The Bird of Time (monster)

For the NPC of the same name see The Bird of Time.

Locations
during the The Quest For the Bird of Time quest. 

Characteristics

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Spells

 * Storm: Deals high damage in a random element from unlimited range, no line of sight needed. It can be used up to 4 times per turn, once per target. This spell is not used during the first 2 turns of the fight.
 * Lost Time: Deals very high earth damage to all players, and permanently reduces all elemental resistances of all players by 15%. This spell is only used once every 3 turns.

Strategy
The Bird of Time cannot be killed, instead you must survive its powerful attacks for 16 turns. This fight must be done with 4 characters, otherwise the 16 turn countdown to win will not be present. In other words, this fight is simply not possible without 4 characters. Once turn 17 begins you will win the fight.

The Bird of Time has 100,000 HP, but buffs itself with obscene amounts of Vitality (4 billion), so it cannot be killed with damage. If you do damage the Bird though you will be healed 50% of the damage you inflicted. Characters in this fight will permanently have -2 MP, 20% Erosion, Gravity state and Heavy state. It is important to note that you will lose the fight if any one character dies (not summons). The Bird will not use any spells on the first 2 turns. In most cases the Bird will not attack your summons. It should also be noted that the Bird can remove 2 turns of effects on characters, but how this is triggered is currently unknown.

The Bird of Time uses 2 different spells. One is called Storm, the other is called Lost Time. The Bird will not use Storm on the first 2 turns of the fight, but every single turn after it will use Storm up to four times, only once per character. Storm deals about 1,000 damage in a random element, and this attack cannot be avoided. The Bird uses the Lost Time spell every 3 turns starting on turn 3, or in other words, Lost Time is used only at the beginning of turns 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15. Lost Time deals about 2,000 earth damage to all characters (not summons), and applies -15% Resistance in all elements to every character permanently. Unlike Storm though, the effects of Lost Time can be avoided, as explained below.

During the fight, whenever a character (not summons) ends their turn, all other characters (not summons or the character that ends their turn) will be moved back in time once based on their previous movement. For example, if their previous movements were using MP to move then they will be moved back 1 cell where their last single MP was used. Or, if their previous movement was being pushed 3 cells then they would move back 3 cells to where they were before being pushed. When a character swaps with another character or summon as a result of this time reversal, both characters/summons swapped will create a black glyph beneath them that lasts for 3 turns.

When a character is standing on a black glyph they enter the Temporal Immunity state, which protects them from the -15% resistance penalty of the Lost Time attack. Temporal Immunity does not protect characters from the 2,000 earth damage that Lost Time inflicts, but there is a way to avoid all of the damage from Lost Time. Any characters standing adjacent to the Bird of Time when it uses Lost Time will not take any damage from the spell, however they will still receive the -15% resistance penalty, unless they are also standing on a black glyph. If you are indeed standing on a black glyph and adjacent to the Bird then Lost Time will have no effect on you.

Try to move all of your characters as close to the Bird as possible, then stay near it for the entire fight, so you can move characters next to it to avoid the damage from Lost Time. The turns without Lost Time are not as deadly, so you can use this time to heal/buff your team and prepare for the Lost Time turn. When you know that Lost Time is coming next turn (the Bird will have "Lost Time (in 1 turn)"), you need to make sure each character will be on a black glyph when it happens, to avoid the resistance penalty. You will also want 2 characters (only 2 cells are available) next to the Bird, to avoid the damage. The best way to do this is to remember the following:


 * Your first character in the timeline will move back in time 3 times after its own turn.
 * Your second character in the timeline will move back in time 2 times after its own turn.
 * Your third character in the timeline will move back in time 1 time after its own turn.
 * Your fourth character in the timeline will not move back in time after its own turn.

High resistances, especially earth resistance, will help tremendously for this fight, however you can still win with low resistances if you play very well. High Vitality will also help, so you can reset your characteristics and put every point into Vitality; you won't really be needing the other stats. Having 5 or 6 base MP is important, as you need to move around and have -2 MP permanently. Use spells that heal or shield, and spells that buff MP. Spells that lower Power or damage can be used on the Bird to weaken it a little. Summons will help you create black glyphs, so Cawwots are especially useful. Don't forget you can hit the Bird to heal yourself, and remember, no character can die, or you will lose the fight. Try to only use MP in a straight line and not push/pull when preparing for Lost Time; it's much easier to remember where you will end up this way, so you can get everyone on black glyphs and 2 characters next to the Bird.