Lights Out (Holding Pens)
Overview
Summary
Enrage Timer: N/A
The Holding Pens are the first of two add rush "boss encounters" in the Dxun Nature of Progress operation. Speed and coordination are the most important elements to successfully clear this encounter, and it serves to practice skills that will be important in the second (tougher) add rush encounter.
The overall key to success is effective use of the Flares to manage adds, which otherwise can easily swamp the group and overwhelm the healers (especially in Hard Mode). The group should move as quickly as possible to move between large add encounters with Rampaging Chargers or Warden Droids, thereby minimizing the adds that spawn randomly during the encounter.
Video Guide
Holding Pens Story Mode Video Guide
Layout
Holding Pen C Specimen Processing
Pick up Stims & Flares before triggering door to begin encounter.
Holding Pen C
See comments and directions above for general movement strategy during encounter.
Detailed Walkthrough
Key Abilities / Mechanics - Enemies
Please note that this encounter has a LOT of adds, and thus there are a LOT of abilities and mechanics. The list below is intended to be as exhaustive as possible, but note that only a few are critical to successfully complete the fight even on Hard Mode.
Augmented Resistance
Immune to stun, snare, fear, root, sleep, and hindered.
Buff applied to most adds in this encounter. The only reliable physics-based abilities are knockbacks, though it is important to note that any stun or root effect of the ability or a relevant utility will not have any effect.
Alertness
Immune to crowd control effects that break on damage.
Buff applied to Crimson Stalker, Felshade Hunter, Shadow Reaper, Rampaging Charger and Incendiary Shriek. Along with Augmented Resistance, these buffs make it very difficult to outrun the add waves in the encounter.
Crimson Stalker
The Crimson Stalkers are the most common add in the encounter. They have a speed buff and apply a slow debuff, so are difficult to outrun without good coordination of knockbacks and powerful speed boosts like Transcendence / Predation.
The biggest concern when dealing with these adds is their Hydrochloric Pool, which applies a large negative debuff to anyone who stands inside the purple pool AoE. Try to kite them outside the group and move out of the pool immediately if it gets dropped.
Envenomed Bite
Radiating a deadly cloud of venom that afflicts all enemies within a 1 kilometer radius every 5 seconds.
Regular attack of Crimson Stalkers. Applies Paralyzing Venom debuff to target.
Paralyzing Venom
Reduces movement speed. The crippling neurotoxin causes your limbs to go numb.
Debuff applied by Crimson Stalker's Envenomed Bite. Reduces movement speed by 60% in Story Mode or 90% in Hard Mode. Duration is 1.1 seconds but due to slow is typically continually refreshed by Envenomed Bite attacks by Crimson Stalkers until killed. Can be ignored via abilities that provide immunity to slow effects (e.g., Hold the Line, Force Speed w/ Egress utility, etc.)
Hydrochloric Pool
Cast ability by Crimson Stalkers that applies a pink AoE ground effect with a radius of approximately 10 meters. Applies Ruinous Corruption debuff to anyone standing inside pool.
A periodic cast ability by Crimson Stalkers, the pool is placed directly under the enemy when the cast is completed.
Ruinous Corruption
Reduces outgoing damage, healing done, and defense. A pungent odor of oxidizing durasteel overwhelms your senses...
Debuff applied by players standing in Hydrochloric Pool cast by Crimson Stalkers. The debuff is removed as soon as you move out of the pools AoE. The debuff reduces the following stats by the following amounts:
Healing Done: 20% Story Mode / 50% Hard Mode / 95% Nightmare Mode
Damage Done: 20% Story Mode / 50% Hard Mode / 95% Nightmare Mode
Force/Tech Resistance: 20% Story Mode / 30% Hard Mode / 95% Nightmare Mode
Melee/Ranged Defense: 20% Story Mode / 30% Hard Mode / 95% Nightmare Mode
Incendiary Shriek
Incendiary Shriek
Incendiary Shrieks, commonly referred to as "bats" or "flyers" or similar names for short, are very easy to deal with when the group uses flares optimally or can watch their position. When allowed to get into the middle of the group, they can easily wipe the group.
