Curse

Kex Doomlich · Jun 17, 2006, 10:33 AM // 10:33

Well, I think henches are made like that on purpose...to have a realistic behavior...like bunch of retarded players.

Silent Kitty · Jun 17, 2006, 11:06 AM // 11:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kex Doomlich

Well, I think henches are made like that on purpose...to have a realistic behavior...like bunch of retarded players.

BINGO!!

Henchies are deliberately made that way to make the average noob look good. If Anet made them better nobody would team up with human players anymore.

Poison Ivy · Jun 17, 2006, 11:24 AM // 11:24

This specific hench build carried me through all the quests in the Luxon areas

You / Me (Have a Flatbow, ideal for luring)
Ranger Henchies (Take Aurora depending on the situation, she uses FWinds in some unsuitable times).
Monks (The protector and healer)
Elementalist Henchies (Fill the remaining slots with them)

The secret to this build is lure, lure and lure....oh, did I mention lure?

obastable · Jun 17, 2006, 12:01 PM // 12:01

I haven't had any problems with the henchies in Factions, other than the standard complaints about the Monk henchies superiority complex and their innate lack of self preservation.

When using my Monk I run a full heal build, and take the following henchies depending on territory:

Kaineng - Talon, Zho, Su, Kai Ying, Vhang, Lo Sha, Tai
Luxon - Eli, Aurora, Kai, Argo, Hala, Daemon, Gita
Kurzick - Lukas, Eve, Aidan, Butus, Sheena, Erys, Karl

Finished the entire game with them.

If you're using a melee type, the drop the fighter henc and pop in another defensive type (monk when available, Rit when not).

As someone else pointed out, obsessively call your targets. When playing a non-melee type it also helps to stop outside of your targets aggro range & THEN call the target. Your henchies will go forward and attack (so long as you're close enough) and take aggro, which should leave you fairly safe to look and move as needed to manage your party & continue to call targets.

Even with the dumb Monk AI it does work (extremely well in most cases), it just takes some practice to get used to.

kimahri · Jun 17, 2006, 01:37 PM // 13:37

I wonder one thing though, sometimes when you pull with henches they back away with ya, but sometimes they start attacking, therefore dooming the party. Is there some logic behind this that I've missed?

quickmonty · Jun 17, 2006, 01:49 PM // 13:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by kimahri

I wonder one thing though, sometimes when you pull with henches they back away with ya, but sometimes they start attacking, therefore dooming the party. Is there some logic behind this that I've missed?

I find that they back away with you unless they are attacked. Be quick, just touch red dot with your aggro bubble and move back fast. It works for me mostly all of the time.

As far as henchie AI goes, they are still smarter than a lot of real people that I encounter in pugs.

Doomlord_Slayermann · Jun 17, 2006, 03:13 PM // 15:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by LuckyGiant

I just want to add a little point that from ANets point of view, the AI must stay worse than the player skill level....imagine if no one grouped because the henchies were insanely good... yeah I'm talking about wind riders interupting greneths balance good

If this was their purpose, I think by now they would have made henchman ragequit when they die for say, the fourth time.

obastable · Jun 17, 2006, 03:43 PM // 15:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by kimahri

I wonder one thing though, sometimes when you pull with henches they back away with ya, but sometimes they start attacking, therefore dooming the party. Is there some logic behind this that I've missed?

Quote:

Originally Posted by quickmonty

I find that they back away with you unless they are attacked. Be quick, just touch red dot with your aggro bubble and move back fast. It works for me mostly all of the time.

As well as what quickmonty said, they also tend to attack if you've selected one of the mobs (wether you've called the target or not doesn't seem to matter).

I generally run back a bit and circle around to get the henchies behind me when I want to pull something. Unless the henchies aggro circle enters the mobs aggro range the henchie won't attack until you do (or tell them to).

Spirit Of Azrael · Oct 24, 2006, 12:13 AM // 00:13

I'm looking forward to a Mo/Me Sister Pwnage [Echo Mending Henchman], or Sir Awesomeness [Frenzy Healsig Henchman]

Henchies are ok, just avoid the 'sin henches unless it's Boreas Seabed (Panaku/Emi use Beguiling Haze)

draxynnic · Oct 24, 2006, 01:51 AM // 01:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doomlord_Slayermann

Attempt to resurrect the person immediately
Only resurrect the healers, otherwise let the healers worry about it
Only resurrect the party member when there is no danger present

4. Only resurrect the party member when there is danger present unless all the healers are dead, otherwise let the healers worry about it

Res-sigging a fallen party member mid-battle can be a godsend, but it's rather frustrating watching the warrior or ranger jumping in and wasting a sig when the hard res is halfway through being cast...

