THORN and these rakghoul events are absurd!

[TheRandomWolf]

I always liked the idea behind the rakghouls. Fighting them on Taris was fun, especially during the Agent storyline. Those two flashpoints dedicate to these things was also pretty fun... but I have to say that the THORN events are unbearable.

 

On Tatooine, I decided to give this event a shot. I stopped by the vendors to see what they had available in them and I could already tell that to get any sort of item was going to require a grind. I snatched a few quests and started exploring the caverns.

 

It didn't take long until things started to go down. Even though I'm level 70 and am familiar with my character abilities and have a decent survivable gear and influence with my companion, we kept being killed over and over again. These rakghouls' endurance and damage are really high. Not even a healing companion is capable of healing me in time. The quests themselves are too demanding. I can spend hours running in circles just to find a few items.

 

I really want to get some of those items, but being killed every few minutes is not fun. It doesn't matter the character that I'm using, these enemies are simply too overwhelming.

Edited January 28, 2018 by TheRandomWolf

[Bladeofhonour]

Hello. You seem to lack of the right gear and skills. Did you ever had done all of the side quests you find or was you just rushing through all this purple ones only?

This Rhaghoul Event repeatable is easy enough if you have got a equiped companion who heals you.

Edited January 28, 2018 by Bladeofhonour

[JediAkemi]

There should be a section of the tunnels where everything (except that one wandering platinum boss critter) is soloable. If memory serves, only the Heroic 4 section of the tunnels (and the aforementioned monster) are that dangerous if you have a companion and have the vaccine.

But then I try to avoid Rakghoul Week like, well. like the plague, so I may be mistaken.

[Bladeofhonour]

The "problem" at my side is: i was there at this 1st rhakghoul event. since it all my chars cant be infected so fast. For the timed quest to getting infected i realy need to wait for minutes.

So maybe i had forgotten about this plague. But yeah: All stim vendors there are selling this. So you can get healed fast.

Edited January 28, 2018 by Bladeofhonour

[Eanelinea]

Not quite understanding your issue. There's the vaccine you put on and it lasts 7 hrs ish unless you die. You can solo EVERY SINGLE thing except for 3 items. The 4 man heroic, the big stompy dude, and the operation. I don't see how you're having any issues. Are you a new player? If so, you need to practice your skill. Are you poorly geared? If so, craft some items, or buy upgrades from the vendor/gtn.

 

If you're still dying, well, can't help you.

[Aeneas_Falco]

The regular mobs in the tunnels are easily soloable, so if you were dying to those at max level you were either very undergeared or doing something wrong. The only thing in the tunnel that should pose a problem for one player is the giant Rakghoul that roams around, but that's meant to be taken down by a group.

 

Were you referring to the Heroic? If so, that is also meant to be completed by a group and unlike most of the heroics in the game wasn't reduced to a Heroic 2 with 4.0, or made easier by level sync changes. While it can be soloed (I've done it) it is not easy and that is because it isn't meant to be done that way.

 

The 4 in Heroic 4 is the suggested group size, though two players at max level can easily complete it with their companions. You just have to set one of the two companions to tank, if neither player fills that role, and one of the two companions to heals if neither player is a healer. If one of the two players is a healer, the healer should have their companion set to DPS.

 

Having one of the two companions set up to tank if neither of the players fills that role is the most important bit, because the elites will do a lot of damage to any non-tank they aggro. The tank or the player with the tank companion should also trigger the elite because whoever activates the node gets first aggro.

 

Honestly sometimes I find a group of two clears faster than a group of four, because having a companion out means you can use Heroic Moment. If you have a lot of alts and access to every class' Heroic Moment ability, you can do a ton of damage with that popped. They practically melt.

 

The boss/elite Rakghouls that are triggered by interacting with the node on the ground in the heroic area also have an attack that can be interrupted. Don't forget to interrupt.

 

Also be careful about positioning. You have a lot of groups running through there particularly after the mergers, so you might come across nodes that had the mobs standing nearby cleared by an earlier group, and if you're not careful they'll respawn and aggro while you are fighting the elite. You only want to activate nodes in areas that you've freshly cleared of mobs.

Edited January 29, 2018 by Aeneas_Falco

[Elliraen]

Even the heroic 4 is able to be soloed with some classes, although duo'ing it is much easier. You just have to be on top of the interrupts (throwing a rock), use your defensive cool downs, and don't stand in stupid when you can't interrupt the rock. Basically, if it's going to hit your companion, interrupt it. If it's going to hit you, move.

