Birch Guard too weak. Buff please. (I'm serious).

[InaneDugong]

So, I'm seeing a lot of threads about Birch Guards (or whatever they're called) being OP--and I'm going to have to disagree.

 

My issue here is that, whilst the spawn rate for Birch Guard is ridiculous and the 'plant a tree' radius for diffuse isn't as big as the trigger for spawn (is this intentional?), the actual tree's AI is bad.

 

Say I spawn one of those munchkins. If I release the aggro by moving far enough away, I can return to the tree and begin chopping it without meeting any resistance. Is this intended AI or a bug regarding the minions' aggro loss? 

 

Either way, whilst they spam-spawn, they don't accomplish much. Just sayin'. 

[Shoggoth]

That's odd, my Birchnut Trees are hostile to everything while they're awake.  If I run a good distance away and then come back they just resume their assault.

[InaneDugong]

That's odd, my Birchnut Trees are hostile to everything while they're awake.  If I run a good distance away and then come back they just resume their assault.

 

Weird. When I tried them out last night, I returned to some and started hatchet'ing them. They just gave a big growl and remained passive. 

 

Could it be a bug with planting a tree close to the Birch but not close enough to return it back to its non-aggressive form?

[Shoggoth]

I dunno, I'll have to run some more testing.  Could it possibly have been that some other creature came near the trees so they were just attacking it instead of you?

[Ridley]

This sounds more like a AI problem than a balance problem. I think reloading the game broke my tree monster things.

 

I rather like how irritating they are to kill when they aren't broken. Not hard with armor, but it doesn't make me compelled to chop them all down because I hate being hit.

[InaneDugong]

This sounds more like a AI problem than a balance problem. I think reloading the game broke my tree monster things.

 

I rather like how irritating they are to kill when they aren't broken. Not hard with armor, but it doesn't make me compelled to chop them all down because I hate being hit.

The only ones that ever convert for me are not the ones I'm chopping (it only converts after I 'cut the tree down' rather than whilst I'm chopping), so it's really easy for me to avoid getting hit. O_o

 

Seems like everyone is getting different experiences...

[UnderwearApp]

Weird. When I tried them out last night, I returned to some and started hatchet'ing them. They just gave a big growl and remained passive. 

 

Could it be a bug with planting a tree close to the Birch but not close enough to return it back to its non-aggressive form?

I can confirm this happened to me as well, but I did not plant any birchnuts, just walked away and back. I assume it is a bug, as they should still attack whilst in monster form, since if you leave and return they turn back to regular trees.

 

I also agree that they are not very difficult, since they are a stationary enemy and the little puffs do (I think) 5 damage. I believe the intent was to make you choose whether to have a fight and have birchnuts or just get logs easily, since in my experience, only chopping adult trees makes them spawn.

[InaneDugong]

I can confirm this happened to me as well, but I did not plant any birchnuts, just walked away and back. I assume it is a bug, as they should still attack whilst in monster form, since if you leave and return they turn back to regular trees.

 

I also agree that they are not very difficult, since they are a stationary enemy and the little puffs do (I think) 5 damage. I believe the intent was to make you choose whether to have a fight and have birchnuts or just get logs easily, since in my experience, only chopping adult trees makes them spawn.

Yeah, I might test this tonight - see is smaller trees spawn them (I seem to recall that they do, but I'm not entirely sure) and see if I can figure out the aggro bit. 

[Shin]

Right now birchguards are weak. Just a torch is enough to get rid of them or plenting some birchnuts will solve the problem. And even if you don't have something like that, you can just run away or make them neutral with a pig. Than you have a defensive tower that fights your enemies and gives endless food.