KurtTheBehemoth · Oct 24, 2006, 05:27 AM // 05:27

The problem with current henchies will be fixed with the new flag system coming out with Nightfall. So, suck it up for a few more days. lol

-Thread ended

draxynnic · Oct 24, 2006, 05:38 AM // 05:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by KurtTheBehemoth

The problem with current henchies will be fixed with the new flag system coming out with Nightfall. So, suck it up for a few more days. lol

-Thread ended

That will help with keeping your henchmen under control, yes. It will also help even more with being able to force heroes to use or not use particular skills.

I haven't seen anything so far, however, that will help in making your henchmen use res sigs effectively...

Voltar · Oct 24, 2006, 06:57 AM // 06:57

the hench are going to stand around you. agro looks for the lowest health / lowest armor targets and these are the casters.

if you're melee, the healers are going to stand next to you and without the fort mods and vigor runes, they are going to be the lowest health and lowest armor targets.

if you're melee, you should expect that you're going to make the healer hench tank (you should be ashamed of yourself, tsk tsk). if you're melee, you should play ranged or with players.

the problems i have with hench can all be traced back to a mistake i made using their ai. what you should do is observe how the ai works and use it that way. it's not going to change for you (until friday at least

).

as for sins, i haven't really figured out a reasonable way to play them in pve. they seem to be more pvp-oriented (from the little experience i have with them). they're just not survivable hench but i always bring panaku. that daze is awesome...even if it means that he dies all the time.

explodemyheart · Oct 24, 2006, 07:01 AM // 07:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zanaso Firelance

I'd be happy if they replaced Blessed Light with Healing Light, and Gave her Orison of Healing instead of Signet of Devotion, at least she'd be able to keep the party somewhat alive more than what they're doing at the moment.

Danika does have Orison, and she does use it.

Voltar · Oct 24, 2006, 07:08 AM // 07:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doomlord_Slayermann

If this was their purpose, I think by now they would have made henchman ragequit when they die for say, the fourth time.

and even funnier if they spammed ctril-clicking their health bar first

Alesia [Healer Henchman]: I'm Dead!
Alesia [Healer Henchman]: I'm Dead!
Alesia [Healer Henchman]: I'm Dead!
Alesia [Healer Henchman]: I'm Dead!
Alesia [Healer Henchman]: I'm Dead!
Alesia [Healer Henchman]: I'm Dead!
Alesia [Healer Henchman]: Learn to tank, nub.
Alesia [Healer Henchman] has left the game.

sry. the scene was funnier in my head.

cataphract · Oct 24, 2006, 07:20 AM // 07:20

What I *LOVE* about the henchies is their ability to get bodyblocked. If you call a target, say Dredge Gardener, warrior henchies rush in, meet face to face with Dredge warriors and assasins and get stuck. There's no way in hell they will ever attempt to go through them or simpliy walk around them. All they know is to run in a straight path toward the target. And when they do get bodyblocked, they don't even attack the mobs blocking them. This kind of behaviour has made me a nervous wreck sometimes. Q__Q

Petrus · Oct 24, 2006, 07:26 AM // 07:26

its the charm of henches... suppose to be hard... :P
it will be easier with heroes.. but i kinda le the old henches... except the ele...
but the hero ele will be like calling in the artillary... press ms whenever u want to... if they fix the henches and u have heroes, the gamw will be faaar to easy... if u play a mm or a war its to easy allready...

and when you use henches or other players for thzt matter, the one and only rez is rebirth!!! atleast if u play anything /monk... (any i tend to switch to /monk for anything except deep/urgoz/uw/fow...)

LightningHell · Oct 24, 2006, 07:27 AM // 07:27

One time Lina and Aidan on Perdition Rock tanked - and killed - 7-8 Flesh Golems, 5~ish Drakes, 8-10~ish Dryders that their Henchie friends aggroed for them. They're not totally bad.

But I really hate it when Alesia/Mhenlo/Lina runs into a mob to Restore Life. I already dislike them ressing midbattle.