RANT: Wild Hunt *ssholes

[Propsken]

I need to get this off my chest.

I love the game. I do. Sure, it's not perfect; I have my gripes. Bugs left and right, strange quest/alignment decisions, unintuitive UIs - lots of things that get me to raise and eyebrow from time to time. But very few of those truly get under my skin. They don't take away from my enjoying the game's scope, story, beauty etc...

Except for these c*nts.

*breathes in sharply*

The Wild Hunt enemies have an at-will power that not only deals sneak attack damage but also perma-blinds you. AN AT-WILL POWER. THAT PERMABLINDS. AND SNEAK ATTACKS. Oh, and they have some kind of gaze/aura that can stun you for many rounds, which is always on. AN AT-WILL POWER. THAT STUNS. So three quarters of he time you can't do cr*p, and when you can, you're failing half of the time. And in the meanwhile they're ganking the ever-living sh*t out of you.

You meet them the first time during (I believe) the Bald Hilltop event at the end of your struggles against Pitax. It's a tough battle, even if you know what you're heading into. Even if you're playing on Story difficulty. It requires incredibly specific tactics, tailored to the fight, and a healthy dose of luck.

But that's not enough. Oh no, no no no. There's more of them. They're all over the place in Nyrissa's little private demesne in the First World during the final chapter. I tried avoiding them; no can do! I tried ambushing them; to no avail!

I don't mind a good challenge every now and again, but this? This is just rediculous. I'm playing on Story difficulty so I can enjoy the story WITHOUT a challenge; I should be steamrolling over everything that isn't a boss.These w*nkstains completely circumvent the difficulty setting, making it look like Unfair.

It's also bad encounter design, period. You do not design encounters where every single enemy is capable of completely disabling the entire party. You do not design encounters that require extremely specific, tailor-made tactics to succeed. You do not design encounters where your odds of success are almost purely based on luck.

This isn't a challenge; it's downright cheating on the DM's (or in this case, devs') part. It's punishing a player for his (or her) play-style. If it weren't for the dice being rolled, it'd be a "rocks fall, everybody dies" moment.

This. Is. Not. Challenging.
This. Is. Not. Balanced.
This. Is. Not. Fun.

I'm usualy a lot more composed and constructive with my criticism, but this has gotten my feathers ruffled beyond belief. These enemies, I believe, REALLY need to be revisited.

*exhales*

</rant>

[Yaldabaoth]

Are you ok? Do you need help? Is it okay if I tell you that their ability is bugged and should not be this devastating?

[ryanza]

Same as with the spiders earlier, and the level drain ghosts, they wanted something that you'd need to buff up a specific spell to counter. You need to use freedom of movement spell on everyone, and then you won't get paralyzed. The blind is more annoying since you can only prevent it with some cloaks, but they won't cast it if you use haste on your party and rush into melee range.

Really you just need to use freedom of movement buff on everyone and it's not that bad.

[SpiralRazor]

What bro, you never Wizardry? Talk about unfair lol....

[Propsken]

I'd be a lot less angry if those blind and stun abilities weren't at-will. If they were resource-based, like spells; now that I'd understand; that's fair.
And yes, I know about Freedom of Movement - I've been playing RPGs for two decades now. That's just the kind of spell that's a little too situational for my tastes; I rarely - if ever - carry it. The encounter should be beatable - if difficult - without it.

[Shadenuat]

Ah yes Wild Gaze paralyze

We have dismissed that claim https://i.imgur.com/4KNRgYP.jpg

Also try Heighen Stinking Cloud.

But yes they are annoying as hell, their abilities do not all register in combat log, Shield of Law doesn't work and there are like 7 Monarches in endgame rite.

[Hannah Barbara]

Their statline is the same as in the tabletop version.

[Shadenuat]

The statline is the only thing which is more or less consistent. But a lot of other things about them either do not register in combat log or seem off.

[Fahrenheit41]

Don't worry, as hard as it is to imagine, it only manages to get worse from here on. So much worse.

[It'sNòtó.Óver]

No, he is alright. This needs to be a top priority to be fixed. At least provide the merchant in the house at the edge of time with a Freedom of movement wand and an remove blindness wand. That way everyone has SOME way to deal with this utter ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ of encounters.

