2 Urgent PotD issues (bugs?)

[Lampros]

Okay, I have hit level 10 with my first ever PotD run, and I want to ask everyone about two perplexing things I am witnessing: enemy group aggro range/linkage issue and Rogue crit rate issue. Since my game is a bit unstable or even buggy, I am even wondering if these two issues are bugs, and not the way the game is intended.

 

1. Enemy group aggro range/linkage issue:

 

I realize there are a lot more enemies per group in PotD; but what I did not expect was how frequently you end up fighting multiple groups at once. I am not exactly understanding what is going on. In some cases, it seems like Charmed enemies wander off to the next group and aggro them. But there are many situations where I am aggroing multiple groups that cannot be explained in this fashion. I am thinking there are two possibilities. First, it could be that enemy group aggro range is far greater in PotD? Second, are certain enemy groups linked, where triggering one triggers the other automatically? (Or relatedly, the greater number of enemies per group mean that the gap between enemy groups is narrower, so it's easy to trigger multiple groups?)

 

Either way - or whichever way - I would like to know what is going on and at least ensure that my games are not bugged. There were some crazy instances. For instance, I had about 15 Laguafaeths jump me instantly when I entered Longwatch Falls from the lower left, and it was the only time I wiped and had to save scum. In fact, it's the only time where I had anyone knocked out. Another example: I had a similar number of Drakes and Flame Blights jump me as soon as I entered Searing Fall - in fact, it was the entire enemy content on that map. Finally, it seems every other dungeon fights involve multiple groups.

 

2. My Rogue's incredibly low crit rate:

 

I know enemies get 15 extra Deflection in PotD, but I am flabbergasted by my Rogue's pathetic crit rate. He is built essentially the same way as I had in Normal, yet he's averaging about 65 percent less crit rate (he was at 90 percent at Normal; he's 25 percent at PotD). I find this just incomprehensible. And it's just the Rogue. For instance, my Fighter is averaging 70 percent; even my Paladin is now (at level 10) averaging almost 20 percent. What exactly is going on here? Is there some hidden PotD mechanic I am unaware of? This honestly sounds like bugged.

 

Edit: I forgot to add that I noticed that my Rogue is often outside my Paladin's Zealous Focus/Critical Focus aura. But that should not depress his crit rate by an un-Godly 65 percent from Normal, no?

Edited September 27, 2017 by Lampros

[mosspit]

1. Pretty normal. Longwatch Laguafaeths is one of those places to watch out for, and incidentally was the cause of more than 1 of my failed ToI attempts. The 2 groups overlap near the top left corner and they contain multiple Sidewinders (low hp but has high damage and sneak attacks) and Broodmothers (Tanky Priests). It is easy to get debuffed as the group have paralyzing, blind and hobble attacks. After that, sidewinders are capable of dealing 60-80dmg to a debuffed character.

 

Another place I can warn you about which you can lure multiple groups is in Elmshore bottom left corner. This group is nasty as they have multiple Adragons and Wind Blights. Unprepared and accidentally aggroing more 1 group will be tough due to the debuffs - Domination, Petrification, Stun. The ogres group at the top near the cave entrance is no push over too. Especially upscaled. Technically only a single group but there a large number of them. Plus there are multiple Ogre Druids and 1 or 2 Matrons. They pack a punch per hit and are capable of chain proning. Plus they can chain Insect Swarm which can be devastating.

 

I did encounter a near game-ending (for my Frozen Crown run) bug at Cayron's Scar though. After defeating the first Kith enemy group at the north, encounter couldn't end. Tried to go elsewhere in the map but my party still was stuck in combat. Then I went to defeat the Kith group at the north west area. Still combat stuck. At this point, my party has already used up most per-encounter abilities and I got 2 revived characters with injuries. I went to engage another group further south. This time there were Kith enemies mixed with Eyeless and downed my scout fast. After that a paladin broke off from the group and ran over a distance to engage my remaining characters who are in bad condition. Managed to barely defeat him and only then the combat ended.

 

 

2. Not sure where is the issue, Rogues should get high crit rates by the manner of naturally high acc plus hit-to-crit conversion skills. Plus you would want to debuffed enemies before engaging due to added dmg from Sneak Attack/Deathblow and most debuffs reduce deflection as well. Maybe you are not engaging enemies optimally? Melee crit rogues tend to require support from the party to take advantage of those dmg mechanics though.

Edited September 27, 2017 by mosspit

[Lampros]

1. Pretty normal. Longwatch Laguafaeths is one of those places to watch out for, and incidentally was the causes of more than 1 of my failed ToI attempts. The 2 groups overlap near the top left corner and they contain multiple Sidewinders (low hp but has high damage and sneak attacks) and Broodmothers (Tanky Priests). It is easy to get debuffed as the group have paralyzing, blind and hobble attacks. After that, sidewinders are capable of dealing 60-80dmg to a debuffed character.

 

Another place I can warn you about which you can lure multiple groups is in Elmshore bottom left corner. This group is nasty as they have multiple Adragons and Wind Blights. Unprepared and accidentally aggroing more 1 group will be tough due to the debuffs - Domination, Petrification, Stun. The ogres group at the top near the cave entrance is no push over too. Especially upscaled. Technically only a single group but there a large number of them. Plus there are multiple Ogre Druids and 1 or 2 Matrons. They pack a punch per hit and are capable of chain proning. Plus they can chain Insect Swarm which can be devastating.

 

 

2. Not sure where is the issue, Rogues should get high crit rates by the manner of naturally high acc plus hit-to-crit conversion skills. Plus you would want to debuffed enemies before engaging due to added dmg from Sneak Attack/Deathblow and most debuffs reduce deflection as well. Maybe you are not engaging enemies optimally? Melee crit rogues tend to require support from the party to take advantage of those dmg mechanics though.

