I've found that pretty much every fight you need to carefully plan and position your party beforehand expecting things to go wrong or it's basically 1-2 round TPK. Wander up to the goblins outer wall and start a fight? You're done for. Wander up to the Githyanki patrol and start a fight? Also done for. End up in pretty much any unexpected fight and chances are you're done for. This is in large part due to the games action economy and the insane amount of ground effects. If you don't win the initiative roll, or preplace all your party members in the most advantageous, ie high ground, locations fights are usually super one sided.
The number of times I've started a combat only to have 3-6 aoe bombs/arrows dropped on me before I can move is sad. Specially when you're talking lvl 1-4. I could understand this in more late game. By that time you have higher stats to be able to withstand a barrage like this or other ways of mitigating the effects. I really wonder how they are going to, if they even plan to, implement counter spell.
