Every hound is a Champion, in Hard (not Elite/Reaper), from level 1

[visibleman]

Running quests on Hard, its about playing new characters without a bank full of gear & money for me.
So, second attempt on hardcore. First attempt, a Warlock, smushed by a shambling mound

Anyway, we are seeing a lot of Champion hounds - 9 out of 10 seem to spawn as Champions. And this is happening in Heyton's Rest!
That's not right!
Something is definitely bugged here.
But it gets worse.
I then notice that some hounds are not spawning as Champions, but are promoting themselves in the middle of a fight! Get it down to half HP, suddenly a crown appears and its HP goes back up to 80/90%.
That's not fair!

Please tell me someone else is seeing this.
I know folks won't believe this. I am gonna try to record this...

[acdccod]

I’m seeing the same so I believe you.

[C-Dog]

To be clear - you're seeing crowns on all? (All hounds are "red named").

[vryxnr]

Ayup. I figured this is normal for this season, it's a part of the gimick. Most are champs (with crowns) and will drop remnants, even on normal. The Brilliant Hound heals, and Several champion types can also heal, so some crowned Brilliant hounds can be extra dangerous (especially as Brilliants apply 2 dots at once instead of just one, that being both Light dot and Electric dot).

Also, even on softcore, Hard will give you champs. Did you mean even on normal? On softcore, only casual and normal are free of champions; hard, elite, and reaper all see champions. However, on Hardcore this season, Hounds spawn on every difficulty and can be champs on every difficulty.

[originalbod]

To be clear - you're seeing crowns on all? (All hounds are "red named").

figured that was by design ... along with the empty mysterious remnant drops in wilderness areas (y'know ... to tempt you into thinking that something might be there)

[fatherpirate]

I will set aside to possibility of 'bad luck' for the moment.

I did notice a large percentage of doggies were Champion on my
Barbarian build.
and
Very few on my mage build.

STILL, might just be the luck of the draw.

or there is an algorithm in there to adjust
what you get based on who you are.

so, it might have less to do with dungeon level are more
to do with your class (if your solo)

[Oxarhamar]

I will set aside to possibility of 'bad luck' for the moment.

I did notice a large percentage of doggies were Champion on my
Barbarian build.
and
Very few on my mage build.

STILL, might just be the luck of the draw.

or there is an algorithm in there to adjust
what you get based on who you are.

so, it might have less to do with dungeon level are more
to do with your class (if your solo)

Random is random doesn’t have anything to do with class or soloing conspiracy theories

[Matuse]

It's entirely based on group size. Small groups don't get champion hounds. Ever.

[Parsley]

It's entirely based on group size. Small groups don't get champion hounds. Ever.

Agreed. We've found 2 players 1 hireling to be the max.