Avatar Kirai, looking for some discussion

[Fetid Strumpet]

For me that really is the issue. If Kirai couldn't summon the Ikiryo every turn the avatar would be a great addition to the crew because it would fill a hole on her playstyle and be a great option to hold over your opponents head. The problem is that she really isn't all that much more scary than the basic Ikiryo is. Sure, if the opponent plays the way you want him to, and you've built your crew to utilize her correctly, than maybe the Avatar is an option. There are a lot of conditional modifiers there to make the Avatar a solid choice. I'm really caught because I really really wanted to like Kirai's Avatar. Story wise it is exactly how I pictured it even before any art or descriptions were circulated. But making her Avatar a melee beatstick that is about the same level of killy as the basic ikiryo...little lackluster to tell the truth.

[Q'iq'el]

I wonder - are there Strategies Kirai is bad at and does Avatar solve these issues?

I have a lingering suspicion that one of the goals in avatar design was to provide a way to compete in such Strategies without having to go for different master. This is true with at least 2 out of 3 masters I use (see the signature) and I think the third one may be leaning that way too... I wonder if the same can be said about other masters.

Obviously for a more flexible master, like Kirai, who has little problem with most of Strategies, a highly situational avatar may seem more lack-luster. Assuming my theory is true, of course.