I am just not understanding the drama around stagger. It has been in the game since day one. Except now, you have an option of getting extra damage out of it to make blunt weapons better, or you can take increased power if you don’t want to utilize the extra damage mechanic. They added another row of talents dedicated to it, so nothing is being taken away from you.
They increased enemy health, but if you take increased power then it doesn’t make much of a difference in my experience. However, beastmen mechanics are quite different and I think most people are dying because of them, not stagger mechanic.
Most of what I said in this other thread below still holds true. Except now I understand the stagger system and I like it. In the gameplay video in that thread I fight almost nothing but beastmen the entire map.