Understand Skyward Pride
Useful when…
- Supporting Burst availability while retaining a general damage bonus.
- Adding up to eight vacuum blade triggers during the 20 seconds after a Burst.
How do the vacuum blades work?
At R1, all damage increases by 8%. After the wielder uses an Elemental Burst, Normal or Charged Attack hits create a vacuum blade that deals 80% of ATK as damage to opponents along its path. The effect ends after 20 seconds or eight blades, whichever comes first. At R5, the all-damage bonus is 16% and each blade deals 160% of ATK; the duration and eight-blade cap remain the same.
Who can make practical use of it?
The passive needs both a Burst activation and subsequent Normal or Charged hits. It therefore fits attack patterns that can land those hits during the active window. Energy Recharge supports a Burst-focused approach, while the all-damage bonus is not restricted to those hits. Ultimate Overlord's Mega Magic Sword also has Energy Recharge, but offers ATK increases tied partly to how many Melusines have been helped. A Teaspoon of Transcendence instead gives ATK and boosts Stellar-Conduct and Stellar Swirl reaction damage after Charged Attack hits. A Thousand Blazing Suns activates its ATK and CRIT DMG bonuses with a Skill or Burst, with extra conditions for duration and Nightsoul's Blessing.
What is the sensible investment?
Ascension advances the weapon through six stages. Refinement consumes another copy and raises both the all-damage bonus and each blade's ATK scaling. Refinement does not increase the blade count or its 20-second window. Ascension is the level progression; decide on refinement based on whether improving those values is worth using a duplicate copy.
What conditions are easy to overlook?
A Burst alone does not launch blades: Normal or Charged hits are the trigger, and there can be no more than eight. The passive's 80%–160% is an ATK damage ratio per blade, not a flat amount of damage or a guaranteed eight hits regardless of attacking.
Limitations and tradeoffs
- Vacuum blades require Normal or Charged hits after a Burst and stop at eight or 20 seconds.
- Refinement consumes another copy; it does not extend the duration or raise the blade cap.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Expecting vacuum blades from using the Burst alone without subsequent Normal or Charged hits.
- Treating the eight-blade cap as a guaranteed number of attacks or refinement-dependent limit.