@ghostpaw
Were they THAT different though?
Genuinely asking. The Megs were the only thing I engaged with from the beginning since Karen didn't attack sloops at all and skellie ships I usually just hung them up on an island and ran away.
So my only real frame of reference IS the Megs. And for all the talk of toning down the threats, really all it seems is being toned down is time spent.
The Meg still moves and attacks exactly the same. The strategy to defeat it is basically the same since we first called the Hungering One from the depths.
The main difference is just how much time we have to commit to the encounter. And, personally, I find that more annoying than anything. I'd rather have shorter encounters more often than long, drawn out bullet-sponge battles.
But as I said, that's just how I feel based on the Meg. Karen seems like the same thing, but I couldn't fight her initially, so I can't speak conclusively on that.
The biggest change seems like it would be the skellie ships with the reduced pursuit and Cursed Cannonball durations. But I'm not sure how much of a difference it makes since I never had too much trouble keeping away from them.
Even when they used to pop out of the water; as soon as I heard the music, I'd just head for the nearest island. Could usually beach them long enough to slip away.
So all in all, I guess I'm just wondering if Rare has made the random encounters easier or just shorter. Cause while a longer encounter is harder, it's about the cheapest form of challenge there is and I would feel no remorse in seeing it go.