Shrieks are immediately killed by the AoE effect of flares. When they die they drop a yellow circle via the Impending Burst mechanic. Anyone who steps into the yellow circle (and it appears to have a larger effect than the graphic indicates) receives a stack of the Corrosive Rain DoT. Players can get up 1 stack per yellow circle, so can easily get 4 stacks. The DoT lasts 60 seconds and is not cleanseable. Especially in Hard Mode, having multiple players receive 4 stacks of the DoT will likely lead to a wipe due to the very high persistent damage.
Photoreactive Hypergollicity
Violently reacts to increases in luminosity.
Increases movement speed of Incendiary Shriek adds to 160%.
Impending Burst
This creature is going to explode into a cloud of acid when this timer expires.
When the Incendiary Shriek dies, either instantly by using a Flare or after being killed conventionally in Hard Mode, it drops a yellow circle on the ground for 4 seconds. After 4 seconds, the circle explodes and applies a knockback to nearby players. Any player who entered the circle during those 4 seconds receives a stack of the Corrosive Rain DoT.
Corrosive Rain
Taking periodic elemental damage. You are covered in a burning tar-like substance.
DoT received by standing in Impending Burst (yellow circle left after killing Incendiary Shriek adds). Last 60 seconds and ticks once every 3 seconds dealing approximately 1.3% of maximum health per tick per stack of the DoT. DoT can stack once per yellow circle that is stood in by the player.
Rampaging Charger
There are two Rampaging Chargers, located just inside holes in the fencing along the path towards the first Warden Droid. They hit very hard and uses The Horns ability to knock back and stun the tank. A third Charger is just beyond the first locked door guarded by a Warden Droid, though it can be skipped with a speed boost and will usually be killed by the Felshade Hunter anyway.
As discussed below, the recommended strategy is to pull the Charger against the fencing and use a flare that includes the Charger at one end and extends as far out as possible to clip the Incendiary Shrieks before they get into the group.
Once a Charger is pulled, the group should immediately focus it down and then AoE any adds in the immediate proximity and get moving again as quickly as possible.
The Horns
Knockback cast ability by Rampaging Charger.
Knockback damaging ability cast by Rampaging Charger. 0.7 second cast time. Briefly stuns the player after the knockback.
Trample
Damages enemies within 2.7m and knocks them back. Veteran: Knockback Distance increased by 50% The stampeding beasts cannot and will not stop!
Additional knockback ability of Rampaging Charger when it charges a target.
Felshade Hunter / Reaper
The Felshade Reapers are very dangerous adds that are only encountered just inside the door locked by the first Warden Droid. In Story Mode, one add is attacking a Rampaging Charger (two in Hard Mode). Left alone, the Felshade Hunter(s) will kill the Rampaging Charger.
As discussed below, it is possible to skip these adds by using powerful group speed boosts or stims. This lets the group get far enough away that once the other adds are dead, the Felshade Hunter(s) will de-aggro. If that is unsuccessful or not possible given group composition, great care must be taken and flares should be used.
Felshade Hunters are smaller similar-looking adds that spawn in various locations, most notably at the second Warden Droid and the race into the power generator shed. They hit hard and should be flared if possible.
Ghost in the Darkness
While stealth is active the next attack will deal significantly increased damage.
Ability has a 2 second cast time, a 20 second cooldown and a 6-15m range. Is not used when the player with aggro is inside a flare AoE. If cast completes, Felshade Hunter enters stealth for 3 seconds and then utilizes Extermination Protocol.
Extermination Protocol
All outgoing damage is significantly increased upon exiting stealth after an attack.
Debuff applied to target when Felshade Hunter attacks from stealth after casting Ghost in the Darkness. Increases damage taken by 50% in Story Mode and 100% in Hard Mode.
Blinding Light
Increase damage from all sources by 10% per charge, maximum of 30%. Disoriented and unable to defend itself!
