Yurgir
I got rekt by those gnolls when I was level 2. Noped my way into a lower level area and came back near the end of the act and curbstomped them. I think this was on balanced mode before I switched to Tactician.Let me make my point by saying that anyone who complains this game is too easy is basically probably powergaming and save scumming, especially if they were anything less than L5 for that fucking gnoll bridge encounter.
There is a few ways to deal with Balthazar when facing the nightsong thing. One way is just to push him off the ledge. Works well but you lose out on his lootz. Another is to gather up all the skellies sneaking around and putting them all in a pile, again, close to a ledge, so when he casts his mass corpse raising spell they are all in one area and you can push the majority of them off the ledge or use explosive or aoe to kill them fast. Or maybe, I have not tried, is jsut to take all the skellie bones and just throw them ober the ledge so you dont have to deal with any of that crap. You can counter spell his corpse raising spell as well. Not sure if he tries to cast it again, but you just have to deal with him then and not the 10 skellies. Im sure there are other ways to deal with that fight too. Although doable im sure im pretty sure youre not supposed to face him before nightsong, this is why they made that fight so difficult if you try to off him before you get to nightsong.In latter Act 2 still. While I'm still having fun, definitely feels like things need some difficulty tuning. In particular, the fights againstneed a nerf.Balthazar and Z'rell
I did get past the former by pickpocketing his Haste potion and shutting down his spellcasting with Wizardsbane Oil, but Cloudkill when your characters are at levels 7 or 8 is bullshit unleaded. Second fight I just bypassed entirely; really glad that the option to do so is there. In that sense (that there's basically a way around every difficult encounter if you think outside of the box), I agree with Yahtzee's critique that the game is rewarding, but I definitely see the validity of it being frustrating as all hell for those without patience.
I like a lot about this game, but as someone playing couch co-op with their wife and another friend who occasionally jumps in online, Larian needs to admit it really wanted to make DOS3 instead of this. At least when it comes to the game mechanics. Story, art, graphics, and voice acting are all top tier, but their odd spin on the worst edition of DnD of all time is ruining the game for me.
Let me make my point by saying that anyone who complains this game is too easy is basically probably powergaming and save scumming, especially if they were anything less than L5 for that fucking gnoll bridge encounter. They basically tossed out the DnD rules (and the shitty 5e ones at that) in lots of places (L5 Spider boss somehow has an attack bonus of +12 and 125 hp?) but the gnoll encounter pretty much takes the cake. Gnoll Hunters armed with bows who are L3, but somehow shoot three times a round at a +5 to hit and spam a debuff thats not from table top that prevents the character from using their bonus action each round for the duration of the fight (uncurable and basically unlimited range of course). And oh yeah, they are all burning through about 1k gold worth of one use arrows and items that somehow magically never drop from them if you do kill them. These Gnolls also somehow generate criticals on natural rolls of 16 with their attacks. This is the "Balanced" setting. I struggle to believe anyone is besting that encounter on tactician and all that Explorer does in that fight is cut down on the consumable spam (along with the ability of the players to multiclass). Add to this that every boss or named foe has pretty much 4-5x the hp it should in table top along with nearly always the ability to full move and swing 3+ times (after even a Dash sometimes) at even lower levels, nearly always one rounding whoever they move up to, and its a recipe for frustration for anyone just trying to play the game as a casual table topper.
But mostly I am sick of having to jump around to get anywhere like a retard because nearly every square inch of space is covered in fire, frost, web, or poison. These are all DOS staples (and I hated them in those games), but the player mechanics were designed around that. Larian just took their AI and "balance" from those games and stretched a DnD 5e skin suit over it. And more poo, poison, and fire puddles than the average San Fran street. How about just using the existing rules and balancing around that? Maybe have the players fight actual 1/2 hit dice goblins in large numbers instead of every single goblin being two levels higher than the party half the time, built like an 8 year old powergamer DM made them, and armed with thousands of gold pieces of one use items? I suspect its likely because their AI never improved beyond the whole "shit damage goop all over the place and make the characters snared and CCed" routine from DOS1.
Its a single issue in an otherwise perfect game.
And don't get me started on their AI, which ignores the big Gith fighter bitch with 19 AC wrecking them with a magic spear to the face to dash two turns aross the map to mush a mage or other character who has not even taken any action.
