Enimies overpowered in Tier 2?
Hey everyone, I'm here to talk to you all about something. And no, I'm not whining
I've recently started playing again, I had a bunch of crowns to buy some pretty nice 3* equipment (Dusker set, Arc Razor, horned owlite shield, and gunslinger set as a costume) to help me stay alive since my 2* equipment wasn't so helpful like before. But it doesn't seem effective anymore, because for some reason, my friends and I are getting slaughtered throughout the depths. I recently helped my friend with a tier 2 mission, and one of the frog like enimies, who was a tier 2 enemy, took half my health without any effort, and I died very fast because a bunch of them shot me from the distance and then hoarded my friend. I don't even lag, and I'm pretty aware of who and what is close to me. I would expect such from a Lumber (tree like enimies), but not from a frog. It also happens to me with jellies, they also seem to eat my shield in 3 to 4 hits, and I get slaughtered half the time. Even my friends in great 5* equipment have been slaughtered, and they weren't even in a danger room. The enimies also seem to have a tendency to hoard you instead of spliting up and attacking seperately, so I get caught in a group of 4 Mecha Knights and end up dying within seconds and not having a chance to break away, and the shield bash doesn't work in that kind of sitiuation, as well as it happens to all of my friends too.
So if you don't feel like reading that chunk, then I'm simply going to ask it like this, Do you think the AI/enimies in Tiers (mostly tier 2 for me since I can only acsess that tier) are a bit too aggressive and more powerful then they should be, or do you think they're fine and I need a bunch of equipment to fit all depths requirements.

Dont ever stop moving.
Dont let your shield get too low unless you have too.
Its not about speed, take your time.
I do block, with my shield, but the enimes seem to break through it within 3-5 hits. I don't spam click, I do use my shield when I see something coming my way, and it gets brought down pretty fast by the enimies. This never happened to me before when I left the game.

There were a surprising amount of T3 enemies in the T2 run I was on, this coupled with the T1 enemies in T3 and 2 makes me think... well I don't know what to think. More fun, I guess?

Tier 2 is fine, I have no trouble with it. The only difficult part is Devilites and that's only when they swarm you in large groups. For Mecha Knights you shouldn't use your sword if there's 4 of them around you because they'd destroy you. A gun or bomb is more suitable for Mecha Knights(shield isn't a problem, it just makes the killing take a little bit longer). Your shield won't be able to take a lot of hits like it did in Tier 1 because it's supposed to get harder the deeper you get.

Do you think the AI/enimies in Tiers (mostly tier 2 for me since I can only acsess that tier) are a bit too aggressive and more powerful then they should be...
No, I believe the enemies are quite fine as they are (except maybe Fiends), and some (like Wolvers) may even deserve an upgrade from where they are now.
...or do you think they're fine and I need a bunch of equipment to fit all depths requirements.
While having a variety of equipment does help, it's not something you need. I've personally had no problems defensively through T3 using just my Vog and BTS.
Judging by what you've told us, I think the problem with how you're playing right now is that you're attempting to take too many hits head-on. Don't do that. If you can possibly dodge the attack, do so. When you expect an enemy to attack, shield bump it and/or strafe to the side, don't just put up your shield. Your shield should be for situations where you're not sure if you can move out of the way or an attack, like Giant Lichen Colony spike shots, or projectile barrages. They should not be used while standing still in front of an attacking jelly.
If you're being chased by a large mob, don't be afraid to use charge attacks. They're (usually) not there just to look pretty.
As far as the "frog-like" enemy... the only mobs I can think of with both ranged and mobile melee options in T2 would be Retrodes and Giant Lichen Colonies, and neither of those look even remotely frog-like.

If ya think T2 is hard... wow, what will happen to you on T3 and dont eventhink of doing a shadow lair :p
I guess the main problem you are experiencing is taht T1 only has normal damage, but on T2, you start to need specialized armor, wich you must be lacking of.
Your friends arent good example either.

"I do block, with my shield, but the enimes seem to break through it within 3-5 hits."
1) Is your shield appropriate to the damage taken? T2 enemies deal split normal + special, so if you're using e.g. an Owlite, it isn't going to survive many jelly spikes.
2) You should aim to improve your dodging to the point where 3-5 blocked hits is more than enough.
P.S. Your 5* friends must be terrible!

Why are you sitting there taking 3-5 hits? No, seriously. Why?

It's not the gear you have. It's what you do with it. If you're dying because you're getting hit maybe ten times in a typical level, then the problem isn't your gear. It's that you're getting hit ten times in a typical level. Fix that and you'll do better.

The OP is gonna be a bit ticked when he figures out all tier 2 content has been done with just 2* gear only...
And all tier 2 bosses have been done with 0* gear only...