Debuff applied by a flare's AoE circle. Lasts 15 seconds and can stack up to 3 times.
Shadow Reaper
Shadow Reapers are adds that are part of several periodic add spawns throughout the encounter and are most noticeably present during the final burn of the second Warden Droid. They are not dangerous if kept within a flare AoE but are very dangerous if left unattended due to their Nocturnal status and Dismember stun attack.
The tank(s) should gather up any Reapers inside a flare and they should take high priority to kill.
Photosensitivity
Has an aversion to the light of CI-Dark control flares.
The Shadow Reapers have a status effect called Nocturnal that applies buffs to maximum health, movement speed, and damage dealt when they are not standing inside a flare's AoE circle.
Dismember
Stunned, periodically taking damage. You are being torn apart!
Stun attack used by Shadow Reapers. Has a 24 second cooldown and is not used when the Shadow Reaper is affected by a flare.
Blinding Light
Increase damage from all sources by 10% per charge, maximum of 30%. Disoriented and unable to defend itself!
Debuff applied by a flare's AoE circle. Lasts 15 seconds and can stack up to 3 times.
Czerka Warden Droid
The Czerka Warden Droids comprise the nominal "boss" fights of the encounter, as they are the gatekeepers that must be defeated to open doors to progress in the fight. They are not overly dangerous on their own but killing them quickly is a priority to avoid being swamped with adds.
As discussed below, the typical strategy will be to group up any adds on the Warden Droids. So long as no adds (or at least no dangerous adds) are present, they do not require a flare in Story Mode or Hard Mode. Any time adds are present, use a flare encompassing the Warden Droid and as much surrounding area to keep add damage manageable and let the group AoE down the adds through DoT spreads while focusing down the Warden Droid.
Containment Taser (Warden Droid)
Channeled single target attack by Warden Droid.
Basic attack by Warden Droid. Has 1 second channel and a 3 second cooldown.
Data Lock (Warden Droid)
This Warden Droid is locking a nearby console. It will not be usable while this Warden Droid is still functional.
Buff to Warden Droid that locks a nearby console. An energy beam will connect the Warden Droid to the console, which will not be usable until the Warden Droid is destroyed.
Key Abilities / Mechanics - Personal Items (Flare / Stim)
CI-Dark Control Flare
Buff applied for every flare held by the player.
Flares can be picked up inside the Holding Pen C Specimen Processing room, and again inside the generator shed if needed. The buff will have a number corresponding to how many flares the player currently holds and will generate a temporary ability bar with the Ignite Flair ability.
Ignite Flare
This special flare used by the CI-Dark Project's handlers contains a unique mixture of metallic oxidizers typically reserved for military grade explosives. Although it impractical as a lightsource due to a flame temperature of 3,400c and extremely short burn time, the light produced produced by these flares is one of the few known deterrents to CI-Dark's genetically optimized lifeforms.
Temporary ability granted by holding at least one CI-Dark Control Flare. The ability has a 1 second cast time and a 20 second duration.
Impractically Bright Light
You are illuminated by a blinding light.
Buff / debuff applied by standing inside the AoE of the CI-Dark Control Flare (blue AoE circle). The effect has a duration of 2.1 seconds and is refreshed upon expiration if the target is still within the AoE. The debuff has a wide range of effects, but in general it protects players from certain enemy special ability, prevents affected enemies from using certain abilities, immediately kills Incendiary Shrieks, and debuffs most enemies to deal less damage and take more damage during its duration.
Unused CI-Dark Control Flare
You have fallen and dropped the flares you were carrying at your feet. Allies may each pick up 1 flare every second.
Buff applied when a player drops flares to be picked up by other players.
CI-M Synapse Accelerator Serum
Injects a target with a dose of the experimental CZ-M Synapse Accelerator Serum. When used as directed, this serum grants the user increased runspeed and immunity to movement impairing effects, while also halving tiredness. Injecting a second dose while the first is active will over Overclock and Overload the body.
Overclock: Grants a 100% bonus to Accuracy and Critical Chance, and for Tanking disciplines a 100% bonus to Defense Chance.
