Citations for Purported Echo Abilities

[Wyssahtyn]

Are there any citations for the oft repeated "dungeon wipes are just Echo Visions"? Or for the "Echo lets you see AoEs" thing?

[Bright-Flower]

Those seem more like fan theories to me to explain game mechanics. Maybe in an interview they've off hand mentioned something but so far as I know, nothing in the game. And given we can see aoe markers when 'role playing' as npcs without the echo, and some aoe effects don't have ground markers but you're supposed toa void them by recognizing other patterns like boss animations etc, I don't think it's an actual lore thing.

[Wyssahtyn]

Those seem more like fan theories to me to explain game mechanics.

This was my assumption as well. The only explanation the AoE markers have ever been given that I can find was in the Hall of the Novice wherein it's explained that the PC is simply reading the enemy's tells, no Echo involved. And the dungeon wipes thing I've yet to really find any citations on, simply people repeating it as fact.

Simply wanted to know if anyone here knew of any proper sources.

[Jandor]

This was my assumption as well. The only explanation the AoE markers have ever been given that I can find was in the Hall of the Novice wherein it's explained that the PC is simply reading the enemy's tells, no Echo involved. And the dungeon wipes thing I've yet to really find any citations on, simply people repeating it as fact.

Simply wanted to know if anyone here knew of any proper sources.

If you die in some trials and raids the game literally gives you a buff called 'The Echo'. If you wipe the echo kicks in, and the Warrior of Lights echo gives them visions, hence the whole "wipes are echo visions" thing.

I don't think it's technically canon, especially given as many of the fights where you can get it are basically fanon versions of events by various in-game characters, but it's not exactly pushing in the opposite direction to the lore either.

[Enkidoh]

If you die in some trials and raids the game literally gives you a buff called 'The Echo'. If you wipe the echo kicks in, and the Warrior of Lights echo gives them visions, hence the whole "wipes are echo visions" thing.

I don't think it's technically canon, especially given as many of the fights where you can get it are basically fanon versions of events by various in-game characters, but it's not exactly pushing in the opposite direction to the lore either.

Again, gameplay and story segregation - it's a gameplay mechanic given a vague lore term simply to make it interesting but has absolutely zero connection to the actual narrative (it's also pretty telling that the 'Echo' buff was changed name wise to 'Brilliant Conviction' in many battles that had the mechanic, as if SE themselves are basically stating "uh, no, sorry guys, this actually has no connection to the Echo at all, sorry for misleading you"). Basically, it's just the game's way of saying "You're the Warrior of Light and you're going to kick ass here".

[Bright-Flower]

If you die in some trials and raids the game literally gives you a buff called 'The Echo'. If you wipe the echo kicks in, and the Warrior of Lights echo gives them visions, hence the whole "wipes are echo visions" thing.

I don't think it's technically canon, especially given as many of the fights where you can get it are basically fanon versions of events by various in-game characters, but it's not exactly pushing in the opposite direction to the lore either.

This strikes me as more a gameplay mechanic with a bit of flavor than an actual lore thing.

[Jandor]

Again, gameplay and story segregation - it's a gameplay mechanic given a vague lore term simply to make it interesting but has absolutely zero connection to the actual narrative (it's also pretty telling that the 'Echo' buff was changed name wise to 'Brilliant Conviction' in many battles that had the mechanic, as if SE themselves are basically stating "uh, no, sorry guys, this actually has no connection to the Echo at all, sorry for misleading you"). Basically, it's just the game's way of saying "You're the Warrior of Light and you're going to kick ass here".

This strikes me as more a gameplay mechanic with a bit of flavor than an actual lore thing.

I know it's primarily a gameplay thing guys, the OP asked if there was a citation & that's the closest thing I can think of to one.

I do enjoy that the devs give these sorts of things little fluff justifications though, it's not relevant to the main narrative and it's essentially not really important if it's actually canon or not, but it is nice for those that enjoy some sort of in world justification for the gameplay.

[Alleo]

This strikes me as more a gameplay mechanic with a bit of flavor than an actual lore thing.

Seeing how the kinda made it a big deal that Mikoto was able to get a glimpse of the future with her echo I agree that its more a gameplay mechanic. Otherwise the WoL would have a much better future echo than anyone else which would make it even worse when we are taken down or react to slow to things.

[MercuryD]

For seeing the AoE markers, that was explained specifically in SB MSQ when Lyse is fighting someone with the echo.

[WhiteArchmage]

For seeing the AoE markers, that was explained specifically in SB MSQ when Lyse is fighting someone with the echo.

Not really, it's mostly a thing that the fans ran with. What Y'shtola theorizes is that Fordola can read the enemy's intent with her Echo, basically by attuning herself to their aether and reacting appropriately, but this would be a more general prescience and not specifically about AoE markers. To put it in game terms, Fordola would get a 100% evade buff by knowing what her opponent will do before they do it. But this doesn't mean she sees the red circles or whatever, it means she can dodge any punch, sword, or knife sent her way.

It's easy to see where the mix-up happened, after all, that's a similar base for how we the PCs can see AoEs. Except hers involve ST and AoE abilities. Example: You cannot dodge a tank buster, but she could.

Basically, AoE markers are "Gameplay and Story Segregation", and the Hall of the Novice tell was a tongue-in-cheek way of explaining it to new players without having a character step beyond the "fourth wall" and explain mechanics like an old-school RPG.