I originally concluded after much experimentation that to get Astral Phantoms:
-You had to be on disc 2
-Received Protect Key #3
-Then proceeded to leave the map and pet your dragon a consecutive 6 times…
Well, it’s even simpler than that. After having done the exact criteria I myself stated, I didn’t receive Astral Phantoms no mater how many times I tried to pet the dragon. So, I began to level up. After each level I would pet the dragon once.
And at level 26 I received Astral Phantoms without having received protect key #3. So, there you go. I hope I can finally put this to rest.
-Name Your dragon
-Be on disc 2, at least to the point of entering Uru, level up to 26 and pet your dragon, and you will learn Astral Phantoms!!
Since it mentions something about the bond you formed I always assumed that it just happened after a particular number of times you petted him as long as you had a particular level (which I never cared to track). What made you think you need the key?
I recently played the first disc again. Man it hasn’t aged too well, it’s still okay though.
Well, the farthest point that you can go on disc 2 while still having access to the dragon, is just after getting Protect Key # 2. So, I thought you had to be as far on the disc as possible before trying to get Astral Phantoms.
It’s a combination of the two. You just needed to be up to Uru and at a certain level (26).
I just learned that you can get the special berserk technique Astral Phantoms even earlier and on Disc 1 right before you go to the Forbidden Zone! All you have to do is be level 26 and pet the dragon repeatedly at the campsite until you learn it! Just fight the Sand Mites in the Garil Desert until you’re level 26 and there you go!
