I sort of came to the conclusion that it's not that the mobs are badass so much as I am undergeared? I guess they balanced it for people who have been raiding? Or... something? I'll cop, I've died a couple times in Vash'jir already due to, well, too many pulls. I can basically take one thing at a time and maybe two things if I am on top of EVERYTHING, which okay, I remember this from ye olden days of mage levelling. I just don't remember it fondly. But I care a lot less now because OMG SO PRETTY.