I have attempted to do some of the Hard Mode Flash Points yet it seems the boss mobs do 11k damage. I am a JKG Tank with 45% damage reduction over 15k HP and all but 1 piece at 126 rating (belt at 112). How do you become "well geared" enough to do hard mode? The people I have attempted to do these with are at 126 rating themselves but we can't keep up with the damage output.

 

For example in Essels the second boss does 11k+ damage. We tried multiple strategies and class combinations none seem to work. Are these bugged or are we just missing gear or strategy?

I'd like to know this as well. We're in the same boat. While my group has completed every instance, at level, with relatively no issues, moving to hard modes with the highest available pre-Ops gear level has kicked our butts. I'm all for 'difficult', but I'm just not sure what can be done with a tank that can be killed in 2 hits. =/ There just aren't enough CDs to go around.

"Well geared" typically means to be as close to fully equipped from the previous tier of gear as possible. For hard modes I would say this to be about ~116 gear rating across the board for the starter hard mode flashpoints. I do not play Republic, but I am going to assume Esseles to be comparable to Black Talon.

 

I am assuming your group composition is good (ie. your healer is actually properly healing specced) and your current issue is on survivability (you have no mention of hitting enrage timers yet).

 

With that in mind, one issue would be that your group is not dealing with a mechanic on the fight properly. For example, second boss of Black Talon has probes that need to be kited out or they will do unmanageable damage to the group. In general, try to interrupt *everything* possible.

 

If all that is accounted for, then the only weak link point left is on your healer's skill level.

Edited January 9, 2012 by E-x-e

For that specific boss, interrupts are the key. Besides the aoe damage he does every minute, Iron Fist only has one shot that he casts (that hits my tank for 8k-9k non crit). This ability needs an interrupt rotation between two people so it doesn't go off (my interrupt with an 8 sec cooldown is not enough to get them all). After that, you just need the dps to kill him before he enrages (preferably) or before he kills you during enrage.

Dont forget tactic execution. Most HM are not hard when you know what you have to do. Granted, yesterday I've spent more then 100k creds on repairs, we after we figured out what to do it when down fine.

How about interrupting his shot to not get 11k damage?

iron fist is very possible i am a vanguard tank and have had 14-15k hp when i started doing hard mode esseles/battle of illum its not all about gear its about knowing the fight if ya go in there not doing what ur sapost to do ur gonna lose. so

 

on iron fist u need to have 2 people constantly interupting headshot or yes he will 1-2 shot ya then in his missle phase spread out and dps em tank stay on him 2 dps should be killing the adds then get back to boss and interupt everything he does

The problem is the mechanics, not your gear.

 

If you try to ignore the mechanics of the fight you WILL lose in HM's.

 

It's a welcome change from the faceroll that was easy modes.

 

Interrupts are a big part in HM's, make sure your DPS rotate their interrupts.

Thanks all, I know we tried to interrupt everything but the interrupt never succeeds he just keeps "charging" his head-but and 1 shots most.

I do not play Republic, but I am going to assume Esseles to be comparable to Black Talon.

 

It's not. The second boss in The Esseles, Ironfist, is tuned pretty bad. Even with interrupts, he will do a LOT of damage to the group and tank.

 

We were not able to down him as fresh 50s, but a couple days and some new daily and PvP gear later we were able to down him far easier.

Edited January 9, 2012 by JaspahX

It's not. The second boss in The Esseles, Ironfist, is tuned pretty bad. Even with interrupts, he will do a LOT of damage to the group and tank.

 

We were not able to down him as fresh 50s, but a couple days and some new daily and PvP gear later we were able to down him far easier.

 

 

 

So... you mean you actually had to do some progression and get geared up for running harder content ? who woulda thunk it. He is Tuned just fine its called Hard mode not walk in here and ill lay down for you mode.