Skill Mutation

Skill Mutation is a mechanic in many games of the Megami Tensei franchise.
==Appearances==
*Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne
*Shin Megami Tensei IV
*Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse
==Profile==
When leveling up, a demon or Persona may attempt to change one of its skills to another one. This process follows a set of rules.
===Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne===
The protagonist must be at least level 7 for any kind of skill mutation to occur. On level up, there is a 25% chance of a demon attempting to mutate a skill. There are two types of skill mutation: skill upgrade and skill change.
====Skill Upgrade====
In skill upgrade, the skill will mutate into a stronger version of itself, but each demon can only upgrade a skill once. For example, a demon may upgrade its Agi skill into Maragi, but once it has done it, that demon cannot upgrade any more skills. However, skill change can still occur. If the demon evolves into a different form after upgrading a skill, it still won't be able to upgrade any more skills.
=====Physical=====
Original 	Upgraded
Needle Rush	Stun Needle, Toxic Sting, Arid Needle
Feral Bite 	Stun Bite, Venom Bite, Charm Bite, Stone Bite
Feral Claw 	Venom Claw, Stun Claw
=====Magic=====
{|class="table smt3" align="center"	Original 	Upgraded
Agi 	Maragi 	
Agilao 	Maragion 	
Agidyne 	Maragidyne	
Bufu 	Mabufu 	
Bufula 	Mabufula 	
Bufudyne	Mabufudyne	
Zio 	Mazio 	
Zionga 	Mazionga 	
Ziodyne 	Maziodyne 	
=====Healing=====
Original	Upgraded
Dia 	Media
Diarama 	Mediarama
Diarahan	Mediarahan
Patra 	Me Patra
Recarm 	Samarecarm
=====Passive=====
{|class="table smt3" align="center"	Original 	Upgraded
Bright Might, Dark Might	Might 	
Life Bonus 	Life Gain, Life Surge	
Mana Bonus 	Mana Gain, Mana Surge	
Counter 	Retaliate, Avenge 	
Anti-Phys 	Void Phys, Phys Drain	
Anti-Fire 	Void Fire, Fire Drain	
Anti-Ice 	Void Ice, Ice Drain 	
====Skill Change====
In skill change, each mutable skill is assigned a rank and the skill will change into a random skill of the next rank. Skill change may occur multiple times, so it's possible to "chain" it. However, not every skill that can be obtained this way is mutable, thus breaking the chain. For example, it's possible for a rank 1 skill to mutate into Shibaboo, which is one of the rank 2 skills that cannot be mutated. On the other hand, it's possible for it to mutate into Dia instead, which is mutable.
A skill can only change into a skill one rank higher. This means a rank 1 skill can only mutate into a rank 2 skill instead of rank 3 and above.
On the following table, skills in fuchsia are those capable of mutating into a skill of a higher rank. The table also doubles as a skill inheritance table, as the higher the rank of a skill the less likely it is for it to be passed down via fusion. This is why there are non-mutable skills in rank 1 and why there are skills in rank 12 and above, even though no skill in rank 11 is capable of mutation.
Rank	Physical 	Magic 	Prayer 	Bless 	Passive 	Conversation 	Other
1 	Needle RushFeral BiteFeral ClawLunge 	AgiBufuZioZanDeathtouch 	SukundaDekunda 	- 	- 	- 	-
2 	- 	ShibabooLullaby 	TarundaRakunda 	DiaPatraPosumudiMutudi 	Life Bonus 	SeduceBeggingHaggle 	-
3 	Toxic StingVenom ClawVenom BiteHell ThrustSacrifice	HamaMudoMaragiMabufuMazioMazanDorminaPulinpaSexy GazeMute Gaze 	TauntSukukaja 	ParaladiPetradi 	Mana BonusAnti-CurseAnti-NerveAnti-Mind 	ScoutBeseechPesterTrade 	Analyze
4 	Last Resort 	AgilaoBufulaZiongaZanmaToxic CloudStun GazeMarin Karin 	Tetraja 	- 	Life GainBright MightDark MightAnti-FireAnti-IceAnti-ElecAnti-ForceLife Aid 	WooingBrainwashSoul RecruitThreatenLoanFlatterArbitrationPersuade	Riberama
5 	Stun NeedleCharm BiteStun BiteStun ClawMighty Gust 	MakajamFire BreathIce BreathShockWing BuffetMana Drain 	Fog BreathTarukajaMakakajaDekajaFocus	MediaMe PatraMakatora 	Mana GainCounterAnti-ExpelAnti-DeathAnti-PhysEndureLife RefillCharisma 	Dark PledgeGonnectionDetain 	LightomaTrafuriLucky Find
6 	BerserkBrutal SlashKamikaze 	HamaonMudoonMahamaThunderclapMamudoBinding CryEternal SleepSonic Wave 	War Cry 	Diarama 	Life SurgeFire BoostIce BoostElec BoostForce BoostVoid CurseVoid NerveVoid MindMana Aid	KidnapMischiefStone HuntIntimidateNagMaiden's PleaWine Party 	LiftomaBeckon Call
7 	Stun NeedleStun BiteIron ClawGuillotine 	AgidyneBufudyneZiodyneZandyneMaragionMabufulaMaziongaMazanmaHellfireTornadoLife DrainStone GazeDismal TunePanic Voice	Rakukaja 	- 	RetaliateVoid FireVoid IceVoid ElecVoid ForceMightDrain AttackMana Refill 	- 	Estoma
8 	TempestHell FangDark SwordHeat Wave 	MegidoGlacial BlastViolet FlashEvil GazeMakajamonTentarafooAllure 	TetrakarnMakarakarnDebilitate 	RecarmMediarama 	Mana SurgeVoid ExpelVoid DeathWatchful 	- 	-
9 	Stasis Blade 	Bolt StormWind CutterMahamaonMamudoonHell Gaze 	- 	DiarahanRecarmdra 	AvengeFire DrainIce DrainElec DrainForce Drain 	- 	-
10 	BlightChaos Blade 	MegidolaMaragidyneMabufudyneMaziodyneMazandyneProminence 	- 	- 	Void PhysFire RepelIce RepelElec RepelForce RepelAttack All 	- 	-
11 	Hades BlastHassohappaDeathbound 	RadianceHoly Wrath 	- 	MediarahanPrayerSamarecarm	Phys Drain 	- 	-
12 	- 	- 	- 	- 	Phys Repel 	- 	-
13 	- 	- 	- 	- 	Victory Cry 	- 	-
14 	- 	Megidolaon 	- 	- 	- 	- 	-