Given the immense popularity of the empyrean shield and harp, also the favorite heavy DD jobs DRK and SAM, Ironclad Smiter has become an extremely popular NM to target for seal farming and iron plate farming. Last night I had the unfavorable experience of trying to farm Iron Plates for the empyrean harp while also trying to farm DRK and SAM body seals, when suddenly a party of 4 appeared and much to my dismay stole the next pop. Then after waiting for 30 minutes for them to defeat him because they weren't aware of how to damage him correctly. They sent me rude tells telling me things like "go to hell" when I took the next spawn. Then in the midst of that fight, another party of 4 showed up asking if it was my last fight. Thankfully it was.

I understand this is just bad luck and timing, but isn't this the very reason SE decided to increase the spawn points of the empyrean weapon item mobs from 1 to 3?

And furthermore the drop rate on iron plates is horrendous! TH8 or higher on each one and 1 plate each time on 8 fights!