Great damage mitigation with 40% Wind CutWind DMG is cut 40% Duration: 1 turn Wind Damage Cut., ArmoredChance of lowering DMG taken Duration: 3.5 turns70% chance to reduce damage taken by 30%.Applied during the attack phase. On the next turn, it'll have 3 turns remaining., DA DownDouble attack rate is lowered Base Accuracy: 85%Duration: 180 seconds, and BlindedAttacks have a slight chance to miss Base Accuracy: 90%Duration: 180 seconds.
Additional support with up to 40% DEF Down (Stackable)DEF is lowered (Stackable) Strength: 10% (Max: 40%)Base Accuracy: 90%Duration: 180 seconds, 15% Fire ATK UpFire ATK is boosted Strength: 15%Duration: 3.5 turnsApplied during the attack phase. On the next turn, it'll have 3 turns remaining., RefreshHP is restored on every turn Strength: 10% HP (Healing cap: 400)Duration: 3 turns, and DelayReduce a foe's filled charge diamonds by 1 Base Accuracy: 100%.
Wind SwitchElemental DMG from foes turns into wind DMG Duration: 3 turns is invaluable for enemies that deal mixed-element damage.
Deals significant skill damage with her Support Skill if targeted frequently.
Site
RatingThe character's overall rating out of 10.
GrindingThe character's general efficiency in repeatedly clearing menial content with an emphasis on real-time speed. GW Max Grade:SS KG Max Grade:SS
Full AutoThe character's general performance in Full Auto parties. GW Max Grade:SS KG Max Grade:SS
High DifficultyThe character's capability relative to the game's most difficult content. GW Max Grade:SS KG Max Grade:SS
Athena is a well rounded Defense character, able to both reduce foes' attacks effectiveness and mitigate damage taken by the party. She also brings a respectable amount of skill and charge attack damage, but doesn't perform particularly well with normal attack on her own.
Her high defensive ability makes her very useful in hard fights and Stamina-based weapon grid, but can make her a liability in more laid back fights when using an Enmity-based grid as she gets in the way of losing HP.
Strengths
Minerva Thrust450%Massive Fire damage to a foe. All allies gain 15% Fire ATK UpFire ATK is boosted Strength: 15%Duration: 3.5 turnsApplied during the attack phase. On the next turn, it'll have 3 turns remaining. and 70% / 30% ArmoredChance of lowering DMG taken Strength: 70% chance of taking 30% less damage.Duration: 3.5 turnsApplied during the attack phase. On the next turn, it'll have 3 turns remaining.. provides relatively long duration 15% Fire ATK UpFire ATK is boosted Strength: 15%Duration: 3.5 turnsApplied during the attack phase. On the next turn, it'll have 3 turns remaining. and 70% / 30% ArmoredChance of lowering DMG taken Strength: 70% chance of taking 30% less damage.Duration: 3.5 turnsApplied during the attack phase. On the next turn, it'll have 3 turns remaining. to all allies, which can be maintained permanently with frequent enough charge attack.
Shield of the Gods: AigisAll allies gain 40% Wind CutWind DMG is cut 40% Duration: 1 turn Wind Damage Cut., Wind SwitchElemental DMG from foes turns into wind DMG Duration: 3 turns, and RefreshHP is restored on every turn Strength: 10% of max HP (Healing cap: 400)Duration: 3 turns. At level 90: RefreshHP is restored on every turn Strength: 10% of max HP (Healing cap: 800)Duration: 3 turns healing cap increased to 800. All allies also gain Dispel Cancel (1 time)Buffs can't be removed or shortened (1 time) Duration: Indefinite., and in particular the Wind SwitchElemental DMG from foes turns into wind DMG Duration: 3 turns buff, is a powerful tool to have in hard raid which use multiple/random elements, like Akasha (Raid). 40% Wind CutWind DMG is cut 40% Duration: 1 turn Wind Damage Cut. also allows to reach 100% Damage Cut when used with PhalanxAll parties gain 50% DMG CutTaking 50% less DMG Duration: 1 turn Damage Cut reducing damage taken for all elements. Warning! Does not work for Plain Damage!. or various other sources of damage cut.
It also helps Athena's Extended Mastery Support SkillWind damage reduction to all allies. stay relevant in those fights.
