Just for fun, I'd thought we'd kvetch about some of the hilariously hard aspects of early beta. Some things were easier, but oh wow were somethings much, much harder.
Bleaty: This guy used to have health similar to any normal boss. Totally unbeatable without CYDSTEP. Made the random dungeons a game of Russian roulette.
Complicated Tasks 5: Oh my god. The Berserkers had tons more health, did more damage, and you had to do this with a Wizard instead of a Sorcerer. Plus, we couldn't prep altars, so you had to scum for Taurog to even have a chance.
Deep Swamp: You had to fight a Naga Monk boss. He had something like 80% resistances, plus the usual weakening. Oh, and there was a quest to beat him purist with a Monk.
Bandits Mark II: After their first revision, Bandits permanently reduced your resistances by 20% per hit. Tomithy Longdall knocked off 80%. Half of Naga City was figuring out how to get past him without taking a hit.
Gods: With a few exceptions, they sucked hard.