This is a guide intended to assist the aspiring summoner in succesfully soloing the Lvl. 20 avatars using the well-known and proven "3 Searing Lights" method, as written by Kenseto
Getting the Mini-Tuning Forks[]
Fame Requirements[]
Full Battle: Lvl. 6 in respective nation
Solo Battle: Lvl. 2 in respective nation
Quest NPC's[]
Avatar Area NPC Location Quest Shiva Northern San d'Oria Castilchat (E-7) Ice Ramuh Mhaura Lacia (I-9) Lightning Ifrit Kazham Dodmos (J-9) Fire Titan Port Bastok Ferrol (I-8) Earth Garuda Rabao Rahi Fohlatti (G-9) Wind Leviathan Norg Verctissa (H-9) Water
Preparation[]
Job/Sub-Job[]
- SMN/WHM - This guide was developed with this combination in mind, experiment as you see fit.
- 20 AT LEAST! - Although it may be possible at 19, why not give yourself every possible advantage? On that note, be sure to bring your sub-job up to at least lvl. 10
- Cap your summoning skill - This is important for one reason, spell interruption. Should something go wrong, and Carbuncle died while you were too close, it will be tough to bring him back out if you keep getting interrupted while you get pummeled. The cap at lvl. 20 is 63.
Equipment[]
Emphasize DEF or EVA. At lvl. 20, Carbuncle will cost 5 MP to summon, 40 MP to initiate Searing Light, and will completely drain your MP upon completion of Searing Light. That means that you could theoretically only go into the fight with 50 MP. Focus on increasing your defense with your equipment selection, you will have more than enough MP. Don't be concerned about the cost either. Sell the equipment back once you're done collecting all of the Avatars.
- Physical Earring (Converts 25Mp to 25Hp)
- Shield Earring (-10Mp +10Hp) as an alternative to the Physical Earrings
- Black Slacks
- Black Tunic
- Can be purchased from Chetak in Lower Jueno (H-9)
- The Destrier Beret and Chocobo Shirt can be your friend! You will trade 18 DEF for 9, however you gain auto regen, refresh, and re-raise, as well as a movement speed boost and MAG ACC +50
- Scentless Armlets
Bring these additional items.
- 4 Hi-Potion
- 4 Ether NOT HI-ETHER. Hi-ethers take too long to activate(10s vs. 1.5s), and remember, you don't need that much MP to beat these guys.
- If you can't find any Ethers on the Auction House a good way to get them to complete Rhapsodies of Vana'diel Missions up to 1-1-5 for the Rhapsody in White key item. You can then buy Ether's from the Curio Vendor Moogle outside the residential areas for 500 gil each.
- 1 Boiled Crab VIT +2, DEF +27% (Substitute Boiled Crayfish if crab is unavailable)
- 1 Yagudo Drink Refresh Effect +2 for 3 mins (in a pinch Melon Juice can work too)
Although you may not necessarily use ALL of these items in each fight, it's always better to come over-prepared.
Additional Magic[]
Assuming you have subbed WHM going into these battles, you should take the time and ensure that you have the following spells.
- Banish - Use this in the event that 3 Searing Lights don't do the job.
- Aquaveil - Reduces the chance of spell interruption.
- Protect - Every last bit of defense helps, especially if you can't get a tier 2 buff before the fight.
- Barwatera - Use against Leviathan
- Barstonra - Use against Titan
- Barsleepra - Use against Shiva
- Paralyna - Important if you're going up against Ramuh, Thunderspark = Paralyze
Prior to trading the tuning fork to the NPC and initiating the fight, take a second and try to get a tier 2 Shell/Protect from a nearby Mage. There are plenty of higher level mages running around that would be happy to help, after all, they've been in your shoes before too. Use this macro to request a buff, and don't forget to /bow and/or thank them afterwards. If you can't get a buff for some reason, don't sweat it. I beat Ramuh with just Protect.
/shout {Protect} 2 {Shell} 2 {Please} {Avatar Name} {Battle} {Thank You}
Set Your Macros[]
A properly set Macrobook not only serves to organize a rat's nest of spells, items, and skills, but may prove to be the difference between life and death should it come down to a race against time. Take the time and set your macros, make life easy on yourself. Here are some possible macros that you might want to set for these battles.
Label Command Carby /ma "Carbuncle" <me> Astral Flow /ja "Astral Flow" <me> Searing Light /pet "Searing Light" <bt> Ether /item "Ether" <me> Potion /item "Hi-Potion" <me> Yagudo /item "Yagudo Drink" <me> Banish /ma "Banish" <bt> Dia /ma "Dia" <bt>
Fight on the Avatar's Weak Day[]
Since the Avatars are elemental, it's only natural that they have a corresponding weakness. It is more dangerous to fight an avatar on it's own day, since the avatar's elemental attacks will receive an increase in potency. That said, nothing but darksday will hinder carbuncle's ability, so don't be afraid to fight any avatar on any day other than Darksday.