Overload: Reduces maximum health by 25%. Receiving an additional dose while Overloaded is fatal.
Item that can be picked up inside the Holding Pen C Specimen Processing room. One use applies a movement speed buff and immunity to movement impairing effects, which effectively makes it grant similar benefits to the Vanguard ability Hold the Line or Powertech ability Hydraulic Overrides. A second use grants additional benefits to DPS and tanks. A third use has not effect in Story Mode but is fatal in Hard Mode.
Accelerated (CI-M Synapse Accelerator Serum)
Immune to movement impairing effects, knockdowns, and physics. Movement speed increased. Your body suddenly moves effortlessly. Both your mind and the world around you seem so much clearer.
Buff applied by first use of the CI-M Serum aka "stim". The stim lasts 12 seconds and grants immunity to movement-impairing effects for its duration and sets movement speed to 135%.
Overclocked (CI-M Synapse Accelerator Serum)
Accuracy and critical chance increased by 100%. Immune to movement impairing effects, knockdowns, and physics. Movement speed increased. Your mind and body are heightened to an extent you never knew possible. You think and move with perfect precision through a world in slow motion around you. You also suddenly feel like you're cooking in an oven.
Buff applied by second use of the CI-M Serum aka "stim", which increases accuracy and critical chance by 100% for 12 seconds.
Overclocked Defender (CI-M Synapse Accelerator Serum)
Accuracy and critical chance increased by 100%. Melee and Ranged defense increased by 100%. Immune to movement impairing effects, knockdowns, and physics. Movement speed increased. Your mind and body are heightened to an extent you never knew possible. You think and move with perfect precision through a world in slow motion around you. You also suddenly feel like you're cooking in an oven.
Buff applied by second use of the CI-M Serum aka "stim", which increases accuracy, critical chance, and melee/ranged defense by 100% for 12 seconds.
Overloaded (CI-M Synapse Accelerator Serum)
Maximum health decreased by 25%. Multi-dosing the CI-M Synapse Accelerator Serum is extremely dangerous...
Buff applied by second use of the CI-M Serum aka "stim", which reduces maximum health by 25% for 30 seconds.
Synaptic Collapse (CI-M Synapse Accelerator Serum)
Burning hot and burning out...
Debuff that instantly kills the player in Hard Mode if stim is used while under the effects of Overclocked and Overloaded (i.e., using 3 stims in total over 12 seconds).
Strategy
Overview
The objective of the encounter is to traverse Holding Pen C, enter the power generator shed and reactivate its power. Giving off an aura of "Jurassic Park in space", the holding pens have been breached with creatures roaming freely except for a few strategic doors manned by powerful Warden Droids. The team needs to make its way to two Warden Droids and defeat them to unlock the security doors, defeating various adds along the way.
Group Composition
Group Composition for this fight should ordinarily be 2 tanks, 4 DPS and 2 healers. In Story or Hard Mode, it is possible to go with 1 tank and 5 DPS. However, the lack of a second AoE taunt can be painful in some circumstances and the DPS check is not difficult if flares are utilized well, thus a second tank is generally recommended.
Having a Sentinel / Marauder DPS player is enormously helpful in this encounter and almost a necessity to skip the big add fight midway through the holding pens. Make sure they take utilities to buff the speed boost of Transcendence / Predation and make it free to activate, as doing do gives the entire group a very powerful speed boost every 30 seconds. This buff helps a great deal to speed from one spot to another in the fight.
In terms of mechanics, there is not a meaningful difference between Story Mode and Hard Mode. Story Mode features far fewer adds that hit for way less damage, thus various elements of an optimal strategy can be ignored in Story mode without issue. However, the recommended strategy can and should be followed in both levels of difficulty if possible.
Pre-Fight Preparation
Inside the Holding Pen C Specimen Processing Center, the team needs to distribute the Flares (Dark Control Flare) and Stims (Synapse Accelerator Serum). Tanks should take all the Flares while DPS take all the Stims. Tanks may choose to have the off-tank take all or nearly all Flares, or divide them equally depending on preference. DPS should be able to take 3 Stims each.
