[IfritnoItazura]

For Zeni, was fighting Zhayolm Apkallu on RDM/BLM. Noticed that it was resisting en-spell pretty heavily; was bouncing between 9 to 19 damage. Switched between several different elements, but they were all about the same. Go it below 25% HP, slept it, and started taking pictures--and d/c'ed.

Came back a few minutes later, rebuffed, and grabbed the nearest Zhayolm Apkallu (likely the same one, but at 100% HP) to finish up the pictures. Noticed it was taking less damage from sword--and 0 damage from en-spell and Ice Spikes. Tried several elements for en- spell (tier I only) again; damage stayed at 0. It was still getting paralyzed from Ice Spikes, but flat 0 damage.

Since Savage Blade was even less than spectacular than normal, decided to go with Spirits Within on a whelm:

Itazura readies Spirits Within.
Itazura hits the Zhayolm Apkallu for 30 points of damage.
Additional effect: The Zhayolm Apkallu takes 0 additional points of damage.
Itazura uses Spirits Within.
The Zhayolm Apkallu takes 0 points of damage.

That's right, 0 damage Spirits Within, just like using Atonement on Magic Pots when they have Magic Shield up.

From FFXIclopedia:

As your hate increases, their resistance against White Magic and physical damage increases dramatically. It will raise to a point where you are no longer able to do damage to them, including with weapon skills.

Nevermind that I haven't killed any Apkallu earlier, and that Ice Spikes is actually Black Magic, the fact that Spirits Within is resisted completely makes me think it's may be magic damage instead of some special "spirit damage" category. Of course, it's entirely possible that the Apkallu also builds a "spirit damage resistance", I suppose...

Has anyone tried Spirits Within on critters with Magic Shield up before? Wish I had thought of testing Spirits Within that way earlier... Someone save me a trip to Ru'Aun Gardens...

* * *

That FFXIclopedia entry on Zhayolm Apkallu is really awful; it wasn't resisting Slow II or Blind at all, so not a Black or White magic type of resistance. Instead, it was resisting additional effect damage from spike and en-, without resisting Ice Spikes' paralysis effect. Should've tested a nuke or two, oh well.

/check reported high defense after I came back from d/c. For a decent challenge monster, that's fairly unusual, so it looks like Apkallu hate increases their defense. Didn't see any sword hit for 0, so guessing there's no additional Phalanx-like effect there. (Though, with Guard, should have seen 0's? hmmm... )

[Callisto]

Originally Posted by IfritnoItazura

Has anyone tried Spirits Within on critters with Magic Shield up before? Wish I had thought of testing Spirits Within that way earlier... Someone save me a trip to Ru'Aun

It works the same way as Atonement and other magical WS, with their shield up you're laying goose eggs.

[IfritnoItazura]

Originally Posted by Callisto

It works the same way as Atonement and other magical WS, with their shield up you're laying goose eggs.

So, it's fair to say Spirits Within is a not-element-aligned magic damage.

Then, Flans should take extra damage from Spirits Within? Are there other monster families which take extra damage from magic?

[Callisto]

I'm not sure exactly how it would work with Flans, though I do know that Spirits Within and Atonement are separate from other magical WS as a non-elemental magical damage type. Cerberus-type mobs take bonus damage from SW and Atonement specifically, I'm not sure if there are other mob types that do. I'd also be curious to see how MNK's Formless Strikes fits into that.

[Zoltar]

I don't think I've ever seen someone fighting one of these. ever.

Free bump

[IfritnoItazura]

Originally Posted by Zoltar

I don't think I've ever seen someone fighting one of these. ever.

Cerberus? Nyzul Isle Investigation is the where most people bump into it.

[Callisto]

I believe he meant Apkallus, lol.

[Zoltar]

Yea, I meant Apkallus haha...

another free bump I guess...heh