Aura of the Guardian
| Job | Paladin |
|---|---|
| Type | Supportive (party buff) |
| Target | Self and nearby party members |
| Max level | 5 |
| SP cost | 20 / 25 / 30 / 35 / 40 |
| Cast time | 1 sec |
| Duration | 30 / 45 / 60 / 75 / 90 sec |
| Requires | Providence Lv 3 |
Aura of the Guardian is a supportive party-wide aura of the Paladin class that continuously restores the HP of nearby allies, healing harder the closer they are to death. It is one of two auras the Paladin can project, and the protective aura and the offensive aura cannot be held at the same time.
Overview
When cast, the aura spreads from the Paladin across their field of view and settles on the Paladin and every party member within it. Each second, affected allies recover HP. The amount is deliberately tiered: it is modest while an ally is healthy, doubles once they drop below half health, and quadruples for anyone in serious danger, who also gains a little physical defense. Holding the aura costs the Paladin a small trickle of SP every second.
Mechanics
The aura is centred on the Paladin and applies to the caster plus party members within the caster's field of view. In a battleground it blesses the Paladin's own team instead of the party, never the rival team. Recasting refreshes the buff on everyone in range.
Healing per second (the tier is re-checked on every tick, and nothing is restored while the ally is at full HP):
- Above 50% HP: 5 × SkillLv HP
- At or below 50% HP: 10 × SkillLv HP
- At or below 25% HP: 20 × SkillLv HP, and +(1 × SkillLv) DEF while the ally stays in this band
Interaction with healing modifiers: Each tick is boosted by Increase HP Recovery, adding 10% per level of that skill. It is reduced by anti-healing effects on the recipient and by the healing penalty of the instance they are in, and the recovery is blocked entirely while an ally is under Frenzy. Effects that only block natural HP regeneration do not stop the aura, since this is an explicit heal.
Upkeep: Only the Paladin pays upkeep, losing 1 SP every second while the aura runs. If the Paladin cannot pay, the aura ends early for them. Party members carry the buff for free and do not lose SP.
Exclusivity: Receiving Aura of the Guardian ends Art of War on that ally, and the reverse is also true. Only one Paladin aura can be held at a time, and the most recently cast one wins.
Ending early: The buff is removed when an ally leaves the party and when they change map. It cannot be saved between sessions.
Leveling
| Level | Above 50% HP | At or below 50% | At or below 25% | DEF below 25% | Duration | SP cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 HP/s | 10 HP/s | 20 HP/s | +1 | 30 sec | 20 |
| 2 | 10 HP/s | 20 HP/s | 40 HP/s | +2 | 45 sec | 25 |
| 3 | 15 HP/s | 30 HP/s | 60 HP/s | +3 | 60 sec | 30 |
| 4 | 20 HP/s | 40 HP/s | 80 HP/s | +4 | 75 sec | 35 |
| 5 | 25 HP/s | 50 HP/s | 100 HP/s | +5 | 90 sec | 40 |
Notes
- The tiered healing makes the aura a safety net rather than a main heal: it barely matters while the party is comfortable and becomes significant exactly when someone is about to fall.
- Because the healing is explicit, it can be modified by the same effects that modify Heal, so a cursed or instance-penalised ally recovers less than the table suggests.
- Aura of the Guardian Lv 3 is the gateway to Shield Fortress, so a protective Paladin invests in it on the way to the branch capstone.