Ok, maybe I just don't understand what the grouping suggestions mean, but as I recall, the Esseles was listed as Group 2. I took that to mean that my Girlfriend and I, along with our respective companions, should have been able to do the flashpoint, without too much trouble.

 

We got through trash ok. It was nothing, we blazed through that.

 

But then we met Ironfist.

 

For being a Level 8-11 Flashpoint, given to noobs just leaving Tython, you'd think this would be a fairly simple Flashpoint to get through, in order to teach people how flashpoints operate.

 

Couldn't be more wrong.

 

I'm rolling a Jedi Guardian. She is rolling a Jedi Shadow. We got our collective Force-using butts handed to us. Wipe after wipe, we simply couldn't get Ironfist down before he toasted us, still having about 20-25% of his HP left.

 

We tried a variety of methods. We cleared adds as they came, he killed us.

 

We tried to bomb him down, ignoring the adds, he killed us.

 

We brought in another player, a Trooper, and he killed us.

 

We tried pulling him back away from the add spawns so they wouldn't be a factor, he still killed us.

 

What is the deal with Ironfist?

 

Is the [Group 2+] tag a joke? Is it meant to be Group 2+ only if you are leet, fully geared and are experts in your class?

 

Not sure what the deal is, but it certainly put a dmaper on the fun we were having up to that point, and we eneded up dropping it and moving on, and the GF doesn't ever want to try it again!

 

Were we just doing it wrong, or is there a serious learning curve required to defeat Ironfist?

Nah I had the same problem. He can be a pain in the butt but we persevered through it and beat him with 2 smugglers. Keep in mind though that Ironfist isn't the true ending to that flashpoint. So good luck.

If you have no one capable of healing, you need to do whatever you can to decrease damage taken and increase damage output. I completed the Essles last Tuesday @ level 10 with your exact same makeup. It can be done. Watch for avoidable damage (and then, duh, avoid it) and pump out the DPS.

 

You'll get it.

Make sure you are not stationary when he rains missiles on you. That can make or break the fight as me and a friend found once, so much damage at a given time if you do not move.

Make sure you are not stationary when he rains missiles on you. That can make or break the fight as me and a friend found once, so much damage at a given time if you do not move.

 

That's the key. Once he starts his AoE it will not relocate, so move. If you do that you should be able to pull it off (although it's still a tough fight with only two people.

I ran it a few times as a Guardian with a Gunslinger friend and while Ironfist did kill out companions, we didn't die ourselves (though we were pretty low health at the end).

 

We were both Lv 11 and had stims and medpacs to use.

Edit on this. I see now that you did have your companions. If you're only 8 that is the problem. You should be 10 to survive because if you can't beat Ironfist.. you'll be in for a rude surprise later. Edited December 20, 2011 by nabrendel

Edit on this. I see now that you did have your companions. If you're only 8 that is the problem. You should be 10 to survive because if you can't beat Ironfist.. you'll be in for a rude surprise later.

 

We were both Level 11.

A friend and I easily passed this. Ironfist is the only boss that is kinda hard. Honestly, at this level, your tanking abilities are HORRID compared to the free taunt and threat of companions. Let your companions do the tanking and you'll blaze past everything.

Just wanted to chime in that my wife and I had the same experience. Looked at Esseles, saw two player recommend and decided to go. I'm Sage, she's Guardian, we both made sure to have all our stuff trained up, figured level 11 was more than enough, got some better gear off the auction house, and headed in. Had meds, had stims, had buffs. We breezed through it, literally murdered everything in sight within seconds. Got to Ironfist and struggled to get him down to 10% before we died.

 

We tried using companion taunts, tried without companion taunts. Tried taking out adds, tried burning him, ignoring adds. Everytime we made sure to keep running when he did his rocket launcher deal. I'm hammering range dps and throwing heals in between. Nothing works. Gets to 10% and he kills us. Everytime. And we banged our heads against this wall to the point of insanity before we gave up and logged off. I'm all for challenges and figuring things out but this was just stupid.

 

Before logging, I asked the guild about it and basically they all did it either at higher level or having someone run them through it. Some suggested getting to 13 or 14 for taunt and better powers.

