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I would like to assure you I've read ALL 4 Absolute Virtue threads on BG consisting of over 120 pages and 2000 posts and I have yet to see this theory suggested. But before I disclose that I'd like everyone to take a moment to read at least the starting post of "Absolute Virtue and You: A Learning Experience" if you have not already. This post does contain all the videos of SE's Absolute Virtue fight as well as all the interviews disclosing any possible relevant information on how to beat him.
Formally, I ALWAYS like to think from a very logical stand point because programming is a bitch. You simply cannot code an HNM with a gazillion different conditionals required to be met before you can beat him, which is what most theories seem to entail. Programmers are lazy bitches, and SE are lazy bitches, and we all know too well that this NM shouldn't be nearly as complicated as people make it out to be.
Firstly, I'd like to focus a majority of the time line of this theory to go in conjunction with the methods used by SE to beat AV in their video. Why you ask? Because that is how you beat him. There is simply no other reason SE would go out of their way to create a faulty video with absolutely (no pun intended) no substance. Their tactics of battle may be questionable aka: restoring 2 hours, melee'ing rdms, no aerns up at any time, or kiting wynavs, but I will assure you that this video was trying to prove nothing less then the strategy on how to beat him.
That being said, in the thread posted above there is one key part that always strikes me as interesting. This is the fact that SE put so much emphasis on the idea of breaking Absolute Virtues Regen.
This was the very first hint given for breaking the regen. It's questionable as to whether or not they implied that casting the same spell of the day on JoL would break Absolute Virtues regen, or casting on Absolute Virtue would or all of this entirely referred to JoL and SE's retarded. Maybe someone can clear this up for me.The regen effect will be cut in half by defeating as many of the Ru'phuabos, Qn'xzomits, and Qn'hpemdes summoned by the Jailer of Love as possible. In addition, using an elemental based attack that corresponds to the current day of the week (i.e. using Fire spells on Firesday) will stop the remaining regen effect.
We cannot give you any other tips besides if you kill the monsters around him, it will slow the regen ability.So 4 main points to breaking the regen notably are:paraphrasing Sundi emphasizes on the speed on the fight being a key factor in beating as well as waiting until the regen is completely broken before it's possible to beat him.
1. Defeating as many of the Ru'phuabos, Qn'xzomits, and Qn'hpemdes summoned by the Jailer of Love as possible
2. Casting Spell of Day on JoL to break AV's Regen (needs clarification)
3. Killing monsters around Absolute Virtue, specifically 2 Aerns - theories include killing these to lock AV 2 hours
4. Casting spell of day on Absolute Virtue to break AV's Regen
At this point everyone is probably wondering, "So whats new? what's the big catch? we know all this..." and I'd like to focus on one entire key part that everyone seems to be overlooking through the entire SE Video. As soon as they finish breaking Absolute Virtues regen in the video by casting the spell based on the day, they: Don't cast a single black mage nuke through the entire course of the video. I don't understand how this could be overlooked so blatantly. I've analyzed all videos thoroughly and they don't cast any spells while using Manafont and the only notable nuke is right at the end of the fight (Thunder III/IV) as a kill shot nuke.
I personally believe that if you take these 4 things out of question hypothetically you are left with an entirely manageable fight:
1. Regen
2. Wynavs
3. Manafont/Meteor
4. Benediction
Because this is only a theory, I'm not going to write something that says THIS IS HOW YOU KILL HIM because that's not obviously how it works. In the video, they do have a party of white mages Cure Bombing the Paladin. They are using full barspells and other sorts of questionable resist gear to help absorb Aero spells. So no matter what you do this isn't going to be a melee burned stun locked ass fuck of a 40 second hnm fight. One thing that always bothered me with Absolute Virtue fights is that no one is really in the frame of mind to fight him after the long tedious JoL fight, which is probably why most theories are never tested considerably well.
So in summary of this theory the methods of beating/testing are as follows:
1. Break regen on Absolute Virtue in every way possible mentioned above.
2. Do not cast a single black mage nuke after regen is notably depleted
3. Use 2 hours when Absolute Virtue does to considerably decrease his strength and aggressiveness. This has NOT been tested while NOT casting a single black mage nuke on AV AFTER his regen has been broken.
4. ???
5. Profit
An alternative version of this theory also suggests that because black mage spells seem to be avoided upon during the video. It's possible that while trying to break the last of his regen he will increase in strength considerably during this period. So it's critical to cast your spells on AV as quickly as possible to clear the last of the regen.*edit: Vajra (Titan) pointed out to me that they don't use any weapon skills until the very end of the fight as well so that may very well be included in the same methods as not casting black mage spells.
All questions and comments/concerns are greatly appreciated.
For those that managed to make it through this pain staking debunking process I reward you with a:
http://www.sallys-place.com/food/col..._Cookie-20.jpg