Better damage + PAR makes it more useful for bosses than Yin-Yang Orb
Fantasy Seal
60
Enemy (All)
SPI
2 x (((ATK + MAG) x 2) - (T.DEF + T.MND / 2))
--
Startlingly strong against anything not weak to SPI due to composite nature
Exorcising Border
72
Ally (All Active)
--
--
Heal HP (Moderate)
Costly at the start, but later on, invaluable
Great Hakurei Barrier
88
Ally (All Active)
--
--
DEF & MND +50%
Again, costly but invaluable due to wide-spread and strong effect
Character Overview and Comments
Recruitment
Reimu is part of your initial party
Play Notes
Despite looking to have only average stats, Reimu is a wonderful character. She's not exceedingly fragile or weak in any one area, which is important, as almost all stats serve some purpose to her. Her high SP growth will help offset her expensive moves in the early game. In random encounters, the composite (ATK + MAG) nature of her attacks, especially Fantasy Seal, means that an enemy needs both high DEF and MND, or a high resistance to SPI, to be able to survive her attacks. Meanwhile, for bosses, Reimu is packing easily one of the best healing moves and one of the most important defensive buff spells. Even if you just leave her in long enough to buff DEF and MND once or twice then swap her out, you'll find she's very handy for dealing with bosses that would otherwise run you over.
Ignores enemy magic defense? Japanese wiki still lists it.
Master Spark
160+
Enemy (Single)
MYS
(1 + α) x ((MAG x 8) - (T.MND / 2))
Uses all remaining SP
The α is equal to how much "extra" SP is put into Master Spark, 0.1 per every 160 SP. Maxes out at α=1 at 1160 SP
Concentration
72
Self
--
--
MAG +40%
Useful before a Master Spark
Character Overview and Comments
Recruitment
Marisa is part of your initial party
Play Notes
The first mage-type character you'll aquire, but Marisa plays a bit differently than later ones you get, despite some similarities - namely, generally she's really fragile and can't take a hit, but boasts a great deal of power. Thankfully, she has good MND and just-below-100 affinities, so a bit of work there can at least help her take some magical hits. Regardless, Marisa is there to run through enemy parties with Asteroid Belt (Which will be easy to cast thanks to her awesome SP, and can wipe an entire enemy group out in one shot on early floors). When it comes to boss battles, you'll want to following this strategy: Buff Magic (Via Concentrate, or support spells from other allies), then swap her back out until her SP is recharged. Then, swap in, fire a Master Spark, and swap back out. The unique nature of her Master Spark's damage formula makes it possibly the single strongest spell in the game. Make raising her MAG and SP a focus and you'll have an invaluable cannon to use against everything.
Her only real offensive move, but startlingly strong
Curse of Vlad Tepes
66
Self
--
--
+60% Magic, Mind, Attack, Defense. Chance of causing PAR and PSN
Boosting her PAR and PSN resistance can help reduce the chance of the negative effects.
Character Overview and Comments
Recruitment
Remilia is part of your initial party
Play Notes
The first tank type character you get, and a very strong one at that. Though she's also the first party member you get who can only target a single enemy at once, her high attack growth makes her great for fighting bosses anyway, and her defensive stats are only hampered by somewhat low resistances to certain ailments and elements, the latter of which is fairly easy to boost away anyway. There's not a lot of strategy to note. Curse of Vlad Tepes is very powerful, but only use it when you can follow it up right away with a Healer or similar spellcard, because especially early on, getting PAR or PSN inflicted completely neuters poor Remilia.