Ilum - bugged, overtuned, or just designed to be sadistic?

[Inune]

So far on Ilum, just doing the single-player intro quest chain for Republic (Crystal Ball -> Gentlemen's Agreement), I have encountered the following:

 

-Strong mobs with an AE spell that will kill my companion from 100% in under 5 seconds

-Strong mobs with CC abilities that have no DR and no CD, which they chain on my companion

-Entire rooms of mobs pulling with specific elites

-Random groups of mobs that are linked and pull together (including pulls with 2-3 Elite and Strong mobs)

 

None of these are in heroic areas or have any indication that they are designed for groups. They're still doable, but it makes me wonder if it is intended that these mobs go so far above and beyond the level of difficulty that we've seen on previous planets (I could solo heroic 2's on Corellia more easily than I can do single-player quests on Ilum), or if things (e.g. CC abilities with no CD) are just simply bugged.

[Lucridate]

So far on Ilum, just doing the single-player intro quest chain for Republic (Crystal Ball -> Gentlemen's Agreement), I have encountered the following:

 

-Strong mobs with an AE spell that will kill my companion from 100% in under 5 seconds

-Strong mobs with CC abilities that have no DR and no CD, which they chain on my companion

-Entire rooms of mobs pulling with specific elites

-Random groups of mobs that are linked and pull together (including pulls with 2-3 Elite and Strong mobs)

 

None of these are in heroic areas or have any indication that they are designed for groups. They're still doable, but it makes me wonder if it is intended that these mobs go so far above and beyond the level of difficulty that we've seen on previous planets (I could solo heroic 2's on Corellia more easily than I can do single-player quests on Ilum), or if things (e.g. CC abilities with no CD) are just simply bugged.

I agree, now having completed Crystal Ball (with the surprising decision tree twist) and now face Gentleman's Agreement. So far it has been a wearing and costly grind completing the missions, and often just getting to them.

The final stage in Crystal ball was indeed a HEROIC if not in name certainly in nature and should be flagged as Red not Yellow. Then again, no Story mission should be Red as if you run out of credits (easily done if it takes a half dozen attempts to complete) you can't proceed. Pulling in bosses from 100m away to enjoin a deadly battle is just plain weird as if you are meant to take down every re-spawning Imperial around you. Need to grind some Space Missions to get credits to proceed now.

Edited April 9, 2012 by Lucridate

[Hologramx]

You need to get yourself fully geared with level 49 artifact gears (buy them from GTN) to complete the quests at normal difficulty. And the last boss is super hard even for a geared and very skillful players. Try to get someone to help you. It's time to get into a guild at level 50 and it will be easier to find help. It is an extension of a daily so they would help you while finishing their dailies.

 

I can even solo the level 49 heroics 2+ in Corellia as a fresh 50, but the quests in Ilum are really challenging (minus those dailies except the last one) but I think it is good as a final quest chain. It is only a difference of whether you get geared up before Ilum or after Ilum. These quests do not reward anything specially good for a level 50 after all.

 

BTW, Ilum has a PvP zone which is totally isolated from the PvE zone and I guess this post should not be in the PvP forum.

Edited April 9, 2012 by Hologramx

[MashTactics]

I never had any problems on Ilum with any of my toons.

 

Based on that, I'm either exceptionally good, or everyone else is exceptionally bad.

 

I can tell you right now that I'm not exceptionally good.

[Arrys]

I never had any problems on Ilum with any of my toons.

 

Based on that, I'm either exceptionally good, or everyone else is exceptionally bad.

 

I can tell you right now that I'm not exceptionally good.

 

It's easy to go through this game overlevelled to content. Then you hit 50 and 50 content and are no longer overlevelled and things like not using your interupt, not having your companion well geared being behind in your gear matter to an extent it doesn't in the rest of the game from that players perspective.

[Lucridate]

I never had any problems on Ilum with any of my toons.

 

Based on that, I'm either exceptionally good, or everyone else is exceptionally bad.

 

I can tell you right now that I'm not exceptionally good.

 

Hardly constructive and in no way helpful. One might even say worthy of a Troll, but I will not lower myself.

Even with Artifact gear and the best equipment credits can buy, Illum is tough - and expensive for me. With Companions equally buffed, yet taken down quickly a lone fight against a half dozen Lvl 50+ (as in bosses) is short and ugly.

Corellia and the Emperor combined were a doddle compared with Illum.

Edited April 9, 2012 by Lucridate

[Bigbozo]

Not shure why this got moved to PvP, as the OP is clearly talking about the PvE missions on Ilum.

 

@OP. I've only done the Imp side, but I hade to do Belsavis dailies for a few days befor I could do the missions on Ilum.

[khsolo]

I can and maybe a bunch here can as well solo the h2 in Illum and Belsavis as well so you have to be doing something wrong

[Lucridate]

I can and maybe a bunch here can as well solo the h2 in Illum and Belsavis as well so you have to be doing something wrong

 

Perhaps not so much something wrong, as something we are missing. Class could also play a role. I have a Jedi Sentinal that needs different companions with different abilities at differnt times. On Illum the JS seems to need a DPS, Heal andTank (as in Lord Scourge) and the Ranged Support at different times. Rusk and Doc go down pretty fast most times when hit by two/three up close while the Ent is tied up with 3 or 4 of his own Lvl 50's. I'll need to get better gear for Scourge as I haven't bothered too much with him, so Kira will have to do as a "Tank" until then ( and so far she's done pretty well).