Sounds like your group is horrible at video games. Git gud fgt definitely applies.I like a lot about this game, but as someone playing couch co-op with their wife and another friend who occasionally jumps in online, Larian needs to admit it really wanted to make DOS3 instead of this. At least when it comes to the game mechanics. Story, art, graphics, and voice acting are all top tier, but their odd spin on the worst edition of DnD of all time is ruining the game for me.
Let me make my point by saying that anyone who complains this game is too easy is basically probably powergaming and save scumming, especially if they were anything less than L5 for that fucking gnoll bridge encounter. They basically tossed out the DnD rules (and the shitty 5e ones at that) in lots of places (L5 Spider boss somehow has an attack bonus of +12 and 125 hp?) but the gnoll encounter pretty much takes the cake. Gnoll Hunters armed with bows who are L3, but somehow shoot three times a round at a +5 to hit and spam a debuff thats not from table top that prevents the character from using their bonus action each round for the duration of the fight (uncurable and basically unlimited range of course). And oh yeah, they are all burning through about 1k gold worth of one use arrows and items that somehow magically never drop from them if you do kill them. These Gnolls also somehow generate criticals on natural rolls of 16 with their attacks. This is the "Balanced" setting. I struggle to believe anyone is besting that encounter on tactician and all that Explorer does in that fight is cut down on the consumable spam (along with the ability of the players to multiclass). Add to this that every boss or named foe has pretty much 4-5x the hp it should in table top along with nearly always the ability to full move and swing 3+ times (after even a Dash sometimes) at even lower levels, nearly always one rounding whoever they move up to, and its a recipe for frustration for anyone just trying to play the game as a casual table topper.
But mostly I am sick of having to jump around to get anywhere like a retard because nearly every square inch of space is covered in fire, frost, web, or poison. These are all DOS staples (and I hated them in those games), but the player mechanics were designed around that. Larian just took their AI and "balance" from those games and stretched a DnD 5e skin suit over it. And more poo, poison, and fire puddles than the average San Fran street. How about just using the existing rules and balancing around that? Maybe have the players fight actual 1/2 hit dice goblins in large numbers instead of every single goblin being two levels higher than the party half the time, built like an 8 year old powergamer DM made them, and armed with thousands of gold pieces of one use items? I suspect its likely because their AI never improved beyond the whole "shit damage goop all over the place and make the characters snared and CCed" routine from DOS1.
Its a single issue in an otherwise perfect game.
And don't get me started on their AI, which ignores the big Gith fighter bitch with 19 AC wrecking them with a magic spear to the face to dash two turns aross the map to mush a mage or other character who has not even taken any action.
For the Gnoll "bridge", I'm not 100% sure which you mean: For the hyenas that transform into gnolls, you can sneak up and murder them before they transform. Then you move up the hill and take out the other pack of 5. Both were little trouble, at level 4, but I think I may have had to go back to and camp after, because I proceeded to toll collector building and the "Paladins" there.I like a lot about this game, but as someone playing couch co-op with their wife and another friend who occasionally jumps in online, Larian needs to admit it really wanted to make DOS3 instead of this. At least when it comes to the game mechanics. Story, art, graphics, and voice acting are all top tier, but their odd spin on the worst edition of DnD of all time is ruining the game for me.
Let me make my point by saying that anyone who complains this game is too easy is basically probably powergaming and save scumming, especially if they were anything less than L5 for that fucking gnoll bridge encounter. They basically tossed out the DnD rules (and the shitty 5e ones at that) in lots of places (L5 Spider boss somehow has an attack bonus of +12 and 125 hp?) but the gnoll encounter pretty much takes the cake. Gnoll Hunters armed with bows who are L3, but somehow shoot three times a round at a +5 to hit and spam a debuff thats not from table top that prevents the character from using their bonus action each round for the duration of the fight (uncurable and basically unlimited range of course). And oh yeah, they are all burning through about 1k gold worth of one use arrows and items that somehow magically never drop from them if you do kill them. These Gnolls also somehow generate criticals on natural rolls of 16 with their attacks. This is the "Balanced" setting. I struggle to believe anyone is besting that encounter on tactician and all that Explorer does in that fight is cut down on the consumable spam (along with the ability of the players to multiclass). Add to this that every boss or named foe has pretty much 4-5x the hp it should in table top along with nearly always the ability to full move and swing 3+ times (after even a Dash sometimes) at even lower levels, nearly always one rounding whoever they move up to, and its a recipe for frustration for anyone just trying to play the game as a casual table topper.
