Anyone else getting monkey stomped by the bulette?

[stalkyr]

So, my entire party is level 5: me(bard), laz as battlemaster, my friend as a wizard and shadowheart. Just entered the Underdark and I'm getting wrecked by the bulette. It runs away before I can kill it and each time it shows up, it insta-kills 2 of my party. The damn thing keeps showing up during events and fights with other mobs. Really, really ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ frustrating. To the point where this part of the game does not feel fun at all. Along with the permanent obscurred buff on the bulette makes it a terrible encounter all around.

[Meowella]

It's a CR 5 monster, so a group of 4 level 5 creatures would find it a challenge, with high Str and Con.
On top of this the deadly leap needs a decent Str or Dex to reduce the damage, so try to bait it with your Battlemaster so they only take half damage from it since everyone else is likely to fail the DC 16 str or dex save, and consider running bless so your Fighter (assuming Str 18) gets +7+1d4, or about a 65-70% chance to succeed on the save.

[Pan Darius Cassandra]

You just gotta bite the Bulette.

[Lax]

Cast Haste on leazel and go ham on that big lizard.

[Aldain]

Honestly the only trouble I had was it kept launching people into death pits and making me have to reload.

I found Grease to be a good way to open it up to a good thrashing, plus you can also blow the grease up for some fire damage.

[Papa Lenin's Kitten]

I've fought it a few times. Most recently I got lucky, hit it with a good fireball (the 6d8 one ended up hitting for like 40) then Laz got off a few menacing strikes being lvl 5 and having action surge that really hurt it too. It was relatively easy from there. That said, make sure the party is spread out. There's an area you can get a height advantage from that helps as well. I've beaten it in all of my playthroughs but it is a tough SOB and I really got good rolls this recent time.

[RACHMANOVSKI]

Originally posted by Lax:

Cast Haste on leazel and go ham on that big lizard.

With less 40% chance to hit? That's a bit reliance too luck. Unless you gave her proper item.

You have 2-3 round to kill the bulette. You must have 1 person (maybe laezel) to deal consistent damage.

Learn to dip your weapon in fire/poison, if you have trip attack to hit that bulette that's good, menacing attack also good.

Also what kind of bard are you? Valor is de facto stronger/smarter choice, wield shield use rapier and dual wield hand bow.

It's underdark, it's dark here, if you're playing non-darkvision-ed character, good luck hitting it from afar.

If your, presumably, female drow bard also struggled to hit it from afar, maybe your attack roll is too low, you can get more attack roll from Loviatar Blessing, Bless etc.

Also chug on them items. Where else you're going to use it?

[stalkyr]

Laz can't hit the bulette standing next to it. I get a message that target is obscured. Even if you cast light on it. Buggy ass encounter.

[stalkyr]

Now I'm stuck in permanent turn based mode. ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ bugs. I hope they fix all these bugs before August. Larian Studios has had enough time.

[brendan_in_china]

Dancing lights or Light spell. Seriously, have 2 party members able to light up an area. Eventually you need to upgrade to Daylight spell.

This is going to get worse, not better.