A.k.a. why do enemies get better ability scores than PC's? In a game where the player is encouraged to examine their revealed stat blocks to look for strengths and weaknesses (and compare).
Beginning of Act III. Basic Flaming Fist soldiers have 21 Strength. Level 9 Karlach, the Legendary Infernal Rage General from Hell, has 18. Could have 20 without picking a feat but still inferior to a random guardsman. Guess she's not so special after all? Basic Flaming Fist archers have 21 Dexterity. They also carry Slaying Arrows, and have Ensnaring Strike. Primal Magic is part of Flaming Fist basic training now. In fact anyone who's ever shot a bow at me has Ensnaring Strike. Thieves ambushing me from rooftops in Baldur's Gate... Ensnaring Strike! A little more imagination, please? Not every archer has to be a spellcaster. Rogues' schtick should be Stealth and Sneak Attack, not summoning roots from the ground to restrain me. It feels like Larian are just using some "Archer" template for a generic ranged enemy whoever that is, and calling it a day.
Can't we create stats for enemies that would be consistent with the narrative of the game? That the party members are exceptional people, rather than below average. To keep things consistent, the "tough and experienced" FF soldiers should have 16 Strength or Dex max, be around level 5-6 with two attacks and some abilities. There should always be more of them to increase challenge rather than pumping their stats above PC levels. Place weaker enemies in advantageous positions. That makes for more interesting fights to begin with. Buffing levels and stats to illogical levels is a really lazy way of making a fight harder.
Also very disappointed in Tactician difficulty. Giving enemies a cheaty +2 Attack and Spell DC and inflating their HP is really lazy. Being hit and paralyzed 10% more is just annoying and results in having to abuse the OP "Help" spam, the cheaty move only available to players this time which is not exactly a highlight of BG3 combat. It does not feel good to use 15 times in the same fight. Or keep throwing cheap potions at downed party members so enemies have to down them again and again. Hard fights always degenerate into this nonsense. (I'm playing normally instead of abusing metagamed haste alpha strikes.)
Add more enemies! Give the guards a Cleric or a Wizard. Add more soldiers.
I went back down to Balanced difficulty and removed one member from the party and combat immediately had a more fun challenge. But I would rather have 5 people in the party, not 3.