It is critical to make sure the entire team understands the strategy as far as movement. As discussed below, moving fast is important but moving together even moreso. Make sure everyone knows when the group will stand and fight or keep kiting adds to the next area, ensure those with Flares know when and how to use them optimally, and agree in advance on whether to try and skip the add group past the first Warden Droid or fight them.
Also pre-designate a person and a backup to handle clicking buttons inside the power generator shed. That person should be a DPS if at all possible to leave Tanks free to group adds and Healers to keep them alive until the power can be restored.
Strategy Key Points
In the simplest sense, the overall strategy for this fight has the following key points:
Move quickly. The faster the group moves the fewer adds it will face, especially in Hard Mode. Bypass small add groups and pull them to big add fight locations whenever possible. Make sure the team uses all its movement abilities and takes all utilities that buff speed boosts or provide immunity to slows/roots.
Stay together. Add waves will quickly overwhelm any stragglers and various adds apply slow effects that make it easy to get separated.
Use Flares effectively. Flares are critical to managing group damage taken and killing adds faster. See below for further discussion.
Avoid the Yellow circles from Incendiary Shrieks. Killing Incendiary Shrieks (via Flares or normally) drops a yellow circle that applies the Corrosive Rain DoT. This DoT is very painful, lasts a full minute, can stack multiple times and is not cleanseable. Using Flares effectively will help a great deal to avoid dropping these in the group, but it is very important that players avoid them at all costs.
Detailed Strategy
The optimal strategy will involve the team bypassing small add encounters and kiting them to locations with large adds. At those locations, the group should drop a Flare and kill all enemies while keeping them inside the Flare's AoE. As soon as those adds are dead, the group should resume running to the next major location.
See the map at the top of the page for the 6 key locations the group should be running between. The strategy getting to and dealing with each location is discussed in detail below:
Rampaging Charger #1 - The group can easily bypass the first group of adds outside the door by having a tank run past the adds and hit an AoE taunt without slowing. Hit a few knockbacks and pop any speed boosts (NOT STIMS) and run just inside the hole in the first fence. A Rampaging Charger will come out of the forest. The Tank should pull the Charger to the fence (so knockbacks don't move the tank) and drop a Flare on that area. The group should stay near the fence as well to ensure any Incendiary Shrieks die far away from the group so no one gets the Corrosive Rain DoT. The group should focus single target DPS on the Charger while using DoT spreads to kill the other adds. As soon as the adds are dead, resume running.
Rampaging Charger #2 - The group will run through a forest area and cut through a wide-open holding pen, encountering the second Rampaging Charger just inside the hole in the fence just past the wide-open area. Repeat the same strategy as the first Rampaging Charger (pull to fence, Flare, group near the fence to avoid the yellow circles).
Warden Droid #1 - The first Warden Droid is located in a hallway just past the holding pen with the second Rampaging Charger. Everyone except the off-tank should stack near the door adjacent to the Warden Droid. A Flare is not needed initially but should be used shortly after a wave of adds spawns. The Flare will kill the Incendiary Shriek flyers so no yellow circles clip the group. The off-tank should use AoE attacks (and AoE taunt if necessary, with an immediate counter-taunt by the main tank on the Warden Droid) to group up adds inside the Flare but away from the group. The group should make sure to kill all adds in the area before clicking the button to open the security door.
Rampaging Charger #3 + 1-2 Felshade Hunters - After the door is opened, the group will encounter a Rampaging Charger and 1-2 Felshade Hunters (1 in Story Mode, 2 in Hard Mode) fighting each other. If the group has a Sentinel / Marauder, they can use Transcendence / Predation and run past the adds without using any attack or healing abilities whatsoever. This will cause the surviving adds to de-aggro if used successfully. It may be possible to use Stims to run past the adds as well. If that tactic is not viable or unsuccessful, tank the adds against a wall and pop a Flare and burn down the Felshade Hunters immediately (they deal far more damage than the Rampaging Charger). Use a second Flare if it takes more than 20 seconds to kill the adds. In Hard Mode, the Felshade Hunters cannot be survived without using Flares.
