It's not "better or l2p issue" -it's most likely just something simple like purified mechanic people just don't get or can't execute together, for the encounter with the droid at least. I have tanked, I have meleed dpsed it and range dpsed everything many times in Lost Island. From this experience I think Lorrick is hardest for melee in this instance (and most fun) after the mechanic for the droid is something the party can handle.

 

VS droid when the fight starts (for us it seems this simple):

 

In the beginning

Fight the droid in the middle of the room as long as a rod drops on DPS (melee) behind the droid. If you are using ranged you can leave them to the south-eastern part of the room in the beginning.

 

Repetitive process

Move the droid to the tanks on the left side of the room so that DPS are behind the droid and the droid is facing towards the door you entered the room from.

 

Trickery and coordination!

Keep DPSing and tanking the mob there until it dropds the growing lightning/electricity sphere on people behind it again. When it does that: Move to the south-western corner (left from the door you entered the room from), even before the tank instead of standing in the sphere. However, your DPS might suffer if your tank is a slow one. It's pretty important you can stay behind the droid and dps when there is movement. The droid moves fast as hell to the tank after he's done the experimental cannon. This is the time to DPS him like hell and not stand in the eletricity. Also take notice to make thet ank move to the next tanking place if your DPS can interrupt the crucial skill.

 

Repeat again

If you have a tank with good interrupt and two sentinels (like we've had a few times) you can interrupt plasma arcs (or whatever those were called). Also, like someone stated: the lava doesn't hurt that much. Run through it if necessary.

 

EDIT---->

 

I think I have to take my words back about it not being l2p issue. We have done it with two sentinels out of which other one didn't even have armors, modifications and enhancements from daily heroics on orange gear yet. So yeah - I guess it's abit of a learn to play issue. And to previous poster: If your melee struggled with it, you might have kited it bad. fsss.

Edited May 10, 2012 by Ruskaeth

We did this in 40 mins yesterday. Including Bonus boss. Didnt wipe once.

 

1Jedi Guardian

1 Jedi Seintinal

1 Smuggler Scrapper

1 Jedi Sage

 

Mainly Columi with some rakata.

 

This is my 10th time completing this and everytime its got easier and easier. Just a case of practice.

is there anything that doesn't favor ranged dps? seriously there is nothing melee dps can do that ranged cannot do better -reroll a Merc or Commando Edited May 10, 2012 by MorgonKara

Skipping most of these posts, since I know both arguments pretty well...

 

Anyway, the difference in bringing melee versus ranged dps classes into this instance, and this fight, is a matter of tanking and placement. The strategy for tanks on the second boss, assuming you're used to what a group with two ranged dps'ers soes, is vastly different. No more difficult, just different.

 

-my two cents.

Yes, with melee dps I have to move the boss around, but I prefer having a marauder with me in this FP.

 

I have noticed a *big* difference in the amount of time it takes to bring down the bosses when I have a marauder with me (more dps and dps-ing on the move). The droid boss, and especially also on the last boss where you need to dps him down fast, a marauder makes it much easier. Both the kolto tank phase, and the final 10% phase, the marauder makes it easier. Or maybe my marauder buddy is just OP

 

So there is an advantage to running melee in this fight... the mechanics are harder, but the fights are shorter. And that is an advantage especially on the last boss.

Hi. I'm a Vanguard tank.

 

I completed Lost Island HM, but was only able to do so with RDPS. When I went with melee DPS, we consistently hit the enrage timer. It was not a failing on my end, or the healer's end (which should be clear since we hit the enrage so much.) I interrupted incinerate every time, usually even before it got to 1 stack, and I was always above 50% health (so it wasn't the healer's fault, either.) It wasn't the DPS' fault. They never died, and they had Rakata gear. We had both the DPS switch to their ranged alts (who had about the same gear) and beat the boss on our first attempt.

 

Lost Island is poorly balanced. You can pretend that it's not, but it is. You can say that you're better than everyone because your group did it with MDPS, but it's probably because you're just better than everyone. Congratulations, you have won an MMORPG. Go get a tan, or treat yourself to a cake. That does not mean the fight is properly balanced, it just means you were able to succeed in the face of adversity. Once again, congratulations, your majesty, king or queen of MMOs, and conqueror of lady or man parts. Maybe being great has gone to your head and made you stupid. Or maybe you just don't don't understand the concept of balance. Whatever the case, if you think Lost Island HM is balanced, you are wrong. Lost Island is a GREAT instance. It is tons of fun, but it also needs tons of work. Open your eyes.

 

Sounds like your dps are terrible at playing melee. Are they wasting time killing adds? With a melee group, moving the boss should cause no appreciable dps loss.

is there anything that doesn't favor ranged dps? seriously there is nothing melee dps can do that ranged cannot do better -reroll a Merc or Commando

Interrupt.

