Get to Chariot 3 (testing)
Test Keys from teacher
Level Yukiko in early grind at Castle
You're going to need a magician with 8 skills, Rakshasa with 8 skills as well. Eligor's Fire Boost might need to be gotten at the start of Marukyu along with Phoenix's Twin Shot in the Pixie route since I don't know how tough it's to get Resist Physical on Obariyon.
And I have no clue if Lilith can actually get the 3 levels it needs for Elec Break.
Goal is to hit 74 after giant of envy, should be about level 70 or so leaving lab I think
We could make a seth on 2/03 (kaguya, skadi, taotie) which could get both hama and almighty.
Two extra corn
So running from the very first shadow in Marukyu floor 7, using goho-m and going back to the floor causes a hand to spawn right by entrance. It's 13 secs slower than the traditional manipulation BUT this hand MIGHT have improved chances for a double or a triple encounter. I might just have gotten lucky (like Beef with his always a quad encounter in Lab), but out of 20 encounters i got 4 triples, 9 doubles, 5 singles with beasts and 2 singles with hableries. Again, can't say if I just got lucky 13/20 being a good encounter seems better than the other method. Maybe the normal shadow messes with the encounter somehow idk.
When you reload the game and enter a floor, MOST of the chest on that floor are fixed. I've seen a few random things, but the item in question is definility 100%.
Anytime you battle a shadow or use a goho, the rng seems to move, and the items in the chest change. If you leave the room  or reload the file, the rng moves in a different way and the boxes shift around.

Example. If you enter a room and there are 2 rare chest...use a goho, then return without going to the entrace. The 2 rare chest will still be there, however, the items will change. If you enter a room with 2 chestand reload the game, enter that room after doing so, and things will be completly different.

With that in mind, let talk about the 100% divine Pillar. On Floor 6, use a goho and reload the game as if you where farming hands...re-enter. The first time has nothing of interest except a hand far back in the end. Reload the SAVE FILE, then immedialty re-enter that room. Head to the first rare chest WITHOUT ENTERCOUNTERING ANYTHING!!! This is going to be a 100% Divine Pillar! Sometimes you can fight something and still get the divine pillar here, but there's no reason to. Shortly after this, you'll see a hand. Furter down is a second rare chest. I usually spawn a second divine pillar here buy fighting the hand, and encountering a second shadow, but it doesn't always work, as the things that happen in battle seem to effect the rng as well.(edited)
I'm going to assume that Firm Stance is the main reason Futsunushi is used in each and every single run. However with this, he is not needed in the least. I still don't know if it's faster to fuse him or spawn Divine pillars and use which every persona you damn well please....but this is definitly something that can possibly change the way people run the game. Futsunushi still might be the way to go because of Primal Force, but a God's Hand from Melchizedek hits pretty damn hard...AND he's immune to light. I prefer a magic persona because Primal Force/God's Hand/Brave Blade always seem to miss when it matters most. The only reason I used Atavata was to get by that damn giant, as I can easly make him in my route and he get's Brave blade.(edited)
Now as you saw, once Chie reachs level 45+, the divine pillar will give her more than enough sponging power against the final boss assuming you keep the buffs on.
Kanji takes hits like crazy once he reaches level 45. Teddie does pretty good as well.

Another good item is the 254 male armor that gives you +5 stats. This is located in heaven on floor 4. Do a fresh reload, enter and reload the game twice. When you enter a third time, the first shadow will be red. Open the rare chest to get this armor.(edited)
Although this also works for normal chest, I'd advice against it unless you are in a thunderstorm. You can get some really good stuff, but there's always a chance a shadow will pop out of a box. Example, on kanji's dungeon on the first floor, 1 chest will always be a Magic mirror after a fresh reload. However, not only do you have a chance to encounter a shadow in the box, but you'll mostly likely bump into one as well. Both of these will cause the magic mirror to change. Plus it's best to focus on the hand that will appear on this floor anyway.. :stuck_out_tongue: But the Magic mirror just might be worth the risk so you can pocket it for Shadow teddie.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGcPsyR7r-Q(edited)

24 ice cubes at Castle
48 ice cubes at Bathhouse