Welcome Guest ( Log In | Register )

Outline · [ Standard ] · Linear+

 SWTOR: OPS GUIDE - EZ KARAGGA'S PALACE (HM), ELITEZ GUIDES: KP (8-MAN HARD MODE)

views
     
TSEldest
post Feb 22 2012, 02:52 PM, updated 12y ago

New Member
*
Newbie
0 posts

Joined: Feb 2012
ELITEZ GUIDE: EZ KARAGGA'S PALANCE (HARD MODE)

As promised, I have posted the first of the EZ series - EZ KARAGGA'S PALACE to help asians guilds that are planning to try HARD MODE. This guide is merely a work in progress and shall be enhanced from time to time. I haven't had much time to write recently, so I apologize in advance if this guide is shortcoming of your expectations. In this guide I would be going through only key mechanics that we found relevant to each fight.

Attached ImageAttached ImageAttached Image

If there is anything I left out, please feel free to correct/update me if you notice anything. Sadly, I had not been able to find a willing designer/artist to assist me within the week, thus my illustrations may be somewhat crude. Hope I am still able to communicate efficiently.

Overall, we find all the boss mechanics in Karagga's Palace (HM) relatively simple and is definitely recommended for all guilds that is deciding to start HM Operations to just try it.

1. BONETRASHER

Attached Image

After clearing through some adds, the first boss that you encounter is Bonetrasher.

QUICK BRIEF:

Almost most guides you see online shall tell you to kite (referring to contantly running away from the boss melee range) if you are targeted, we find this to be an irritating task considering SWTOR does not have a Target of target interface. You may acquire Target of target by pressing Alt-T while targeting the boss, but who has the time to do that during a fight. We find the kiting strategy somewhat messy for us and had to deal with the issue of players running into each other and spreading swipe damage to one another. Hence, we decided to use our own method.

Recommended Raid Setup: 2 heals, 6 DPS (ranged preferred)

First, segregate your raid to four(4) different sections of the round room - 12 o'clock, 3 o'clock, 6 o'clock & 9 o'clock (No worries... I told BioWare to put in small platforms inside the room to mark the spots I am talking about tongue.gif). Have your healers stand at opposite ends of the platform (either 12 and 6 o'clock or 3 and 9 o'clock). Put balance ranged DPS on the remaining platforms. The correct position is slightly in front of the platforms so that you do not get knock-back into the acid pool on the outer border.

Attached Image

OMG... I so need a designer...YUCKS

Assignments

Tanks - Wear your DPS set and pickup loose ads.

Healers - Stay calm and always heal the player that is targeted by the boss. HoT up the rest if you got time.

RDPS - Stay at your spot and burn the boss down as fast as you can.

DPS - Use a DoT spec and stay behind the boss if you are not targeted.

That's it~!
(my mentor used to say I was long winded when during strategies... so I now i summarize)

For those that wants to know more....read on...

Fight description

Main Abilities to take note:

1. Taunt Immunity - This boss cannot be taunted
2. Swipe - Deals a frontal attacked 180 degrees from the direction the boss is facing
3. Smash - Smashes the ground, dealing damage and knocking down all players within the room
4. Sweep - Sweeps target off their feet, knocking them back a distance
5. Well Fed - Devours one of the guards increase attack damage by 50% and attack speed by 30%

When you engage the boss, the boss will target the person that aggro-ed him for a few seconds then he will change target towards a random player. The boss has no aggro table and is cannot be Taunted, meaning whoever he targets will have to tank him for a few seconds.

Because we split the raid into 4 sections, it is easy to know which player is targeted - healers may pre-cast heals/sheild/etc on the targeted player. Targeted player just stand your ground and continue DPS. The incoming damage can be healed through. Use personal damage reduction CD and Medpack if your Health drops dangerously low.

* Tip: If you get knock-backed, remember to return to your original position as fast as possible. If you are too far outside, you might get knocked into the acid. If that happens, call out to a Sorcerer to pull you back up blush.gif

Bonetrasher attacks are slow, however he does have a Swipe ability damaging all targets in front of him. Because of this, Melee DPS will need to constantly move behind the boss to avoid the Swipe damage.