 

What I find annoying is having them jump on your face and the chain stunning. I don't know how BW came to the conclusion that being chain stunned and knocked around are fun activities, but whoever designs stuff like that needs to lay off the psychotropic fantasy inducers and realize that all it is is a cause for frustration.

[Aeneas_Falco]

Even the heroic 4 is able to be soloed with some classes, although duo'ing it is much easier. You just have to be on top of the interrupts (throwing a rock), use your defensive cool downs, and don't stand in stupid when you can't interrupt the rock. Basically, if it's going to hit your companion, interrupt it. If it's going to hit you, move.

 

What I find annoying is having them jump on your face and the chain stunning. I don't know how BW came to the conclusion that being chain stunned and knocked around are fun activities, but whoever designs stuff like that needs to lay off the psychotropic fantasy inducers and realize that all it is is a cause for frustration.

 

Well said.

 

Mobs should *never* have CC in my opinion, anywhere. It's just an annoying mechanic that no one enjoys, and it ultimately serves no purpose beyond irritating the player since the mobs are most likely going to die anyway. Save stuns for Operations or HM Flashpoint bosses.

Edited January 29, 2018 by Aeneas_Falco

[translucentwolf]

Well said.

 

Mobs should *never* have CC in my opinion, anywhere. It's just an annoying mechanic that no one enjoys, and it ultimately serves no purpose beyond irritating the player since the mobs are most likely going to die anyway. Save stuns for Operations or HM Flashpoint bosses.

 

CCs on mobs mean that the content is meant for a group.

 

This is a group friendly MMO after all.

 

Try grouping up.

[Sith-Viscera]

This event has been around long before level 70 ever was. I cant recall exactly when they started the event if i was level 55 or 60? But regardless with the right gear and companion, i had no problems. Eventually by the time they had lvl 70 i was doing Rakghoul event solo with out companion. So i hate to tell poster, what every one else is no doubt saying? Get the right gear and figure out the best companion. You do that, you'll survive it.....

 

 

Good Luck....

 

Take care and Be Well...

[DWho]

CCs on mobs mean that the content is meant for a group.

 

This is a group friendly MMO after all.

 

Try grouping up.

 

CCs/Stuns on mobs were done to make the solo content "harder" in 3.0. Lots of mobs got knockbacks and stuns when characters became more powerful (max level increase and gear power increases). It was predominantly an anti-melee mechanic since melee types are affected by both stuns and knockbacks and ranged types are only affected by ranged stuns.

[Aeneas_Falco]

CCs on mobs mean that the content is meant for a group.

 

This is a group friendly MMO after all.

 

Try grouping up.

 

Stow the passive aggressiveness. I run group content all the time, both PVP and PVE and that includes the Rakghoul tunnel heroic.

 

I'm also not sure why you are telling me to group up when I never said anything about doing it solo. I usually run that heroic grouped with at least one other person. I only said that mobs having CC was annoying.

 

You're tilting at windmills, Don.

Edited January 30, 2018 by Aeneas_Falco

[Elliraen]

CCs on mobs mean that the content is meant for a group.

 

This is a group friendly MMO after all.

 

Try grouping up.

 

The only group content in the rakghoul tunnels are the heroic and Eyeless. It's the trash mobs that take turns jumping on your face and stunning you repeatedly that we were talking about. Sure you can use breakout, but unlike PvP, you don't get resolve against mobs, so the next one in line jumps on your face and starts chewing your nose. And guess what: It's not curable, either. So grouping up won't help anything in this case, other than your group mates getting their noses chewed on as well.

[syahaiyub]

i think dr lorkin recruitment is needed for rakghoul event too, no?

[Elliraen]

i think dr lorkin recruitment is needed for rakghoul event too, no?

 

It's the other way around. Part of Lokin's recruitment mission is done in the rakghoul caverns.

[jimmorrisson]

The reputation grind is almost is bad as the CXP grind and Valor levels 70 to 100. The Champion level phase of each reputation is particularly and obnoxiously long and should be shortened.

 

The optimal way of getting reputation of course is doing the events with multiple characters. Then saving the rep tokens till the following week when surpassing the current week's reputation cap.

 

Also, prior 4.0 both the Plague and Gree events were once every three months!

Edited January 30, 2018 by jimmorrisson

[Kyrra_T]

The reputation grind is almost is bad as the CXP grind and Valor levels 70 to 100. The Champion level phase of each reputation is particularly and obnoxiously long and should be shortened.

 

The optimal way of getting reputation of course is doing the events with multiple characters. Then saving the rep tokens till the following week when surpassing the current week's reputation cap.

 

Also, prior 4.0 both the Plague and Gree events were once every three months!

 

Eh. The command crates drop rep items too remember. I think I actually finished maxxing my rep on Gree and Thorn with rep items from command crates on my alts.