Day of the Week Fight This Avatar Avatar's Element 
Firesday
Shiva 
Earthsday
Ramuh 
Watersday
Ifrit
Windsday
Titan
Iceday
Garuda
Lightningday
Leviathan
Lightsday
Anyone, this is Carbuncle's strong day. Darksday
Nobody, this is Carbuncle's weakness. Go fish or something.
Walk-through[]
General Avatar Guide[]
- Remember these important rules, and you should be well prepared for any surprises that come your way.
- A) Get Carbuncle out first. He is your bodyguard, keep him in between you and the Avatar, and you'll have all day to heal.
- B) Heal your HP second.
- C) Heal your MP last.
- Obtain the mini-tuning fork by talking to the non-Taru NPC at the appropriate location on the weak day of the Avatar (See Above Charts)
- Send out your /shout for your tier 2 Protect/Shell. Once you're buffed, trade your mini-tuning fork to the non-Taru NPC. A small cutscene will initiate, and you will be teleported to the Protocrystal.
- WARNING: Before you start the fight leave the cloister area to the next zone and activate the home point! This will allow you to teleport back easily for the uncapped fights as well as some other missions that may be close by.
- Eat your Boiled Crab/Crayfish and trade the mini-tuning fork to the crystal to enter the fight. Enjoy the cutscene.
- Upon arrival on the battlefield, cast Aquaveil and the appropriate Bar-element spell on yourself.
- The battlefield is divided into three major parts, the Crystal (your starting point), the bend, and the Avatar Nest. Run up the bend towards the Nest. There is a "crack" in the rock/bend, shortly before you enter the Nest platform. Stop just short of this crack, and drink your Yagudo drink.
- Step just over the crack by a couple of steps and cast Carbuncle, this will aggro the Avatar. Carbuncle will automatically go after the Avatar, you do not have to use the Assault command.
- Activate Astral Flow, stand next to the Avatar and Carbuncle, and activate your first Searing Light. Be advised, Astral Flow and Searing Light will create hate towards you, but due to your increased HP and higher DEF, it shouldn't be an issue.
- Once Searing Light activates, Carbuncle will jump into the air. As soon as Carbuncle jumps into the air, you must turn and run down the bend, back towards the Crystal, but not until Carbuncle jumps. The damage that Searing Light does is proportional to the distance that you are away from Carbuncle when it fires.
- Once you reach the crystal, Carbuncle should be near death. Once he dies, recast Carbuncle, down a Hi-Potion(if needed), and down an ether in that order.
- Run up to the Avatar/Carbuncle, activate your second Searing Light, wait for Carbuncle to jump, and now run in the opposite direction, to the Avatar's Nest.
- Recast Carbuncle once he dies, down a Hi-Potion (if needed), and an ether.
- Run up to the Avatar/Carbuncle, activate your third and final Searing Light, wait for Carbuncle to jump, begin running for the Crystal and hope that it kills the Avatar.
- If the Avatar does not die, recast Carbuncle once he dies, and while Carbuncle melees the Avatar, cast Banish to finish it off.
- Should everything go as planned and you win, you will see a cutscene, and be teleported back to the Protocrystal. You will now be able to summon the defeated Avatar, and will also obtain a Scroll of Instant Warp Should you die, you may home-point and attempt to fight the Avatar again in 24 hours.
Ramuh Specific[]
There is only one key difference between the Ramuh fight and everyone else. Once you summon Carbuncle for the first time and aggro Ramuh, he will immediately cast Thunderspark, which can paralyze both you and Carbuncle. DO NOT attempt to use Astral Flow and Searing Light while you are paralyzed, due to the fact that you can only use 3 Searing Lights, and if the first one fails due to YOUR paralysis (Carbuncle being paralyzed never prevents blood pacts), then you're screwed. So follow these steps to alleviate any headaches.
1. Cast Carbuncle and aggro Ramuh.
2. Avoid Paralysis from Thunderspark- If you get hit by it, let Carbuncle melee Ramuh at the nest, turn and run for the Crystal and cast Paralyna.
3. Once Carbuncle dies, recast Carbuncle and NOW you may begin your Searing Light attack. Astral Flow --> Stand next to the Avatar and Carbuncle --> Searing Light, and follow the General guideline steps until success.
Credits[]
Thiefcat's Guide to Level 20 Avatar Fights - All of this guide's inspiration and information came from this thread posted by Thiefcat. I simply put it into wiki format on FFxiclopedia, and cleaned it up a bit. Thanks goes to Thiefcat for helping me to beat down old man Ramuh into submission.