* Tip: Marauders try using your Force Camouflage when you are targeted or when you are late in avoiding a Swipe tongue.gif

Once in awhile the boss shall use Smash, dealing damage and knocking back everybody in the room. Healers remember not to panic when you see all health bars drop at the same time. Prioritize the target that the boss targeting and top him up first before working on the rest of the group. doh.gif

Every few minutes, the boss shall summon small (Normal) humanoid ads. All DPS need to switch target and kill these ads as they spawn. If these ads are NOT KILLED, after a few seconds the boss shall Eat this ads and get a buff - Well Fed, increasing his damage and attack speed.

At 50% health, the boss shall summon 2 champion ads. Have somebody with taunt ability pull them and kill them as they spawn.

-Screen short and Loot-


Boss drops:


Rakata Helmet (all classes)

Attached Image

Columi Gloves (all classes)

Attached Image

Video link:

[Post video link here]


2. JARG & SORNO

After killing Bonetrasher, a door will open up allowing you to exit the pit. Go through the pit, kill a pack of mobs, go up the escalator to Karagga's room where you met him earlier. Seems like Karagga has employed some help - Bounty Hunters: Jarg and Sorno.

Attached Image Attached ImageAttached Image

This is a fairly healing intensive fight and healing needs to be on the ball with dispelling as well.

QUICK BRIEF:

Firstly, you want to split your ops into two (2) DPS Balanced group. The key to this fight is that both Jarg and Sorno needs to die AT THE SAME TIME. One will enrage the moment the other die so you want to use CDs when this happens and keep the enrage window as small as possible.

SORNO - Put one Tank and Melee DPS on him - Tank Interrupts all the Heals and assign one Melee DPS to interrupt the Unload. SORNO will put a debuff on the tank increasing damage taken from Unload.

JARG - Doesn't really need a tank (maybe a high HP ranged DPS) and have your ranged DPS on him. Occasionally he does an AoE Fire Attack, hitting everybody in melee. JARG will put a debuff on the tank that increases Fire damage taken.

If you are having healing problems, just have your tanks swap targets occasionally.

The boss will teleport to the middle of the room, continue DPS. If JARG where to pull any player close to him, RUN OUT immediately else you get hit by the AoE Fire Damage. When transition and the boss flies to the top of the room, The boss will then summon 2x Carbonite Probes (one after another) that will freeze random players until the droid is destroyed. During transition, all DPS burn down the Carbonite Probe as fast as possible, be careful to stay away from JARG and avoid purple circles on the floor.

SORNO will fly to the balcony above the room and will snipe random players and deal massive damage, he will also cast missiles that will target random players marked by a purple circle on the floor. Then SORNO will come back down and continue the fight as per normal.

At around 40%, the bosses shall use "Plan D", where Jarg will fire a marking missile on a random player and SORNO will use Rail Shot on that player. This combination might one shot any player that is not in full heal, so it is critical to keep HP high at this phase while targeted players use survivability CD.

Assignments

Tanks - Tank the boss, remember to interrupt heals on SORNO. Swap tank if necessary.

DPS - Melee remember to interrupt Unload/Heals. All DPS stay away from JARG when he deals AoE Fire Damage. Kill Droids when SORNO jumps to the top of the room. Stay out of Purple Circle during transition. Remember that killing Carbonite Probes is a priority.

Heals - Keep HP high during the entire encounter, remember to dispel the DoT/Flame debuff on player. Take note on Rail Shot combo.

Ranged DPS can change targets to balance DPS so that both bosses die at the same time.

