GamePress

Salem - Spoiler-free Walkthrough

Submit Feedback or Error
Article by Sizzle NorseFTX
Salem - Spoiler-free Walkthrough

Introduction

"Sharpen your pitchforks, light the torches, gather the destitute, for we are off to our very own witchhunt!"

  • Last updated 12/3 - Walkthrough is updated for the 2nd timegate.
  • The spoilers in this walkthrough are limited to what enemies you will face in a particular node. 
  • Every major boss encounter is initially hidden. 
  • Press the New Monster Information or Boss Information headers to see specific spoilers, advice and/or tips.
  • Generally, Salem is story-heavy as opposed to the difficult boss conditions set forth in Shimosa. This Singularity is actually one of the easiest ones, especially if Masters ignore the bonus bond conditions.
  • Break Bars are a standard feature by now, bosses cannot be cleared within a single turn.
  • Caster Servants receive double bond points! This is not such a big restriction (provided a Master actually has enough Caster), as most enemies in this Singularity are Assassins or Berserkers. Click on the Caster Class Bond Bonus Servants & Advice accordion for some tips.
  • General rule of thumb when using a bond bonus team is to be careful around quests marked as hard or very hard. 
  • Some Main Quests halve all the Servants' base stats. Fortunately, the enemies have a much weaker health pool in return so in practice it means fairly little except buff all healing/Damage over Time/flat damage or damage cut. 
  • Finally, the filler sections between bosses provide unrestricted support access and are much easier.
  • A full Main Story clear requires 282 AP + 264 + 124 AP(670 AP) for each of the timegates.
  • Spotted an error, have a question, or ideas to improve the guide? Feel free to drop a comment on the Walkthrough forum thread or via the feedback form.
  • Have fun and enjoy the story! 

Timegates

  • 2019-12-02 01:00 PST: Prologue - Sect. 3
  • 2019-12-03 16:00 PST: Sect. 4 - Sect. 6 
  • 2019-12-05 16:00 PST Sect. 7 onwards

Caster Class Bond Bonus Servant on Release

Class [Caster-class] Servants
  • Generally while Casters may not clear very quickly, they do synergize immensely well with one another. As such, this bond bonus condition is not dangerous, just a bit slower than usual. 
  • However, Nitocris, is very useful here. Many of the enemies are undead, as well as bronze. Perfect fodder for Instant Death. In addition, she does not suffer very much from the reduced ATK/HP if she triggers Instant Death. 
  • Naturally Merlin, Tamamo and Waver are excellent and with their plentiful buffs, they can even stomp the enemies themselves, especially Merlin.
  • Having a high rarity DPS Caster such as Sanzang, Nero ClaudiusIllya, etc. will greatly speed bosses up as well.
  • From the 1-3* Servant, don't overlook the powerhouse that is Charles Babbage, with his buffs active he is very formidable and durable. Medea is good too, but does lack in the sustained damage department. 
  • If Caster options are really slim, but you still want to make use of the bonus, simply load the backline with your expensive (unleveled) Casters, and use one top class advantaged non-Caster for the nodes instead. Together with the friend support, that ought to be plenty here. 
  • Spoiler: 
  • .
  • .
  • .
  • Having an Alter Ego Servant ready for the final stretch will greatly simplify things. 

Node Difficulty Scale

Filler Easy Moderate Hard Very Hard
Node Enemy Classes Enemies & Difficulty Notes

Se. 1 - 1
A new Monster approaches:
Stats are halved during this encounter
Nothing like being ambushed by Rider wolves when there is a Caster Bond Bonus condition.
A competent Caster team should still have no issues clearing this though.

New Monster Information

Mob Class Drop Notes
Seed of Yggdrasil These Grey Wolves (Wild Beasts) are new filler mobs. They act only once, have a very small teamwide Charisma as their only skill, and at full charge they deal a medium-strength charged attack to one target that lowers Defense slightly.

Se. 1 - 2
Pure Story Chapter.

Se. 1 - 3
Pure Story Chapter.

Se. 1 - 4
Nothing of note, unleash an NP on the Berserkers of wave 2.

Se. 1 - 5
The Caster Ifreeta at the end here can be rather chunky for Caster teams, so save NPs and bring some survival if Caster DPS options are limited.

Se. 1 - 6
Pure Story Chapter.

Se. 2 - 1
Pure Story Chapter.

Se. 2 - 2
On Battle start, the 3-Servant enemy team is buffed with a 20% Defense Up buff. Due to the mixed classes, Berserkers are very powerful here. The enemies hit hard, but leave the Ruler for last. If there is protection for AoE NPs, kill the Avenger first, otherwise kill the Lancer first.

Se. 2 - 3
More of the same, except the initial buff improves their Debuff Resistance instead. Blast them again!