[DuchessKristania]

Even the heroic 4 is able to be soloed with some classes, although duo'ing it is much easier. You just have to be on top of the interrupts (throwing a rock), use your defensive cool downs, and don't stand in stupid when you can't interrupt the rock. Basically, if it's going to hit your companion, interrupt it. If it's going to hit you, move.

 

What I find annoying is having them jump on your face and the chain stunning. I don't know how BW came to the conclusion that being chain stunned and knocked around are fun activities, but whoever designs stuff like that needs to lay off the psychotropic fantasy inducers and realize that all it is is a cause for frustration.

 

I find that jumping on the face move really disturbing. It kind of looks like they're forcing your toon to do, um, oral things against their will, lol. It's pretty gross. I'm not a fan of this particular event. Makes running to the fleet annoying. I try to keep a vaccine going but sometimes I don't realize it's worn off, or I forget to use it. Not game breaking, just annoying.

 

It was kind of funny the first time I encountered it though. I hadn't played in a long time because my computer broke so I had no idea there was any kind of plague event. I went to the fleet, someone exploded nearby, didn't have my screen angled to actually see them though. Next thing I knew my Jedi kept acting like she was gonna vomit. Tried healing, tried using medpacs, but nothing worked. So I just assumed it was some weird effect and would wear off. I went back to my ship and was sifting through my inventory when all of the sudden she screamed and burst into green death goo. I now know to run like hell when I see the green cloud and I don't have a vaccine on hand.

Edited January 30, 2018 by DuchessKristania

[Mournblood]

Back on topic, I agree that the CC mechanics with the Rakghouls in the Heroic area are unnecessarily tedious, and disproportionately punishing to melee classes. However, it's merely annoying and not game breaking.

 

As for the Heroic mobs, you can solo those with top tier gear and a level 50 companion. I do it all the time because it's quicker than LFG, especially if I'm on late and there's hardly anyone around to do it with.

 

TBH, there's bigger issues in the game that I'd rather see the remaining developers on the SWTOR team working on than this.

[NSevven]

Back to OP:

 

Yeah, my guess is you wandered into the Heroic area, or keep trying to battle the one large beast wandering around. All the others, as everyone else wrote, are easily doable solo (if annoying). The only issue I ever have is when I'm a low level, and somehow managed to get attacked by a L70 someone else activated (die in one shot, LOL!)

 

Just do the 4 non-heroic, non-Ops quests, plus the cure one in Anchorhead (and the pass around the virus one, if you are patient). And do it on multiple toons. Yes, it is yet another long GRIND, ughhh. You quickly get used to it and can run it in maybe 30 minutes.

 

One tip: for the scanning, use your eyes first, not binocs. Larger field of view = faster sighting. Stand at the edge and look towards the center (might have to try from two/three "edges"). By then, 9 times out of 10, I can just see it. Then pop the binocs to acquire.

 

 

Consider at least getting to "Newcomer" rep. Then you can buy the cheap BoL rakghoul relics from GSI vendor (at event and also on Nar Shaddaa - permanently). Not bad ones to have if you have nothing else. Plus they have a vaccine buff, so no more annoying viruses!

[Aeneas_Falco]

Eh. The command crates drop rep items too remember. I think I actually finished maxxing my rep on Gree and Thorn with rep items from command crates on my alts.

 

I didn't find the reputation grind too bad either. I have max rep with the BBA and Thorn, and close to max with the Gree, and I didn't really attempt to max out Rep with the events until relatively recently. It should take a few events to get max, and not something you can knock out in a week.

[JediAkemi]

Well, Rakghoul Week is over. We're safe for another month.

[IoNonSoEVero]

Unless you're in the Heroic area or came across that huge tunnel beast, the rakghouls don't seem harder to deal with than any other mobs. Even in the Heroic area - you have to go there for one of the beacons in the Lokin quest, and it's still doable. Not that I've ever hung around there, I do the beacon and get out.

 

I accidentally aggro'd one of the yellow-tagged fungus collectors once and they were surprisingly hard to kill, though. There's also a much harder Plague Carrier that pops up above ground sometimes, they have a huge knockback and actually require combat, unlike the regular Plague Carriers. But the two times I've run across them, they've dropped rakling pets for me, so it's worth it!

 

As for infection, that should be a non-issue. As long as you have an active vaccine you can't get infected. Even if you forget and get infected, in Stage One at least, you can still cure yourself with the vax. Had that happen once on the fleet when I forgot it was rakghoul week (the loading screen took too long and by the time my character could move, they'd been infected). Just pop the vaccine and you're good.