I've read the debate on whether the new FPs are too easy or too hard, etc. I don't want to get into that discussion.

 

I will admit, however, that the Sandstorm fight is difficult for *me*. I have beaten it (once), but I've also wiped on it a LOT. I know that you have to get the boss to the green generator and have him pound it.

 

But I'm finding that it's easier said than done. And I'm hoping that those of you that have no problem with this fight can share your insights on how to more consistently beat it.

 

Background: I'm a fairly well geared Guardian tank (mix of 69s and 72s). I've been tanking the boss in the middle, then trying to get to the green generator ASAP. If the one in the cave or the one by the entrance turns green, I can get him there before he does his AOE. But if I'm having a tough time getting him to the left or right generators before he does the AOE. And if you miss destroying the gen on the first AOE, you have to sit through the storm for so long that the party's hp is *very* low (in my experience). And then we wipe shortly thereafter.

 

So I've thought of the following possible solutions:

1) Have a group member stand near the left gen and another member stand near the right gen, and use Guardian Leap to get there faster. I tried this, and the problem is that it requires intelligent teammate(s). They have to be positioned correctly, and they have to then run away from you so that you don't overlap AOE. I was never able to get my group members to do this well enough. It also requires that you be a Guardian/Jugg. How would a Vanguard/PT tank handle this?

 

2) If you have a Sent/Mara, they can use Transcendance/Predation. This is, of course, only helpful if you happen to have one in your group.

 

3) Have a Sage pull you to a gen, if he happens to be near it. This has the same drawbacks as #1 and #2 above.

 

4) Gamble by dragging the boss towards the gen you *hope* will turn green. But the odds of guessing all 4 gens in the right order are not good...

 

5) Just go as fast as normally possible (don't increase speed) but have off-heals do as much healing as possible and just heal through the storm. This, of course, requires that there actually be off-heals in the group. It also requires that the healers actually be geared/good.

 

I've tried all these things, and none of them produce consistent results for me. So, I'm hoping that those of you who say that this fight is easy, please tell me how you handle this fight. Are one of these the way to go? Is there another solution I haven't thought of?

 

TL;DR: How do you one-shot the Sandstorm fight in the new HM FP?

 

Thanks for your (constructive) feedback. Please don't tell me to L2P. I'm *trying* to learn.

Edited August 12, 2013 by old_benn

Sins have force speed, pts have hydraulic overrides...I think for this fight, intercede is the best option for jugs. Course if you have no range you're sol...you can intercede to your healer, but that requires a bit of luck. I had a group with 2 melee dps and a jugg tank on my sorc, and I basically had to come to terms with the fact that we were gonna eat 2 sandstorms and I focused on keeping the better geared dps, the tank, and myself alive. The enrage timer isn't tight (if there is one beyond running out of generators) and if your dps and tank make sure to stay on opposite sides of the boss, it is possible.

 

TL;DR you either hope you have one ranged dps and explain what to do or hope you have an excellent healer and dps with some good defensive cooldowns.

Zoom out to 100% and always be on the look out. See who might be the fastest dps there like a commando w/ hold the line. If a dps or healer gets to the green generator before you use your guardian leap. Problem solved. Edited August 12, 2013 by Narciuss

Honestly shouldn't be an issue their is more than enough time to get him anywhere, if you're tanking in the center of the room. Like the other poster said pan your camera out as far as possible. I don't even both using HO on my PT also didn't have an issue with my jug either.

My guardian is my 3rd toon i am playing. and i have no problem to get to the generator in time.

You have to walk in the first second. But there are ~5s more time then needed.

Never had issues getting to the generator in time with my jug. Just have your max camera distance zoomed out enough and you can see which one lights up. Move to that gen and let him rampage smash it. Done. When you get 2 destroyed next to each other, then you just need to tank him between those 2 rather than the middle of the room.

The only thing that drive me nuts is RAMPAGE. If some is standing next to you when it goes off it will stack so if 3 people make the mistake standing to close to each other they all just lost 12-14k HP's and the healer is going to be like "Oh, F&*% me". I'm ranged DPS and lucky for me I stay out of range of every one and rampage has 40 meters of area effect and since I have 30 meter of attack range I can just run out of the area of effect but the poor MDPS guys gotta take the hits.

Both pt/vg and asin/shad tanks have speed abilities and can get to the generator on time easily.

 

I haven't tried on my jug. Intercede can be an option I guess. The groupmates don't need to be all right next to the generator. They just need to spread out and you intercede to the closer one to give you the head start you need.

 

Avoid using sorc/sage pull on tank... losing aggro tends to create more problem.

Edited August 13, 2013 by Banegio

You can intercede or guardian leap to the generator.

 

Also if you dont want to leap, pop your taunt ant turn and run. Do not back your way there

Do not back your way there

 

^THIS, I have seen this way too often.

 

As mentioned, the enrage is really loose(if there is even one, Ive yet to see it) so dps can just stay out of the fight and head 40mtrs away, and come back after.

 

Also, it starts to glow green shortly before the sandstorm, so keeping an eye on them really helps you gain a few valuable seconds.

The only thing that drive me nuts is RAMPAGE. If some is standing next to you when it goes off it will stack so if 3 people make the mistake standing to close to each other they all just lost 12-14k HP's and the healer is going to be like "Oh, F&*% me". I'm ranged DPS and lucky for me I stay out of range of every one and rampage has 40 meters of area effect and since I have 30 meter of attack range I can just run out of the area of effect but the poor MDPS guys gotta take the hits.

 

yesterday i failed 3 or 4 times in SM as a jugg

my healer companion always stuck in the center of the room and couldn't heal me near the generator because of the distance

mDPS mate closing with me to hit the boss couldn't help too

my healer companion always stuck in the center of the room and couldn't heal me near the generator because of the distance

 

Set your companion passive so they stop attacking or healing and head to you then turn passive off.

Edited August 13, 2013 by Nkya

there are probably many ways to do it but I've found one of the best ways is keep the dps and melee in the middle of the room but spread out due to stacking rampage damage... when the boss alerts you about "sandstorm" the tank starts running towards the barrel highlighted in green as fast as possible and is right on top of it for the boss to break it, the other melee/dps don't move from the middle except the healer that stays at distance but close enough to heal the tank.... then the tank brings boss back to middle for the next barrel ... rinse and repeat...

 

i found that if the dps/melee run after the tank as he's going for the barrel they tend to get close to one another and the rampage stacking damage becomes to much, by staying in the middle and staying spread out that avoids it...

 

-hope this helps

The way that works the best for me in a group is this:

 

 

Fight boss in middle.

 

When sandstorm starts, EVERYONE runs to the generator thats glowing green immediately and spreads out behind/near it, with tank on it taunting boss.

 

Once AOE breaks the generator, everyone runs to the middle again and brings the boss there.

 

Wash, rinse, repeat. Fighting boss in middle makes it a shorter run to the active generator.

Make sure you have the skill that makes you run faster when you are guarding someone, and have someone guarded, the extra run speed helps.

 

Also pop reflect during sandstorm, the damage seems to be reflectable.

all the healers have a movement cd, have them use it to the tank and leap to them.

 

yes, they have to be smart

You can also spec for the rule of two option and hope your guarded target gets hit at the right time. It's a handy talent