You don't need to lower AC, you already have at level 1 all at your disposal to deal with it. Use the Sleep spell to immobilize 4 or even more (if they wouldn't have too much HP). Sacrad Flame spell of cleric targets dex saves which means an almost safe hit against sleeping enemies. Just as example.
It's almost as if the player were to actually use his brain and try to make a party that complements itself with synergy and utility and use the tools at his disposal to deal with these encounters he would succeed. Instead I guess what people want is just a wack-a-mole simulator where you only auto attack enemies and they fall dead without putting up a fight.
That would probably "entice" a lot of players, let's just ignore the soul and lore of the game because they're completely irrelevant I guess.
It's a normal difficulty meant for hordes of people who never touched D&D ever or since 2e at best and want just to gather a party of characters they like, roll a main character they like and quest with them without having to optimize every bloody ounce of their game.
People here totally enjoy smelling their farts it seems. "Just optimize everything lol, how do you not know these things sheesh it's a common knowledge - they teach it in schools. Just use ur brain and figure out whole 5e D&D system with your brain power!"
Keep this nonsense to Tactician difficulty. Normal difficulty should be accessible without mandating optimization at cost of story.
