Cloud City is renowned for its Tibanna Gas mining operation, but did you know that there is a seedy side to the city that's hidden from sight? If you know where to go and who to talk to, you can get in on some of the action that happens far beneath the Wing Guard's notice.
Introducing Mex Nagu, the Ugnaught owner of an exclusive - and elusive - night club beneath the streets of the city.
Aside from the patrons, entertainers and merchants who exchange Tibanna gas cannisters for items that cannot be acquired anywhere else in the galaxy, the club also holds holo-net arena fights! Mex is the man to meet if you want in. But being away from the scrutiny of the Wing Guard affords Mex the means to make money off of those willing to risk it all for a chance at the top spot on the arena leaderboards along with the prizes that can gained along the way.
Let's take an up close look at this side hustle that Mex has turned into the talk of the underground. Join us as we venture down beneath Cloud City and enter the… the Holonet Battle Arena!
By now you should already be wary of where you are going and who you talk to. You are advised to check your wallet before going too far. Sure, there are thugs about who might want to rob you, but perhaps the biggest crook of all is Mex himself! You'll need a cool 1 million credits on hand for Mex to grant you access to the arena! If that sounds too rich for your blood(sport), you might not be ready to test your mettle in the pits.
There is, however, a silver lining to the big buy in: it's a one time fee! That's right, Mex only needs to see that you're serious about competing, so he'll only ask for that one million once. After that, there will be no cost to you (outside of any expenses you need to make in order to - you know - actually survive the challenge regularly)!
Cloud City is huge, but fortunately Mex has placed a waypoint on your planetary map to guide you to his business. You'll still need to navigate your way down to his establishment. Stick with us. We know the way. Keep your weapon close, head on a swivel and avoid making eye contact with anyone you don't know.
First, head over to /way bespin 320 380 and head inside. There's a lift in the center of the structure that you'll take one level down. Jump off the lift, head right and follow around until you find a terminal. Are you with us so far? Because if you get lost, we may never see you again down here.
Alright, there you are. Click the terminal to be taken to the next location. Ahead of you is a door that you'll go through. Finally, turn left and in you go. Through the doors. Nothing to fear.
Welcome to the Underground Cantina!
With it's neon lights and general atmosphere, the cantina is quite a departure from other sub-levels of this vast orbiting station. You'll likely find Mex mingling by the bar. If you've brought your credits, you're ready to purchase your way into the arena. Head over strike up a conversation with him to learn a little more. When you're convinced, let him free you of the burden of those 1 million credits.
As noted, this payment is a one-time fee that is valid forever. On a daily basis, you are free to participate in single, double or four-person arena battles. Once each, per day. Use the /showi command to check your lockouts.
Mex compiles data on every participant in the arena by rating their performances. He categorizes them into various leaderboards so that the best fighters can be recognized by peers and fans alike.
More than that, prizes are granted to the top three ranked leaders each week. Just a little incentive that Mex offers to ensure a friendly competition between combatants and additional excitement for his club patrons. But Mex offers some raw, unrefined Tibanna gas cannisters for any who partake in defeating the waves of enemies in the pit. For those not "in the know" that gas is a form of currency in and around Cloud City. More on that later.
Before dropping down into the fight pit, why not take a look at the leaderboards to see how the competition is currently faring, as well as how the two prior weeks ended up. Scouting the competition is always a smart play in any sport, even one that is not officially recognized by any governing body. Unless you consider Mex to be a "governing body".
So look, we're not here to tell you how to fight. Hopefully you know that already. Before seriously considering the arena, you should be well into (or even done with) your endgame build.
It cannot be stressed enough that the arena is not for the faint of heart or the incomplete of template. You are welcome to jump in whenever you like, but those who are serious about success should be confident in their abilities and gear. Moreover, they avail themselves with as many buffs as possible from medic to entertainer, food and drink, officer stims and more.
Do not forget your familiar. Every little bit will help!
Are you ready? Then…
Speak to Mex when you're ready to drop down into the arena. Don't worry - you'll still have some time for those final swigs of Breath of Heaven, activate your power-ups, or to call out your combat pet and let them gnash on Blubbery Fish Substitute.
With your "pre-flight" checks done, head to the center of the arena and wait for the program to boot up. The holo-generators will scan the area and begin calculations to determine what foes to spawn and send forth.
At first, the mobs will be small and fairly simple. Do not be lulled into a false sense of superiority. This is just the arena ramping up for the big battles.
Foes will come at you in waves. Every fifth wave, you can expect more difficult "silver classed" opponents. You'll be ready for that, surely. But every tenth wave is when you really need to be prepared. That's when the "gold classed" bosses will spawn. It's times such as these when the arena separates the domesticated wheat from the chaff.
Each wave that you complete, whether it be regular, silver or gold, will award Unrefined Tibanna gas. Either used on its own, or refined, it's part of a currency used on Cloud City. Everything in the City in the Clouds is based around this valuable resource. To learn more about the refinement process, see our dedicated Friday Feature.
We're not going to talk strategy here. That's for YOU to discover to determine what works best. But we will briefly touch on a few mechanical advantages that the arena offers. Mex does want you to survive long enough to be entertaining, afterall!
From the start of an arena battle, you may see two barriers on opposite sides. These offer protection to those who take cover near them. They don't last, however. Once destroyed, they are gone for the duration of the instance.
During any given wave, you might notice a glowing blue circle or a cannister of bacta. In fact, let's hope you DO notice them as they are key to survival.
The glowing blue circle can be used to activate the Targeting Enhancement Matrix buff. Run into it to activate it. Then, bring all your offensive to bear on the enemy to enjoy at 100% damage modifier!
Meanwhile, the bacta cannister provides an area heal for you and your allies. It's a sturdy cannister so you'll need to smash it open. A few quick hits or blasts should knock the lid open and let the healing power flow.
During the boss battles, three additional tactical options will appear for a limited time. Look to the floor for large, colorful circles. One green, one blue and one red.
- The green activates the Support Arena Buff. Any dedicated medic would be wise to position within this circle as it increases Healing by 50% and reduces that all important Action cost by 15%.
- The blue circle is where you'll head to enjoy the Defensive Arena Buff. Damage dealt is reduced by 20% and innate armor is increased by 2000 points.
- And over in the red circle, the Offensive Arena Buff is available for those who want to take their damage to the next level. All damage is increased by 25% and the chance for critical hits is increased by 20%.
The arena continues to generate waves of foes until either everyone is dead or 90 minutes has elapsed. When either of those conditions are met, the arena closes.
Death is not the end, of course. If you were unable to survive, you can activate your clone data. Check your inventory to see how much Unrefined Tibanna Gas you were awarded for your efforts.
You'll be able to try that particular arena instance again after the lockout timer. But remember, there are three unique instance types to try. So if you just completed a solo instance, you are still eligible for the two- or four-person battles which have their own individual lockouts.
We hope this feature has given you a better understanding of how the arena operates. From gaining access to getting a handle on the core mechanics. We leave the strategy - and success - up to you! Let us know in the comments how you got along in the arena, and feel free to share your own strategies or tactics that others might benefit from.
Looking for more Friday Features? Click here!
