So I suck at Persona 4. In fact, I probably suck at JRPGs in general, because I almost never play them (Persona 4 is my second JRPG, FFXII being the first...) and because I hate, hate grinding and turn-based combat. After watching the Endurance Run up to episode 85 or something, I bought the game and vowed not to watch another one of those awesome vids until I had beaten the game.

Thing is, now I'm a bit stuck. I'm at the exact point where I left off on the ER, basically the sixth floor of the Void Quest dungeon. There are two major reasons for this. The first is that due to a combination of not liking turn-based combat and the fact that I wanted to get through the part of the game which I had already seen rather quickly, I didn't clear out all the floors of every dungeon. The result is that I'm underleveled, as my party is currently level 34 or 35. The second roadblock is this one combo of enemies consisting of an "Almighty Hand", a "Blue Sigil" and this flock of butterflies, the proper name of which escapes me at the moment. I cannot for the life of me figure out a way to take out the Blue Sigil! I'm pretty sure I've tried every type of magic on it, but it either avoids the attack or gets hit by it and loses like 5% of his total health. I can take out the hand and butterflies due to their respective weaknessess but that Ginodyne attack kills my MC in two or three hits. For some reason, my teammates don't take a mortal blow for me either when I get hit by it. What's up with that?

Right, so I'd like some of the more experienced people who know how to beat this game to give me some advice. What am I supposed to do? I've decided to grind (which is my single most detested gaming concept ever) to level 38 or so. I saw Vinny and Jeff make a Black Frost, and wanted to follow suit but noticed I don't have a Pyro Jack in my Compendium, for some reason. So that's not an option either.

So there are two things I need to know:

• What's an effective place to grind? I figured that going through the lower levels of the Void Quest dungeon would give me more EXP more quickly, but perhaps going through the Bathhouse and Strip Club yields better results? The date is the 6th of August by the way. I read somewhere the fog comes on the 11th. Is that true?
• Is there a good way to take out those ******* Blue Sigils? They're my single biggest threat, it seems.
  

Go back and grind the lower floors of the void quest, you'll get the most EXP that way. Sounds like you already know your biggest problem: you're really, really, underleveled. You need to AT LEAST gain like 5 levels ASAP. Yeah, grinding sucks, but as you can see, if you skimp out of fights the first time through, you'll end up regretting it later. At no point in this game do you really have to grind, just don't avoid fights. 

Yeah, go down the first few Void Quest levels, but in the future, after you beat the dungeon and before the next victim is thrown into the TV, go through the dungeon you beat before for a second time and beat the Bonus Boss. You'll get a load of XP, and a cool weapon.

BTW, the 11th sounds about right but don't worry you've got plenty of time. Just try to maximize each day, use TAPs, Soul Snuffs/Drops, or Fox to get SP back once you're out. Try to be in there for as long as possible when you're in TV world. Alternatively, you could go back to Yukiko's castle or something if you have a Persona with Invigorate, and just defend until you have all your SP back. Tedious, but that's for the power players I guess. But above all, the No.1 rule of any and all RPGs: SAVE OFTEN!!

Top level of the dungeon is where the stronger monsters are which means more XP. Always fight, never run away or you'll be underlevel.

The game will NEVER force you to grind, so don't worry about that-Anything is overcomeable with a good strategy.

Party members won't take a hit for you unless they're a certain Slink level-9 IIRC. And even then, it's only for a direct attack. If they use an AOE attack and it hits you, you're fucked, game over.

The games combat is sorta unfair, especially for a JRPG novice. It's mean, unfair, and you WILL die when you feel it's just cheated you out of an hour.

It's a good idea to carry teddy or yukiko  as characters, due to their high magic and healing spells.

Fox is your friend. Money is such an easily gained commodity that you don't need to worry.

IIRC, buffs weigh the scales by 30%, so learn to use them effectively.

Shiroku store  is underrated. A macca leaf at your level (200 hp to all) is a godsent, it's like giving the Mediarama skill to someone who doesn't have it.

Nothing else pops to mind as of yet, ask questions and they'll be answered.

Make sure you run through each dungeon twice.  Its important not just for EXP, though it does make it easier to keep characters at close to the same level, but it opens up more equipment and money to buy stuff.  Many times you need 10 of a material for a new item to open up, something you're unliekly to get on just one run through of a dungeon.  Also the courage boost and weapon you get tend to be really god for that point in the game.

" @Fallen189 said:

" Party members won't take a hit for you unless they're a certain Slink level-9 IIRC. "

What caused this to keep coming up?  Rank 1 allows a teammate to take a mortal blow for you; Rank 9 allows them to take their own mortal blows.  Is that not one of the first things the game tells you when you make your first Social Link? "

Don't sweat it buddy, I've been playing P4 at the moment for like 16 hours a day, im not thinking right.

Alright, so I finally worked up the courage to get back to this game after being traumatized by those Blue Sigils...

Anyway, I only played a single day, the sixth of August. My party went from 35 to 37, which I was quite happy about. I'm hoping to be around 39 - 40 by the eighth. Even so, that would mean that I have to clear floor 6 to 10 in two days... I'm kinda afraid that I won't make it. And my Fox S. Link is only at level 2, so using his services will be costly, to say the least. I'm seriously hoping that I won't fail miserably and be forced to start the whole game over. Do you guys reckon I'll make it?

" Alright, so I finally worked up the courage to get back to this game after being traumatized by those Blue Sigils...Anyway, I only played a single day, the sixth of August. My party went from 35 to 37, which I was quite happy about. I'm hoping to be around 39 - 40 by the eighth. Even so, that would mean that I have to clear floor 6 to 10 in two days... I'm kinda afraid that I won't make it. And my Fox S. Link is only at level 2, so using his services will be costly, to say the least. I'm seriously hoping that I won't fail miserably and be forced to start the whole game over. Do you guys reckon I'll make it? "

You can also stop the Fox from getting you too badly by running through earlier dungones with a Persona that has Invigorate so you'll be gaining SP while rushing harmless Shadows.  You don't have to heal all the way up, just gain a bit of money to ease the financial burden while making the healing burden a bit less.

Two days is plenty of time. You'll be fine.