I can't recall the stat block for the Gnolls but say you were to equip Lazael with the following:
+1 Scale Mail (Found at Tiefling Blacksmith in the Grove)
A Shield
A Helmet (Crit Immune)
Broodmother's Revenge (from Kagha)
Her base AC is 10 + 1 from Dex
Scale Mail +1 would bring her AC to 16
Shield brings it to 18
Then hit her with Shield of Faith from either Shadowheart, Gale (can learn from scroll) or your Player Character, she now has an AC of 20.
Then hit her with Bless (if you didn't use Shadowheart to cast Shield of Faith, or your PC is a cleric too, or if you have a scroll) .
Then hit her with with a Healing Word (if Shadowheart or your Cleric PC has the Hellrider's Gloves) she now has Resistance to Slashing, Piercing and Bludgeoning damage and her weapon is poisoned.
If Lazael is level 4 at this point you may have put 1 in Strenght for 18 and 1 in Dex for 14, putting her total AC to 21.
She can now kill all the Gnolls without any further help needed from the rest of the party and the prerequisites are you only that you have visited the Grove and have spent about 3000g unless you decided to pickpocket the gear.
Alternatively, your PC is a Wood Elf with high Dexterity (any class) wielding a Longbow or Shortbow. You can be level 1 and have 8 in all other stats. No problem.
Press C.
Hold TAB to see enemies vision areas.
Move up to the edge if required, but aim to stay at maximum range for your Longbow.
Press Space to enter Turn Mode.
Shoot somebody.
If you are detected and enter combat, move full movement away from the enemies.
If you are not detected wait for next turn, then shoot somebody again.
If you are detected and enter combat, move full movement away from the enemies...
Guess what, they can never get in range, because your movement is further than theirs.
You win, for free.
Fun fact, if you have Crusher's Ring, you're movement is 13.3m, if you are a Thief you have 2 bonus actions and can dash as a bonus action - you're movement is now 26.6m. If you have the Amulet of Misty Step, you can use your second bonus action to move another 18m in a tight spot instead of hiding.
I do agree with you on this. As I said, the only reason I had trouble the first time in my replay is that I was sloppy, and I was trying a different approach. I usually do something like the longbow approach, using a) chokepoints and b) Gale with Grease to slow the enemies down. Not that I need that, but it makes it easier to pick off your foes.
I don't find combat too difficult, but I do find the punishment for not being in an optimal window too high, especially on normal difficulty. That's why you have higher difficulties.
