Astral Projection (Air)

ChrisfromMars · Sep 9, 2014

I've seen some suggestions such as "spirit world" travel and whatnot. This isn't necessarily related. This would be a new move, that air benders would use by "meditating" for a long enough period of time. What it does is when you hold shift for a minute without moving, it will spawn a vulnerable NPC that can be killed and looted. This would at the same time put you (the player) into spectator mode, where you can move through blocks and fly around without being seen, but there would be limitations to this as well.

1. The air bender can only travel a certain distance before being abruptly sent back to their body.
2. This move would have a very long cool down time.
3. This leaves you vulnerable to attack, unless you are well hidden or guarded.
4. You would not be able to interact with the environment.

This has been seen throughout the series of the Legend of Korra. First when Jinora used it to help Korra fight Vaatu. Jinora also used it to help locate the air benders in Ba' Sing' Se and again to help locate Korra in the season three season finale.

Okay so why would this be at all useful? Without being cheap, it would allow air benders to passively scout an area without the risk of being killed. It would allow them to see the other side of a wall without risking there being dangers on the other side. After all, isn't that what air bending is all about? Elude and evade.

owlcool · Sep 9, 2014

Not bad. I also like this because it can be used to spectate a arena where it is free-for-all. Although this has already been suggested, not bad.

Blockkkster · Sep 9, 2014

I love this! I had a similar idea but it didn't involve leaving a vulnerable mob that would take damage for you behind. I really love this! PLEASE I know you're doing all the sub-bending things right now developers and I believe this is the best way Astral Projection could turn out. Plus a bunch!!!

Majorite · Sep 9, 2014

This idea has been suggested a lot over time, and spectator mode is in 1.8. We are not their, yet. :3

Venusaur0817 · Sep 9, 2014

what exactly is the difference between an astral projection and a person's spirit leaving their body, like with Aang in episodes such as the winter solstice part 1?

ChrisfromMars · Sep 9, 2014

Venusaur0817 said:
what exactly is the difference between an astral projection and a person's spirit leaving their body, like with Aang in episodes such as the winter solstice part 1?

There isn't a difference, but people often associate leaving ones body with the spirit world, thanks to the Legend of Korra, so I had to specify the name.

Venusaur0817 · Sep 9, 2014

ChrisfromMars said:
There isn't a difference, but people often associate leaving ones body with the spirit world, thanks to the Legend of Korra, so I had to specify the name.

Hmm, well I think that all people should be able to do it then.

ChrisfromMars · Sep 9, 2014

Venusaur0817 said:
Hmm, well I think that all people should be able to do it then.

That's the thing though, they shouldn't. The reason I'm suggesting this is because waterbending has bloodbending plus awesome ice attacks. Firebending has lightning and combustion. Earth has metelbending and lavabending, and air has nothing. I think this should be an airbending thing.

Blockkkster · Sep 9, 2014

Venusaur0817 said:
Hmm, well I think that all people should be able to do it then.

When Jinora talks about Astral Projection she states that Astral Projection is ' a highly difficult air bending technique with a little bit of spiritual stuff mixed in ' (not an exact quote) It's definitely an AIR subbending skill, therefore should only be for airbenders.

Venusaur0817 · Sep 9, 2014

well how is it only their souls can leave their bodies?

Migsel · Sep 9, 2014

It's about meditation which only airbenders actually do.

Venusaur0817 · Sep 9, 2014

so, theoretically, if other bender benders meditated, they could use it too.

ChrisfromMars · Sep 9, 2014

I'm afraid not Ninja. Iroh meditates, as well as many other people who aren't airbenders throughout the series. Meditation isn't spiritual in itself, it's just a gateway to a highly sensitive level of consciousness. The only thing different with airbenders is that they are easily able to take it to the next level.

Also Venussaur, that would be possible, but I think that if that were the case then it should be MUCH more difficult for people other than airbenders to astral project. Really the point about this is that astral projection is something that's unique to an airbenders culture. For example, what if I said that airbenders should be able to produce a bloodbending effect by controling the air in your lungs? Or by creating explosions with shockwaves of compressed air? Possibilities are one thing, stealing another benders jam is something entirely different.

Migsel · Sep 9, 2014

ChrisfromMars said:
I'm afraid not Ninja. Iroh meditates, as well as many other people who aren't airbenders throughout the series. Meditation isn't spiritual in itself, it's just a gateway to a highly sensitive level of consciousness. The only thing different with airbenders is that they are easily able to take it to the next level.

You're right though I meant that airbenders do spiritual things more easily than other benders

Venusaur0817 · Sep 10, 2014

ChrisfromMars said:
I'm afraid not Ninja. Iroh meditates, as well as many other people who aren't airbenders throughout the series. Meditation isn't spiritual in itself, it's just a gateway to a highly sensitive level of consciousness. The only thing different with airbenders is that they are easily able to take it to the next level.

Also Venussaur, that would be possible, but I think that if that were the case then it should be MUCH more difficult for people other than airbenders to astral project. Really the point about this is that astral projection is something that's unique to an airbenders culture. For example, what if I said that airbenders should be able to produce a bloodbending effect by controling the air in your lungs? Or by creating explosions with shockwaves of compressed air? Possibilities are one thing, stealing another benders jam is something entirely different.

well, Korra did it after she and Raava were separated.

ChrisfromMars · Sep 10, 2014

Korra was an airbender then XD. Also she's the avatar, she's naturally in tune with spirits when she needs to be.

Venusaur0817 · Sep 10, 2014

ChrisfromMars said:
Korra was an airbender then XD. Also she's the avatar, she's naturally in tune with spirits when she needs to be.

She lost Raava, and subsequently the other 3 elements, except for Water. did you see her bending any others?

AlexTheCoder · Sep 10, 2014

Venusaur0817 said:
She lost Raava, and subsequently the other 3 elements, except for Water. did you see her bending any others?

Doesn't change her mindset. She has the capability for airbending and thus has the spirituality needed.

AlexTheCoder · Sep 10, 2014

Plus, she was being aided by Harmonic Convergence and the Tree of Time.

ChrisfromMars · Sep 10, 2014

Venusaur0817 said:
She lost Raava, and subsequently the other 3 elements, except for Water. did you see her bending any others?

I actually didn't realize that she lost the other elements during the fight. If she was only using water for a time then I must have assumed that it must have been the most abundant element around. But I didn't know that Raava was the reason that Korra was able to bend the other elements. After all, didn't avatar Wan learn all four elements before he had bound with Raava permanently?