Stunbot is NOT fun

[Suellen]

Can someone explain to me the issue exactly. I'm not 50 yet. I've only done normal Ifirit at level 20 and I've watched a few videos of the HM version in an attempt to understand the differences. I'm not getting what's different about eruptions that you can't get out of them before you go boom. Why is it that in HM you can still walk out of plumes but you can't walk out of eruptions? What new mechanic is there that I'm just not getting?

[Alcyon_Densetsu]

Can someone explain to me the issue exactly. I'm not 50 yet. I've only done normal Ifirit at level 20 and I've watched a few videos of the HM version in an attempt to understand the differences. I'm not getting what's different about eruptions that you can't get out of them before you go boom. Why is it that in HM you can still walk out of plumes but you can't walk out of eruptions? What new mechanic is there that I'm just not getting?

Basically, every now and then (on a predictable pattern), Ifrit does Eruptions, static AoEs centered on a random player. There are two ways to avoid their damage: either by escaping the targeted area quickly (moving as soon as the area appears) or by stunning him in order to interrupt the cast. The latter is the method of choice in PUG groups since it has two advantages: casters don't have to stop casting in order to avoid, they may simply stand, which results in better DPS/healing overall; also it negates latency issues since some clients seem to display the targeted area a bit too late for players to avoid it.

In phase 1 (before the nails spawn), Eruptions do a decent amount damage but usually don't kill people. A group may heal through a few of them without much concern. However in phase 2 (after nails have been destroyed and Ifrit has cast his huge AoE from the center of the field), they will OS (one-shoot) people, so they must be avoided or interrupted at all costs. This is where the "stun job" really comes into play, since most people in PUG do rely on the PLD to interrupt it and won't even try to avoid it (and people often stack together for some reason unbeknownst to me, thus Eruptions usually kill 2-3 players at once).

I've cleared fights with 2 or even 3 dead, however, so it's not a sure wipe as long as both healers are still standing (only one may even be OK still, if the fight is close to ending, and the people alive avoid all damage properly, since melees don't take that much damage, only the tank needs to be constantly healed, and with a few defensive cooldowns, a PLD may hold on long enough for the remaining healer to cast a medica and keep the remaining melees alive for some time; specifically during Ifrit's dashes, if people stack up together, or when the Radiant Plumes leave only his bottom area free, people may stack properly for medica to do wonders). Moreover, there is still the possibility of using a healing Limit Break Lv.3 to raise the dead, which may prevent a wipe even in dire cases. Short story, if one Eruption is missed in phase 2, there are still ways to win the fight. But overall, if the stun job is done right all the time throughout the fight, the whole encounter indeed is very simple and usually Ifrit goes down on the first attempt.

Hope that answers your questions.