Garuda Hard Mode

Hi Folks,

I have seen a lot of information on gear requirements for Titan Hard Mode, but I was wondering about the requirements for Garuda. I have been running AK and CM for philosophy, and AK especially for gear (which never seems to drop tank stuff when I run it).

I have some Darklight Accessories and an Ifirit's Axe, but what is a good starting point for the Garuda fight in terms of gear? Any and all information is appreciated.

Essentially I'd say ilvl 55-60 is pretty good. So when all your main gear has be updated once you should ok, your acc are fine for Garuda. At the end of it all she never really hits too hard just make sure to avoid slipstreams and hope the heals do well when the adds spawn. The add phase is the only spot where I get nervously low on hp.

The damage in Garuda isn't all that intense yet, when I finished it I was wearing an unholy mess of artifact, darklight, vermillion, and hoplite. I would say clean up one of your accessories by running enough AK to get DL gloves and one more DL accessory (and probably some more hoplite along the way) and you should be good to go.

Jahno Terrana put up a post with a link to his website which has a decent end game progression guide that could be used as a rough draft for gearing. It's not the end all be all, but I have found it to be a good starting point for knowing what is needed for gear. Just try to also read up on the fights beforehand as that will make things go a bit more smooth.

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Originally Posted by Eightbit

Essentially I'd say ilvl 55-60 is pretty good. So when all your main gear has be updated once you should ok, your acc are fine for Garuda. At the end of it all she never really hits too hard just make sure to avoid slipstreams and hope the heals do well when the adds spawn. The add phase is the only spot where I get nervously low on hp.

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How do you avoid the slip streams? I always though it was target based since it wasn't a "red box" move.

Just run behind her before she's finished casting. You may get stuck eating some when she teleports and calls in her sisters, in that case just make sure she's positioned so as not to hit anyone else in the group.

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Originally Posted by Bhaelor

Just run behind her before she's finished casting. You may get stuck eating some when she teleports and calls in her sisters, in that case just make sure she's positioned so as not to hit anyone else in the group.

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When she jumps to summon her sisters, she always uses slipstream once she gets within a certain range, so if you move closer to her it will trigger sooner, giving you enough room to run back and not be hit by it.

Garuda is more of a skill check than a gear check IMO.

Some tips that you don't necessarily get in the guides:

1. MT, learn and memorize positioning in phase 2. Leave enough room so that melee DPS can get at her side/back. Don't sit her in a cyclone, but just outside.
2. Minimize kiting distance. When kiting her to the circle, you don't need to take her full to the north. West and in is fine.
3. In the circle (second set of adds) turn her towards the red beam always.
4. Use your cooldowns on the add phases.
5. If you have to OT the red add, know that healers can generate A LOT of aggro. Be prepared.
6. After the circle if you take her by the flag next to where the first cyclone spawns, you have a decent amount of time to keep her still before moving her again. You don't need to always keep kiting her to the edge of the cyclones.
7. It's easier to dodge slipstream if you move closer to her after positioning her. Take a couple steps in.
8. Some other tips I forgot.

For reference, I was able to do HM garuda in a DF group with 6600hp in Defiance on my alt WAR. I died a couple times (we 2 shotted her), and the sentiment that the most worrisome time is the add phase is correct. If you are skilled, you can probably get away with 6000-6200 (?) as long as you have good healers for the add phase. The rest of the damage is negligible, especially if you avoid slipstreams, which a knowledgeable healer will thank you profusely for.

One strategy I commonly use when I off-tank the adds is use Heavy Swing on Garuda when I know she's about to jump so I will have Skull Sunder on the adds closer to the party. That way, if it turns out to be red, great I got full aggro. If it turns out to be green, I just aggro the other one, not so much aggro gained with Skull Sunder.

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Originally Posted by Nichigo

How do you avoid the slip streams? I always though it was target based since it wasn't a "red box" move.

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It's a conal attack, there's just no ground indicator for it.

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Originally Posted by Ehayte

For reference, I was able to do HM garuda in a DF group with 6600hp in Defiance on my alt WAR. I died a couple times (we 2 shotted her), and the sentiment that the most worrisome time is the add phase is correct. If you are skilled, you can probably get away with 6000-6200 (?) as long as you have good healers for the add phase. The rest of the damage is negligible, especially if you avoid slipstreams, which a knowledgeable healer will thank you profusely for.

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6600 is overkill, you'd be sitting pretty for Titan at that point as long as you and the healers know the fight mechanics. 5500 is enough to MT or OT Garuda as WAR if you're dodging Slipstream. I'd suggest a minimum average iLevel of 55.

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Originally Posted by Nichigo

How do you avoid the slip streams? I always though it was target based since it wasn't a "red box" move.

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As mentioned, run behind her. It works for a lot of spells in this game (Void Thunder/Fire is another strong example). I know we've all played a lot of MMOs where npc casters can magically face the right direction no matter how much you run around them and finish their cast anyway, but in this game they seem to obey the same rules that player casters have to deal with. Was fighting a Gigas in Mor Dhona earlier that used Stone as its primary attack - just ran around it a bunch and it rarely finished a cast. Similar story for a nearby sprite that used Thunder.

It's probably why the cast time on generic spells that enemies use (Blizzard, Thunder, Stone, etc.) is so fast - to make the effort of dancing behind them less worthwhile, especially if you have melee dps that'll get cranky if you're constantly turning stuff. Might try it next time I'm in Stone Vigil with no DRG or MNK, though. Could lower the damage output of those 'trap card' 3 pulls of sprites since some healers seem to have issues bombing heals during those pulls.

Would've made that giant burst of damage (from 2 adds + the boss casting a void spell) at 25% of the last fight in Haukke Manor a lot easier to deal with if I'd known it back then, haha.

Depends really how your party is set up. Garuda really only needs 1 tank but if you're only tanking Garuda I'd be aiming for ilvl 60? That way you're not getting carried by your healers. Solo tanking Garuda and the red add I'd be aiming for DL/AK mix.

If you get a tank drop in AK you get at least 2 pieces at once (usually what happened with me) so it shouldn't take too long :)

Slipstream is a frontal beam spell you can dodge by strafing left or right or as others have said running through her you just have to be watching and move early in the cast. Garuda can be main or off tanked with Ilvl 55 armor and hq lvl 48/49 jewelry as long as the healers are decent. One other thing about Garuda she will cast a spell on the #2 target on her hate list if it's a healer or dps and they are far away from her she will leave the mt and run toward them so the off tank needs to try to stay 2nd on hate to keep it from happening.