisition: Reach level 40 & deal over 2000 damage at once with Suika
Features
1
2
3
4
5
Target Chance
32%
26%
20%
14%
8%
Row
Front
Middle
Middle
Middle
Rear
HP Regen
VIT/2
VIT/2
VIT/2
VIT/2
VIT/2

Great Precipice

Acquisition: Recruit Tenshi (Shikigami)
Features
1
2
3
4
5
Target Chance
20%
20%
20%
20%
20%
Row
Front
Front
Front
Front
Front
Attack Damage Taken
-15%
-15%
-15%
-15%
-15%

Omoikane

Acquisition: Recruit Eirin (Shikigami)
Features
1
2
3
4
5
Target Chance
20%
20%
20%
20%
20%
Row
Front
Middle
Middle
Rear
Rear
Phys Damage
+25%
X
X
X
X
Magic Damage
+25%
X
X
X
X
Attack Damage Taken
-33.3%
X
X
X
X

Thus Spoke Zarathustra

Acquisition: Recruit Angra
Features
1
2
3
4
5
Target Chance
24%
20%
20%
20%
16%
Row
Front
Middle
Middle
Middle
Rear
All Action Cast Speed
+3%
+3%
+3%
+3%
+3%
Phys Damage
+15%
+10%
+10%
+10%
+15%
Magic Damage
X
+10%
+10%
+10%
X

Evil Spirit God

Acquisition: Recruit Mima
Features
1
2
3
4
5
Target Chance
25%
25%
20%
15%
15%
Row
Front
Front
Middle
Rear
Rear
Magic Damage Taken
-20%
-20%
-25%
X
X
Magic Damage
X
X
+15%
+10%
+10%

Besties

Acquisition: Recruit Yuki and Mai
Features
1
2
3
4
5
Target Chance
22%
22%
22%
18%
16%
Row
Front
Front
Front
Middle
Rear
Endure Fatal Blow Once
25%
25%
25%
25%
25%
7 Comments
< >
Gloochi  [author] 12 Jun @ 2:12pm 
Remilia needs to take the very first action of the turn (or potentially the whole battle) and kill something with her spell card. I recommend just running up and fighting the enemies behind the shrine. They'll be weak enough to die in one hit, and Remilia will have no trouble outspeeding. Just make sure the rest of your party is slower than her. You should get the formation once 20 enemies are killed this way.
LautaroGM 12 Jun @ 1:12pm 
How does Remilia "Defeat 20 foes at turn start with Nightless Castle" work exactly? I don't see to be able to proc it.
Gloochi  [author] 19 Jul, 2024 @ 5:44am 
"Keep in mind that formations will require you to have a full party. If you enter a fight with less than 5 party members or if someone is defeated in battle, you'll be placed in a formation-less state and gain none of your selected formation's bonuses. If someone falls in battle, try to revive them or finish the fight ASAP."

Mentioned exactly that in the Introduction section. All formations work in this way.
ShinkuTear 18 Jul, 2024 @ 10:04pm 
Worth mention that Drizzle's special effect (party gains Meditation) is disabled if any party member is dead.

Not sure if other formations behave like this or not, but it is possible that all formations special benefits are disabled if someone goes down.

Due to this and how some characters will naturally be frail due to the equipment needed for competent casting, and there are some clear Best Formations for a given task. Phoenix Skydance is one of them, being good for the majority of the game, and others only really rise up for specific use cases.

Omoikane looks to be the best (or close to best) for boosting damage in a Rapid Stream setup. Upanishad Veda might also be usable for Rapid Stream Magic setups.
Gloochi  [author] 16 Jul, 2024 @ 6:03am 
Oh my god, I made a full row of X's there. 😆 My eyes were glazing over a bit transcribing all of this from the google doc I had it all in.
Cryomaniac 16 Jul, 2024 @ 3:07am 
Shouldn't the Fairy Ring formation also give +15% magic damage to the character in the rear?
Gloochi  [author] 15 Jul, 2024 @ 1:06pm 
I originally wanted to comment my thoughts and advice on each formation like I did with my GoS formations guide, but I realized I didn't have a lot to say on many of them. Unlike in GoS, where I had to change up my party CONSTANTLY and got a lot of use out of most of the formations, I was able to make it through DoD with just the build I wanted to run, leading to me using and trying out a lot fewer formations. Many of these I didn't even unlock until I'd done literally everything else in the game. I wouldn't say this is a bad thing, though. It's just that this game is balanced more around being able to make almost any party setup work across the game, so long as you're willing to put in the effort, whereas GoS actively wanted you to use everyone and swap out your party members often to get use out of their more specific skills. Two different flavors that scratch two different itches.