Garuda's Difficulty

[Kinseykinz]

Our last run got Garuda down to 50% in ~5 minutes, problem that time was that we lost a war mid way through to D/C, and were wiped for 8k.

Then it sounds like you're getting close...just more practice...50% in 5 mins does still mean you'd have to survive phase 2, but parties do it. Although, it is easier to skip it if you have the DPS in the front...but either way, sounds like you're making forward progress.