Re-balancing Avatars?

[Soranika]

Might have been brought up before but I wonder what are the chances of avatar's getting re-balanced. There's a lot of talk in the forums about wanting elemental spirits being reworked, but I see that there's a significant problem with the fact that SMN's only two options after capping is Garuda for Predator Claws and/or Shiva for Heavenly Strike for just about literally everything.

SE said they would rather us choose our avatars based on elemental properties but unless I've been mistaken, physical blood pacts have no element attached to them and most of the magic abilities avatars are barely worth using, like the new blood pact rage abilities that Carby, Fenrir and Diabolos gotten. Seriously who uses those? Merit blood pacts have some use but overall are about as situational as using Odin and Alexander.

And speaking of them, Maybe a boost to Astral Flow pacts? There shouldn't be a reason why we're at level 90 and still barely doing 1.5k with AF Blood pacts. No one uses Astral Flow any more like they use to to zero out perp cost because it's perp cost post level 75 is non-existent now with just a HQ elemental staff and Avatar's Favor so it's about time to be reworked.

If not a full re balance, at least give them more of a benefit on corresponding days/weather that actually make them worth it. (Increase proc rate for bonuses) If you haven't noticed, not every summoner have access to Nirvana so through us a bone.

[Korpg]

If you are inside abyssea, it all depends on the atmas you are using (physical = Predator Claws, magical = whatever element atmas you are using).

If you are outside of abyssea, it all depends on what you are killing.

Most SMNs are noobs in the fact that they think that Predator Claws is the endall BP this game needs, and never look at what the other BPs can offer. Yeah, it does outstanding damage and is on an avatar that can heal herself, but it is not the only or the most powerful BP we have. Any merited BP with 300% TP (or bonused up to 300% TP) can always outdo PC on all but magical resistant mobs.

[Vortex]

I already suggested this in a post recently about adding boosts and stats increases to avatars on there special day and weaken them on there opposing day, i think it would work

But as KORPG said almost every SMN i meet has no clue how the job works and just full times garuda and PC when i am sitting there doing constant 4-5k+ with another avatar....(shiva) unfortunatly SMN seems to attract the biggest noobs so you would have to fix the player base SMN mentality before advanced features like these are put in. currently i dont even think i KNOW any other good smns..it's really sad..

[Yygdrasil]

currently i dont even think i KNOW any other good smns..it's really sad..

/wave Nice to meet you. I thought I was the last Unicorn.

[Kiroh]

/wave Nice to meet you. I thought I was the last Unicorn.

*stabs you with my horn*

Oh to be the last Unicorn is a woeful plight indeed...

[Yygdrasil]

*stabs you with my horn*

Oh to be the last Unicorn is a woeful plight indeed...

TOM CRUISE!!! WHERE ARE YOU!?!?

[Zemarin]

in my head Avatars would go like this....

4 seconds to summon an Shiva (not 7)...
Shiva comes out, Her HP would be based off my MP... 2000 my mp = 2000 Shiva HP.
Her physical Damage Would be Directly Proportionate to my Summoning skill perhaps on a scale of 1:1.5 (I dunno how they determine damage now but i do know 70 dmg per swing aint cutting it)
SHiva would always have En-blizzard and Ice Spikes on which damage unresisted does up to 5% my summoning skill.

Upon Using Avatar's Favor Perpetual cost drops, Shiva's Enblizzard and Ice Spikes is granted to Party members within 20' along with an INT and magic attack Damage boost.

[Babekeke]

SE said they would rather us choose our avatars based on elemental properties but unless I've been mistaken, physical blood pacts have no element attached to them and most of the magic abilities avatars are barely worth using, like the new blood pact rage abilities that Carby, Fenrir and Diabolos gotten. Seriously who uses those? Merit blood pacts have some use but overall are about as situational as using Odin and Alexander.

See Ifrit's Flaming Crush

And the other great ability that other BPs have is their varying damage types. Predator Claws isn't the best physical BP against pots, because the blunt-type BPs get a multiplier.

Chaotic Strike and Geocrush add a stun effect, Mountain Buster adds bind, Megalith Throw adds slow, Thunderspark adds paralyze and is the only AOE rage that we have. Moonlit Charge Blinds, and Cresent Fang paralyzes enemy.

Lastly, Diabolos is the only avatar that has a BP ward that can actually deal damage too and with it adding a fairly potent gravity (unless the mob is immune) it's a great addition to soloing if you're going to have to recast your avatar, or need to siphon.

People only use Heavenly Strike or Predator Claws, because they're uninformed. Actually, all of the info is there for them to see, they're just too lazy to look.

[Sasaraixx]

Chaotic Strike and Geocrush add a stun effect, Mountain Buster adds bind, Megalith Throw adds slow, Thunderspark adds paralyze and is the only AOE rage that we have. Moonlit Charge Blinds, and Cresent Fang paralyzes enemy.

Lastly, Diabolos is the only avatar that has a BP ward that can actually deal damage too and with it adding a fairly potent gravity (unless the mob is immune) it's a great addition to soloing if you're going to have to recast your avatar, or need to siphon.

People only use Heavenly Strike or Predator Claws, because they're uninformed. Actually, all of the info is there for them to see, they're just too lazy to look.

All of your info is accurate, but it's not really showing the entire picture. I agree that people tend to forget details like physical pact damage types, but you cannot honestly argue for using Moonlit Charge in pretty much any situation. Why would you ever use Megalith Throw over Mountain Buster or Geocrush? If you are fighting something that needs to be slowed, you'll probably have someone with you who can do a much better job of it. If you're solo, it's a waste of a rage pact in my opinion. You will be resummoning your avatar anyway. You'd be better off killing it more quickly then trying to enfeeble it.

There are reasons to use avatars other than Garuda and Shiva. You alter your strategies based on monster elemental affinity or damage type, but that doesn't mean that each of the avatars are equally balanced with respect to their abilities.

Diabolos is the only avatar who can deal damage with a ward pact. Great. You still have very little reason to use him. Somnolence is terrible damage and he has no Rage pact that makes him attractive. If I needed Gravity, and you usually do not, I would probably use Leviathan or cast Diabolos for Somnolence and then dismiss him and go right back to the avatar I've been using.

I understand the OP's feelings on the subject. No, Predator Claws and Heavenly Strike are not the end all be all for summoners. If you play that way, you really do not understand how to play the job effectively. That doesn't mean, however, that some, if not most of Avatars could use a little tweaking.

[Malamasala]

I think a big problem is that SE for some reason decided that carby, fenrir and diabolos should have weaker nukes, while only carby and fenrir has lower perp and only fenrir has higher melee damage. Diabolos overall is just left too weak to be used except for the pre 2006 content where monsters have no dark resistance.