Absolute Virtue & You: A Learning Experience

[Mojo]

I did Dia2 and it said he received the effect, but it's almost been 5 min and it hasn't worn off yet, I'm guessing the post a few up from mine is right in saying that it wears off after it resets to HP.

Try it again and turn off all chat filters, I'm almost certain that it should wear off instantly. They otherwise last 90 seconds.

[siknoz]

All chat filters were off ^^

[Elipse]

I thought I would just like to post some old info that probably got lost in the shuffle ages ago. I was doing research on AV and I pulled some stuff out of some really really old BG threads.

Long ago before people "locked" AV and killed it a few times, there was info floating around about changing HP levels of AV.

I don't know who wrote this, cause I saved it in notepad about a year ago but I'm pretty sure it was from LB marathon Wall of Justice first fight:

So he's up right now, at the wall, and we've once again managed to seal his 2 hours (this is the second time we've managed this). However, we are not entirely sure what we did, either this time or last. Last time we got him to 53% before he went to phase 2, and went ape shit on us. Interestingly, we got him to 80% while his 2 hours were still up, and he benedictioned for a whopping 56k hp. Last time we took him all the way to 53%, and he only regened 46k hp. I'll let you guys do the math and come up with theories here, I'll keep you posted.

Two different hp %'s showing radically different max hp's. The benediction at 80% indicates he had something like 300k max hp, while the second benediction at 53% indicates he would have something like 100k max hp. Some with some stronger math skills could probably put together real number ranges with it.

Another LS's AV benediction info:

I also don't have an SS since I have most of my filters active to reduce lag as much as possible. One thing I noticed was that when we nuked it down to 92 or 93%, AV used Benediction for approximately 14500HP to regain its Hit Points to full recovery.

The SS from Odin's LimitBreak LS indicates that it Bene'ed for 48,000HP from about 50% (I'm not sure on the exact numbers). This suggests that its max HP was rougly 100,000HP. But looking at our AV's Benediction, it says otherwise. 14500HP recovery from 93 to 100% means it has way over 200,000HP.

And someone else (or the same person) in response to that:

If it was 93.99999% instead of 93.0%, meaning a hit away from 94%, it would just further prove the difference in HP between our AV and LB's AV. Hence, there must be a way to decrease its max HP.

93.0% -> 100% recovery with 14500 HP means AV, at that time, had around 207143HP

93.999999% -> 100% recovery with 14500 HP means AV, at that time, had around 241667HP

Unless my math fails, which often it does, that just further proves that there's a way to decrease AV's max HP. You're right that it can make a quite a difference only if it's just 0.99%. But it's still clear that there was more than 100,000HP difference between EDI's AV and LB's AV. That difference must be caused by something. Well, in case my math is wrong, just don't throw out the BG forum cards at me

So there is evidence to suggest AV's max hp could change. While this doesn't solve any issue we have currently, no good reason not to start tracking this info. I suggest any LS who has an AV benediction to post what % it was at and exactly how much it bene'd for.

For all we know, use of 2hr's might reduce his max hp and have nothing to do with stopping his 2hrs.

[psnsonixx]

Should kill JoL with the nuke of the day and see what happens

we did this all 3 times tonight, no pop on AV.. its failga.. gm showed up and gave us a personal chat tho

[BerenTebogo]

Just read some of the zam theories on AV.

My head hurts, and in retrospect on the past like..70 pages of information on AV I can finally confidently say to many of these people: BACK TO ZAM WITH YOU.

Now about Ruke's LS, how are they doing?

[DoombringerOfValefor]

So I read these forums a lot, but rarely post myself. Forgive me if somebody already suggested this, but after 4+ hours of sifting through posts and reading threads and dev responses, I was struck oddly by the exact words and expressions of Sundi's interview.

Judging from the interview and my limited knowledge of the confusion that can sometimes come between people of differing primary languages, it seems that Sundi was suggesting that the regen was all that matters. He has mentioned several times that it is the speed of the fight that has thus far been incorrect, but at other times stated more specifically that it's the speed of the regen that we should worry about.

Now I know people are more worried about his 2 hours than the regen, but has anyone tried focusing on simply eliminating the regen? My theory is that both his max HP and the frequency of his 2hrs (I believe at this point that they are not meant to be locked), and possibly his choice of which to use, is directly affected by his regen.

Supporting statements:

Excerpt taken from the 2007 FFXIclopedia interview at E3 Expo in LA, California wrote:
Absolute Virtue....

::laughs::: Never ask questions about Absolute Virtue :::laughs:::

Absolute Virtue is now believed to be completely invincible. No methods have been discovered on how to defeat him, with the majority of the end-game community from North America, Japan and Europe at a complete loss as to what to try. Some minor information about his Regen was released, but it appears that he has been modified without any announcements. How can we defeat him? We've had over a year without learning his secret, it is about time some real information is released. Are there any more tips you can give us about this NM?

We cannot give you any other tips besides if you kill the monsters around him, it will slow the regen ability.

Do you believe it is possible to beat him?

We haven't made it so that it's impossible. We still believe ::crosses fingers:: we still believe that there is a possibility that people will be able to defeat him. People just haven't found the right strategy. At the next Fan Festival we'll have the dev team defeat Absolute Virtue (not a good idea)... maybe some videos... no....

Are you afraid that they won't win?

No comment.