But mostly I am sick of having to jump around to get anywhere like a retard because nearly every square inch of space is covered in fire, frost, web, or poison. These are all DOS staples (and I hated them in those games), but the player mechanics were designed around that. Larian just took their AI and "balance" from those games and stretched a DnD 5e skin suit over it. And more poo, poison, and fire puddles than the average San Fran street. How about just using the existing rules and balancing around that? Maybe have the players fight actual 1/2 hit dice goblins in large numbers instead of every single goblin being two levels higher than the party half the time, built like an 8 year old powergamer DM made them, and armed with thousands of gold pieces of one use items? I suspect its likely because their AI never improved beyond the whole "shit damage goop all over the place and make the characters snared and CCed" routine from DOS1.
Its a single issue in an otherwise perfect game.
And don't get me started on their AI, which ignores the big Gith fighter bitch with 19 AC wrecking them with a magic spear to the face to dash two turns aross the map to mush a mage or other character who has not even taken any action.
lmao I was wondering if that was possible. hippity hoppity the mobs go bippity boppity.perhaps the most boring OP'd build to date
I remember that gnoll fight. I was level 4 and it was rough on tactician but I squeezed out a victory first time. Using items, scrolls and having respecced everyone into optimal builds was important.I like a lot about this game, but as someone playing couch co-op with their wife and another friend who occasionally jumps in online, Larian needs to admit it really wanted to make DOS3 instead of this. At least when it comes to the game mechanics. Story, art, graphics, and voice acting are all top tier, but their odd spin on the worst edition of DnD of all time is ruining the game for me.
Let me make my point by saying that anyone who complains this game is too easy is basically probably powergaming and save scumming, especially if they were anything less than L5 for that fucking gnoll bridge encounter. They basically tossed out the DnD rules (and the shitty 5e ones at that) in lots of places (L5 Spider boss somehow has an attack bonus of +12 and 125 hp?) but the gnoll encounter pretty much takes the cake. Gnoll Hunters armed with bows who are L3, but somehow shoot three times a round at a +5 to hit and spam a debuff thats not from table top that prevents the character from using their bonus action each round for the duration of the fight (uncurable and basically unlimited range of course). And oh yeah, they are all burning through about 1k gold worth of one use arrows and items that somehow magically never drop from them if you do kill them. These Gnolls also somehow generate criticals on natural rolls of 16 with their attacks. This is the "Balanced" setting. I struggle to believe anyone is besting that encounter on tactician and all that Explorer does in that fight is cut down on the consumable spam (along with the ability of the players to multiclass). Add to this that every boss or named foe has pretty much 4-5x the hp it should in table top along with nearly always the ability to full move and swing 3+ times (after even a Dash sometimes) at even lower levels, nearly always one rounding whoever they move up to, and its a recipe for frustration for anyone just trying to play the game as a casual table topper.
But mostly I am sick of having to jump around to get anywhere like a retard because nearly every square inch of space is covered in fire, frost, web, or poison. These are all DOS staples (and I hated them in those games), but the player mechanics were designed around that. Larian just took their AI and "balance" from those games and stretched a DnD 5e skin suit over it. And more poo, poison, and fire puddles than the average San Fran street. How about just using the existing rules and balancing around that? Maybe have the players fight actual 1/2 hit dice goblins in large numbers instead of every single goblin being two levels higher than the party half the time, built like an 8 year old powergamer DM made them, and armed with thousands of gold pieces of one use items? I suspect its likely because their AI never improved beyond the whole "shit damage goop all over the place and make the characters snared and CCed" routine from DOS1.
Its a single issue in an otherwise perfect game.
And don't get me started on their AI, which ignores the big Gith fighter bitch with 19 AC wrecking them with a magic spear to the face to dash two turns aross the map to mush a mage or other character who has not even taken any action.
It's funny how unintuitive yet powerful this strategy, that we've been employing in EverQuest for over 20 years, is. Anytime I used it in BG3 it felt like pure cheese.Also the best damage mitigator is simply range/breaking line of sight. Starting a fight and running out to a better location and forcing the enemy to waste a few rounds coming to you is very powerful.
If you utilize EVERYTHING the game gives you, combat becomes easy. The challenge is actually utilizing all those different systems.
