Some thoughts on topics in this thread.
16. [Balance] Archers get Poison Cloud arrows in West Cyseal?
The game has a lot of OP powers, I don't think Larian should listen too much too feedback about it being too hard. First almost always they are not playing on easy. So Clint Eastwood would say "You should play on easy". Second many are determining that at level 3. Once you understand the game more, you become a lot stronger just with that knowledge if nothing else changes. But there are a lot of OP powers, I've been thinking of listing all the powers I've used with a review of each, not sure, that will take some time.
Generally, that's a reasonable point, and it's something to consider... but I've been alpha/beta testing this game for over 300 hours. I am one of the voices who generally
wants the game to be HARDER. I've got enough experience to know how to handle a lot of situations. So, I'm not some total newbie playing for the first time. I like a challenge and having to think carefully.
I think though, that if my full-health level 3 fighter (the tankiest character in my group), facing off against a level 3 enemy archer can be killed before their first turn (on Normal difficulty) because of the combination of initial hit + poison status damage, that there's a little issue there. If the archer gets that shot off, there's no mitigating that damage, someone is flat-out dead, no chance to heal. Knowledge doesn't help.
Not to mention that because of the formations, the poison cloud is guaranteed to hit additional party members at the same time, meaning that if the archer gets that arrow off on their first turn, it could be a death sentence for at least half your party.
West Cyseal is the "starter zone" for combat. It doesn't have to be easy, and I'm glad that it is challenging, but speaking as someone who wants difficulty and challenge: there is such a thing as too much.
I did eventually figure out a way to try and manage archers without deaths, but it was not easy. To avoid losing anyone, you have to shut them down before the poison-cloud one can shoot his arrow.
