How do I plan for the taskmaster?

[Tripitaka (HUN)]

Okay, so I've been trying some sort of a snowbally style and approach with the Watcher, but guess what, those guys just absolutely destroy me every single freaking time I face them.

I've been thinking if I do something very wrong with them, but I just see no way out. Get the best rare relics? nope. Get in full health and pray? nope. Get ultra defensive with mass weaken? Nope. try to kill them fast? nope. alpha? nope. expunger? nope. wrath abuse? nope. Even if I get 4 act one elites and get the most insane snowball going I absolutely delete the book and the gremlin with like no health lost, but always die or almost die then die in the next encounter if I face them. I thought it is watcher-specific, but when I am playing on higher asc with other characters, they are the bane aswell. Just getting act 2 weak vulnerable 50 dmg EVERY TURN while also scaling in wounds is something the other elites don't do. The book scales slow, the gremlin poses another challenge but has counters, but I just can't see dealing 100 dmg in the first 2 turns or blocking 50 every turn possible on act 2. I am either doing something astonishingly stupid or they are massively overpowered.

What makes these guys actually die without these bastards ever getting a word on it?

PS: Is it weird that I have the EXACT same problem with snakeplant and darklings just not as severe?

[HAWAIIANpikachu]

Kill the slaver in the back first. Focus the hell out of the Red one to remove vulnerable when there’s 3 enemies and the possibility of losing your attack usage with that stupid ability he has. Then depending on your deck either kill the taskmaster to remove the wound flow or the blue slave if you can manage the wounds.

Most of the act 2 elites are fine, more challenging than act 1 elites but nothing stupid if you can manage them.

[Zu]

Do you perhaps prioritize early power upgrades or "qol" upgrades like 🌊✋or empty mind? It pays to have a couple upgraded frontloaded damage attacks so you can high roll these sorts of fights with wrath or blasphemy. (Consider upgrading that too btw.)

[lordatog]

They are definitely the toughest elite fight in the game. It really pays to have a potion on hand that can help with burst damage, such as Fire, Energy, or Duplication. As said above, focus the guy in the back as hard as possible - if he lives more than 2 turns, you're gonna have a bad time.

[fractal9091]

I'll second the other posters. Bring potions, kill the back guy first.

You should usually plan to kill him immediately, using whatever front-loaded relics and potions you have. Take damage on turn 1 if you have to. Then fight the other two as a dangerous but reasonable battle.