Having trouble in Orr areas :(
Orr only has 1 level. It is a learning experience but fairly straightforward. If you are dying take some more defensive armour until you are not dying. Running through mobs will work since they do not follow very far, and unlike the new maps are fairly dumb AI. Next look at the map for the closest wp and head directly for it (GW2 wiki has all maps and locations on it). Several can be unusable at times but many are open. Lastly use map chat. I see people on these maps all the time due to the drops from the mobs and from harvest runs, so give a shout in chat to see if anyone can help guide you.
After having finished world completion with all 9 classes, I never had much trouble in Orr. HoT maps, yes, specially before April update.
There are some map events that you want to avoid in Orr, or wait for larger group of players. Some of the Champs are not meant to be soloed so don’t. Then again, some areas have multiple paths to the poi or vista so take your time and explore around.
Orr is indeed a notable step up from most of the rest of central tyria (and the Heart of Maguuma is a step up from Orr)
but yeah, take some defensive traits or skills or gear, and practice until you get the hang of it
Orr is intentionally more difficult than the rest of Tyria – it was the original ‘end game’ zone.
As other people have said some defensive stats and/or traits will help. They’re not popular with experienced players because with practice it is possible to survive most enemies by dodging and/or killing them faster than you kill them and against really hard hitting things like group champions and world bosses it won’t make a difference. But until you’ve had that practice (or if like me you’re not the best player and don’t want to be going all out at all times just to survive) some passive defense is helpful.
I also recommend making sure you have as many waypoints as possible unlocked, so you have more options when you die, and taking some time to explore so you can learn your way around – it is confusing but there’s often more than one way to get to a location and it’s helpful to know that.
Finally it sounds counter-intuitive but I actually find sometimes taking it slow gets you to your destination faster. If a group event is moving through the area rather than trying to rush ahead of it and getting mobbed by a different group of enemies wait where you are for it to move past and then carry on. Or clear out enemies as you go so you don’t get overwhelmed. It will take longer than simply running to your destination but a lot less time than running part way there, dying, starting over, running part way there, dying starting over etc.
“Life’s a journey, not a destination.”
To add to what Danikat said, taking it slow is sometimes the best option – use strategy to avoid mobs (like waiting until group events pass, or carefully finding your way around a mob you’d rather not fight).
If you’re playing a character with a profession that’s usually melee, see if there’s a ranged weapon available to that profession (there usually is), and use it to carefully pull enemies from mobs. That way you only have to fight one or two at a time in most cases. I did this with my warrior using a rifle, and it worked just fine.
Just take your time and try not to get too frustrated or impatient. It really is possible to complete Orr solo.
O_o
There shouldn’t be much if any moving group events. On the other hand sometimes the scaling system screws up. If you see lv82 mobs and you are the only person around it is not worth bothering with.
My positive spin. Many have had the same initial reaction, but before too long it seems most get over the change and it becomes a much more manageable area. It seems the earlier maps are more baron, but Cursed Shores the farthest map down, is typically a active map for players. But I still see players in all the Orr maps.
Also +1 to defensive tactics and gear if needed.
Anets history before GW2, which means GW1, has always been to get progressively harder as they are trying to teach a player to become better players. I do feel GW1 did this better there it was to become better players to be better at PvP. But I can see the same ideas in GW2. For me though in general it works, I strive to become better, knowing I’ll never be elite, but doing as much as I can today.
Orr is pretty much the only place in core Tyria that teaches you to remove conditions. Try taking a condition removal on a reasonable cooldown and I think you’ll find fights a good bit easier.