Curse

Sli Ander · Oct 27, 2006, 05:18 AM // 05:18

Didn't see a thread discussing this(I did search). Here's the updates just pertaining to henchmen, for those of you (like me) that henchway.

Quote:

Improved Hero/Henchmen AI

* Heroes and Henchmen now take into account Conditions and Exhaustion when choosing which skills to cast. They also consider attribute levels for stolen skills, and combo states for Assassin skills.
* They have improved combo awareness for some important skill combinations.
* They have improved knowledge of skills, so that they make smarter decisions about which skills to cast.
* They manage their Energy better.
* They are better at kiting opponents.
* They are better at getting out and staying out of AoE damage spells.
* They move in formation around their leader, with melee characters in front and ranged or casting characters in back.
* They follow their leader whenever they haven’t been specifically directed to move to a point. The leader for Heroes is the player who owns the Hero, and the leader for henchmen is the party leader.
* They also know how to have fun.

Reason I decided to test this is because someone in another thread wondered if Henchmen will avoid aoe the way monsters do now. From what I saw, they don't. They'll sit in meteor showers same as before. They are a bit better about running when their health is low, and the new controls can help stop suicide rushes.

The biggest thing in the update for henchies is the flag control. Nothing fancy, as we all know, but it has proved extremely useful. To test, I went to the ring of fire( a place I previously could not completely explore with henchies.) Got some more points in cartography and learned a few things:

1.When you're dead, if a flag has been assigned, they will remain there until you remove it. You can remove it, but you cannot place another(please correct me if I'm wrong on this point)

2.Healers(if flagged at a location outside of range for a res) will not res you if you die outside range. This allows you to wait until the enemies leave before removing the flag(at which point they will res you). I was outside an aggro circle and half, so I was not ressed. I'm not sure yet of the exact limit of their participation.

3. Henching is distinctly easier due to the fact you can now pull for the party, and henchies won't interfere.

4. I noticed that, though generally staying very close to the flag, it is possible for the warrior henchies to overextend when their target runs. The furthest I had a henchie run was easily two aggro circles before he managed to figure out his mistake.

5. I haven't tested if pets are affected by hench controls. I don't think they are, but you never know.

6. Very useful for traversing environmental hazards(I'm a monk). You can flag a spot on the map, or in the regular ui, and send them ahead to a spot while you heal. They'll return the favor as soon as you're close enough.

7. If a spot flagged on the map is impossible to get to, they will cram as close as they can, even if they have to break formation.
The formation is the same they put in the update a few weeks back. The only difference is that they hold to it slightly better while following you.

8. Going back to overextending(forgive my wandering train of thought), henchies will intstantly break combat if you remove a flag and replace it somewhere else. The only ones that might not do so are warriors, and they do so as quickly as they can get away from their targets.

9. If trying to pull, henchies will come join the fight if within approx. an aggro circle and a half.

That's all I can think of at the moment that pertains strictly to henchman control. If I've missed anything, or you discover something more/something wrong, please let me know.

Please discuss.

Diablo™ · Oct 27, 2006, 05:25 AM // 05:25

Quote:

* They also know how to have fun.

Boy am I relieved!

Sli Ander · Oct 27, 2006, 05:28 AM // 05:28

Quote:

They also know how to have fun

More useless info from me.
If you do an action emote, such as scratch/yawn, henchies imitate.
If you dance, the hench of the same profession will also dance( while still in formation), while the others play music.
The Tengu henchie still has no emotes that I could see.