was there a way to go into avatar state ?

[American Dove Mitten]

I played though the game without using Avatar state manually . I think there is a way but I never actually figured out what button combo it was .

[G_lad]

by default on keyboard it's Q and E together, you just gotta fill up the avatar meter to use it, the cap feels kind of high, so that'd explain why you never used it.

[Kiger]

Or if you're using an xbox 360 controller hit LB and RB at the same time. Your avatar meter is the round thing between the elements in the top left corner.