Warden Droid #2 - After killing or running past the big adds, keep running through the two open holding pens into the central area with the second Warden Droid. The same tactic should be followed as with the first Warden Droid (group up near the Warden Droid, use 1-2 Flares to control add damage). A major difference is that as soon as the Warden Droid dies, a DPS or Tank should immediately hit the panel to open the passageway towards the power generator shed. The group should immediately run towards the door.
Power Generator Shed - A pre-designated DPS player should immediately begin clicking panels / wires to re-activate power. While that takes place, tank(s) should gather just inside the door to hold adds in place. Flares should be used continually to manage incoming damage until the doors close and the adds are killed. If needed, a player can grab additional Flares inside the shed.
Role Discussion
Tanks
Tanks have the most difficult job in this encounter due to most of the key strategy depending on them with regards to positioning and Flares. It is critical that at least one Tank be comfortable with Flare usage and at least one be skilled in using all movement abilities / utilities available to the class.
In this regards, Vanguards / Powertechs and Shadows / Assassins are marginally easier due to the frequent availability of Hold the Line / Hydraulic Overrides or Force Speed. Guardians / Juggernauts are somewhat less mobile, though are more than capable with skillful use of Force Leap / Force Charge to enemies ahead, Guardian Leap / Intercede to team members ahead of them, Blade Blitz / Mad Dash to dash ahead, and various utilities to Focused Defense / Enraged Defense and Enure / Endure Pain to provide speed boosts and immunity to slows.
Just to emphasize again, Tanks should have primary responsibility to deploying Flares. Make sure to read the discussion of Flares below and watch the Flare usage in the guide video linked above. DPS or Healers *can* use Flares but generally should not as they have much more stressful jobs in terms of DPS and eHPS output requirements.
When running between points, Tanks should strive to keep aggro on as many enemies as possible while still keeping up with the group. Run past a group and hit an AoE taunt as you are running away from a pack, grab aggro at the back of the team then Guardian Leap / Intercede or Hold the Line / Hydraulics or Force Speed up to the front and keep running! The team's ability to move quickly from point to point depends on Tanks, since only they can survive periodic hits from adds while Healers are running. If DPS get lots of adds on them, Healers will have to stop to heal them and everything gets bogged down.
At the major add locations, one tank should generally handle grabbing aggro on the big add while another handles adds and Flares. If another wave comes in, the Tank with an AoE taunt off cooldown should use it. Make sure to coordinate AoE taunts, as they are very precious in this fight for add management!
Healers
Healers have either the easiest or the hardest job in the fight. If Flares are used optimally and the Tanks are effective in managing adds on the move (keeping them off of DPS and Healers), then Healers have moderate AoE healing and moderate-to-high single target healing at each major add location. Fortunately, they have plenty of time to regen energy while running. If Flares are not used well, healing requirements for this fight are very very high.
Skillful use of healing abilities on the move is a huge benefit on this fight. Be particularly on the lookout for the Corrosive Rain DoT. Any player who gets more than 1 stack will need heavy sustained healing for 1 minute until the DoT wears off. Stacking DoTs, shields and probes is a great idea for affected player(s).
DPS
DPS players should focus on executing the strategy and moving quickly. I generally find that minimizing DPS abilities while running is ideal to make it easier for Tanks to hold aggro on all adds. A DPS player who is too successful at DPSing on the move may grab aggro on adds and take so much damage that the group has to stop so Healers can keep them alive (and Tanks will have to grab aggro so the Healers don't in turn get killed). As with all roles, optimizing movement cooldowns and utilities is critical.
DPS need to be able to deal heavy single target damage with strong AoE components. For burst classes, taking AoE tacticals are usually preferred. For DoT classes that can DoT spread, choosing between a single target tactical (to get the Chargers / Warden Droids down faster) or AoE tacticals is more a matter of preference.
