Not knowing...
Fysh
Member Posts: 25
The one thing above anything else that I dislike about the game is the apparent randomness of difficulty of encounters. While exploring an area that seems appropriate for my level I suddenly stumble into something more dangerous.
When a party member dies I always reload. Sometimes I try the encounter a couple of times before giving it up. Luckily I save the game frequently so it doesn't really set me back, but I just find it disturbing...
When a party member dies I always reload. Sometimes I try the encounter a couple of times before giving it up. Luckily I save the game frequently so it doesn't really set me back, but I just find it disturbing...
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Comments
Most encounters can be beaten if you're well rested and have the right spells prepared. There are only a few that are ridiculously tough and you need to be able to cast things like Dispel Magic for.
Generally, if you stick to areas appropriate to your level, the encounters will be doable. But if your starting characters encounter a vampiric wolf... Time to hit reload!
It can be fun to try to run away, or regroup after a disastrous run in. But generally I think it's just not worth it.
This game is not designed to make it easy. You can get yourself killed just by being unlucky. But playing smart and careful makes it less likely.
Also @CaptRoty is right when he says that a scout with some good stealth skills going out ahead can help you to avoid battles that look too tough, or to be able to have to prepare for them. I remember many times when this was the case.
Enjoy the game, especially when it's new to you.
See when I saw them running towards the party I had no idea how difficult they might be. I guess it just comes down to experience. But even now I still really have no idea how tough the party will need to be. Maybe I'm supposed to keep trying and dying until eventually I succeed.
It would be good to have some kind of indicator. For instance if I knew, say, they were level 6, I could try my luck at level 4 or 5. But for all I know I need to be level 7.
If I had some kind of indicator I could think "OMG run!" and try to escape rather than dying and reloading which kind of breaks immersion.
Oh well I have to get used to it! :-)
It's good that you're already using the auto-pause, that will make it easier to follow what's going on. Just pay attention and be patient. The really fun thing is learning the best ways of defeating various challenges.
A HD is equal to a D8 of HP...so a 3 HD creature will likely have about ~24 hp +/- con mods (BG doesn't roll HP for each monster, and instead a particular monster ID will have the same HP). While a 1/2 HD creature will have no more then 4. This is the equivalent of levels for monster classes.
(Dopplegangers are an exception...normal dopps have 4 HD of HP, but are considered 10HD for spell effects, same for greater Dopps who are 8 HD, and also considered 10 HD)
Also Liches and dragons are a bit screwy when determining what HD they are...Liches are technically 12 HD, no matter their hp total, but tend to have 20th level spell-casting ability. Dragons are all considered 20 HD, if memory serves, but having varying amounts of HP and their difficulty generally depends on their variety (the shadow dragon is probably the most nasty due to it's breath weapon drains 4 levels per attack, and deals a lot of damage on top).
Characters that use player classes have HD equal to their highest class level.
And even a pile of 1 HD creatures can be game ending if they're equipped with ranged weapons and all decide to aim at your PC at once and manage to hit.
Generic monsters generally have pretty low HD, under 6, unless they're something like Doppelgangers or Ogre magi, or demon knights though named enemies can varying widely in actual level...though their difficulty ultimately comes from knowing if you have the means to counter them appropriately.
By the way, if I have a +1 bow, does that count as a magical attack or do I need +1 arrows?