If you are doing Heroic 2+'s on Illum, you obviously have much to share. Better use of Abilities is likely one, but diffferent Clsss approaches is another.

The last brings me to another question: why were 90% of item drops/Lockboxes for my Sent with Doc or Kira in toe "Heavy" items? If the implication was to use Rusk or Scourge then that explains much.

[MashTactics]

I can't solo the H2 on Ilum, but the solo content is no more difficult than any other content.

 

If you're at 50, and you can't handle Ilum, you're doing something wrong. If you're below 50 and are on Ilum, you've ****ed up somewhere down the line already.

[DaneArnold]

ilum is easy i dont see how people can have a hard time with it i was doing my daily quests at lvl 48 there and i solo the 2 man on my sage every day if you cant do a solo quest read up on your class and cc, stun, stop there casts, aoe packs theres no way this stuff is hard Edited April 10, 2012 by DaneArnold

[khsolo]

Perhaps not so much something wrong, as something we are missing. Class could also play a role. I have a Jedi Sentinal that needs different companions with different abilities at differnt times. On Illum the JS seems to need a DPS, Heal andTank (as in Lord Scourge) and the Ranged Support at different times. Rusk and Doc go down pretty fast most times when hit by two/three up close while the Ent is tied up with 3 or 4 of his own Lvl 50's. I'll need to get better gear for Scourge as I haven't bothered too much with him, so Kira will have to do as a "Tank" until then ( and so far she's done pretty well).

If you are doing Heroic 2+'s on Illum, you obviously have much to share. Better use of Abilities is likely one, but diffferent Clsss approaches is another.

The last brings me to another question: why were 90% of item drops/Lockboxes for my Sent with Doc or Kira in toe "Heavy" items? If the implication was to use Rusk or Scourge then that explains much.

 

Not really, once i figured out that you can bypass the champion trash mobs in your speeder and go directly to where you need to smoke out the sith lords it was down to saber ward, stim and the eventual medpack, its only one champion/elite and 2 strongs, go after the strongs first and then after the champion, i use doc exclusivelly, should try gearing up my tank just in case but will wait for 1.2 for the orange gear

 

Your gear and your companions gear is very important as well, if doc is geared for 35 or 41 lvl fights you not gonna make it

 

And the Belsavis h2 imo is easier than the Illum one h2 even though you get 2 elites that are 100 k and a bunch of champions

Edited April 10, 2012 by khsolo

[Battilea]

I can't solo the H2 on Ilum, but the solo content is no more difficult than any other content.

 

If you're at 50, and you can't handle Ilum, you're doing something wrong. If you're below 50 and are on Ilum, you've ****ed up somewhere down the line already.

 

Well, the one mission, with the admiral at the end, is a bit overtuned. It can be problematic. For example, a guildie PT tank ran into issues with the spawn that had two silver healers. Without the ability to CC them, coupled with tank level DPS, well, it wasn't an easy fight for him. Likewise, for my Merc, the admiral was a major pain, due to lack of interrupts and his crazy debuff. Got him, but it took a few deaths.

 

The rest of Ilum isn't a big deal though, other than that one mission line.

 

PS does take 2 people for most and can be a bit annoying even as that, the ground placed AoEs are a pain when you rely on companions, so both elites using those makes it a pain. But yeah, it can be soloed, I solo it with both my healer and my main tank, though both of those are well enough geared that they really don't need the dailies anymore.

 

That said, the better question to ask is: what about these PvE quests qualifies as PvP?

[Lucridate]

Not really, once i figured out that you can bypass the champion trash mobs in your speeder and go directly to where you need to smoke out the sith lords it was down to saber ward, stim and the eventual medpack, its only one champion/elite and 2 strongs, go after the strongs first and then after the champion, i use doc exclusivelly, should try gearing up my tank just in case but will wait for 1.2 for the orange gear

 

Your gear and your companions gear is very important as well, if doc is geared for 35 or 41 lvl fights you not gonna make it

 

And the Belsavis h2 imo is easier than the Illum one h2 even though you get 2 elites that are 100 k and a bunch of champions

 

Doc is geared up well as are all Companions really. Best money can buy:)

It's strange, as I have just completed "Gentlemen's Agreement" (or whatever it is) and it was a breeze. I had not purchased any new gear nor done anything else. After the previous mission this one, all four stages were a walk in the park.

Then again, bosses did not fly in from half a parsec away to join but acted as they always have and only got involved if nearby. Even then they were a doddle.

Curious:rolleyes:.

 

PS. I never use Stims, as the times I have I seem to actually do worse after using them. Waste of credits in my experience.

[khsolo]

PS. I never use Stims, as the times I have I seem to actually do worse after using them. Waste of credits in my experience.

 

Im lucky im biochem, reusable stims and medpacks are definatelly money in the bank

 

And 124 + strength for a Might Rakata stim or 300+ Power adrenal is definatelly a plus when downing those mobs faster

 

If you have them like i do i definatelly use them without hesitation

Edited April 10, 2012 by khsolo