Se. 2 - 4
Mini Boss encounter.
Click the Mini Boss Information below for specifics.

Mini Boss Information

Boss Class Notes
Jeanne d'Arc (Alter)Jeanne d'Arc (Alter Santa Lily)Jeanne d'ArcAmakusa ShirouGilles de RaisGilles de Rais (Caster) The very first actually more complicated fight in Salem, although only of real note if Masters adhere to the Caster restriction. Any Berserker worth their salt will be able to push through this encounter like butter.

The main gimmick of this encounter is that each Jeanne will be protected by one protector that grants them a 50% Card Type resistance. Jeanne d'Arc (Alter Santa Lily) is protected by Amakusa, Jeanne d'Arc (Alter) by Gilles de Rais (Caster) and Jeanne d'Arc by Gilles de Rais. Kill their defender, and their protection deactivates.

As long as the offense is strong enough, the mobs should fall before they launch their NP.

Se. 2 - 5
A new Monster approaches:
Stats are halved during this encounter
These mobs have pitiful HP even with stats halved, destroy them!

New Monster Information

Mob Class Drop Notes
Iron Stake of Evening Tears These new humanoid/Human/Undead/Demonic (they tick a lot of boxes!)-type mobs are a new common Berserker enemy. They hit for a decent chunk, but their only skill grants them a minor buff at the cost of 1000 HP, and their charged attack deals medium strength damage to one target at the cost of increased damage taken.

Expect to farm them a lot if one intends to roll one of the Servants introduced during the Salem period. Ereshkihal especially needs loads!

Se. 2 - 6
Stats are halved during this encounter
Do not be alarmed by the HP of the Break Bar opponent, the fight ends after 5 or so turns in wave 2, or if their Break Bar is broken.

Se. 2 - 7
Stats are halved during this encounter
A proper Caster fight, although the enemy is limited to just a Critical Rate and Critical Damage skill.
There is a fair amount of HP to chew through if fielding Casters, but this encounter is very straightforward if fielding Riders.

Se. 3 - 1
Pure Story Chapter.

Se. 3 - 2
A new Monster approaches:
Stats are halved during this encounter
More fodder, fingers crossed for Stakes!

New Monster Information

Mob Class Drop Notes
Iron Stake of Evening Tears Another new ghoul-type mob. These humanoid/Human/Undead/Demonic (they tick a lot of boxes!)-type mobs do tend to be a bit beefier than their most common counterpart. Their main skill reduces a target's defense slightly and very slightly buffs their own Critical Rate. Their charged attacks deal medium strength damage to one target and slightly reduces their healing received.

Se. 3 - 3
A new Monster approaches:
Stats are halved during this encounter
More of the same, except slightly beefier.

New Monster Information

Mob Class Drop Notes
Iron Stake of Evening Tears The last basic ghoul-type mob. These humanoid/Human/Undead/Demonic (they tick a lot of boxes!)-type mobs are typically the strongest of the bunch. Their main skill slightly buffs their attack, defense and critical rate at the cost of 1000 HP. The strong charged attack they deal is more annoying though, as it also stuns their target.

Se. 3 - 4
Beefiest one so far, prepare an NP for wave 3.
Back to Chapter Selection
Node Enemy Classes Enemies & Difficulty Notes

Se. 4 - 1
Pure Story Chapter.

Se. 4 - 2
This one is really a rather chunky Shadow Assassin Servant. Caster Ball the cretin out of existence!

Se. 4 - 3
Together these enemy Shadow Servants have a fair amount of HP, a lazily Coasting Master may be caught out. Bring a competent (AoE) DPS and try not to let the Berserker get too many turns.

Se. 4 - 4
One would think any Assassin enemies are easy pickings in a Caster-focused Singularity. But these massive ghosts are a huge problem if they manage to get too many turns in and suddenly a weak backline rushes in. Bring a strong competent Caster so as to not mess around with those pesky AoE attacks.

Se. 4 - 5
A new Monster approaches:
Stats are halved during this encounter

Considering just how chunky this newly introduced beauty is with the stat reduction, Masters should bring a strong Single Target Caster with them once more.

New Monster Information

Mob Class Drop Notes
Iron Stake of Evening Tears A rival in loveliness to Helena of Troy herself, these Undead and Demonic monstrosities are the final evolutions of our friendly ghouls. They act up to 3 times, can use their only skill to cleanse their own debuffs and inflict a 300 damage teamwide Curse for 5 turns, and their charged attacks deal strong damage while inflicting Curse Amplification (100%) for 3 turns to a single target.

Se. 4 - 6
Stats are halved during this encounter

More of the same, fortunately the Rider wolves at the start hardly have any HP, so stick to Casters.

Se. 5 - 1
Pure Story Chapter.

Se. 5 - 2
You thought we could have another Singulatity without the obligatory Wyvern fight? You thought wrong my friend, for what is FGO without their trusty Wyvern mobs?

