What a surprise, the LR-5 encounter has been made drastically easier, because if anyone has difficulty doing anything then the answer must be making that thing easier. The lightning orbs now disappear, at a rate which is laughable compared to the originally-challenging placement issue that the fight revolved around. End-game is prefaced by "end" for a reason. To trivialize the difficulty of content only after the players actually willing to devote the time/effort to learning is a proverbial slap in the face. I have a feeling (which I suspect many others share) that the frequency of which content is released in the coming months, along with its quality/difficulty, will either cause this game to go on thriving or be yet another freemium garbage MMO.

Unless I'm mistaken, based on my recent experiences running it, certain groups of mobs (if not scripted events entirely) have been tweaked to make them easier within HM Lost Island. And while the drops do seem to be altered a bit, and the Lhosan Thunderbolt is common enough to keep me running the FP regardless of upgrades, I remain curious as to what the justification was for removing the large security chest (from Kaon as well). The existence of that chest and the idea that it could possibly have something decent in it was the only reason not to skip Transgenic Sample Seven altogether, since few players that can typically perform up to par for the instance have any need for the repeatedly-mentioned annoyance that are Tionese crystals. Just some more of my random thoughts before this thread reaches absolute obsolescence.

Updated for post-merger...I'm now on The Shadowlands, still making jerky for free (with mats), or a nominal charge if I supply the Fern/Liver.

Couldn't have said it better myself. Post-1.3, especially considering the drastic changes in drops throughout the older FP's (normal and hard modes), I find myself wondering why the same has not been done regarding the newer (see: Rakghoul) FP's except for the apparent altogether removal of the previously static large security chests. Instead of wanting to clear whatever mini/bonus bosses in place, my instinct is to skip the content entirely, and this is almost always how the groups I've been in operate. Tionese commendations/crystals are okay if your goal is replenishing repair bills through vendoring whatever rewards you can buy with them, but not enough for something like Lost Island on hard mode.

Matrix Cubes being the reason for "emergency" maintenance instead of just waiting until the normal patch day/time is absurd. These items are not good. Seriously, get over the Matrix Cube obsession and upgrade to two clickables (or just deal with something that doesn't make much of a difference either way). This is silly.

The one in my signature. Gear-wise I swap to a mixture of two-piece set bonus PvE/PvP stuff, and tank perfectly fine, even excel, at combat against players in comparatively much better gear than what I have. I am valor 27, and only have set-bonus pieces from prior to patch 1.2, so that may not be an option, but you can improvise.

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.

I'd like to add that there are two additional pets, both from Lost Island HM (perhaps just the final boss). The Mysterious Egg, which I believe I am the first to get, is hatched like the Orokeet but rewards an Orosquab instead. The only difference is the coloring, which resembles the Lhosan speeder bought with daily commendations along with - as I understand it - the Rakling pet drop. [Edit: As for receiving the global first, I am unsure...searching the forums initially resulted nothing, but now there are some hits (likely due to the increased HM Lost Island completions).]

In summation: Lost Island HM, as it stands, is the most demanding content per person in the game, and the gear requirements for a flawless run are not bad at all. Know your character, role, and the events, or have no expectation to see all the content in the game. There is a reason group/raid numbers were lowered from previous MMO norms. Cheers to all those who agree/get why I posted this!

Not sure about you, but as a guild's main tank I try and run this as many times as possible for guildies/friends to get their relics, Columi weapon, and Rakata chest...I'm still waiting to see if that large security box has anything to make killing the boss and clearing that room worth it.

Ok, after some more runs I just want to clear up the following things from my own perspective. Not only is gear an essential non-issue, aside from the DPS burn needed on the bonus boss, but it is pretty much a PUG-able instance assuming one or two members of the group know and can effectively describe the roles of any first-timers in the group. I know this because I did it, and the PUG'd healer was under-geared. When you reach the point of an occasional death during a 40-minute run in the flashpoint that is, for all intents and purposes, the most demanding four-man content per player in the game, you begin to truly realize the value of the farmable Rakata chest and Columi mainhand, to say nothing of the rare drops (Mysterious Egg, anyone?). My initial opinion regarding this place is even more solidified now. Casual players can stay casual in...what's that place? Oh, right. Story mode. Go figure.

One ranged DPS, one melee DPS...bringing two melee DPS is asking for a hefty repair bill and lots of wipes. Also, make sure melee DPS is guarded, with their aggro reduced the ranged are able to circle the room, effectively placing the lightning spheres where they want to instead of piling 'em on the middle platform.

The bonus boss is exactly that: a bonus. His loot should be improved based on his difficulty (which is essentially nil once you're running Lost Island like any other HM). As far as the robot, he is essentially the "ready check" of the instance (with very different strategies depending on group make-up). Kill him and you're golden. Also, it's not just any piece of Columi that Doc Lorrick drops, it's the mainhand. Something only previously available on a week-long lockout timer now being accessible as often as you're willing to run the FP is great. The way I see this instance is less of an impossible mess and more of a way to farm Rakata chestpieces and Columi mainhands for guildies.

Agree 100% that tionese commendations dropping is a joke, as most people ready to run the HM version (I've never stepped into story mode, so I am not sure of difficulty level) all have full columi two times over, but the mere fact that you can get a Rakata chest in about 50 minutes and not be locked out is great. And just IMHO, Doctor Lorrick is the most fun 4-man event in the game right now.

As futile as replying to this drivel may be, I can't help myself. This instance is NOT meant for those geared in anything less than Columi for the most part. It is NOT on par with any of the earlier Hard Modes. What it IS is the most rewarding/challenging four-man content currently available (at least as far as I've seen). When you learn the strategies you get a legitimate sense of accomplishment because of the difficulty. P.S. There should always be content that only a few will be able to see/beat. It's called end-game. That one MMO that made you think you're entitled to finish all of a game's content lied. Sorry. This is not a mere "l2play nub" post, this is about content that takes knowing what you're doing, who you're grouped with, and how to maximize your own effectiveness.