Hireling AI messed up since update?

[Cenerae]

I'm not sure if it is just me, but it seems that hirelings are behaving rather stupidly (even more so than prior to the update!). Now, this is pertaining to the divine hirelings, as I don't use and don't see anyone else using the other ones in my groups (obvious reason is obvious yes?). It's possible the others are all fine, or even that I am stark raving mad.

The problem seems to be that the hireling will heal nobody except their owner under it's own volition. If ordered, then it will do so as commanded, but it won't expend any initiative to do so. I comment on this as I sit at <50% hp wondering if the owner has the hireling set to passive, but always the answer is they are on defensive/active. In none of these cases have I seen the hireling do anything whatsoever when attacked, including the times where the owner said the hireling was on active mode. No sp is used - except to heal the owner, and this appears to function as it did in the past.

The thing that made me click as to a potential glitch, was that the hirelings won't even heal themselves either. Instead of the usual 'run through the trap and heal afterward/maybe stand in it and heal' routine, they just run through, come out with a sliver of health, then die shortly after when a gust of wind happens by.

So, is anyone else experiencing this, or should I check in with my psychiatrist?

[KamiKazeKenji]

I was playing with a FvS hireling yesterday and I had absolutely no problems. Although I didn't use it much, it (uhm, he) was healing quite sufficiently, and attacking things too (I had it set on active).

[Cenerae]

My observations were stemming from the Cleric hirelings. I guess I'll have to try and mess around a bit more to confirm it...

[Loromir]

I ran Misery Peak Elite this AM with one other person....my Lvl 3 Cleric (Elieri...I think it was) was healing me and the other person just fine.

[Cenerae]

I ran Misery Peak Elite this AM with one other person....my Lvl 3 Cleric (Elieri...I think it was) was healing me and the other person just fine.

Strange...

I was running some of the Korthos stuff with Dryad (the lvl 1 hireling) on a barb earlier, and she healed herself and me just fine. But she wasn't healing the wizard in my party without me ordering her to do it (even when he was <50% hp). Tried flicking through the active/defensive/passive modes and it didn't change anything.

I really don't understand it, obviously it's not widespread since I'm the only one who seems to be noticing this. Is there a possibility that I'm misinterpreting inaction for lag? I've not really felt like I've hit any lag spikes, but maybe that could be a possibility...

Confused newbie, signing off for now.

[Kace]

I've never noticed them healing other party members except with 'mass' cures every once in a while when everybody was banged up. Are you saying that they would target and cast cure spells on other party members unbidden before u7?

[Cenerae]

I've never noticed them healing other party members except with 'mass' cures every once in a while when everybody was banged up. Are you saying that they would target and cast cure spells on other party members unbidden before u7?

As far as I'm aware, they did do so. I've picked up healerlings to fill the 6th spot if a player healer couldn't be found, for runs of higher difficulties or tricky quests in general. They did the job pretty well, and I never had to order them to heal other people. (Okay, maybe to top off a barb when I felt like it, but usually heals started being cast when the other player went <75% or so.)

I've not hired anyone stronger than the 7th level healerlings yet, so no mass cures being thrown around.

If this is actually just a product of my imagination, I can cope with the change/bugfix/reality/whatever it is. I just wanted to clarify what was going on, because I was unsure if I was dealing with a bug or not.

[clkpacker]

I had an issue prior to U7--my cleric hirelings, even on active, wouldn't heal other party members unless specifically commanded to. Haven't tried since U7.

[Tom_Hunters]

i think it's good that the hireling now removes my curse and poison

but i was running waterwork, when the casters continously put me on curse with the hireling continously putting it off. he must have cast dozens of times

and i am grateful for the try, but the hireling always try to "cure my blindness" due to ice storm... think it needs a fix here..


and yes the hireling mass cured right, with she in around 70% hp and i am 90%
if it's only she or me i noticed mostly heals are cast instead

but maybe it's better for her to cast more cometfall, when i asked her to be offensive

[AZgreentea]

I havent noticed a change in the FVS and the Cleric lvl 13 hireling. Well, other than the cleric made an effort to cure me of poison.

Which hirelings specifically are you seeing issues with? Their AI's tend to behave differently, so which hireling is having an issue is important. They all seem to have different behaviors based on their available skills/spells.

[DevilButcher]

I have used both the FS and Clerics lvl7+ and they do as you just said, they stop caring if your team mates are dieing.

I been using heal bots a long time before U7, and they seem messed up since then.

[Cenerae]

I havent noticed a change in the FVS and the Cleric lvl 13 hireling. Well, other than the cleric made an effort to cure me of poison.

Which hirelings specifically are you seeing issues with? Their AI's tend to behave differently, so which hireling is having an issue is important. They all seem to have different behaviors based on their available skills/spells.

Let's see...

All the cleric hirelings from levels 1 through to 5. I have seen the lvl 7 drow cleric hireling (forget the name) in action and he appeared to be afflicted by this too.

The FvS lvl 1 and 2 hirelings.

I've not had occasion to bring a hireling along to anything outside of lowbie content since I am still a lowbie myself, and I've not tried the bards out but suspect it would be the same. In all cases I leave them on the default stance, so they don't run off and get themselves killed, and they behave in that stance exactly as they did before U7 (follow the contract owner around, sometimes use a ranged attack, nothing else except heal), only they won't heal my party without me making them do it.

On the couple of times I've toggled them over to active, I've not noticed any difference in their behaviour regarding healing.

[dunklezhan]

The problem seems to be that the hireling will heal nobody except their owner under it's own volition. If ordered, then it will do so as commanded, but it won't expend any initiative to do so.

We experienced this bug last night. Our WF barbarian had a pocket cleric handy and me with my fleshy Wiz had forgotten to bring one. Obviously I was healing the WF, but needed some healing for me as we wanted to hit Delera's reasonably quickly with just the two of us.

And that hireling just would not heal me unless the WF specifically told it to, each time. Even if set to defend me. Even if set to active. Fortunately, its not like I was taking serious damage most of the time (because I had us both buffed appropriately and had a well equipped, well built WF barb bodyguard to take all my aggro even from abundant FW usage) so we just used the hireling to top up between fights and I chugged pots mid fight if need be once or twice.

In any case, yes, I've experienced this issue. I haven't experimented to see if its all cleric hireling, just some, all hirelings having issues 'defending' targets, but I can confirmed I have experienced ithe issue

[stoerm]

I've been very impressed with the hireling AI since U7. Having said that, they still need herding to make sure they don't run into traps and sometimes they want to run toward nearby mobs even when you've stopped to buff/whatever.

[honkuimushi]

I've had a few issues with Barrage with my WF Rogue. Basically, he just stops responding after a while. He'll start off fine, casting some attack spells and repairs when needed, but then he'll stop responding. He stops following and just stands there. Even if he's attacks, he doesn't use offensive spells or repairs. If I click the "Come here." button, he'll teleport and start responding again but often stops again sometime later. This is on defensive mode. I haven't tried active yet.

Maybe he's just too cool to keep up now that he's got his hat back.