IF YOU DONT HAVE THE RIGHT SPELLS AND/OR THE RIGHT PARTY MEMBERS WHEN YOU START THIS, YOUR GAME IS BASICALLY BRICKED.

All game long the enemies used the same spells and abilities as you yourself were able to use. Why the ♥♥♥♥ do they now get a special ability that basically fks you even on story mode? this is literally beyond me.

CHANGE THE SPELLLIST OF THE WILDHUND FOR LOWER DIFFICULTIES ATLEAST. THIS IS UNBEARABLE. THIS NEEDS TO BE ADRESSED SOON.

[Shadenuat]

Oh by the way, no Clerics in the game sell Freedom of Movement scrolls. Correct me if I am wrong.

[rakshasa72]

Either the blind save did not register or they blind even on a successful save.

[Balkoth]

Blame Paizo. Wild Hunt is just a huge pita of an enemy type.

https://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/fey/wild-hunt/

Wild Hunt Scout CR 15

XP 51,200
CN Medium fey (wild hunt)
Init +13; Senses greensight 60 ft., low-light vision, scent, see in darkness; Perception +34

DEFENSE

AC 31, touch 25, flat-footed 21 (+5 deflection, +9 Dex, +1 dodge, +6 natural)
hp 228 (24d6+144)
Fort +16, Ref +23, Will +21
Defensive Abilities instinctive cooperation, wild grace; DR 15/cold iron; Immune cold, blindness; Resist electricity 10, fire 10

OFFENSE

Speed 50 ft.
Melee force scimitar +18/+13/+8 touch (1d6+5 force/15–20)
Ranged crystal +21 touch (3d6 force plus blindness)
Special Attacks sneak attack +4d6, wild gaze (DC 27)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 15th; concentration +20)

Constant—know direction, pass without trace, speak with animals, speak with plants
3/day—clairaudience/clairvoyance, dimension door, stone tell
1/day—true seeing

STATISTICS

Str 20, Dex 29, Con 22, Int 17, Wis 24, Cha 21
Base Atk +12; CMB +17; CMD 42
Feats Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Great Fortitude, Greater Feint, Improved Critical (scimitar), Improved Feint, Improved Initiative, Mobility, Skill Focus (Bluff), Spring Attack, Weapon Focus (scimitar)
Skills Acrobatics +36, Bluff +38, Intimidate +29, Knowledge (nature) +30, Perception +34, Ride +33, Sense Motive +34, Stealth +36, Survival +31
Languages Aklo, Common, Sylvan; speak with animals; speak with plants
SQ planar acclimation, wild hunt link

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Crystal (Su)
A wild hunt scout can manifest a green crystal in her free hand as a swift action; this crystal vanishes as soon as it leaves her possession. As a swift action, a wild hunt scout can fire a beam of green energy from her crystal. This is a ranged touch attack with a range increment of 40 feet that deals 3d6 points of force damage on a hit. A creature struck by this beam must succeed at a DC 27 Fortitude save or be permanently blinded. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Force Scimitar (Su)
As a swift action, a wild hunt scout can summon a crystalline scimitar. Attacks with this scimitar resolve as if they were touch attacks and deal force damage. Outside of its creator’s hands, a force scimitar vanishes.

Wild Hunt Link (Su)
All creatures in a wild hunt scout’s wild hunt link share each other’s senses. As long as a creature benefits from this link, it gains a +4 insight bonus on initiative and Perception checks. If at least one creature in the link disbelieves an illusion, all creatures in the link are considered to disbelieve the illusion. Wild hunt fey in this link are never considered flat-footed against a foe unless all of them are considered flat-footed against that foe.

[AELeonson]

The Monarch is a CR19 fight in standard PF.

A CR 19 fight on it's own should be a challenge for a party of 4 19th level characters.

1 Monarch (CR19), 4-6 Scouts (CR 15 each) and 2-4 Archers (CR 13) is a bit much for a party that is likely 17th level at the time they're fighting them, even if there are 6 of you.

I was beating it by abusing Greater Shout.

[Shadenuat]

The way one enemy which is a "challenge" for four 15 level character behaves in turn based game with all the extra options can be different than 7 packs of 10 behaving in real time game without some of the options.

[Babbles]

Kind of wonder why, at 999.8% grains of sand, they don't just own Narissa and split the title deeds for themselves - Immortaility in the prime plane? Not even an Elder Dragon could challenge them.