Suffice it to say, I agree with 100% of everything JediKamo has written. With that said, I hope the following is useful...

Regardless of gear level, there are what I consider two chokepoints in SoV. Both of those chokepoints stem from the undeniable fact that Rass Ordo, despite being really hot, is actually an idiot.

The first chokepoint is after the kitchen. Rass wanders b/c he is, well, a dolt and will pull the side groups / mobs. The solution is to put him on passive and pull the first group back into the kitchen and then reactivate him.

The second chokepoint is the last boss -- Heta Kol. As has been noted in this thread (and many others), the key is to grab aggro on the Sharpshooters the moment they appear on the second wave. Otherwise, Rass (assuming he is healing) will drop like a brick. Oh, and FYI, when I ran SoV on my healer and Rass on DPS, he just decided to stop shooting on the second wave until I reactivated him. Good thing he's good looking or I'd have tossed him into a Sarlacc Pit.

Bottom line: For whatever reason, BW has created a Flashpoint where you need to pay attention to your companion. I'm not against that philosophy per se (I actually love SoV now, well enjoy it would be a better phrase), but given that Secrets of the Enclave is faceroll easy, it begs the question of why SoV is designed the way it is.

Dasty

The first chokepoint is after the kitchen. Rass wanders b/c he is, well, a dolt and will pull the side groups / mobs. The solution is to put him on passive and pull the first group back into the kitchen and then reactivate him.

 

Dasty

I forgot about that one. Pre-6.3, I died a lot there.

Tried that. It was a million credits and 3,000 tech fragments for a guarantee for one item. I went over to the random guy. Got a 276 upgraded to a 278 but nothing higher while tech fragments were being wasted away at 375 a try. I suppose I should spend two hours doing nothing but buying random?

If you are at 276 then your next tier will be 278 and you would need to get most of your geat to the rating of 278 until you advance to the next tier. I got my character to each tier and then went back when I had more fragments to advance to the next tier. If I got something that the character I was getting gear for didn't need I would put in my legacy bank and let one of my others get that particular piece. It will not be automatically set to 306 if you are at 276. You will have to proceed to each tier but for me fragments are easy to get considering I do the weeklies (cz/black hole etc) heroic and get my personal conquest on each character since I am also helping my guild get their goals and when the guild gets their rewards I get more fragments as well.

If you are at 276 then your next tier will be 278 and you would need to get most of your geat to the rating of 278 until you advance to the next tier. I got my character to each tier and then went back when I had more fragments to advance to the next tier. If I got something that the character I was getting gear for didn't need I would put in my legacy bank and let one of my others get that particular piece. It will not be automatically set to 306 if you are at 276. You will have to proceed to each tier but for me fragments are easy to get considering I do the weeklies (cz/black hole etc) heroic and get my personal conquest on each character since I am also helping my guild get their goals and when the guild gets their rewards I get more fragments as well.

In other words, yes, I'm supposed to spend 2 hours buying and selling gear. I shouldn't be having to do this to play the game. I do not live in South Park. I don't have the time nor inclination to be fighting boars. Those who enjoy this and want the best gear so they can play the voluntary harder content are welcome to do so. As a casual player who plays the Stories I should be able to enjoy the Stories as I have been with the gear the game gives me playing the Stories. For Spirit of Vengeance I cannot do so.

Suffice it to say, I agree with 100% of everything JediKamo has written. With that said, I hope the following is useful...

 

Regardless of gear level, there are what I consider two chokepoints in SoV. Both of those chokepoints stem from the undeniable fact that Rass Ordo, despite being really hot, is actually an idiot.

 

The first chokepoint is after the kitchen. Rass wanders b/c he is, well, a dolt and will pull the side groups / mobs. The solution is to put him on passive and pull the first group back into the kitchen and then reactivate him.

 

The second chokepoint is the last boss -- Heta Kol. As has been noted in this thread (and many others), the key is to grab aggro on the Sharpshooters the moment they appear on the second wave. Otherwise, Rass (assuming he is healing) will drop like a brick. Oh, and FYI, when I ran SoV on my healer and Rass on DPS, he just decided to stop shooting on the second wave until I reactivated him. Good thing he's good looking or I'd have tossed him into a Sarlacc Pit.

 

Bottom line: For whatever reason, BW has created a Flashpoint where you need to pay attention to your companion. I'm not against that philosophy per se (I actually love SoV now), but given that Secrets of the Enclave is faceroll easy, it begs the question of why SoV is designed the way it is.

 

Dasty

I was going to comment further on this thread,,,,,but jdast has described it perfectly. The only chokepoint i experienced was the fountain room....the room after the kitchen. I actually like the disabling the comp and pulling back strat....i didnt think of that...but stealthing and rocket booting across was the way i dealt with it. (as a deception sin)

I never had an issue with the last boss...but again, as jdast mentioned...as i in a few other threads as well....getting about half the agro in the room will save your comp...and yourself from getting pummuled to death.

Suffice it to say, I agree with 100% of everything JediKamo has written. With that said, I hope the following is useful...

 

Regardless of gear level, there are what I consider two chokepoints in SoV. Both of those chokepoints stem from the undeniable fact that Rass Ordo, despite being really hot, is actually an idiot.

 

The first chokepoint is after the kitchen. Rass wanders b/c he is, well, a dolt and will pull the side groups / mobs. The solution is to put him on passive and pull the first group back into the kitchen and then reactivate him.

