Why Corrupted Dwarven Bolters are overly punishing on rank 1 mounts

crohnsy · May 2014

1. It feels like if I travel in any way other than in a straight line headed directly away from the unit I get dismounted. At about a 5-10% turn (while running past) they were able to reacquire target on me after loosing their bolts initially. It seems strange that a unit on foot would be able to catch up to a mounted unit running away from it.

2. They have a weapon that applies what feels like a 50-75% slow on their target with every shot. If you are knocked from your rank 1 mount it means there is no getting away. A single bolt from their attacks ensures that you either have to die trying to run away or turn to fight the enemies that already have your health at 50% because they were able to loose 3-5 more bolts (depending on group size) while you were getting up from being knocked down.

3. They far more spread out when compared to ranged units in previous zones. In one location there is 5-6 of them on a mound and, with my CW, my Singularity will just barely fit all of them in it. they are spaced like this all over the zone. Making it to where you have to take very specific routes to get through them, or hope that they wont hit you with the 3rd bolt.

Out of all the units in the game that I have ran past, with my 5 rank 1 mounts, I have never had as much of an issue with them as I have with any other ranged unit in the game.

Adjusting their spacing would probably be the easiest way to fix this.

My trusty, runt of a steed, can't take much more of this punishment.

frishter · May 2014

There's even times I've been dismounted from an epic mount when I'm not careful. They can be annoying if I just want to ignore them. They also have a melee kick which can also be a teeny irritating at times but theyre still very squishy and dealt with. Ranged people can just range them, melee have cap closers from threatening rush for gf/gwf and rogues can just dodge in their direction to cap close and have itc to ignore to slows.

ironzerg79 · May 2014

Yep. If I ride through a pack of them on a Rank 3 mount, I'm going to get dismounted, too. It's easy enough to take 5 hits in 5 seconds.

You have to accept the fact that IWD is set up so that you can't just ride around with total immunity anymore. You actually have to take longer routes to avoid agro, or be ready to get knocked off your horse. The zones are suppose to be harder.

cayapp · May 2014

This is not Sharander or Dread Rings....yes they have extra skills and attacks..YES they are harder.

I hate to say it either be more careful or fight.

iamsofired · May 2014

Same issue getting around the map but I have a stealth pop I can use - guess they want people buying mounts/riding skill.

jbgxelliz · May 2014

Lets not forget they have that super annoying spammable knockback that some other mobs already have as well.

katbozejziemi · May 2014

Don't worry, they are in groups of 6 so they will dismount you even if you have a rank 3 mount.

devaneio · May 2014

Working as intended

melodywhr · May 2014

even with a rank 3 mount, you can get dismounted if you ride too close to these critters. sometimes i have no choice but to face them because they've dismounted me, but i prefer that cryptic change up the attacks of different creatures especially in the new areas. if everything was the same throughout the game, i can't say that would have retained my interest. some redundancy is okay for continuity but additions, changes and new monsters are definitely welcome in my opinion.

two30 · May 2014

I like the Bolters. Artillery minions with a snare are good design. Kill 'em or avoid 'em.

The melee dwarves on the other hand are tedious. They don't have any interesting abilities. They just hit hard and have a lot of health.

Monster design peaked with Redcaps. Buff the Witherers, Powries and Giantsouls up to level 61 and make the packs a little bigger, and they would much more fun than Icewind Dale monsters (although I enjoy the Yeti pairs).

katbozejziemi · May 2014

Homing ranged attacks are never a good design.

two30 · May 2014

katbozejziemi wrote: »

Homing ranged attacks are never a good design.

Then you have an issue with the entire game's combat mechanics, since the vast majority of ranged attacks can't miss, whether from players or enemies.

rashylewizz · May 2014

Then go buy an account-wide mount.

Its worth every penny. Either through the zen store or through your astral diamonds

If you don't want to put in any effort, then you shouldn't be rewarded

katbozejziemi · May 2014

two30 wrote: »

Then you have an issue with the entire game's combat mechanics, since the vast majority of ranged attacks can't miss, whether from players or enemies.

I do, unavoidable damage in a game with action combat is just dumb. But before these groups it never was that big of a problem, at least with a rank 3 mount.

hustin1 · June 2014

Way back in the day I used to play a game called F-19 Stealth Fighter (it came out right before the F-117A was declassified and was based on the Testors model -- which I also happen to have). You had to put a lot of effort into managing your radar signature, for instance plotting your flight path around Doppler radar stations in such a way that it that kept your distance from them constant, and if you were too close, making sure that your weapons bay was closed and your flight level to minimize the return. Traveling around Icewind Dale reminds me a lot of that game: I have to be aware of what threats lie along my path and constantly adjust my course to manage my distance from them. So far the bolters haven't been a problem (I ride a Small Stag that's trained up to rank 3), but the need for "signature management" is an ever-present concern.

melodywhr · June 2014

katbozejziemi wrote: »

I do, unavoidable damage in a game with action combat is just dumb. But before these groups it never was that big of a problem, at least with a rank 3 mount.

damage is scaled based on a number of things including a random factor so whether or not you're auto hitting isn't really the point. it's how well you are hitting.

let's not also forget that mod 3 has a boon and GS requirement. it's meant to be more difficult. even with a rank 3 mount, you can be dismounted by these creatures if you ride too close to them.

iamsofired · June 2014

Another way they are gently nudging you towards a mount upgrade is that the majority of heroics you need for the drops are more often than not at the far end of the maps/

Why Corrupted Dwarven Bolters are overly punishing on rank 1 mounts

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