Olly and Rugan...

[Steew]

These ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ idiots. These absolute baboons. Can they just stay back, no. They have to run forward in the middle of the cave entrance and get killed by the Gnolls on their first turn (mostly Olly, Rugan manages to survive to round 4)
I am playing on tactitian, and It's supposed to be a bit challenging, but when the friendly AI is on the spectrum and bends over for the enemy willingly, practically begging for death, it's really difficult to care when I have to reload my save for the umpteenth time just to try and save them (mostly Olly) D:

[Detective Costeau]

I'm baffled- I've literally never seen them do anything other than set the cave entrance on fire and hide in there. I've never seen them attack the gnolls in probably two dozen passes through that encounter.

That's been true on Balanced, Tactical, and Custom difficulty for me.

[Kernest]

Try initiating combat from outside the cave?

On the right side (looking at the cave) is a nice little hill where there's one gnoll you can backstab and gain a full surprise round of combat, making the fight a cakewalk.

That or succeed in the rolls with Flind.

[Raz]

Originally posted by Detective Costeau:

I'm baffled- I've literally never seen them do anything other than set the cave entrance on fire and hide in there. I've never seen them attack the gnolls in probably two dozen passes through that encounter.

That's been true on Balanced, Tactical, and Custom difficulty for me.

I've seen them run forward before on Tactician. it usually happens when enough Gnolls ignore you and keep going for the entrance from my experience.

[Steew]

Originally posted by Kernest:

Try initiating combat from outside the cave?

On the right side (looking at the cave) is a nice little hill where there's one gnoll you can backstab and gain a full surprise round of combat, making the fight a cakewalk.

That or succeed in the rolls with Flind.

I've been using this spot to initiate, while the rest of my party sneaks around and attacks from other angles. All of my party has been outside the cave when combat started. But Rugan and Olly still go in like lemmings off a cliff.

[Kernest]

Originally posted by Steew:

I've been using this spot to initiate, while the rest of my party sneaks around and attacks from other angles. All of my party has been outside the cave when combat started. But Rugan and Olly still go in like lemmings off a cliff.

I've usually started from there with my whole party and like the other guy said, Olly and Rugan have never participated...

So dunno what's actually happening here...

[God Queen 158]

Funnily enough, if you start this fight outside the cave, the gnolls tend to be too distracted with you to ever fight Olly and Rugan. Those two don't even participate in the fight like the cowards they are.

It's more interesting though to start the fight in the cave and leave them to their own fight. The gnolls jumped over the fire last time I did this and obliterated those two.

[wtiger27]

Originally posted by Detective Costeau:

I'm baffled- I've literally never seen them do anything other than set the cave entrance on fire and hide in there. I've never seen them attack the gnolls in probably two dozen passes through that encounter.

That's been true on Balanced, Tactical, and Custom difficulty for me.

Same.

[Detective Costeau]

All I can think to sufggest is to start the fight with the gnolls from outside the cave like someone else already mentioned- doing it that way, I've never seen the gnolls even attack Olly and Rugan, much less kill them.

[Mike Garrison]

If you start the fight from outside the cave, they just hide in there while you fight.

If you start the fight from inside the cave, they often die.

If they die ... it's no big deal. The Zhents want the shipment a lot more than they want their people.

[hornsounder97]

Originally posted by Kernest:

Try initiating combat from outside the cave?

On the right side (looking at the cave) is a nice little hill where there's one gnoll you can backstab and gain a full surprise round of combat, making the fight a cakewalk.

That or succeed in the rolls with Flind.

This right here. I always have a high strength character throw or push the gnoll, and then cast cloak of daggers on the choke point while they are surprised. Easy peasy.

Originally posted by Steew:

I've been using this spot to initiate, while the rest of my party sneaks around and attacks from other angles. All of my party has been outside the cave when combat started. But Rugan and Olly still go in like lemmings off a cliff.

I used to have this problem when I attacked the gnolls from the front, but every time I keep my party up on that hill, Rugan, and Olly always stay in their cave. Worth a shot to try that way.

[Steew]

Originally posted by hornsounder97:

Originally posted by Kernest:

Try initiating combat from outside the cave?

On the right side (looking at the cave) is a nice little hill where there's one gnoll you can backstab and gain a full surprise round of combat, making the fight a cakewalk.

That or succeed in the rolls with Flind.

This right here. I always have a high strength character throw or push the gnoll, and then cast cloak of daggers on the choke point while they are surprised. Easy peasy.

Originally posted by Steew:

I've been using this spot to initiate, while the rest of my party sneaks around and attacks from other angles. All of my party has been outside the cave when combat started. But Rugan and Olly still go in like lemmings off a cliff.

I used to have this problem when I attacked the gnolls from the front, but every time I keep my party up on that hill, Rugan, and Olly always stay in their cave. Worth a shot to try that way.

I've tried from outside but they still rush in.. I think my issue is that I snuck into the cave and spoke to them first. If I'd just attacked the gnolls maybe they'd stay back, but I'm now softlocked as I don't have a save prior to talking to them which isn't hour of progress lost D:

[Kernest]

Originally posted by Steew:

I've tried from outside but they still rush in.. I think my issue is that I snuck into the cave and spoke to them first. If I'd just attacked the gnolls maybe they'd stay back, but I'm now softlocked as I don't have a save prior to talking to them which isn't hour of progress lost D:

That must be it.

I never talk to them first, and then (IIRC) Olly asks Rugan if they should go out and help, and Rugan says no.

[Mander]

The bodies are just laying there, right?
RiGht?
DM: ...yes? Don't....!

LOOT THOSE BODIES,
gotta loot those bodies now,
LOOT THAT BODIES,
Gotta loot that mutha7ka
play my flute while I loot those dead zenths bodies

♥♥♥♥♥!

[Wuorg]

It entirely depends on your dialogue before battle, if talking to them from inside the cave. If you tell them to fight, they fight. If you say that you'll handle it, they hang back.