A frame specially designed to control spacecraft. It was used by Watanabe when he served in the Task Force.
· Rank: A-Rank
· Class: Attacker
· Element: Physical (50%) Dark (50%)
Information
A frame specially designed to control spacecraft. It was used by Watanabe when he served in the Task Force.
Specialty
Agility - Able to transport across space instantly. Mixed Damage - Able to deal Physical and Elemental DMG.
A list of recommended builds for Watanabe: Astral can be found here. Each tab represents one build — click the tabs below to view each one. See here for more information about Ultima Awakening and resonance slots.
Disclaimer: Build switching is easier when placing 2-set Memories in top slots. Builds below show placements for optimal stats, but the difference is negligible. Weapon Harmony builds are now the meta.Builds that do not utilize Harmony remain viable if Players lack 6★ Weapons or materials.
Note: Top and Bottom Resonance Slots can be assumed to be resonated to x6 of the below effects unless specified in orange. Top Resonance Slot (1): Ex — Precision Attack: ATK +15, CRIT +15
Note: Top and Bottom Resonance Slots can be assumed to be resonated to x6 of the below effects unless specified in orange. Top Resonance Slot (1): Ex — Precision Attack: ATK +15, CRIT +15
Recommended 6★ weapon resonances for Watanabe: Astral can be found here listed in order of priority.
1. Dead Line Timing
Gain 2 extra random signal orbs upon deployment, and 3 signal orbs of the same color every 45s (also gain signal orbs on standby).
2. Matrix Lightning
After EX Dodge (triggering Matrix), Movement Speed is greatly increased and all enemies' Extra DMG Reduction is decreased by 10% in Matrix.
3. Glorious Afterglow
Final ATK of the weapon increases by 30% for 8s upon a 3-ping. Duration resets upon a repeated trigger.
Priority
HIGH:
Dead Line Timing
Matrix Lightning
MEDIUM:
Glorious Afterglow
Notes
Minimum recommended amount: 2
Glorious Afterglow sometimes replaces Deadline Timing in Phantom Pain Cage.
Leave Glorious Afterglow for last.
Focus on Tank and Support/Amplifier resonances first before unlocking the third Attacker resonance.
Skills & Passives
Red Orb
Comet Tail — Ping Red Orb
Hops back and throws darts in a fan-shaped area, dealing Physical DMG. Trailblade can be triggered immediately after pinging. (Dark DMG instead on a 3-Ping.) - Darts deal 200% / 400% / 600% Physical DMG based on the number of orbs pinged.
Yellow Orb
Celestial Centrifuge — Ping Yellow Orb
Automatically uses a 3-Ping version of this attack upon switch-in. Switch-in fulfills the first half of this character's Core Passive. Spins forward into the air, draws in, and slashes at surrounding targets, dealing Physical DMG. Upon landing, strikes nearby targets for Physical DMG. (Dark DMG instead on a 3-Ping.) - Spins and slashes for 40% / 80% / 120% Physical DMG based on the number of orbs pinged. - The landing strike deals 50% / 100% / 150% Physical DMG based on the number of orbs pinged.
Blue Orb
Meteoric Strike — Ping Blue Orb
Shifts behind the target and attacks, dealing Physical DMG. (Dark DMG instead on a 3-Ping.) - Deals 150% / 300% / 450% Physical DMG based on the number of orbs pinged.
Basic Attack
Death Star — Tap Basic Attack
Slashes at the target, dealing Physical DMG. After dodging or pinging a Red Orb, Basic Attacks will trigger Trailblade, dealing Physical DMG. - The slashes deal 600% Physical DMG. - Trailblade deals 200% Physical DMG.
Core
Cosmic Wave
Core Passive — Any 3-Ping + Ping Red Orb Pinging a Red Orb after any 3-Ping transforms Watanabe: Astral into a shadow that launches consecutive attacks in front of him, dealing Dark DMG. Enters Enhanced Shadow Form at the end of the attack. - Each hit deals 60% Dark DMG.
Core Passive — Enhanced Shadow Form + Tap Basic Attack In Enhanced Shadow Form, Basic Attacks and Trailblade deal Extra Dark DMG. - Basic Attacks deal 300% Extra Dark DMG. - Trailblade deals 100% Extra Dark DMG for 5s.
Signature
Signature - Supernova Blast
Signature Move — 100 Energy + Tap Signature Transforms into shadow to assassinate the target, dealing Dark DMG. - Each attack deals 600% Dark DMG.
QTE
Shadow Cross
Dives at the target, splitting into shadows upon landing and attacks again, dealing Dark DMG. - Each attack deals 300% Dark DMG.
Leader
Leader - Nameless Shadow
Increases Dark DMG of all members by 10%. Increases ATK of all Attacker Omniframes in the team by 5%.
Class
Attacker
Extra DMG Bonus increases by 20%.
Awakening
Ultima Awaken
Gains 3 Signal Orbs when entering battle.
SS-Rank
Killing Floor
After hitting an enemy with a Blue Orb skill, Watanabe: Astral's Extra DMG Bonus against the target increases by 10% over the next 4s.
SSS-Rank
Chaser
After hitting an enemy with Trailblade, Watanabe: Astral's Extra DMG Bonus against the target increases by 10% over the next 4s.
SSS+ Rank
Fallen Star
Dark DMG increases by 20% while Core Passive is active.
