Sacred Grove - Corrupted Ghillie

[Sarge]

Really been enjoying this old-skool RPG - until today:

I'm at the point in the main story where you have to clear 4 areas of corruption in the sacred grove. I've done 2 so far, the fights have been tough but fun.

However I'm not even getting close vs the Corrupted Ghillie Dhu (big fiery balrog-like dude), tried various tactics but just end up with him (her? it?) one-shotting everyone in the party other than my tank fighter who eventually dies through lack of help. Other than starting again I can't see how I can ever defeat it as there's only so many side-quests left to try and get my party higher.

What am I missing? Is there some trick that I'm not seeing? The Ghillie doesn't appear to be doing any sort of induction that I can see or interrupt, but every couple of turns or so he just rampages around one-shotting the weaker characters, and of course almost every skill requires your characters to be near the enemy.

Please tell me this isn't just 'lazy boss design' by giving a monster stupidly high HP and a one-kill skill so it's just down to luck, or a single possible tactic that relies on my character(s) having some particular trait or skill that I didn't choose?

Help!?

[Grondel the 10/10]

https://steamcommunity.com/app/566090/discussions/0/1733213724910692003/

[jmsand1]

Sound's like your opponent has the 'execute' ability, which I just discovered in the Fighter's tree. It is a most excellent skill to use, but am sure it's a nightmare to face. If nothing else you've given me a heads-up of what's to come. :)

[lar unuruur]

half hour ago just murdered it. was dissapointingly easy. none in party was even lower than 75% of hp, not needed to heal once. sage for now became totally irrelevant. cant remember use its healings.
have party 18 lvl, normal mode.
bard, fighter, fighter, sage, rogue(dagger tree), practicioner.

round one:
fighter(higher armor) who faces boss is guradian subclass, soaks 50% damage from incoming attacks from other party members.
casters set to meditate, bard sets kael rudiment.
rog goes into razor strop.

round two:
boss dead.

[Sarge]

OK sounds like I just need to grind a few more levels then I guess.

[Aelender]

Its essentially the first damage output checkpoint of the game, not only does he hit hard, he has massive regen. You need to be able to do rounds of 100+ damage or you will get smushed eventually. Once you figure out this fight, subsequent battles are much easier.

[Cendar]

I'm having the same trouble. I'm sitting at level 16, with a party of fighter (Champion), fighter (Vanguard), fighter (Guardian), Rogue (sniper spec, heading assassin), bard (Grand Minstrel) and practitioner (Grand Summoner). And I'm getting crushed every time. Should I just start over and respec?

[Aelender]

Originally posted by Cendar:

]I'm having the same trouble. I'm sitting at level 16, with a party of fighter (Champion), fighter (Vanguard), fighter (Guardian), Rogue (sniper spec, heading assassin), bard (Grand Minstrel) and practitioner (Grand Summoner). And I'm getting crushed every time. Should I just start over and respec?

3 fighters is not going to be enough damage, I'd swap at least one (or two) out for another practioner (and/or rogue), also would get your bard grand rabble rouser for additional opp point.

[SpaceGerbil]

Same trouble here. Party is levels 16-18 and we're getting one-shotted while failing to do enough damage to overcome the ghillie's regeneration.

What the heck are people doing that's allowing them to do 100+ damage per round?

[Cendar]

I think it is double rogues with razor strop, and practitioners hitting hard with warstrike and such. I restarted, respeccing my rogue, and it's already been a ton easier heading through. Razor strop grants some massive damage boosts.

[Wakawaka]

Maybe another good option for adding a respec option to the game.

I think people might not understand that strength actually adds to the damage bonus of physical spells for practioners. I am not sure sure how strong the mental spells are, but if you go for a physical, str practioner with conjurers mark, you will have pretty high damage. My crux also does a ton with his dagger stab and move back attack (more than my rogue haha).

As long as you have 1-2 high damage characters, this fight should be no problem.

[jmsand1]

Just did this with level 15-16 party; 2 fighters, 2 rogues, 1 bard, 1 practitioner. Firehorn, conjurers mark, and warstrike were all big dps contributers, as well as both rogues having disguise kit, and 1 fighter with good AC and the other with deflect skill. It was a slugfest but no party members went down.

[amud]

There is some point between level 15 and 18 that you go from weak to over powered. That fight was very hard for me - but i did manage it. I didn't have some of the skills I have now due to higher level but i did have one fighter with something like 15 ac and shield skill and he was able to soak a lot of the damage; still the hit all and healing that critter did made it hard. I think I just managed to get him after 3 or 4 tries. One of the issue is only my single mage could do sufficient damage to counter his healing (he healed something like 50 each turn). He could one shot my rogue mage and bard in the same round if he got off a lucky aoe hit - but keeping him on the warrior with high ac and using the warrior that rend helped a lot. The bard flamed him and the rogue poison him and hte mage blasted. Of course if I had done him at level 18 it would have taken at most 3 rounds because via equipment and additional skill points I can dish out a huge amount of additional damage. It also helps that my action points have grown from 4 to 8 per round (I had 4 when i did that fight).

Originally posted by Sarge:

OK sounds like I just need to grind a few more levels then I guess.

[Dweemish]

At first glance, Warstrike might seem like the best damage spell for your casters, but if you gear up for intelligence, you can get far better results per spell point using Arcane Barrage. The proc does AoE damage, and you can usually cast two per spell point (in addition to getting a lot more crit chances which will restore a spell point)

[Aelender]

Also, dont underestimate the value of shoes that add +SP/+Opp (or reduce cost of either). They trigger with any movement, so with one slinking strike, the guy that moves to back and the guy that gets swapped can both trigger the bonuses. I usually have rogue and mage in one column so they can swap back and forth building up damage for free (both classes get Slinking strike)

[infael]

I snuck up behind the gillie dhu then moved around him and completed my objective.