Afflatus Guide
The six Afflatus in Reverse: 1999 and the full counter wheel, so you always know when you deal extra damage in battle.
Reverse: 1999 has six Afflatus, but they are NOT two counter triangles. Beast, Plant, Star and Mineral form a single four-way cycle: Beast beats Plant, Plant beats Star, Star beats Mineral, Mineral beats Beast. Spirit and Intellect stand outside the cycle — they counter nothing and are countered by nothing. Attacking an Afflatus you counter deals extra damage, which is central to team building.
The six Afflatus
Every Arcanist and enemy in Reverse: 1999 belongs to one of six Afflatus. They are the game's elemental-style categories and they determine the counter relationships in battle.
- Beast
- Plant
- Star
- Mineral
- Spirit
- Intellect
Four of these six — Beast, Plant, Star, Mineral — form a single four-way chain, NOT two separate triangles. Spirit and Intellect stand outside that chain entirely: they neither counter nor get countered by any Afflatus.
The counter wheel
The Afflatus counters do NOT form two triangles. Beast, Plant, Star and Mineral form a single four-way cycle that loops back around; an Afflatus that counters another deals extra damage against it.
- The cycle: Beast beats Plant, Plant beats Star, Star beats Mineral, and Mineral beats Beast.
- "Beats" here means the attacker deals increased damage to that Afflatus.
- Spirit and Intellect are outside the cycle — they don't counter anyone and no one counters them.
- Because it is one cycle, not two triangles, Beast and Mineral ARE in a direct counter relationship: Mineral beats Beast.
Using counters in battle
Knowing the wheel lets you pick teams and targets that maximise your damage. Match your attackers' Afflatus against what the enemy is weak to.
- Before a fight, check the enemy Afflatus and bring Arcanists that counter it for bonus damage.
- Be aware of when enemies counter you, since the same relationships can work against your team.
- Keep a flexible roster across multiple Afflatus so you can adapt to different stages.
- Counter advantage is powerful but not the only factor; team synergy, sustain, and Arcanist kit still matter.
Exactly how much does an Afflatus advantage add?
An Afflatus advantage adds +30% damage. It sounds small, but it lives in its own multiplier bucket, so it multiplies on top of everything else you stacked (crit, might, DMG bonus). That is why a weaker character with the advantage often out-damages a stronger one attacking into a disadvantage.
There is only ONE cycle, not two separate triangles: Beast → Plant → Star → Mineral → Beast. Spirit and Intellect sit outside it — they counter nothing and are countered by nothing. No Afflatus counters everything, so every roster has stages it struggles with.
Using damage types to break enemy statuses
The two damage types are not just about which defense they hit. They also break statuses:
- Mental DMG rouses enemies out of [Frozen] — if you froze something to buy time, do not poke it with Mental.
- Reality DMG dispels [Petrify] — same trap, other direction.
- Genesis DMG ignores all defense, so it is your out against very tanky targets.
Knowing this stops you from waking the boss your teammate just locked down.
FAQ
Which Afflatus beats which?
There is only one cycle, not two triangles: Beast beats Plant, Plant beats Star, Star beats Mineral, Mineral beats Beast. Spirit and Intellect stand outside it — they counter nothing and are countered by nothing.
What does countering an Afflatus actually do?
When you attack an enemy whose Afflatus you counter, you deal increased damage. Matching your attackers to enemy weaknesses is a core part of clearing harder content.
Do I need one Arcanist of every Afflatus?
Not immediately, but keeping a spread of Afflatus across your roster helps you adapt to different enemies. Building only one Afflatus can leave you at a disadvantage in stages that counter it.