New bandit encounter?

Nihilus

I was returning to Elhan after destroying Bodhi when I came across these "brigands" with nobleman sprites who turned into clones of my party members. I was in a hurry and had to reload, but I could not reproduce this encounter again. I believe one of the brigands referred to my PC as the "fabled Charname whose deeds are known throughout the Sword Coast" or something like that (I was skipping). I think there was even a journal entry.

What's this about?

Borek

Yeah it's a random encounter i've had a few times myself, unsure what the criteria are for when/if it happens, but they are Doppelgangers that clone the party. Since it doesn't seem to happen every playthrough i assume it's at least somewhat random since i do tend to follow a completionist methodology, tackling quests/areas in specific order with small variances based on my Spawn choice.

sarevok57

it gets triggered when you are "way laid by enemies and must defend yourself" in chapter 6, it is pretty much the same as the normal bandit group that way lays you if you go off to far off areas ( d'arnise hold, windspear hills and the like )

probably because you never seen this before is that most people will complete every quest possible before chapter 4, so usually when people are in chapter 6, all there is to do is escape the underdark and go straight to bodhi and then go straight to elhan afterwards, and since that is the scenario most of the time, its rare to be way laid by enemies going from athkatla to the underdark exit

and that group of brigands, i always thought they were rakshasas, since the pump out some serious spells, and rakshasas are also known for their shapeshifting abilities, and you see more of them in the elven city

ThacoBell

Huh, I've never seen that encounter. Gonna make sure to trigger on my next playthrough.

JoenSo

I love that encounter because it’s just so mysterious and confusing. The first time I had it was directly after clearing the mindflayer lair in the sewers. Don’t know if they are actually connected but they are in my head canon.

Noon

I just checked and they are indeed Rakshasas. creature files are RERAK01 to 06 if someone is interested.

brunardo

Never ran into this for the reasons above but may need to get waylaid to try this encounter!