Is syndicate grossly overtuned?

I have tried engaging with content since as early as level 1 but so far have found the syndicate grossly overtuned in terms of both health and life. The gear I have at this level is way better than what most players have yet the league content is simply inaccesibly difficult as a bow ranger using blastrain/ice shot at level 48. What's worse, the league mechanic itself are confusing AF further adding to un fun.

Has anyone had success engaging with the league prior to end game and without using a meta chad build? Am I misisng something very obvious?


Gear:

I've only played to level 40. But I've engaged and killed every Betrayal encounter so far. Even unlocked one of their bases and cleared it without any problems.

I do think the lower levels are definitely rougher than they should be. Given that it was just yesterday the only boss to whup me was uber elder, I can only imagine how these fights must be for more "relaxed" players.

I'm learning how the system works, but even with keeping them at lower ranks as a fresh untwinked league starter I've eaten a handful of deaths and haven't quite made it out of Act 5 even yet.

Intervention can be especially surprising, where you may be fighting some packs and get ambushed. Wouldn't be an issue well-geared, potentially deadly when you don't even have bleed flasks.

To be fair, its not too different from my starting experience in abyss - except that I could avoid activating the abyss, and you don't get that luxury all the time with betrayal.

When I'm lucky enough to have Einhar, I use him for support and finish his mission after.

But it would explain how easy it would be for new players to be turned off before getting through half the story. It's not like the rewards justify beating up lower level players.

It's probably tuned around Arc, lol. I mean, even as Arc Mines I have a few hairy moments. I'm only into low maps, though.

i'm only in act 4 but so far i could do everything except the cart mission. hillock always heals himself so i cant kill him in time.

they are overtuned for sure.

just compare them to our "regular" red monsters, they have at least twice the HP, a full set of attacks that hit a lot harder and you can encounter 3 at once, with yellow monster with them.

i usually finish the story deathless, i've died 5 times before act 5 this time...

i don't really mind, i play softcore, but for hardcore player and beginners it must be really hard.

They are way to hard in the early levels. They are sometimes really hard to skip as well. Makes for an unfun experience.

absolutely agree..
starting from lvl 30, killing syndicate became just a time loss
Skipping everything, see no point of doing it. No rewards, very risky, very long fights.

It's definitely not new player friendly, which is a consistent trend with GGG leagues. It is achievable from the start but you really need to know what you're doing as well as have a character that is built for it. Tanky Marauders are probably waltzing through the content, delicate mages and rangers are going to get a spanking a lot of the time.

Just like Bestiary, Harbinger, Incursion and a host of others, you need survivability and boss killing capability at an early stage and not all builds start like that.

too hard early on, especially endurance charge asshole but at around 30~ its become pretty standard for difficulty so feels alright.