Provided that Flares are used skillfully, the DPS check on this fight is not difficult even in Hard Mode. For a new team unfamiliar with Flare placement, very high DPS will be critical to getting adds down before Healers are overwhelmed.
Flare Usage
Positioning for Rampaging Chargers
Positioning for Czerka Warden Droids
There are no new mechanics in Hard Mode. The existing enemies and mechanics are much more punishing and so the margin for error on positioning, movement, and Flare usage is much tighter.
Tanks need to be very careful about Flare positioning. Groups of 6+ adds and a Rampaging Charger will usually wipe the group or lead to a death if a Flare is not utilized. The big add group inside the first door cannot be survived without using Flares, nor can the second Warden Droid fight (not due to the droid but due to the add waves featuring very dangerous adds). The group only gets 8 Flares and wasting any Flares could lead to a wipe due to running out, so be strategic in their use and do not waste them.
Moving quickly is even more important, as random adds spawn much faster. Staying together is also more important due to the increased damage. Let Tanks lead the way and DPS and Healers should not get ahead of them at any point.
Skipping the big add group past the first Warden Droid is a huge help to save Flares. If a Sentinel / Marauder is in the group, skipping them is easy. Hit Transcendence / Predation as soon as the door opens, run around the adds without using ANY abilities, and don't stop running until you reach the second Warden Droid or until you see a Charger or Felshade chasing you. Otherwise, I recommend devoting a few pulls to trying to skip them via using Stims or other movement abilities before trying to burn them down. Killing them is doable but will require 1-2 Flares.
If the group has to stop and kill the big add group, then be prepared to have a Tank grab more Flares inside the power generator shed to ensure enough are available to survive adds until the doors can be closed.
Avoiding/minimizing the Corrosive Rain DoT is also mandatory. A few players getting 1 stack of the DoT or one player getting 3-4 stacks is usually survivable albeit with much greater pressure on the healers. Half the group getting 3+ stacks is almost a guaranteed wipe. If that happens, it is best to stop moving and just focus on keeping the group alive, as otherwise the DoTs will do so much damage while the group runs that Healers will be too far behind to recover at the next stopping point.
Veteran Mode Strategy
There are no new mechanics in Veteran Mode. The existing enemies and mechanics are much more punishing and so the margin for error on positioning, movement, and Flare usage is much tighter.
Tanks need to be very careful about Flare positioning. Groups of 6+ adds and a Rampaging Charger will usually wipe the group or lead to a death if a Flare is not utilized. The big add group inside the first door cannot be survived without using Flares, nor can the second Warden Droid fight (not due to the droid but due to the add waves featuring very dangerous adds). The group only gets 8 Flares and wasting any Flares could lead to a wipe due to running out, so be strategic in their use and do not waste them.
Moving quickly is even more important, as random adds spawn much faster. Staying together is also more important due to the increased damage. Let Tanks lead the way and DPS and Healers should not get ahead of them at any point.
Skipping the big add group past the first Warden Droid is a huge help to save Flares. If a Sentinel / Marauder is in the group, skipping them is easy. Hit Transcendence / Predation as soon as the door opens, run around the adds without using ANY abilities, and don't stop running until you reach the second Warden Droid or until you see a Charger or Felshade chasing you. Otherwise, I recommend devoting a few pulls to trying to skip them via using Stims or other movement abilities before trying to burn them down. Killing them is doable but will require 1-2 Flares.
If the group has to stop and kill the big add group, then be prepared to have a Tank grab more Flares inside the power generator shed to ensure enough are available to survive adds until the doors can be closed.
Avoiding/minimizing the Corrosive Rain DoT is also mandatory. A few players getting 1 stack of the DoT or one player getting 3-4 stacks is usually survivable albeit with much greater pressure on the healers. Half the group getting 3+ stacks is almost a guaranteed wipe. If that happens, it is best to stop moving and just focus on keeping the group alive, as otherwise the DoTs will do so much damage while the group runs that Healers will be too far behind to recover at the next stopping point.