-DONE-

Attached ImageAttached Image


Details & Tips:-

JARG is pretty much like a Powertech, he deals alot of flame damage and can periodically Uppercut / Grapple you. He also ads a debuff that deals DoT on a player and increased flame damage taken. This flame debuff can be dispelled or healed through depending on your healing strategy. If this debuff is on the tank, it might make healing the Tank a nightmare. Jarg shall also occasionally Grapple a random player to him and do Flame Sweep (an AoE Flame attack). Because there is no warning for this attack, it is advised to keep your raid topped up, with a sorcerer shield on - to prevent any accidents.

SORNO is an irritating fella, because he needs to be constantly interrupted. Firstly he will cast Unload which deals heavy damage to your tank, make sure that this is interrupted. Then he will use Healing Scan (similar to Merc) ability that will heal him for ALOT. Tanks/Melee needs to interrupt the Heal ability as their main priority. If you assign one player to do all the heals, and another player to do all the unloads, you would be able to fit the interrupt CD. In transition, Sorno will fly to the top of the room and start shooting down on the ops group. His attacks are marked by red circles on the floor, and is easily avoidable. They will summon Carbonite Probes (one after another) that will freeze a random player. All DPS needs to kill these droids FAST.

*Tip: Warrior classes with Force Charge - try targeting the SORNO while he flies on top of the room and use Force Charge. Do this only when Droids are not a problem for the group and SORNO Health is significantly higher than JARG.

*Tip: Assassins / Marauders try using your Stealth/Force Camo when targeted for Rail Shot combo.

*Tip: Agents use your Orbital Strike / Bounty Hunters use your Death from Above when both boss flies to the middle of the room - can cheat meter smile.gif

*Tip: If your group is Ranged Heavy, it is better to put just 2 interrupts on SORNO and have all ranged DPS to stack Armour Penetration Debuff on JARG [Agent +20%, Merc +20%, Jugg Tank +2-%] and burning him down to low HP (5%~10%). It is easy for Ranged DPS to change target to SORNO and burn him down before going back to kill JARG.

*Tip: Snipe can be avoided by running under the balcony when SORNO flies up above the room.

Try to avoid damage taken as much as possible as it is already a healing intensive fight. Defensive CD during Rail Shot combo is important for survivability.


Boss drops:


Rakata Belt Token (all classes)

TOR-Loothttp://www.tor-loot.com/Loot/Source/80

Columi Offhand (all classes)

TOR-Loothttp://www.tor-loot.com/Loot/Source/80

Video link:

[Post video link here]


3. FOREMAN CRUSHER

As you exit the sewer pipes and into the open area, clear the first pack of ads... then turn right along the river... make your way towards the end of the river. Clear the group of ads along the riverbank and you would be able to see Giant-Turret-1. Clear ads and click on the control panel. Afterwhich, make your way down the path and go up the slope. Go up slightly along the slope and turning off the left side of the slope just before you reach the top.... follow along the rim edge of the upper platform (without aggro-ing any ads) until to reach Giant-Turret-2 below you. Clear ads and then activate it. Giant-Turret-3 is just down the road - clear ads and activate it. There will be an announcement to say that turret targeting has been synchronized.

Go back the way you came... walk along the ledge and make your way toward the top of the aforementioned slope. There will be one single ad there and you will notice that the force field door has been opened. Remember to dispel while killing this ad.

Attached Image

This is a fairly simple fight - semi tank and spank. As long as your tank is alert - you should have no problems with this fight.

QUICK BRIEF:

Before you start the fight - make sure that everybody has walked past the barrier where the force field door was.

As you start the fight, Tank runs in and grab Foreman Crusher, he will AOE knockback everybody the moment you aggro him - save your Force Charge or Sprint for the knockback. DPS clear the strong ads (@15K HP each) that was chained to the boss, then DPS the boss.

The boss has a 3 main abilities to look out for:-

1. FRENZY - Several times throughout the fight there will be an announcement that the boss has frenzied - His body will glow red, increasing his damage and attack speed. When boss is frenzy, tankers need to kite the boss until the end of frenzy. While he is frenzied, the boss CANNOT BE TAUNTED. After frenzy, he will cast a knockback then reset his aggro. Remember to taunt the boss after frenzy.