Excerpt taken from the August 2007 interview of the FFXI Development Team at the Games Convention in Leipzig, Germany wrote:
Bercus: I really need to answer that question. After 2 years across the NA, EU and Japanese player base, no one can successfully defeat Absolute Virtue. Because the problems are the 2 hours and the magic casting… the instant use of all those immense attacks. All the tips you have given in the past were about the Regen, but this is a minor issue. That´s no problem. Is there any hint you can give today or maybe at the Fan Festival? After you fixed it we can´t beat it anymore.
Sundi: I wish we could call it fix.
Bercus: The wall trick?
Sundi: Yeah. You know all the hints that we already revealed.
Bercus: That´s only about Regen.
Sundi: Yeah.
Bercus: The Regen is no problem. After 2 years we can´t beat it.
Sundi: Speed.
Bercus: The speed? How you fight it?
Sundi: Right.

They seem to think people don't understand their hint. It sounds like there aren't any other secrets yet people are clamoring for more hints, so they are confused.

Sundi: We still need to fix the hint that the wait of the Regen will be decreased if you do something.
Bercus: During the fight against AV?

Reiterates there is a way to decrease the regen effect of AV

Sundi: During the fight. You can almost stop regening
Bercus: Regen is no problem!!!! The 2 hours are. Sealing the 2hours. One Linkshell did this. But they don´t know why, and we can´t practice more on AV, because AV is not a 100% pop. Jailer of Love is an easy fight.

(I don´t think anyone knew what I was trying to ask)

Now this is the statement that really caught my attention:

Sundi: You have to wait till the Regen is completely stopped. Regen of the HP has completely stopped.

followed by the rest of the conversation:

Bercus: Then you can stop the other abilities?
Sundi: No. Only the speed of the Regen. At this time, by doing certain action during the fight.
Bercus: And then the whole monster will clam down and stop using these crazy attacks and 2hours? That´s what we need to know because that´s the problem.
Saori: There are still a few secrets.
Sundi: Yeah.
Bercus: You offered to maybe beat it at the Fan Festival by Development people. Is this still possible? Can you show people how to beat it at the Fan Festival?

(I looked at Sundi who started laughing)

Bercus: I think you brought it up right, at one Interview at the E3.
Sundi: Possible..
Bercus: No cheating when you do that. (everyone laughed)… normal equipment.
Explaining the request to show players a fight against AV
Sundi: What about not the fight, but taking a video?
Bercus: That´s ok too. (Sundi smiled) Ok, let´s not waste all our time about AV.

So yeah... it just seems odd that they would put so much stress on countering his regen. Often the answer to a difficult problem is simple enough to make someone /facepalm. These are just my thoughts as I've yet to see or hear anything about anyone simply trying to counteract the regen.

[Eander]

Totally pissed AV didn't pop. I was looking forward to having a Medusa Javelin shoved down my throat.

[Duskk2]

Now about Ruke's LS, how are they doing?

Not sure exactly what they doing cuz im just a spectator but so far doesnt seem to be any real progress as far as a kill, but i'm not rly sure if they are even trying to dmg yet or if they are testing theories.

So far its same old spam deadly spells and heavy 2hrs. They are using blizzaga and thundaga n killin wyverns

[Bacchus]

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13...216_004636.png

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13...216_004817.png

[Cairthenn]

So what happened before Meteor.

[Shinsei]

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13...216_004636.png

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13...216_004817.png

ouch...do you have a pic of what triggered the manafont?

I see too many 'death' pics of meteor, but noone really ever post a pic of manafont actually being triggered. I'd be very interested on seeing this

[Rocl]

I'd be pissed if I was Danerys.

Miss Miss METEOR LOL

[Bacchus]

It seemed to be using 2hrs at random. No JAs or WS were used that I saw. A lot of blind and sleep spam.

Here is the chat log right before the manafont.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13...216_005557.png

[Eternallight]

av looks pissed, i see impulse, javalin, aoe jump, then mana meteor?
i wonder what you guys hit him with to cause that xDD

[RKenshin]

Just read some of the zam theories on AV.

My head hurts, and in retrospect on the past like..70 pages of information on AV I can finally confidently say to many of these people: BACK TO ZAM WITH YOU.

Now about Ruke's LS, how are they doing?

Really sporadic results.

Primary problem has been keeping up with killing Wynavs. Almost all of our wipes started with Wynavs not being killed fast enough or wiping the out BLM PT. Otherwise we've gone for long periods of time (as long as 20m) with almost no TP attacks, very infrequently used magic attacks, infrequent use of 2hs, and when 2hs are used they're all weak ones.

We're not trying to damage it however. Only trying to figure out how to affect his TP/magic/2h use, seeings as it's pointless to try to damage it without knowing how to control that first.

But, it's also used Manafont three times. All of which were right while we were in the process of wiping to begin with.

The last attempt we had a good 5-10m where it didn't use any 2hs other than Call Wyvern, and no TP attacks, and just one spell.

[Bacchus]

There ya go, that guy knows better than me.

Wanna go merit/buffer later? lol I'll be your bard.

[Zoot]

What is sucking for us right now is the constant use of CW and the fact that our black mage party is dwindling and we don't have alot of black mages to add to the main. Nuts

[BerenTebogo]

Good to know that even if everything else was figured out he can still just beast your face normally, nice

[Tajin]

He never casted Meteor, probably your chat filters/lag? Why so many people dead, how many tanks?
I mean I get the whole meteor raping the place, it just seems there is too many people getting hit by AV melee.

Edit: Can disregard my post, Ruke just explained stuff >.>

[ByeByeTasai]

You have party/alliances dmg filtered it seems, so no way to really tell if anyone did something by this screenshot, I wouldn't say the theory is debunked yet.