I finally got through the portal and into the last Netherbrain area but only had 3 characters leftl, all of whom were nearly dead. Because of the inability to call allies the fight leading to this point was a grueller, so I had no powerful attacks left, and was low on potions and scrolls. Trying to knock off 300 health was very tricky but I got there in the end. Fortunately I had Shadowheart who could summon a spirit axe. Wouldn’t you know it, I got the brain down to 10hp with just one play left before it dominated me, which was a single swipe from the spirit axe.
Critical miss!!
Noooooooo!!
Fortunately, I had a save from a few mins before, and had a carbon copy of a run and got the brain down to 10hp again. This time the axe landed and boom! No more Netherbrain!
It was a great feeling given how impossible the fight had felt. I was getting battered by a dragon, hard hitting mimic things and as if that wasn’t hard enough, chuffing Illithids everywhere spamming magic missile. As if that wasn’t hard enough, reinforcements and artillery too!
Not sure if the end game was supposed to be this hard or if it had been weighted because the game thought I’d have additional allies to summon.
I got through it in the end, but it felt like the enemies were being proper cheaty.
Indeed, if I have one criticism it is the fact that in some fights, the enemies seem to have bottomless actions and spell slots and are not playing to the same rules as you are.