Astral Flow

Job Ability

Allows avatars to use their full strength.

Job: Summoner

Level: 1

Recast Time: 2 hours

Duration: 3 minutes

Notes

Astral Flow is a Summoner's Two Hour Ability. While active, Avatar Perpetuation Cost is reduced to zero for all summoned avatars and spirits. However, if the Summoner's MP ever reaches zero for any reason while an avatar is out, it will dismiss itself despite having no perpetuation cost. Be aware of this if you are using an avatar to tank. Only perpetuation cost is negated. MP is still required (and consumed) to initially summon avatars and invoke Blood Pacts. Any form of Refresh or Auto Refresh is sufficient to allow an avatar to stay active even after all MP has been consumed, and is by far the easiest way to accomplish this. It is a good idea for Summoners to carry with them at least one juice item, such as Melon Juice, in order to bestow a Refresh effect on themselves, especially below level 25 when they do not possess Auto Refresh. While active, each avatar gains the ability to perform their special Blood Pacts. They can be found under the Blood Pact: Rage category, and have the following names and effects: Carbuncle - Searing Light - AoE Light Damage Garuda - Aerial Blast - AoE Wind Damage Ifrit - Inferno - AoE Fire Damage Shiva - Diamond Dust - AoE Ice Damage Leviathan - Tidal Wave - AoE Water Damage Titan - Earthen Fury - AoE Earth Damage Ramuh - Judgment Bolt - AoE Lightning Damage Fenrir - Howling Moon - AoE Darkness Damage Diabolos - Ruinous Omen - AoE Darkness Damage. In order to use the above Blood Pacts, the user must have MP = (current job level * 2). For example, a level 50 Summoner must have at least 100 MP available. If the summoner has insufficient MP, the Blood Pact command may be issued and the avatar will ready the attack, but it will not execute. If Astral Flow wears off after issuing the command but before the avatar uses the attack, it will also fail to execute. If either of these events occurs, any MP the Summoner did have is retained and does not drop to zero. Upon usage of any of the above Blood Pacts, all of the Summoner's MP is consumed. Despite this variable MP cost, the amount of MP consumed by these Blood Pacts has no effect on how much damage they deal. Any extra MP over the amount necessary to use the special Blood Pact is essentially wasted. The special Blood Pacts only usable during Astral Flow inflict magical damage, and can therefore be resisted, but will not miss (as long as its intended target is within range of the attack). They may also be used to perform Magic Bursts, similar to standard offensive magic spells. Damage inflicted by these attacks can be reduced by Shell and other "magic damage taken -%" effects. Damage inflected by these attacks can be increased with Magic Attack Bonus gear or Avatar Magical Attack merits. Damage inflicted by these attacks is not reduced by the number of targets hit, as is the case with Black Magic. Damage inflicted by these attacks is not affected by TP. While active, Elemental Spirits do not obtain any new Blood Pacts, they cast magic far more quickly, and the AI's chance to use more powerful spells increases.

Horizon Changes

None

Macro Syntax

/ja "Astral Flow" <me> /pet "Blood Pact Name" <t>

Monsters using Astral Flow

• Generally, this ability behaves differently than the Astral Flow used by players. In most cases, upon usage of the ability, the monster will immediately summon an avatar with zero casting time, regardless of whether or not they already have an avatar out (meaning they can have two avatars out at the same time), and the newly summoned avatar will immediately perform its appropriate special Blood Pact, with little to no charge-up time. Afterward, the avatar will dismiss itself. The avatar summoned with Astral Flow cannot be attacked, stunned or otherwise prevented from using its Blood Pact. The damage done by these Blood Pacts can range from moderate to devastating, sometimes even able to K.O. players at full HP. In addition, the AoE range of monster Astral Flow Blood Pacts is significantly larger than the range they have when players use them; it extends far enough to hit mages in the party that aren't keeping maximum casting distance.
  • Even though Astral Flow generally lasts long enough for players to perform at least three Blood Pacts, most monsters will generally only use one such Blood Pact, immediately when Astral Flow is triggered, as indicated above. However, some monsters may use more, and some others may even be able to trigger Astral Flow multiple times.
• Other monsters, such as Summoner enemies inside Dynamis areas, behave more like players do, and will use Astral Flow to trigger a Blood Pact with the avatar that they already have summoned (they do not summon a second avatar for Astral Flow). As a result, these avatars can be attacked and prevented from using their Blood Pacts, most commonly done via an attack that inflicts sleep.
  • Due to the potentially devastating damage these Blood Pacts can cause, along with the fact that the damage done to each target is not dispersed (reduced) with more targets as it is with standard AoE magic, Astral Flow is one of the greatest potential threats to a Dynamis group, capable of wiping out a good portion of the alliance instantly, and in the worst cases, cause a gradual full wipe, if the avatar is allowed to use its Blood Pact. Most groups consider it absolutely vital to keep enemy avatars asleep at all times until their masters have been defeated. It is a team effort; the mages must watch for avatars and sleep them promptly, while the melees must be careful not to attack sleeping avatars and defeat their masters quickly.