You don't miss one thread to show off your epeen, do you?

circle strafing around a mob in circular or large square rooms with an appropriate gun is more effective than running in to kill
the only time I'd advocate bum rushing a mob is if you only have shadow damage and need to take out a silkwing or a cowardly mender behind his allies
I can solo T2 with 3/4 star equipment with 1 or 2 rez while going for JK
for turrets and lumbers circle strafe in a tight circle or try to get the lumber stuck in 1 block wide terrain as he can't pass it and will form a barricade + if your friends hold aggro you can pick of other monsters if possible at your leisure
in the case of devilites going right for the boss before he can promote an overtimer is good but just make sure to kill any yes men first, with friends shieldbumping the boss while you do that will prevent further promotions
any other mob can be circlestrafed and mechaknights charge attacks will propel you backwards when you shield so you use that to get out of bad situations

OMG
I dont believe what i see... T2 OPed, i cant imagine the person who would post something like that.
I had a bunch of crowns to buy some pretty nice 3* equipment (Dusker set, Arc Razor, horned owlite shield, and gunslinger set as a costume) to help me stay alive since my 2* equipment wasn't so helpful like before.
- buying fancy expensive equipment dont make you best warrior on the playground... ever heard of skill?
I've recently started playing again.
- you should really check the spiral knights wiki, i dont know how long you didnt play, you might to read again about monster types, their weakness, resistances and damage they deal.
Even my friends in great 5* equipment have been slaughtered.
- skill
- tactic
- ???
- profit!
And just like always. IF YOU MANAGED TO KILL EVERYTHING BEFORE (in previous tier, other lvls) it dont mean you will take care with everything else. If you die, take lesson, improve, make better tactic, find more skilled friends or talk with your team and improve together. Running on forum and even suggesting that T2 is OPed will make you just look silly.

This game relies heavily on dodging and blocking and less on equipment. Combat is not turn based, and attempting to "trade blows" will only get you killed. Good equipment will give you more room for error, but it will never allow you to tank enemies like you can in other MMO's.
This has come up before, and people have given suggestions on it. I will leave the link to that thread here.
-edit-
Turns out I linked to an even better thread on the subject before that. So I'll post that link here as well.

I'd like to post something Gwen-like, but I'm feeling rather Asukalan-like so maybe I just let myself repeat what Quasirandom said, because it's pretty much all there is to say:
It's not the gear you have. It's what you do with it. If you're dying because you're getting hit maybe ten times in a typical level, then the problem isn't your gear. It's that you're getting hit ten times in a typical level. Fix that and you'll do better.

What has already been said. You can't tank in this game, well... maybe in T1 with T3 armor, but aside from that little instance all trying to tank will do is get you killed.
T2 is the learning area for T3. Most enemies have their full range of attacks, although some in T3 might be modified to make them stronger. You practice in T2 until you are good enough to dodge, and what you can not dodge you block with your shield (or get smacked in the face with). It is about learning the attacks of your enemies and figuring out how to dodge them honestly. Oh... and using the right weapons on them.
Practice and you will get better. And yes... having different armors for different areas is rather useful, but should be put off getting until you get your first 5* set.
~Gwen

Go look for a guide. There are lots of videos that show playthroughs of Tier 2 content. One that comes to mind is Nicoya's videos. I think Nicoya has done a playthrough of like every possible stratum combination.

Tier 2 is:
- around the time when the game teaches you that you need to focus more on staying alive more than dealing damage.
- around the time you discover your shield can't tank as much as you think it can.
- around the time you discover that you can actually dodge attacks.
- around the time when the game throws damage/resistance types at you and you should start thinking about them.

tier 2 gun puppies/howlitzers are harder to deal with than their t3 counterpart.

Consider this: What if your friend was actually in a T3 mission when you joined him? If that is the case, then yes, your 3 star equipment is going to suck, big time. If you were actually in a T2 mission, and you were actually WEARING your 3 star equipment, then... I think you should do what others suggest; try not to get hit. I know it's more fun to run in and throw your weight around, but unfortunately, in SK doing so will get you killed (except T1 with T3 gear).
Take your time, flank the enemy, run around and stay at a distance and shoot them with a handgun (make sure your damage indicator is turned on too). If you see the 3 lines on the ground in front of them, or see the attack animation come up, turn and run as far as it takes to avoid the attack. A more advanced move would be to dodge to one side or the other, but that will take some practice.
I went a LONG time in T2 in 2 star gear. It was hard, but not too hard.
Also, don't take this wrong, I'm not suggesting that you dumb, but did you equip your 3 star gear? I have accidentally worn 2 star gear that I meant to equip as a costume. A costume does nothing for you except look different.
Hope that helps. Good luck!

Tier 2 is fine. There have been many nerfs lol, no more please..
Anyways, most players have done the same depth many times like in Royal Jelly Palace, they just read the movement of the monsters & which is why they have no problem doing Firestorm Citadel without any fire resist/shadow defense. You do something over & over, of course eventually you'll master it & know nearly everything about how it works.

tier 2 is fine i think .. EXCEPT for royal jelly palace! i find myself dying so frequently in royal jelly palace, and im a bomber!! im a skilled 5* geared bomber, im a veteran in my guild, Kage-No-Senshi, and ive never really had a problem with RJP before !!! XD i went back , just for kicks ,and .. holy crap!!! i invited some of my fully upped-gear friends/guildies, and they were dyin too!! it was so messed XD i dotn get it .. and then now the boss is the easiest thing in the stage

Bombers traditionally have a hard time in rjp. Without DR, you are left with graviton as shadow damage. Barring that, rss is your best direct damage weapon, that or nitro. So a bomber having trouble in rjp isn't unheard of.
Being a vet in any guild does not automatically make you good.

fire + shock bomb on royal jelly palace kills everything while the monsters "seems" to just stay at their own standing place.
This game is not just spamclick you know ?
I went through T2 without problems.
Maybe use more your shield, and shieldblocking.