Understand Skyward Atlas
Useful when…
- Building a Catalyst wielder around ATK and Elemental damage.
- Using Normal Attacks often enough to have chances to trigger its seeking attack.
What does it do?
At refinement 1, Skyward Atlas grants 12% Elemental DMG Bonus. A Normal Attack hit has a 50% chance to call the favor of the clouds, which seeks nearby opponents for 15 seconds and deals damage equal to 160% of the wielder's ATK. This effect can occur only once every 30 seconds. The weapon's secondary stat is ATK; its exact stat value is not provided here.
When is it useful?
Consider it for a Catalyst wielder whose damage scales with ATK and benefits from Elemental DMG Bonus. The seeking attack specifically requires Normal Attack hits to trigger, so a character that rarely uses Normal Attacks should not count on that part of the passive. The 30-second trigger limit also means it is an occasional extra hit, not a continuously available effect.
Improvement priorities
Ascension improves the weapon's level progression. Refinement raises the Elemental DMG Bonus from 12% at refinement 1 to 24% at refinement 5, and increases the seeking attack's ATK multiplier from 160% to 320%; its 50% Normal Attack trigger chance, 15-second duration, and 30-second limit remain stated conditions. Refinement uses a duplicate copy, so weigh that cost against the increased bonuses, especially if the wielder does not trigger the seeking attack often.
How it differs from other Catalysts
A Thousand Floating Dreams gives the wielder buffs based on the elemental types of other party members and shares Elemental Mastery with nearby party members, making its effect dependent on party composition. Angelos' Heptades instead activates its party damage buff and Energy restoration after the wielder creates a Shield. These weapons have distinct conditions; the comparison alone does not make either one a universal replacement for Skyward Atlas.
Limitations and tradeoffs
- The cloud attack requires a Normal Attack hit and has a 30-second trigger limit.
- The weapon's listed passive bonuses are offensive; no Energy or defensive effect is specified.
- Refinement consumes another copy.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Treating the cloud attack as guaranteed on each Normal Attack hit; the trigger chance is 50%.
- Assuming the cloud attack can trigger more often than once every 30 seconds.
- Refining without considering that the wielder may rarely use Normal Attacks.