Did your friends wife build her character for her and tell her what to do? Because thats basically one step up from just making a prefab party member. And I am in no way talking about massaged rules here. Show me a gnoll trash mob in any version of DnD with three attacks around. Show me a L5 monster with 125 hp in ANY editioin of DnD. Show me anything in ANY edition of DnD ever that crits on natural attack rolls of 16. Thats the all in the first parts of Act 1.Sure, a lot of "rules" are massaged and "changed" to fit either the narrative or gameplay. 5E also sucks balls. But we're NEVER going to get a 1:1 copy pasta of DnD rules in a video game. Hell, even the Pathfinder games change a bunch of shit from pen and paper.
Again this is fine for Tactician and/or single player experience. Three people playing MP on normal are not going to have the patience to wait around for your sneak to stealth cheese the fights by stacking shit and explode barrels before the fight, using information probably gained from a failed prior attempt(s) or reading off the intertubes.It's funny how unintuitive yet powerful this strategy, that we've been employing in EverQuest for over 20 years, is. Anytime I used it in BG3 it felt like pure cheese.
I dunno man I think you might just be bad. I came into the game not knowing shit and just read all the abilities, took hours on leveling up, and if a fight was too hard Id come back. The gnolls were the first challenge but my wizard CC carried me.Did your friends wife build her character for her and tell her what to do? Because thats basically one step up from just making a prefab party member. And I am in no way talking about massaged rules here. Show me a gnoll trash mob in any version of DnD with three attacks around. Show me a L5 monster with 125 hp in ANY editioin of DnD. Show me anything in ANY edition of DnD ever that crits on natural attack rolls of 16. Thats the all in the first parts of Act 1.
And Pathfinder made a couple minor changed, but they did not use the shit edition and its pretty fucking close. And the Gold Box games had an almost perfect 1:1 rules equivalent to ADnD, even with weapon speed factors and initiative. Probably better AI than this, too, despite being the first game of this sort ever to exist. And 5e might be more complex than raw 2nd edition, but its ruleset is actually tailored to a video game type experience, so the AI and rules aspects should have been easy.
And again I say this as someone who loves everything else about this game, which I believe to be otherwise perfect (current year woke gay shit not withstanding). A game can be hard without being frustrating, especially a tactical RPG (see Tactics Ogre, XCom2, ect) especially when you have the vanilla milquetoast 5e rules already doing the work for you. All they needed to do was make AI that properly maneuvered mass hall trash in sensible ways instead of just shitting out damaging ground fields with a handful of souped up super mobs loaded with consumables. Anyone who experienced Pool of Radiance back in the day knows what I am talking about, as that game was even less forgiving but did not rely on frustrating bullshit to generate its challenge.
Sorta? She told him what she wanted the character's theme to be and what she wanted it to "do". She's pretty experienced on the pen and paper side of things, she just isn't a "gamer" so that's the part that's difficult for her, I think.Did your friends wife build her character for her and tell her what to do? Because thats basically one step up from just making a prefab party member.
You never played a campaign with "home-brewed" mobs? A "boss" that your DM had as part of the narrative that he gave a few extra spells to? An extra +atk bonus? All of your DMs ripped shit straight out of the Monster Manual and never deviated?And I am in no way talking about massaged rules here. Show me a gnoll trash mob in any version of DnD with three attacks around. Show me a L5 monster with 125 hp in ANY editioin of DnD. Show me anything in ANY edition of DnD ever that crits on natural attack rolls of 16. Thats the all in the first parts of Act 1.
This just sounds like some boomer cope.And again I say this as someone who loves everything else about this game, which I believe to be otherwise perfect (current year woke gay shit not withstanding). A game can be hard without being frustrating, especially a tactical RPG (see Tactics Ogre, XCom2, ect) especially when you have the vanilla milquetoast 5e rules already doing the work for you. All they needed to do was make AI that properly maneuvered mass hall trash in sensible ways instead of just shitting out damaging ground fields with a handful of souped up super mobs loaded with consumables. Anyone who experienced Pool of Radiance back in the day knows what I am talking about, as that game was even less forgiving but did not rely on frustrating bullshit to generate its challenge.
I wiped a 5 man level 5 party with a den of kobolds once. Funny as fuck.You never played a campaign with "home-brewed" mobs? A "boss" that your DM had as part of the narrative that he gave a few extra spells to? An extra +atk bonus? All of your DMs ripped shit straight out of the Monster Manual and never deviated?