 

Thanks so much for your explanation!

 

On issue #1: I guess a part of the problem is also my bad or nonexistent pulling skills. I tend to just walk into enemy groups, and it may be better to actually pull them - at least in areas where I know there is a high enemy concentration. I noticed in one of MaxQuest's videos that put his main group way back and just approached with his tank un-stealthed, and then ran back to his group. This way he was able to split the Spore gang-bang groups in Cliaban Rilag.

 

In addition to the number of enemies, another thing that caught me off-guard was the fact that your Deflection and Defenses seem never high enough. For instance, my Paladin main tank has 108 Fortitude plus Boots of Stability; and he was still chain-Proned in some encounters. And stuff like this make me very leery of the harder boss fights.

 

On issue #2: I am debuffing enemies first, and I think I am engaging properly. What startles me is not that he has a low crit rate, but how low relative to both 1) the other folks in the party and 2) the same build Rogue I had in Normal.

 

I am just completely clueless here.

[mosspit]

Thanks so much for your explanation!

 

On issue #1: I guess a part of the problem is also my bad or nonexistent pulling skills. I tend to just walk into enemy groups, and it may be better to actually pull them - at least in areas where I know there is a high enemy concentration. I noticed in one of MaxQuest's videos that put his main group way back and just approached with his tank un-stealthed, and then ran back to his group. This way he was able to split the Spore gang-bang groups in Cliaban Rilag.

 

In addition to the number of enemies, another thing that caught me off-guard was the fact that your Deflection and Defenses seem never high enough. For instance, my Paladin main tank has 108 Fortitude plus Boots of Stability; and he was still chain-Proned in some encounters. And stuff like this make me very leery of the harder boss fights.

 

On issue #2: I am debuffing enemies first, and I think I am engaging properly. What startles me is not that he has a low crit rate, but how low relative to both 1) the other folks in the party and 2) the same build Rogue I had in Normal.

 

I am just completely clueless here.

1. Just to clarify, you should not need pulling playing PotD. At least not in a full party setup. One thing can help is stealthing when exploring. And when you encounter a group you wanna take on, scout the edges of the group to (1) see the possibilities of accidentally pulling another group, (2) finding a best attack point. Eg attack the side with the exposed spellcasters. The steathy approach might seem excessive but I will always use on Trial of Iron playthroughs. I have many playthroughs ruined due to careless engagements due to extra pulled groups.

 

2. Guess others can help with that? Might wanna post your rogue build as well.

[Lampros]

 

Thanks so much for your explanation!

 

On issue #1: I guess a part of the problem is also my bad or nonexistent pulling skills. I tend to just walk into enemy groups, and it may be better to actually pull them - at least in areas where I know there is a high enemy concentration. I noticed in one of MaxQuest's videos that put his main group way back and just approached with his tank un-stealthed, and then ran back to his group. This way he was able to split the Spore gang-bang groups in Cliaban Rilag.

 

In addition to the number of enemies, another thing that caught me off-guard was the fact that your Deflection and Defenses seem never high enough. For instance, my Paladin main tank has 108 Fortitude plus Boots of Stability; and he was still chain-Proned in some encounters. And stuff like this make me very leery of the harder boss fights.

 

On issue #2: I am debuffing enemies first, and I think I am engaging properly. What startles me is not that he has a low crit rate, but how low relative to both 1) the other folks in the party and 2) the same build Rogue I had in Normal.

 

I am just completely clueless here.

1. Just to clarify, you should not need pulling playing PotD. At least not in a full party setup. One thing can help is stealthing when exploring. And when you encounter a group you wanna take on, scout the edges of the group to (1) see the possibilities of accidentally pulling another group, (2) finding a best attack point. Eg attack the side with the exposed spellcasters. The steathy approach might seem excessive but I will always use on Trial of Iron playthroughs. I have many playthroughs ruined due to careless engagements due to extra pulled groups.

 

2. Guess others can help with that? Might wanna post your rogue build as well.

 

 

1. Since I am so clumsy, I might be better off pulling though!

 

2. Here is, before I delete this playthrough:

 

At level 10, his level-up picks so far were:

 

Blinding Strike

Weapon Focus: Adventurer

Dirty Fighting

Vicious Fighting

Deep Wounds

Marksman

Crippling Strike

Runner's Wounding Shot

Adept Evasion

Interrupting Blows

 

I don't remember the creation stat distribution, but it is now:

 

14 Might; 10 Constitution; 17 Dexterity; 18 Perception; 16 Intelligence; 9 Resolution

 

He has 75 Accuracy with Borresaine, but that does not take into account the Wood Elf and Marksman boni, I believe.

[Boeroer]

So he has 85 with Marksman und Distant Advantage at lvl 10 which should be good. Also you get +10 ACC when using strikes and Runner's WS. Didn't you enchant Borresaine with exceptional or so?

[Lampros]

So he has 85 with Marksman und Distant Advantage at lvl 10 which should be good. Also you get +10 ACC when using strikes and Runner's WS. Didn't you enchant Borresaine with exceptional or so?

 

Yup. And Zealous Focus/Critical Focus unless the Paladin is too far away. So I find this incomprehensible.

 

Once again, I had the same exact set-up in Normal and achieved almost 90 percent; and I didn't even use Inspiring Radiance back then since I didn't know about it.

 

Edit: Anyways, I've had it with the Rogue. I doubt I will ever play a ranged Rogue again, and frankly this makes me a bit wary of playing any archer character. 4 Melees again next playthrough - except 2 will be pikers, so I don't have over-congestion/idling problems.

Edited September 27, 2017 by Lampros