Summoner: Level 20 Avatar Battles by Andres

This guide is a log of how I exxperianced each of my level 20 Avatar battles. Included in this will be strategy and alot of useful things im finding out through trial and error.

For a really helpful set of videos, please see. 

The Strategy
I took my basic strategy from the videos above, and the link below.

Thiefcat's Guide to Lvl 20 Avatar Fights. 

My Equipment/items
To be added

The Battles
Note: this part will be closer to a play by play than a real guide. The end will include the important things.

First Battle: Shiva
January 1st: Firesday

Shiva hit me again, I fall, and lose.
 * entered the lvl 20 cap battlefield.
 * walked to near the 'crack'
 * used Yagudo drink
 * summoned Carbuncle right past the crack
 * Got aggro from Shiva
 * Shiva takes a few 'steps' towards me, then casts Frost Armor
 * Carbuncle attacks Shiva
 * Use 2 hour, 1st Searing Light.
 * Partial resist for about 110 damage, However, Carbuncle is in very bad shape. The spikes hurt him, plus; the 'additional effect' is doing about 30 damage per hit.
 * Carby dies when im about halfway towards the crystal.
 * Use Ether, try to summon Carbuncle, get hit and fails, try again, get hit, fail, try a third time and suceed. Use 2nd Searing light for full damage.
 * Run, Carbuncle is still getting hit and killed too fast for my liking. Hes also getting Paralyze a few times. Use Hi-Potions to near full HP
 * When carby dies, resummon, used 3rd searing light and deal full damage. Shiva is at about 2% HP. pull out Mercenary Pole and engauge (never get close enough to hit).
 * Shiva out of nowhere seems to use Diamond Dust, Carby dies and im hit for 180-ish HP.

So ended my first battle. Turning out far worse than I had hoped.

What I learned:
 * NEVER, NEVER, underestimate these battles. The Frost Armor was completely unexpected, and many people I talked to later didn't even believe it could happen. I also did not expect the Additional Damage to be so powerful.
 * I needed some sort of method to get farther away from Shiva before Carbuncle died, however at this point did not really know a good way how.
 * Standing too close to the Avatar is probably a bad idea, and should be avoided.

Second Battle: Titan
2 hours later: Wind Day


 * entered the lvl 20 cap battlefield.
 * cast Barstonera and Protect
 * walked to near the 'crack'
 * used Yagudo drink
 * used a Meat Fishkabob; this was at the advice of a LS member. However, to be completely honest, I still get hit for nearly identical damage as I was with Shiva with and without this food. The additional effect damage also will do the majority of the damage.
 * summoned Carbuncle right past the crack
 * summoned Carby, got aggro from Titan, Carby attacks.
 * a few seconds later, Astral Flow; followed with Searing light, partially resisted for 115 damage.
 * Carbuncle once again dies far too quickly for my liking, not enough distance between me and Titan.
 * try to resummon Carbuncle, but am only interupted once this time.
 * However, there is still 30 seconds before I can use Searing Light, I decide to pop an Ether and run to the photocrystal.
 * Carbuncle dies, resummon a new one, use Searing Light for full 212 damage.
 * run to top of tower, use Ether, Carbuncle finally lasts as long as I had hoped.
 * Carbuncle dies, Resummon and use final Searing Light for full damage.
 * Titan uses Earthern Fury, I try to run, but without full HP I fall.

What I learned:
 * The use of the Astral Flow is probably after the 3rd Searing Light due to the fact that the first is a partial resist both times. Therefore, I should probably back away after that 3rd Searing Light.
 * I need to keep my HP at full if I want to take the Astral Flow and stand a chance at getting back in the battle.
 * I need to get my first Searing Light off faster, this seems to be why Carbuncle is unable to last afterwards.

Third Battle: Garuda
3 Hours later: Light Day


 * entered the lvl 20 cap battlefield.
 * cast Aquaviel and Protect
 * walked to near the 'crack'
 * used Yagudo drink
 * use Meat Fishkabob
 * use Pananama au Lit (in order to heal my HP after being hit if I forgot my Hi-Potion)
 * summoned Carby, got aggro from Garuda, Carby attacks.
 * Garuda uses Aerial Armor
 * Panic Mode goes off in my head, because I know that the Blink effect could very likely absorb Searing Light. I decide to let my first Carbuncle melee to destroy the shadows. While Carby battles, I run to the Photocrystal.
 * Carbuncle dies, resummon Carbuncle, use Astral Flow and Searing Light, Partial Resist for 105 damage.
 * Run to the top of the tower and leasurely watch Carby and Garuda Battle.
 * Carby dies, Resummon Carbuncle and notice I need about 8 more seconds for Searing Light.
 * Use Searing Light, but suddenly the cast animation stops without any Searing Light.
 * I panic again, decide to run off and let Carby die and suffer the fact that I can only use 2 Searing Lights.
 * Realize while running what had gone wrong. I had forgotten to use an Ether while watching the battle. This left too little MP for Carby to use Searing Light with.
 * Carby dies, and I realize my only shot is to keep using Carbuncle and my staff to try and finish off Garuda.
 * resummon Carby and use Searing Light, greatly relieved to see its full damage.
 * run to top of tower, resummon when carbuncle dies, switch my club for my staff and pull out my staff to attack. Astral Flow wears off while Garuda is en route along with Yagudo Drink. Use Another Yagudo Drink and Ether for MP.
 * Garuda is fairly well focused on me, but occasionally switches to Carby. Note: I was relieved when Garuda used Claw, the cast time was long and it had no additional effect damage while dealing the same damage as a normal hit.
 * I decide to run off and let Carby face this on his own; however Garuda eventually chaces me. I cast Dia and keep running while Carby rarely get hate.
 * Carby dies, am able to resummon on 2nd try while Garuda keeps attacking me.
 * pull out staff and use a Hi-Potion, 2nd Yagudo drink wears off and use 3rd I had on me along with last Ether.
 * Carby dies from an Aero II, resummon near photocrystal.
 * Garuda is at about 8-10% HP at this time. I decide to wait till my MP falls to 17 and do a last ditch effort to win by using Banish.
 * Garuda casts Aero II at about the same time as I begin Banish.
 * I am hit by the Aero II for 130 damage, fall, and die.

what I learned:
 * Panic is the enemy; although I overall made good decisions while in panic mode. It was because of my panic that I forgot the Ether that ruined my Searing Light.
 * REMEMBER THE ETHER!!!! I couldn't believe I had forgotten it in hindsight, but it was probably what in the end caused me to lose.
 * Even if you mess up, all is not lost; this is why you should overprepare. I nearly won despite what had happened, and I know now that every little bit probably helped.