Do different hirelings have smarter/dumber AI?

[Pugsley]

It makes no sense to me that there would be different AI for hirelings of the same class... I mean, why wouldn't you just use your best AI on all of them? But anecdotally, it sure seems that way.

I thought the names on each hireling were just for flavor, but I swear some are smarter or dumber than others. Consistently.

Laerathor (level 7 cleric) is unacceptably slow to react and stupid. He deliberately ignores commands.

Mareth and Arias (level 6 clerics) were more responsive. I mean, not good, but nowhere nearly as bad as Laerathor.

I've summoned all of them multiple times in multiple quests. I don't believe it's anything coincidental or just in my head.

[Gadget2775]

Devs have stated each Hireling has its own personality. Some like to hit, some like to cast, some like to do nothing, some like to irritate the person who hired them in every manner possible.

[AltheaSteelrain]

The WF Sorcerers, especially Blast and Flare are quite smart up until the point where they prefer to chain cast fireball, lightning bolt and acid blast respectively on an ooze and/or worst, on a single kobold.

[JollySwagMan]

Barrage, a WF Wizard is delightfully competent aside from his occasional fetish for casting Electric spells on Flesh Golems. In that regard he's better off than some players. Mind, I tend to park him after having him cast Greater Heroism and Haste on me (<3), but if unparked he tends to get himself killed less than the others I've used.

[TEcarson]

Hirelings are griefers?

[Freeman]

Are some hirelings smarter than others? Isn't that like asking if some piles of horse manure smell better than other piles?

[Pugsley]

Devs have stated each Hireling has its own personality. Some like to hit, some like to cast, some like to do nothing, some like to irritate the person who hired them in every manner possible.

And some actively try to kill their employer.

Do you think the flavor text describing the character offers clues as to what they might do? I'd assume so.

But seriously, AI personalities aside, they should always do what you tell them to do via the toolbar, at least. And heal you when your HP is low. No mercenary or bodyguard would actually want their employer to die, no matter how thick-headed.

[Lorien_the_First_One]

I miss the box breaking WF

[AyumiAmakusa]

I miss the box breaking WF

Same. Frenzy will be missed.

[AltheaSteelrain]

Same. Frenzy will be missed.

Maybe he got reprogrammed

[Pugsley]

They had one who attacked breakables? Awesome!

I once heard someone joke in general chat, "How do you set your hireling on box-breaking mode?"

Not a bad idea...

[andbr22]

Well i runed with not bad cleric hierling (compared to other he was rather survivable). Well not bad, but he tended to sit on my back It was preety annoying when i runed for high importance targed and some melees landed on my back constantly hitting dumb hierling because this healbot come too close to me. I wish i would make him stay 20 ft. behind, not 1 ft as they are (i don't think parking them after every 20 ft is good idea)...

[stoolcannon]

A buddy and I have been running the entire game on hirelings (primarily). Just 2 of us a melees with a single cleric each.

I feel that without a doubt the hirelings are different in style, ability and plain ole smerts.

A couple of them are so abysmally incompetent as to be laughable.

My favorite is Heystack Ironhorse. He is quite useful. The new level 20 FvS albus is pretty solid as well.

[Gulnar13]

Albus need a resurrection spell... on his brain.

Today, while trying to solo Gianthold Tor, i needed like 15 mins to get him to work. Every single time i sent him to the lever, he got the the corner before it, couldnt get around it, and got back to the starting poin, without activating the lever. Afater many tries, at last, i found the only position where his dead brain COULD pass the damned corner.
Also, he had a very irritating behavior in the "gateeker summoning" chambers. Before shooting a mass heal, he would move... causing the summoning to reset.

[XaatXuun]

Ahh, I remember when I was first starting, and a friend had the LvL4 Cleric, we stopped to use a Shrine, . . LOL the things that Hireling sez . . Told my friend his Hireling is a Whiner.

Well since I have used him, and he's funny when you summon him, sez something like having second thoughts about coming there


You mean to tell me Frenzy used to break things ? That would have been awesome, of the non-healing Hirelings Frenzy is my Favorite, because he just likes to kick butt . . errr Hit things, It looks like he shoves me out of the way just so he can kill it

[Ashurr]

@ OP - I agree 100% on Laerathor. I've also noticed that Flower tends to be a bit more self-motivated than the rest of the lowbie Hires.

[Hecate100]

No matter how smart they are, they all try to walk through lava.

[hecate355]

among new hirelings, there were few ones i really enjoyed, one was level 12 fvs, who was very quick on casting greater commands and holy smites

but the best one so far is drow level 15 fvs Larafay Do'rret. i havent seen any hirelings be this ferocious, she automatically casts cometfall, greater command and destruction. if something lasts one or 2, she just chains things up.
and oh boy she can actually land destruction, i was doing exp runs not favor grabbing, namely elite oob.

Any melee who hasnt tried her service should do it if around that level, she has tiny flaws, but nothing big. one flaw being her tendency to enter some sort of a weird rage trying to kill everything around her first and heal herself after :P
second being her excessive mana usage, luckily she has plenty and carries pots( and can be easily replaced after run or 2 ).

ps. like i told to friend, that hireling is better than quite some players behind their computers, cause she reacts instantly to any aggro mob in range, targets it in split second and destroys.