Aeldari Rangers (Snipers) too OP on hard mode (165 DMG auto-crit, auto-hit)

[Ryu the Dark - Gorn Hegemony]

Hi all!

I noticed that Aeldari Rangers (those encountered in Chapter 3, Nameless Star, Queztal Terem planet) are unbalanced compared to their peers (drukhari snipers, human snipers).

Example i made a screenshot from:
Hard mode

Aeldari Ranger hitting Argenta (50% armor, 100% Dodge) with an auto-hit, auto-crit of 168 damage?! (The encounter had 4-5 Rangers ganking me. It was an ambush too.)

I was forced to kick 2 DPS in my team and switch to 2 melee heavy armor tanks so i can rush the rangers in the back-line, neglecting enemy melees, thus they couldn't focus fire on a single tank, hence giving me a chance with healing and finally winning the encounter.

Noticed Aeldari Ranger hitting 60-80 damage auto-hit, auto-crit on my fully buffed main tank (110% armor, 60% dodge, 150 wounds, 30-40 Deflection). My healing per round is around 40-50 wounds per turn, which was just enough to out-tank the 5 Aeldari Snipers using 3 tanks (2 tanks, 1 tanky healer). Every other type of build i add to my team will die in 1-2 rounds.

Shadow cloak ability on Assassin wasnt useful either, they just shoot my assassin anyways randomly even thou it was lowest priority target and 3 tanks out there running.

Pls fix this unbalanced encounters so DPS core teams are again useful against ranged Aeldari in Hard mode at least.

[ahsanford]

By far the hardest non-boss fight I've played in the game so far.

I think it's a Chapter 4 quest, though. The quest doesn't kick off until you are back from Commorogh

My strategy:

First round -- fall back so no melee can reach you. Use Grand Strat character to make rear/back zones and add Stronghold Strategem on them. Put Strongpoint from your Master Tactician on the soft armor folks to bulk up their health.

As soon as you can, use Move Move Move + your first heroic with an Officer to get Abelard into melee on the aeldari ranger on the right. The goal is not to gank that Ranger but to taunt 3-4 of the rangers in the back.

Focus fire on the high left (immediately above the party) sniper. and let Argenta mow down the melee.

Worked for me on the second try. But I fully agree it's a wicked battle. How they ambushed us after everyone was looking away from us at the beginning of the cutscene is beyond me.

- A

[Jiggy]

After completing the ♥♥♥♥ show that was Comorough and I immediately run into this. I may have to take a break from this game. What was probably my favorite game of '23 has turned into an absolute slog.

[SoundsOfNight]

It's beyond stupid. I hate how much HP they have, makes no damn sense.

But there is an easy-ish way to deal with them - get right in their face, and corner them if you can.

[Majere]

Yeah, that encounter is a bit much, not least because you basically bump into some Aeldari who aren't paying attention ('hey, did you hear that?') and then suddenly they somehow ambushed you.

The simplest approach is probably using Officers with Seize The Initiative to give your melee characters early turns to jump the rangers. In my current play-through I had Cassia with that, and Jae with the Commander's Chrono for max initiative, and they were able to get my melee and heavy weapons chars enough extra actions to take out all the Rangers before they could shoot. This is only on Daring, though.

[m3fallen]

I am afraid the game expects you to synergize more.

Get at least 2 officers and power Argenta. 9 turns or more per round, 2 free bursts per turn (when free move from heroic ability and free wildfire is up). And all of that before the enemies can even have a turn.

Even on Unfair you very, very rarely have more than 1 round. Should Argenta somehow die, you can then use the already powered up Cassia.

The real problem is more that you seem to be expected to do such shenanigans.

[m3fallen]

I assume you mean this fight here which had 5 or so of those rangers?

https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/2277199680663029910/98C9288147A1D31FD0F72EFD29FA6B190D836822/

Argenta took care of them quickly, 0 enemy turns as usual.

[Vesemir]

By act 4 there are at least 4-5 items preventing sudden deaths (kit from ulfar chest, the first 10%hp revival cloak, the cloak reducing first damage dealt to you to one three times per combat, also there was smth similar reducing only laser damage earlier (and their guns are laser-based IIRC) so there are ways to survive even 2-3 turns.

Also it's literally the same skill as Irlieth, so you can consider it balanced. If you killed her, well, your loss.

[Vesemir]

>> 50% armor

elite mobs have +30% armor pen just by being elite (and those are)

[DaveDash]

There’s only really one way to play this game on Hard+, and that’s officer action economy shenanigans + Argenta.

Yeah, it’s not great because it limits playstyles, but you will face roll the entire game.

Once you hit Exemplar, you’ll also be able to proc your heroics every single turn and enemies won’t get a go.

You can get her up to 500-600 ballistic skill, doing about 200+ damage per bullet, and about 7-8AP per go even on “Bring it down!”, plus enough momentum to proc your heroics every single turn.

[Vesemir]

Argenta isn't even the most OP damage dealer + overall useful party member, psykers are (though to counter snipers you need to work on talents increasing range for abilities).
E.g. Idira finds a group of 3-4 enemies, does "EXPLOSION" and 2-3 more eneimes die on the other side of the map just from the psychic talents.

[pascal.difolco]

Most busted Aeldari sniper ?
Yrliet

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3140964361

[Vesemir]

Originally posted by pascal.difolco:

Most busted Aeldari sniper ?
Yrliet

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3140964361

Yrliet can kill at most 3-4 people per turn, not enough OP

[VigorousPipe]

Just got here and besides the bunch of ppl making replies after already beating the game a few times, this encounter is really weird considering its an ambush on you... after you ambush them.

Other than that if the only way to really beat the game is just "buff argenta and never give them a turn" then thats probably the reason Baulders Gate 3 is *actually* a popular game.