If you have a group that knows the encounter and can do it on there slt ranged dps but not their main melee toon then they would be wise to get some advise on playing their class. The fastest kills on this boss I've done is when we have 2 sentinel dps and don't even come close to the soft enrage timer. Learning the fight I'd easier on rdps but after that you dhould be able to do with any group as long as they know how to play. People saying don't say it's a l2p issue when it is. I honestly don't see the advantage to ranged dps being able to put more sustained dps on the boss. Either strat involves the dps to move while melee classes abilities are able to be cast whe moving, last time I checked grav round has a cast time. When the tank is moving him dps should be continuing to dps.

Read about the mechanics. Practice. It's not really that hard once you understand it.

Dont care what anybody says it is unfair for it to be easier with R-Dps.

if you cannot kill this boss with 2 melee dps, i've learned through multiple failed attempts, its normally a tank l2p issues. get a good tank that knows how to simply drag the boss, does not get tunnel visioned, stays zoomed out, and hits interrupts on incinerate quickly = easy win.

 

Nonsense. It's not easy. For the tank to move the boss he needs to move outside of melee range. The interrupt ability is melee range.

I've tried the kiting method multiple times and it always ends up with incinerates missed especially when he stops to cast something and won't follow. And to top if off, this is usually when he has already cast a bubble right behind him where the rest of the group is stacked up so now the boss is in the middle of a huge bubble and won't move while casting the long channel spell. And the next thing he's going to do is cast Incinerate as soon as that's over.

On the first droid, whether you're melee or ranged DPS, your job is the same. Avoid fire, avoid lightning orbs, interrupt Plasma Arc, apply damage.

 

It's a matter of practice and finding the 'rhythm' of the fight. The sole change when bringing melee is the tank must be more aware of where his party is and not just of keeping his own arse outta the fire.

Nonsense. It's not easy. For the tank to move the boss he needs to move outside of melee range. The interrupt ability is melee range.

I've tried the kiting method multiple times and it always ends up with incinerates missed especially when he stops to cast something and won't follow. And to top if off, this is usually when he has already cast a bubble right behind him where the rest of the group is stacked up so now the boss is in the middle of a huge bubble and won't move while casting the long channel spell. And the next thing he's going to do is cast Incinerate as soon as that's over.

 

If you're going to miss incinerate as a tank, shout for a DPS to grab the next one. However this usually happens after he turrets with his Experimental Cannon ability so it's easy to anticipate. Just wait it out, pop cooldowns if you need to, get the Incinerate then get moving again. EDIT: If you do have to eat the AOEs while waiting for it, make sure it's the lightning orbs. The spouting fire does far more damage.

Edited May 11, 2012 by ALXinstincts

If your having trouble getting the incinerates then you shouldn't be in this flashpoint practice getting your interrupts down in an easier one. With range the tank is solely responsible for incinerate but when you bring melee especially sentinels you should be able to lock down every cast not just the incinerates. The incinerates is on a regular timer and you should be able to anticipate it also anyone with a charge can charge back into the boss if he starts casting. Melee is easier once you know the fight.

I ran this with 1 Jugg tank and 2 geared marauders (me as sorc heals). We one-shotted everything.

 

All we needed to do on the first boss was make sure that everyone moved at the same time and interrupted. I never saw an incinerate stack on my tank once.

 

Then again, I also did this FP on HM with 1 sin tank, 2 sorc deeps and with me as sorc heals (INQUISITION!!!). It was easier, but going the melee route isn't impossible.

I run this flashpoint with melee all the time. The enrage timer becomes much tighter as a result, but it's certainly still doable. You need to move *together*. Be aware of the timing on when he will drop lightning spires (once every 12 seconds, I think) and when you need to interrupt. Try to sneak in a few extra hits while you move.

 

The fight is *vastly* easier if you're a melee DPS in one of the DoT specs (e.g. Watchman Sentinel, Vigilance Guardian or Balance Shadow). This allows your DPS to remain high even during the movement phases. I honestly don't think I would take an Infiltration Shadow on this flashpoint unless they (and the rest of the party) were very over-geared. The movement and positioning requirements just *destroy* that spec.

 

If it makes you feel better, certain ranged classes have an even harder time with this fight than the melee classes do. Gunnery Commandos and Sharpshooter Gunslingers are absolutely boned by all of the movement requirements. Their spec really requires them to plant and cast. Moving destroys that ability. So, stacking two gunnery commandos on this fight would be almost as bad as stacking two infiltration shadows.

I actually find the boss difficulty to be interestingly enjoyable with melee. My guild has done it a bunch of times with 1 melee tank and 2 melee dps with a healer. We may wipe a few times if we mess up but it's really just about good communication/awareness and teamwork. We use vent, leader tells people to move. Then we just slowly drag him around the perimeter. Only time it gets significantly dangerous is when he'll use a discharge and then experimental cannon through that and then when discharge is at a huge radius, while he's standing in it, he'll incinerate so at least 1 melee has to force charge in to interrupt and then run out.