But seriously, this node is a pain for anyone fully sticking to a Caster line-up considering the Wyvern Dread's rather massive Rider health bar.

Se. 5 - 3
Boss encounter.
Click the Boss Information below for specifics.

Boss Information

Boss Class Notes
Alright, so in our excitement to have a boss guide, we may have given this fight a little more attention than it deserves. For Masters who are going to employ a Rider (especially a certain motorcycle-focused hero), the boss guide is rather overkill as the boss is really not all that durable.

Se. 5 - 4
Stats are halved during this encounter

The Daemon in this node is fairly beefy.

Se. 5 - 5
Stats are halved during this encounter

More of the same, just with their HP values slightly rearranged.

Se. 5 - 6
Stats are halved during this encounter

Bring AoE Casters to blast wave 2 out of existence quickly.

Se. 6
Pure Story Chapter.
Back to Chapter Selection
Node Enemy Classes Enemies & Difficulty Notes
Se. 7 Boss encounter.
Click the Boss Information below for specifics.


Stats are halved during this encounter

Boss Information

Boss Class Notes
Abigail Williams A rude reveal, and the Singularity picks up gameplay-wise at last!
This encounter is not terribly difficult even with just Casters, but introduces a new class advantage/disadvantage to memorize.
Se. 8 - 1 Boss encounter.
Click the Boss Information below for specifics.


A new Monster approaches:

Stats are halved during this encounter

New Monster Information

Mob Class Drop Notes
Phoenix Feather Salem introduces a new Phoenix Feather type mob, one that frees us from our genocidal rampage to farm the feathers from Amazonesses. These Demonic Wild Beasts act 3 times and can decrease your team's stargen while they buff their own team's Critical Rate. Their danger comes from their charged attack, which does massive damage and reduces all Critical Stars that turn by...50.

Boss Information

Boss Class Notes
Abigail Williams This is, frankly, very similar to the last encounter, except there're some large mobs in our way before reaching the final wave. The new Caster mob is quite chunky, though if you intend to save NPs for the final wave.
Se. 8 - 2 Boss encounter.
Click the Boss Information below for specifics.


Stats are halved during this encounter

Boss Information

Boss Class Notes
This fight can be surprisingly nasty if Masters prefer to stall their encounters as the boss here actually abuses the halved stats to release some nasty Curses on the team. Still, an Assassin boss in a Caster Singularity- must be blasted/smacked/beamed into oblivion before it unleashes its short NP bar to full effect.
Se. 8 - 3 Boss encounter.
Click the Boss Information below for specifics.


Stats are halved during this encounter

Boss Information

Boss Class Notes
Abigail Williams Now we're talking!
This fight is a prelude of what is to come, familiarize yourself with the way the....well it's really just a fancy guts, works.
Se. 8 - 4 Boss encounter.
Click the Boss Information below for specifics.

Boss Information

Boss Class Notes
Abigail Williams THE fight of the Singularity without a doubt, and the reason an Alter Ego came so highly recommended. Masters have to blast through an impressive amount of effective HP (over a million!), and Abigail's Single Target NP removes buffs before it activates. The Boss guide has a bunch of strategies, but overcomplicating the encounter is probably the worst idea - bring the big guns, lazers and rockets, and of course big buffs!
Se. 9 Pure Story Chapter.
Se. 10 Pure Story Chapter.
The story is not -quite- done though. Masters can unlock an extra storytelling chapter by completing the Courtroom Free Quest fully.

Free Quest
Run this 3 times for a full reward clear.

Extra 1
The Manticore in this node is pretty strong, so make sure to bring a strong ST Assassin/Berserker to finish it off.

Extra 2
AsteriosEuryale Note: Quest should end after ~4 turns in wave 2.

Extra 3
Nezha In a way, this is more of a mini boss encounter. Nezha has a Break Bar, which upon breaking grants her guts and an NP Charge. Other than that, it's very straightforward, except Masters should be careful around her Critical potential and her AoE NP. Bring a good ST Saber and you ought to be fine.

Extra 4
AsteriosEuryale Boss encounter.
Click the Boss Information below for specifics.

Boss Information

Boss Class Notes
AsteriosEuryale A pretty heavy Break bar fight awaits, although the incoming damage should be rather manageable. After all, Asterios does not have a damaging NP, and if Masters can control his basic attack damage, victory is not far away.
Back to Chapter Selection
Enjoyed the article?
Consider supporting GamePress and the author of this article by joining GamePress Boost!
Join!

About the Author(s)

Twitter: @NorseFTX

Content Director at GamePress. Passionate about fighting games, virtual/augmented reality technology, neuroengineering, and video games in general. Classical Piano Performance, Sprite Art, and Under Night In-Birth enthusiast.