Examples of enemies that manage to be challenging without having tons of health...?

[Master Kuja]

I used this one, copypasted it into the chat box, filled out captcha, then YOU ARE BANNED. Seriously, no warning, no mention of banned URLs in the rules anywhere, just instaban. Which did you use? I have a problem with samefags, and everyone knows /vp/ is too slow for a hivemind.

Hooo boy, the eval + open bracket part of what it tells you to enter triggers an instant ban.

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Anyway, I'm probably gonna have to say Vergil from DMC3, not too bad on lower difficulties, but on DMD, good god he dodges like a *****, bastard's so hard to hit, but he doesn't just soak damage.

 

[GodofDisaster]

Alexia Ashford's final form from Resident Evil Code Veronica X. It only takes one shot to kill her, but fuck does she move quick and since you have to stay still every time you want to take a shot, you're a sitting duck for the tentacles on the ground and the flaming blood that she fires at you.

 

[Spookimitsu]

Perseus from God of War 2. Fun fight after I figured out what the heck was going on.

 

[RuralGamer]

snip

I think you're thinking of psy dogs, a variant of the pseudodog, which are indeed a pain in the ass; "Now you see me, now you see ten of me!"
Heck while we're at it, may as well list all the Stalker opponents that are hardass and not because of their health;
Snorks, because they run in circles and jump, all while attacking in packs
Burers, because they rip your gun from your hands and and have a shield they can put up to block incoming fire and knives
Poltergeists (and their subtype, pyrogeists); not challenging unless you don't know where it is, because then you get smashed with crates (or in the pyrogeist's case, burned to death by plumes of flame).
Controller, because they hit really hard with psychic attacks.

OT: New Vegas' cazadors, they move fast, hit hard with potent venom and when you use VATS, its often like you're hitting nothing at all, nothing at all, nothing at all... (i.e. the VATS seems to break with them).

 

[NightHawk21]

God of War did fights well. Most enemies are usually pretty easy to put down (not bosses), but they all require different techniques that require you to change your combos if you want to fight them effectively. For example, in some rooms you might be able to just spam chains, while in others, there are enemies with shields as well that won't be killed by those types, and then in others you'll have enemies that can interrupt longer combos.

 

[Dandark]

snip

I think you're thinking of psy dogs, a variant of the pseudodog, which are indeed a pain in the ass; "Now you see me, now you see ten of me!"
Heck while we're at it, may as well list all the Stalker opponents that are hardass and not because of their health;
Snorks, because they run in circles and jump, all while attacking in packs
Burers, because they rip your gun from your hands and and have a shield they can put up to block incoming fire and knives
Poltergeists (and their subtype, pyrogeists); not challenging unless you don't know where it is, because then you get smashed with crates (or in the pyrogeist's case, burned to death by plumes of flame).
Controller, because they hit really hard with psychic attacks.

OT: New Vegas' cazadors, they move fast, hit hard with potent venom and when you use VATS, its often like you're hitting nothing at all, nothing at all, nothing at all... (i.e. the VATS seems to break with them).

I wouldn't say Snorks are too challenging. They are annoying with most weapons but really it's easy to figure out the pattern they use. I managed to kill two of them with just my knife at one point. Also the knife is really good against them.
As for Poltergeists, I have bad memories. You know that one in the red forest mine on Clear Sky? It glitched into a wall for me so I could never find it, the mine was a complete deathtrap for me thanks to that. XD

 

[efrafa_6]

I had loads of trouble with Flamelurker on my first Demon's Souls playthrough, found him much easier on NG+ though.