2. THROW BOULDER - The boss will throw boulders that deal heavy AoE damage to a random player. This will be marked with a red circle on the floor. GTFO the moment you see the red circle.

3. SUMMON ADS - Every 1 minute or so, the boss will summon 4 ads that will come through the gate. Simply gather them and AoE the ads down.

Throughout the fight he will cast AoE knockback.... Healers need to take note and top players off.

-DONE-

Details & Tips:-

This is almost a tank and spank fight with few basic mechanics to look out for so that you do not fall asleep.

*Tip:Use an assassin tank - life will be much easier. If you use a juggernaut tank - DO NOT USE intercede, you will loose aggro almost immediately.

*Tip: Have your Marauders use Predation during FRENZY to give your tank an additional speed boost.

*Tip: Used to be able to Obfuscate the boss - making it really a tank and spank fight. This has been fixed as at 1.1.1

*Tip: Sorcerers - if your AoE can slow - the ads would be a piece of cake. Else use Juggernaut slow / smash. Death from Above + Orbital Strike = yes pls.


[cool.gif
Boss drops:


Rakata Bracer Token (all classes)
TOR-Loot

Xenotech Leggings (all classes)
TOR-Loot

Video link:

[Post video link here]

Heavy Fabricator Trash

Before you reach the next boss, you will need to clear through some of the most irritating groups of ads in the area. If these ads are not handled correctly, your ops group will find themselves paying unnecessary repair bills even before they reach the boss.

Each pack of ads will contain:

1x Hunter-Creeper Droid
2x Attack-Science Technician and/or Mechno-Assault Specialist (3x in the 3rd pull)
1x Arsenal Droid

Basically the Hunter-Creeper Droid cannot be crowd controlled or interrupted and will start casting “sounding alarm” as soon as engaged. When the cast finishes a Murder Droid will spawn. The Hunter-Creeper Droid will continue spawning Murder Droids via the “sounding alarm” ability until killed. What makes this tricky is the Attack-Science Technicians and Mechno-Assault Specialists heal the droids for more than you can damage them.

Only in 8-man
If you CC one of the Technicians/Specialists the other will break it out almost instantly. To combat this, use a stealther to out-of-combat CC one or two of the Technicians/Specialists and then use a regular CC to initiate combat. If all of them are CC’d then they won’t be able to break each other out.

in 16-man it gets more tricky as you are unable to CC any of the Technicians/Specialists. What we did was split our dps - use 2-4 dps (depends if your Technicians/Specialists are going down fast enough) to burn down the Hunter-Creeper Droid and the rest follow a focus fire kill order on Technicians/Specialists. In the meantime, have a tank grab Murder Droids that spawn and kite them around the room while your 2nd tank pickup Arsenal Droid (face away from raid). If DPS is fast enough, the number of Murder Droids should be manageable when the Hunter-Creeper dies.

Our kill order is normally: Technicians/Specialists -> Hunter-Creeper -> Murder Droids -> Arsenal Droid.

Tanks and healers please that note that Murder Droids will explode when they die. DPS you should know how to run out of the incoming explosion if your HP is low - Remember - dead DPS is no DPS - hence a good place to train your awareness and survivability. Else you can bribe a healer to shield/tunnel heal you through smile.gif


3. G4-B3 Heavy Fabricator

One of my personal favorite fights in the game in Karagga's Palace. The fight requires good coordination and high dps. In essence it is a technical fight as well as a gear check. With a good combination of both, your raid should have no issues downing this boss and moving onto Karagga himself.

The fight evolves around 2 basic mechanics:-
i) The stacking buffs on the boss itself
ii) The puzzle that remove these buffs

You will need to split your raid group to 2 groups - one to handle upper platform (puzzle) and the rest to handle bottom platform (boss)

QUICK BRIEF:

You will notice that the puzzle may fire to 3 diff columns - these are directly under the columns and is marked with yellow (dangerous area) on the floor.
For explanation sake we shall label this as 3 (LEFT) - 2 (MID) - 1 (RIGHT) (where the boss is standing at start)

Attached Image

Raid members on top merely needs to arrange the puzzle accordingly: 1-2-3-1-2-3-1-2-3.

