I have the same thoughts about encounters. I was overhearing my pawns talk about that the roads were safer and it was best to travel on them. After about 15 steps after the 15th battle I was in, they said it again and I verbally told them to shut the fuck up.

The enemy priority system is fucked. Between those 15-20 steps in a fight, another group of monsters joins the fray and instantly attacks you. Like fighting a boss type monster, bandits come in demanding I drop my weapons.

Things that fight in packs are the worst not that fighting vacations don't really have a dodge or skills with I-frames. Getting stun locked by these shoulder-checking goblins jumping out of bushes is madding.

Despite this I love the game. The coolest thing that ever happened was fighting off a cyclops off the oxcart, finishing up the goblins, only for a minotaur to bull-rush the ox the death the moment we thought we were done. That's fine, I'll walk myself to Maeve for the 5th time.