Hidden Skill
Cosmic Wave
→
Any 3-Ping
Red Ping
Technique
When pinging a Red Orb after any 3-Ping, transforms into shadow and launches consecutive attacks to deal Dark DMG at the area ahead. When finished, enters enhanced shadow form that allows Basic Attacks to deal additional Dark DMG and Chasing Blade to deal additional Dark DMG. Lasts 5s.
Character Leap
This character's Leap is implemented during the Cinder Burns patch.
Meteor Reverberation
Meteor Reverberation
Base DMG of Meteor Strike increases by 20%.
Level 9: Pulls in nearby enemies during a Blue 3-ping. Level 18: After a Blue 3-ping, the Extra DMG Bonus of Shadow Blade increases by 20% for 4s. Using Meteor Strike in the Enhanced Shadow Form extends its duration by 1s.
Satellite Blade
Satellite Blade
When Trailblade hits the target in Enhanced Shadow Form, it will leave two Shadow Blades on the target and restore 100 Dodge Gauge. Each Shadow Blade deals 120% Dark DMG (up to 6 Shadow Blades can stack on each target).
Level 9: When Cosmic Wave is triggered, its Base DMG increases by 50% for each additional Red Orb pinged. Base DMG of Trailblade increases by 20% during Enhanced Shadow Form. Level 18: After dodging or pinging a Red Orb in Enhanced Shadow Form, press and hold Basic Attack to unleash Dark Blade that deals 150% Dark DMG for each Shadow Blade on the target. When the 6th hit of Dark Blade is triggered, its damage increases to 300% and the duration of Enhanced Shadow Form extends by 2s.
Collapsed Origin
Collapsed Origin
Dark DMG increases by 10% during Supernova Burst.
Level 9: Freezes the duration of Enhanced Shadow Form while casting Supernova Burst. Signature Move's base DMG increases by 15%. Level 18: When Supernova Burst is unleashed in Enhanced Shadow Form, each time it deals DMG, an additional hit that deals 150% Dark DMG will be added.
How to play
Astral - Fundamentals
Any 3-Ping + Red Orb Ping triggers Cosmic Wave (Core Passive)
The Red Orb Ping can be cast at any point after the 3-Ping (other orbs can be pinged in-between if needed, and there is no time limit within which you must cast the Red Orb Ping after the 3-Ping)
After performing either a dodge or any Red Orb Ping, including ones used to trigger Cosmic Wave, press Basic Attack to perform Trailblade, a lunging stab that also functions as an excellent gap closer
After the Cosmic Wave attack finishes, Astral enters Enhanced Shadow Form for 5 seconds, during which Basic Attacks and Trailblade both deal additional Dark DMG
The amount of time Enhanced Shadow Form has remaining is represented by the slowly draining on-screen meter
Astral - Additional Information
Cosmic Wave completely replaces the Red Orb Ping used to activate it, so from an orb efficiency standpoint, it is usually preferable to activate Cosmic Wave with a Red Orb 1-Ping or 2-Ping when possible before Astral is leaped
Once Astral's Satellite Blade (Core Passive Leap) is leveled to at least 9, this no longer applies, and Cosmic Wave will deal increased damage if triggered by a Red Orb 2-Ping or 3-Ping
If Astral is close enough to a target, his Blue Orb Ping will teleport him to the opposite side of the target, allowing him to avoid enemy attacks when strategically used
Astral automatically performs a free Yellow Orb 3-Ping when switched in during combat, allowing for a quick activation of Cosmic Wave with any additional Red Orb Ping
Astral will still take damage during Cosmic Wave, despite his model disappearing during the animation
That said, Cosmic Wave can be dodge-canceled almost immediately upon activation, allowing Astral to get the full damage of Cosmic Wave off while still being able to avoid enemy attacks and access his Trailblade follow-up
In a similar manner, Cosmic Wave can also be canceled almost immediately into Signature Move
Trailblade is considered a Basic Attack, and can thus be used alongside Astral's Basic Attacks to regenerate Signal Orbs when weaved in-between other actions in short enough intervals
Astral - Leap Adjustments
During Enhanced Shadow Form, each Trailblade performed will restore 100 Dodge Gauge and attempt to embed 2 Shadow Blades in the target hit
Every Shadow Blade successfully embedded in a target will deal an additional hit of Dark DMG
Up to a maximum of 6 Shadow Blades can be embedded in any given target, and attempts to embed additional Shadow Blades will not result in any additional Dark DMG hits until those Shadow Blades are cleared
Shadow Blades do not have a duration and remain embedded if Astral is swapped off-field
Against a target with embedded Shadow Blades, during Enhanced Shadow Form, hold Basic Attack after performing either a dodge or any Red Orb Ping to unleash Dark Blade, causing Dark DMG for each embedded Shadow Blade and clearing all embedded Shadow Blades from the target
With 6 embedded Shadow Blades, Dark Blade will deal extra Dark DMG on its final hit and extend the duration of Enhanced Shadow Form, so for optimal damage output, Dark Blade should be cast on targets with 6 embedded Shadow Blades
Astral is invulnerable while unleashing Dark Blade, so this can also be used strategically on targets with any number of embedded Shadow Blades to negate incoming attacks
Astral's Blue Orb 3-Ping now gathers nearby enemies, extends the duration of Enhanced Shadow Form, and causes Shadow Blades to deal more damage for the next 4 seconds
Astral's Signature Move now deals increased damage, and should be cast during Enhanced Shadow Form for the additional Dark DMG hits
