Part 147: Abnormality Roundup 6
Abnormality Roundup 6Instead of a full analysis I'll summarize with this: I feel comfortable. This facility has its quirks, but our Agents are powerful, our gear is good, and it's getting even better with every passing day. This facility is a strong one, and we're in a very good position going forward.
Yin
Yin is a deceptively safe Abnormality, who only gives trouble if its sibling Yang is held for too long or if we get bad results with it-which is unlikely. This is because it's a nightmare if it breaches. Its breach also breaches Yang and the two start trying to wander together-and it deals hilarious damage to our Agents when it breaks out. It regularly emits decently high Black damage around itself, and it also has a tell attack involving firing a laser on the ground, which deals a massive 100 Black when it goes off. Most annoyingly, it and Yang have to be suppressed in a short window-if either of them are still active the other one will revive after some time goes by. It's not a suppression I want to do, but since it's easy to avoid we can simply reap the benefits of an Abnormality good at training 3 different stats, with probably the best Helmet slot gift in the game-in addition to a hefty stat boost it comes with an 8% chance to heal back any damage as soon as it's dealt, effectively negating the attack. Nice.
Nothing There
Nothing There is a feast-or-famine ALEPH. If a facility can handle it, then it gives out great gear and works as a decent finisher for Attachment training. If it can't, it breaks out and kills everyone. It will steal agents' skins, hide in the corridor, and give us one bullet to stop it before it goes on a rampage, or just break out the normal way and fight people. It has three different forms, starting with the one we've seen, then a freaky flesh egg, and then a people-killin' body that would take too long to describe in full here. Suffice to say, it would kill us right now unless I managed to pull off some incredibly complicated dodging, and I look forward to going over the multiple layers of pain when it inevitably escapes on us down the line. You've probably note that I haven't mentioned anything about its training potential, and that's because Nothing There is best served polishing off stats that are already at level 5 but not yet maxed-specifically Attachment and Instinct. Its equipment alone makes it worthwhile to have around for a while anyways, 0.2x resistances are really powerful.
I am quite sad to say that I couldn't find any clean crops of this thing's sprites. Oh well, we'll see them eventually.
The Firebird
Upside: Fiery Bird is an exquisite Instinct and Repression trainer, and a passable Attachment trainer as well. Downside: Good results will make it breach on us. Upside: We want it to breach on us three times to get the weapon. Downside: It's still probably too much trouble to be worth the training after that. Firebird, sadly, is one of those Abnormalities that we want to get all the gear off of before relegating it to the ignore box forever. It could be worse, but it could be a lot better.
Yang
Yang can recover SP very quickly while it's equipped to any Agent, which seems good-but it's functionally useless because of Yin's QC rules. Holding it for 30 seconds reduces Yin to 1 QC, holding it for another 30 frees it entirely and brings about the advent. The only time this should be touched is if it's melting down, and then only to grab and immediately replace it.
When breaching, it reflects any ranged damage dealt to it back as White damage to the attacker, forcing us to fight it in close quarters where its aura of White damage can hit our agents. It's easier to kill than Yin, but since we're on a timer after either one dies in practice this just makes it more difficult to coordinate their suppression. Still, it's the cost of admission for Yin and Yin's gift is just that powerful.