 

Seems silly to have something that is seemingly your first instance, that is also a transition to your next location, when you can't do it without getting to that location and getting better gear, more levels, and having more people. Or saying it's two person when it's really 4 person. It's basically misinformation about the expectations of this instance.

 

Good moral booster, too, for someone expecting one thing then getting something unpleasant instead. Kinda killed my evening.

Edited December 23, 2011 by londerwost

Before logging, I asked the guild about it and basically they all did it either at higher level or having someone run them through it. Some suggested getting to 13 or 14 for taunt and better powers.

 

Seems silly to have something that is seemingly your first instance, that is also a transition to your next location, when you can't do it without getting to that location and getting better gear, more levels, and having more people. Or saying it's two person when it's really 4 person. It's basically misinformation about the expectations of this instance.

 

Good moral booster, too, for someone expecting one thing then getting something unpleasant instead. Kinda killed my evening.

 

# 1...this is far from the only way to get to your next location, you can take a shuttle directly to Coruscant without taking the Essles.

 

#2...it is doable with 2 people on level, as has been stated by many of the replies above you, however, you have to work hard at it to get it done with two people. Most people will just roll through it with 4, and have no problems, but it is able to be done with 2.

 

#3....if you are having morale problems after being defeated in an instance....really? I'm sorry...things like that do nothing more than pump me up and make me come back for more. Take it as a challange that you want to take him down even harder, not just look at the screen and sigh in defeat. I'm not sure how many times I went back at later levels back in the EQ days and killed Kizden Gix and that damn Griffin in the newbie areas... just get revenge for your deaths when you can, and plan your strategy a bit better this time.

 

 

 

tl/dr .... It's doable with 2 people, it take strategy and patience, but it can be done.

When he does is rocket attack its an aoe on the person he targets and he randomly attacks everyone in the encounter with them.

 

If you have melee range companions and you melee you all take the damage of each rocket. The full volley hitting just person comes to like half your health. Crammed together meleeing him will be like half the halt of all three.

 

This is why hes easy for a healer to solo but can wipe in a full group.

# 1...this is far from the only way to get to your next location, you can take a shuttle directly to Coruscant without taking the Essles.

 

#2...it is doable with 2 people on level, as has been stated by many of the replies above you, however, you have to work hard at it to get it done with two people. Most people will just roll through it with 4, and have no problems, but it is able to be done with 2.

 

#3....if you are having morale problems after being defeated in an instance....really? I'm sorry...things like that do nothing more than pump me up and make me come back for more. Take it as a challange that you want to take him down even harder, not just look at the screen and sigh in defeat. I'm not sure how many times I went back at later levels back in the EQ days and killed Kizden Gix and that damn Griffin in the newbie areas... just get revenge for your deaths when you can, and plan your strategy a bit better this time.

 

 

 

tl/dr .... It's doable with 2 people, it take strategy and patience, but it can be done.

 

I understand that it's not the only way to travel to next location (although dialog gives a false impression). I understand that you believe it is doable at level with two people. I understand that you believe I'm playing the game wrong. I can assure you, I look at things with patience and understanding. I believe I'm a fairly experienced player with good perception of game mechanics. With that I can recognize when something is just beyond what our two characters can do, regardless of strategy. When the game is geared in a way that is not balanced, it frustrates me because there is no option but to get more people or do it later. That is what I saw in Esseles.

 

Since not everyone is able to do it at level with two people (as stated by others in this thread) it means the instance needs re balance or different description. It's the first instance for gods sake, not some end game raid. Experienced players should not be struggling with it when following Bioware's own guidelines.

 

tl/dr... you think I'm doing it wrong. I disagree.

tl/dr... you think I'm doing it wrong. I disagree.

 

I don't mean to sound condescending here but, you are. I can't tell you how because I haven't seen you play, but I have done numerous L10-L11 2-Man Esseles runs with just about every combo possible. It is not an easy instance with 2 people, but it is doable.

I don't mean to sound condescending here but, you are. I can't tell you how because I haven't seen you play, but I have done numerous L10-L11 2-Man Esseles runs with just about every combo possible. It is not an easy instance with 2 people, but it is doable.