Tetradrachm5-hit, 100% Fire damage to random foes (Damage cap: ~120,000 per hit). Inflict 10% DEF Down (Stackable / Max: 40%)DEF is lowered (Stackable) Strength: 10% (Max: 40%)Base Accuracy: 90%Duration: 180 seconds and Burned (5000)HP is lowered on every turn Strength: 5000Base Accuracy: 90%Duration: 180 seconds on all foes. (Hit number increases based on Goddess's WrathTetradrachm's hit number increases based on Goddess's Wrath lvl (Max: 5 / Can't be removed) lvl / Max: 10.) can deal massive amount of damage due to Goddess of the ShieldGoddess's WrathTetradrachm's hit number increases based on Goddess's Wrath lvl (Max: 5 / Can't be removed) lvl rises by 1 upon being targeted by a foe (Max: 5). Tetradrachm5-hit, 100% Fire damage to random foes (Damage cap: ~120,000 per hit). Inflict 10% DEF Down (Stackable / Max: 40%)DEF is lowered (Stackable) Strength: 10% (Max: 40%)Base Accuracy: 90%Duration: 180 seconds and Burned (5000)HP is lowered on every turn Strength: 5000Base Accuracy: 90%Duration: 180 seconds on all foes. (Hit number increases based on Goddess's WrathTetradrachm's hit number increases based on Goddess's Wrath lvl (Max: 5 / Can't be removed) lvl / Max: 10.)'s hit number increases by 1. (Tetradrachm5-hit, 100% Fire damage to random foes (Damage cap: ~120,000 per hit). Inflict 10% DEF Down (Stackable / Max: 40%)DEF is lowered (Stackable) Strength: 10% (Max: 40%)Base Accuracy: 90%Duration: 180 seconds and Burned (5000)HP is lowered on every turn Strength: 5000Base Accuracy: 90%Duration: 180 seconds on all foes. (Hit number increases based on Goddess's WrathTetradrachm's hit number increases based on Goddess's Wrath lvl (Max: 5 / Can't be removed) lvl / Max: 10.) activates upon being targeted by a foe when Goddess's Wrath lvl is 5.).
Burned (5000)HP is lowered on every turn Strength: 5000Base Accuracy: 90%Duration: 180 seconds helps Athena activate Searing Crimson30% boost to C.A. damage and 10% boost to C.A. damage cap against foes with BurnedHP is lowered on every turn . At level 95: Boost to C.A. damage and C.A. damage cap now applies to all allies. by herself.
While it needs some time to reach full effectiveness, DEF Down (Stackable)DEF is lowered (Stackable) Strength: 10% (Max: 40%)Base Accuracy: 90%Duration: 180 seconds means she can almost cap DEF Down by herself. It also allows her to ignore the resistance of some foes to regular DEF DownDEF is lowered , particularly in some hard raids.
Due to Goddess of the Shield, those debuffs can be maintained pseudo-permanently, and quickly reapplied if a foe clears its debuffs.
Glare of GlafkosInflict 100% DA DownDouble attack rate is lowered Strength: 100%Base Accuracy: 80%Duration: 180 seconds, BlindedAttacks have a slight chance to miss Base Accuracy: 90%Duration: 180 seconds, and DelayReduce a foe's filled charge diamonds by 1 Base Accuracy: 100% on all foes. brings a bundle of accurate defensive debuffs on a relatively low cooldown.
She shares her Spear Specialty with some of the best Fire characters, and also has good synergy with them.
Because of that Ultima Spear and Hollowsky Spear centered teams are a good choice for Fire and she fits well in them.
Weaknesses
Shield of the Gods: Aigis, and its 40% Wind CutWind DMG is cut 40% Duration: 1 turn Wind Damage Cut., is not enough to reach 100% Damage Cut with Peridot Carbuncle.
Athena doesn't have any reliable way to ensure she's regularly targeted by foes to activate Goddess of the Shield, making it fairly inconsistent, particularly in short fights.
While she only needs to be targeted, a foe's ability to do so can be highly impaired by debuffs such as CharmedAttacks are slightly limited or ParalyzedCan't attack , or an ally with high Hostility or SubstituteReceives foe attack in place of an ally (Excludes all-foe all-ally attacks) .
The strongest Spear Specialty Fire characters, with whom she synergize the best, are also Limited characters, making team centered around them difficult to access for newer players.
Prioritise Debuff Success first, followed by Fire ATK and CA DMG. After that, take CA DMG Cap then Charge Bar Up and finally the support skill.
Hostility UP is a good option for increasing the probability of reaching Goddess's WrathTetradrachm's hit number increases based on Goddess's Wrath lvl (Max: 5 / Can't be removed) as early as possible. This essentially allows early and frequent automatic activation of Tetradrachm5-hit, 100% Fire damage to random foes (Damage cap: ~120,000 per hit). Inflict 10% DEF Down (Stackable / Max: 40%)DEF is lowered (Stackable) Strength: 10% (Max: 40%)Base Accuracy: 90%Duration: 180 seconds and Burned (5000)HP is lowered on every turn Strength: 5000Base Accuracy: 90%Duration: 180 seconds on all foes. (Hit number increases based on Goddess's WrathTetradrachm's hit number increases based on Goddess's Wrath lvl (Max: 5 / Can't be removed) lvl / Max: 10.). However, one should also consider DEF and HP for durability reason.
