After 8 months Hyena encounter still feels scummy

[RikaFriedRice]

I know this isn't 5E, but rather larian studios version of it. But nearly every other aspect of the game follows the format of 5e so closey, with mostly QoL improvements to fit a Video game form.

Yet.

The Hyena encounter (Gnoll warlord encounter) STILL is absolutely a ♥♥♥♥ of an encounter.
every ranged hyena can shoot three times, with average damage of 6-8. In one round if a hyena rolls well they can deal an entire pool of HP of one character.
The Warlord, on the other hand, can deal 30+ (easily) in a single swing.

In classic DND formats, 3 attacks per round with no surging is typically a level 12+ encounter. Adding a group of them at level 3-4 planned encounter seems sloppy and out of place for an otherwise decently made system.

[PlugUglies]

I got wiped by them as well , well 1 character twice

[SnarkOne]

I don't think that fight is particularly difficult in most ways that you approach it, & I can't speak for 5e dnd mechanics.
However, their 3 attacks mechanic is not implemented correctly. They're supposed to start attacking 3 times after 3 turns of casting the ability, but sometimes they start on the second turn (technically first after the surprised effect). The fight is a mess.

Still, I agree that the damage output is ridiculous with the extra attacks. Atleast you can convince Flind to fight at your side with some mind control.

I get that they wanted to give the gnolls a little edge but 3 attacks is too much. Especially when Flind does it, he's basically a Raid Boss...

[Pan Darius Cassandra]

You basically have to cheat to win this. You have to use all your CC abilities every round, lock them down, and deal massive AoE damage. Attack from stealth so they don't get to take a turn.

[Zaris]

I killed them in both playthroughs easily first try without much problems but it was most likely of positioning and luck with their ai and on top being lvl4:

- attack from the right hill, kill archer first
- 2-3 climb up / can't ranged attack you from ground and are funneled at the top for aoe (flaming hands, bomb, barrelmancy), put melees near them for disadvantages
- 2-3 walk around the hill and split up (2-3 turns busy before reaching you) - luck

[RikaFriedRice]

Originally posted by pandariuskairos:

You basically have to cheat to win this. You have to use all your CC abilities every round, lock them down, and deal massive AoE damage. Attack from stealth so they don't get to take a turn.

Yeah this is how I have to deal with them as well and it feels so ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ out of place for this game to put this encounter in cause it's just terribly, TERRIBLY unbalanced.

[a.out]

I never wiped to them. I appreciate difficult encounters like that. There are plenty ways to approach that encounter besides just barging in there.

I'm sure there will be a difficulty slider once it's released.

[dolby]

The fight is a cake walk...always was. You can just walk right in and just Auto attack everyone... with any class at level 3 and you can always do it at level 4 if you are bad the game.

[PocketYoda]

I dunno but the Phase spider encounter doesn't in any way feel like a 5th edition encounter.. Phase spiders are nothing like they are in this game.

[lemurs2]

Okay, Dolby, were you joking? I do not want to assume, but...

[Zaris]

Originally posted by lemurs2:

Okay, Dolby, were you joking? I do not want to assume, but...

He's not joking. In my first playthrough i attacked the gnolls in the open and could kill them directly with just normal attacks, bless as buff and just emptied the caster spell slots, nothing fancy. I think 1-2 heroes went KO but nothing serious. Can't remember if it was lvl3 or 4 so. Just a brute force attempt and it worked. The first annoying encounter were in the underdark like the kicking robots.

[mauro.sartori]

Use the combat cheat of the Larian implementation of 5E a fighter like the gith with potion of speed, action surge, shove at LVL>1 can do 4 attacks. Next round 3 attacks and so on ... very simple encounters.

[dolby]

Originally posted by lemurs2:

Okay, Dolby, were you joking? I do not want to assume, but...

Of course i'm not joking you prebuff and you run in with a 20+ ac tank and you just bow or crossbow everyone to death with the rest of the party or whatever, extra easy if you have pets those low damage hits add up same as the new weapon attacks+dips.

People really need to learn to use AoO, if you don't get at least one kill with attack of opportunity you are doing it wrong. The AI is kinda stil bad so its easy to trigger attacks of opportunity every turn especially if you use abilities and spells...

in any case simple IF anyone think this fight is hard well wait for others down the line...:)

[Starakira]

Wait, can't you control the Warlord with the Illithid power? I thought this encounter is way easier than the Githyaki patrol because of that.

[Pan Darius Cassandra]

Originally posted by Starakira:

Wait, can't you control the Warlord with the Illithid power? I thought this encounter is way easier than the Githyaki patrol because of that.

Not everyone wants to use Illithid powers - some playthroughs will be resisting until the end. Truth is, to this day (and I have over 350 hours logged) I still haven't unlocked a single Illithid power.

[Starakira]

Originally posted by pandariuskairos:

Originally posted by Starakira:

Wait, can't you control the Warlord with the Illithid power? I thought this encounter is way easier than the Githyaki patrol because of that.

Not everyone wants to use Illithid powers - some playthroughs will be resisting until the end. Truth is, to this day (and I have over 350 hours logged) I still haven't unlocked a single Illithid power.

Then I still find it quite managable for a different reason. The gnolls don't have quite as much health as the Giths so you can pretty much kill one in a turn except for the Warlord. I would just try to cc the Warlord until every other gnolls are dead (especially the Hunters).