 

This is actually my point. If an instance is recommended for two people, then it should be more than just doable, especially in low levels.

 

There are always going to be people who can get just the right combination of powers and class sets, or do exactly the right fight, to do things that are beyond what is recommended, ie soloing an instance that is recommended for 2-4 players. This will always be the case. However, if the instance is designed for two players, is a low level intro to instances, it is reasonable to expect that two people, new to the game, should be able to do it. Chamber of Speech is a prime example. Recommended two players, it is doable with one but difficult. Two people and it's more than doable. The case should be the same for Esseles. It should be doable by some solo, more than doable with two.

 

Just because you found it easy, does not mean the instance is balanced for everyone. Which it should be for an low level introduction to the first real instance. The expectation should not be so high as to compare to a high level raid in regards to being unforgiving to new players.

maybe find a 3rd person? Its not designed to be faceroll with two people. Especially if you cant heal.

This is actually my point. If an instance is recommended for two people, then it should be more than just doable, especially in low levels.

 

There are always going to be people who can get just the right combination of powers and class sets, or do exactly the right fight, to do things that are beyond what is recommended, ie soloing an instance that is recommended for 2-4 players. This will always be the case. However, if the instance is designed for two players, is a low level intro to instances, it is reasonable to expect that two people, new to the game, should be able to do it. Chamber of Speech is a prime example. Recommended two players, it is doable with one but difficult. Two people and it's more than doable. The case should be the same for Esseles. It should be doable by some solo, more than doable with two.

 

Just because you found it easy, does not mean the instance is balanced for everyone. Which it should be for an low level introduction to the first real instance. The expectation should not be so high as to compare to a high level raid in regards to being unforgiving to new players.

 

The description says 2+ not 2. To me that means that its possible with 2, but recommended that you have 3 or even 4. I don't see the problem here, the instance is not hard at all. They actually brought the difficulty down some since beta.

The description says 2+ not 2. To me that means that its possible with 2, but recommended that you have 3 or even 4. I don't see the problem here, the instance is not hard at all. They actually brought the difficulty down some since beta.

 

I have no doubt I can do it with more people and/or better gear. Which is probably what I'll do. I just think Bioware is misleading people by having this as your first contact saying "if you have more than one person, you should take the Esseles." Then under the actual mission it literally states: "This mission is for a group. Two players recommended." (copied it directly from the text). This along with making all the mobs up to Ironfist super easy sets up a false expectation for new players. I'm sure once I've done it a few times I'll be a pro, but I don't think it's fair to players who are doing it for the first time.

 

We can have our high bar raid instances that require perfection at the end of the game. I don't think it should be expected for a first real instance.

 

And for the record, I'm not facerolling. I haven't played above level 20, but I have rolled a bunch of jedi, both consular and knight, in beta and pre-launch, on several servers. I've researched which powers to use in which priority. I'm no where near an expert SWTOR player but I have a very good handle on early game mechanics.

Edited December 23, 2011 by londerwost

Well, you guys' must be doing it completely wrong.

 

I just did it with 2 people. Me being level 9 and my partner level 11.

I'd try doing it with four players instead of two players and two companions...that's how I did Esseles and we beat it the first time we tried and Ironfist was no trouble for us.

Move out of aoe, nuke boss, easy. If you have no healing moving out of aoe is even more important.

If you have no healing moving out of aoe is even more important.

 

this. a LOT of bosses in TOR are not hard, they just require attention and/or movement. some can be brute-forced with complete disregard for the mechanic, but that's not how it's supposed to be (or easy)

Edited January 1, 2012 by Graburr

I remember trying it out with three jedi knights and a jedi shadow and it took us a couple of tries also.

I found iron fist to be the only challenge, the first flash point i ever did, i teamed up with a random on a role play server. we duoed esseles and ironfist was the only hard boss.

 

we wiped on the first attempt, trying out strategies and at the 4th or 5th we finally defeated him.

it was mostly strategy and tactics like dodging his attacks, killing reinforcements and alittle bit of luck, they should definitely make him the last boss since he is the hardest in that flash point, the emo kid is a pushover...

guess bad players will continue being bad