 

The second chokepoint is the last boss -- Heta Kol. As has been noted in this thread (and many others), the key is to grab aggro on the Sharpshooters the moment they appear on the second wave. Otherwise, Rass (assuming he is healing) will drop like a brick. Oh, and FYI, when I ran SoV on my healer and Rass on DPS, he just decided to stop shooting on the second wave until I reactivated him. Good thing he's good looking or I'd have tossed him into a Sarlacc Pit.

 

Bottom line: For whatever reason, BW has created a Flashpoint where you need to pay attention to your companion. I'm not against that philosophy per se (I actually love SoV now), but given that Secrets of the Enclave is faceroll easy, it begs the question of why SoV is designed the way it is.

 

Dasty

YIP !! Pretty much !!

I might add one thing to this (particularly for smuggler) ... don't stay in one spot very long !! Doing so makes you (and your knot-headed companion) an easy target. Sooo don't use "hunker down" too much !! Be mindful if you do !!

(Please note: this is not the first, second or third time I've seen a situation where "hunker down" could be a serious negative when faced with harder hitting mobs !! By that I mean this situation is not unique to SoV).

WP but 302 ilvl is not required at all.

I did it with my operative consealment 270 ilvl the same day SOV came out.

And last week with my knight 230 ivl.

YIP !! Pretty much !!

 

I might add one thing to this (particularly for smuggler) ... don't stay in one spot very long !! Doing so makes you (and your knot-headed companion) an easy target. Sooo don't use "hunker down" too much !! Be mindful if you do !!

 

(Please note: this is not the first, second or third time I've seen a situation where "hunker down" could be a serious negative when faced with harder hitting mobs !! By that I mean this situation is not unique to SoV).

Yeah, fighting any boss generally means “keep moving.” With the Smuggler Gunslinger and the Agent Sniper—where the playstyle involves being stationary, it can be a disadvantage.

We’ll see how it all plays out on my remaining (non-duplicates*) characters:

1. Jedi Sage

2. Sith Sorcerer

3. Trooper Commando

4. Agent Sniper

(* I do have duplicates so I can see the LS/DS story and the male/female romance options)

WP but 302 ilvl is not required at all.

I did it with my operative consealment 270 ilvl the same day SOV came out.

And last week with my knight 230 ivl.

In my experience, I succeeded with 5 characters

1. Jedi Sentinel completed it in the 284 level pre-6.2. Multiple attempts and deaths. It was hard and I felt damned lucky when I finally succeeded

2 + 3 Sith (forget the name… the 2 weapon one) and Jedi Guardian cleared 6.2 with lower gear. I thought it was fixed

4. When 6.2a, I think they broke the fix. By this time, I was in 304 gear. I couldn’t advance my BH. I could waltz through everything up to that last boss. Then I started getting one shotted on the second wave. 6.3 was when i succeeded. At this point I was in 306 gear

5. Smuggler was in 306 gear when he succeeded. I hope my gear and my learned tactic will work for the rest.

Maybe I could do it with lower level gear now that I know the tactic. But I think it requires a higher level of playing skill than Story-Solo should have

Its not really difficult. The thing is most people do not know how to play their class and the basics (using cooldown, heroic moment, hit and run, kick).

If "most" people do not know then that defies the rationale and logic of Story Mode. By definition.

To prove my point...

Secrets of the Enclave is a breeze / walk in the park / cakewalk, etc., compared to Spirit of Vengeance. C'est vrai? If and when you can account for that variation your argument will be more credible. As noted by others in this thread, it's almost like two different designers were at the helm.

Dasty

Its not really difficult. The thing is most people do not know how to play their class and the basics (using cooldown, heroic moment, hit and run, kick).

Ah... Thank you for your Ex Spurt assessment of how ONLY you know how to play and NOBODY else does...

YIP !! Pretty much !!

 

I might add one thing to this (particularly for smuggler) ... don't stay in one spot very long !! Doing so makes you (and your knot-headed companion) an easy target. Sooo don't use "hunker down" too much !! Be mindful if you do !!

This little annoyance also kills about 90% if the Smuggler or any other class that must channel or be stationary to attack ability to do any DPS. By not being able to Stop and Channel your attack or even to simply stand still because "You Can No Do That While Moving" leaves you with No ability to do any damage. For the Smuggler it leaves you with your single weapon attack and thermal grenade and that is it. As soon as you stop to Channel or go into Cover to use your skills you get pummeled. So Much Fun.....NOT!

It really is sorry that BW devs do not have the ability to actually write a game that is fun without being a PITA in the process....

If "most" people do not know then that defies the rationale and logic of Story Mode. By definition.

 

To prove my point...

 

Secrets of the Enclave is a breeze / walk in the park / cakewalk, etc., compared to Spirit of Vengeance. C'est vrai? If and when you can account for that variation your argument will be more credible. As noted by others in this thread, it's almost like two different designers were at the helm.

 

Dasty

Exactly this really.

They mess with storymode difficulty in one small section of the game, required for story progression, then wonder why half the people are struggling and can't do it and are getting stuck.

I was one of the lucky ones who played back when we had to know our classes just to get by in the most insignificant quests. This is so not the case for many newer players.

They went from an empty pool to a full pool in the blink of an eye without teaching people how to swim, then wonder why they are drowning. If they gradually increased the water level over a few FPs, to give the people time to learn how to swim, no one would be drowning.