Tanks need to move the boss in accordance to the puzzle arrangement: 1-2-3-1-2-3-1-2-3.
Melee DPS - DPS boss, kill stun droids, run out when puzzles FIRE.
Range DPS - DPS boss, help kill stun droids / proximity droids.
[TOP Platform] DPS - DPS boss after 1 fires, else focus on completing puzzles fast.

Boss

There are 3 things you need to take note of:-
1) Buffs: Exotech Armour (reduces damage taken) - when it reaches 6 and above - the boss is virtually not taking any damage.
2) Buffs: Powerhouse (increase damage and attack speed)
3) De-buff: Adds stacking Armour debuff on your tank.

Puzzle

The first column (1) removes the boss' Exotech Armour and increases damage taken by 200% for few seconds. If the members on top of the platform needs to help DPS - the best time would be when the boss takes a debuff from (1).

The second column (2) removes the boss' Exotech Armour and clears all the droids in the room. Though you may kill stun droids immediately, it would be prudent to just ignore proximity droids if possible as the puzzle shall clear them from time to time with (2).

The third column (3) resets the boss' Powerhouse stacks to 0. As Powerhouse keeps stacking up with the armour debuff, healing will get tighter and tighter until the boss will basically ONE-SHOT the tank. Hence it is important to reset Powerhouse when able.

Have your tank move the boss in accordance to the puzzle arrangement (1-2-3-1-2-3-1-2-3). You may use a DPS-Tank to taunt and offtank the boss - when stacks are getting too high. Tank to swap back when debuff drops.

-DONE-

Details & Tips:-

*Tip:Use an assassin tank - life will be much easier. Assassins are not dependent on Armour so does not matter much if the Armour de-buff gets high.

*Tip: For those on the top platform, use ranged knock-back abilities to push the proximity droids off the platform to save time.


*Tip: Puzzle people only:


Detail Illustration: There are 3 pieces to the puzzle: - [ | ], [ || ] and [ ||| ].

I would suggest everybody that is doing the puzzles to understand the methodology below. After awhile, our puzzle players were able to do the puzzle with no communication on vent at all - just common understanding of the methodology.

These 3 pieces are stacked accordingly:-
[ | ] on top
[ || ] in middle
[ ||| ] at bottom

-FIRE-

A simple trick we put together for puzzle players (top). If you wish to move the puzzle to whichever column, move the top piece [ | ] there first.

For example: after the initial blast at RIGHT (1) and you wish to move the puzzle to MID (2), the efficient method would be:

[ | ] to MID (2), [ || ] to LEFT (3) ->
[ | ] to LEFT (3), [ ||| ] to mid (2) ->
[ | ] to RIGHT (1), [ || ] to mid (2) ->
[ | ] to MID (2) -> FIRE!

Next, you want to move the puzzle from MID (2) to LEFT (3), so remember our rule of thumb [ | ] to your desired location first. So, it would look like:-

[ | ] to LEFT (3), [ || ] to RIGHT (1) ->
[ | ] to RIGHT (3), [ ||| ] to LEFT (3) ->
[ | ] to MID (2), [ || ] to LEFT (3) ->
[ | ] to LEFT (3) -> FIRE!

After you understand the methodology and get some practice on the puzzle - the boss is fairly simple. The rest is about DPS-ing fast and surviving the droids.

As a rule of thumb, Exotech Armour should not go higher than 6 stacks. If it reaches 7 stacks, it means that the arrangement of the puzzle is too slow and most likely you will hit the enrage timer.

<to be continued>

This post has been edited by Eldest: Mar 22 2012, 02:24 PM


Attached image(s)
Attached Image

 

Change to:
| Lo-Fi Version
0.0225sec    0.92    6 queries    GZIP Disabled
Time is now: 19th March 2024 - 06:30 PM