[slashem] Minions attacking the tougher foe for nothing instead of killing the weak one

[Janis Papanagnou]

My horde of powerful minions preferred many rounds to not attack and
just kill that wimpy water nymph but instead focused on the peaceful
ki-rin (Status of the ki-rin (lawful): Level 19 HP 124(124)) where
they could not even place a single hit! The ki-rin is the 'A' at the
right wall above the nymph 'n', all other 'A' are my devas minions.

#------#
#|***@A|#
#|.AAA|#
#A.AAn|#
------

Only when I left that room they hit and killed the nymph on one turn.
(The ki-rin is of course still alive.)

Janis

[Yosemite Sam]

Post by Janis Papanagnou
My horde of powerful minions preferred many rounds to not attack and
just kill that wimpy water nymph but instead focused on the peaceful
ki-rin (Status of the ki-rin (lawful): Level 19 HP 124(124)) where
they could not even place a single hit! The ki-rin is the 'A' at the
right wall above the nymph 'n', all other 'A' are my devas minions.
#------#
#|.AAA|#
#A.AAn|#
------
Only when I left that room they hit and killed the nymph on one turn.
(The ki-rin is of course still alive.)
Janis

I don't usually watch my minions make their kills. I'm comfortable
with: You hear some noises in the distance.
What I'm saying is what you are showing here any different from their ordinary behavior?

[Janis Papanagnou]

Post by Yosemite Sam

Post by Janis Papanagnou
My horde of powerful minions preferred many rounds to not attack and
just kill that wimpy water nymph but instead focused on the peaceful
ki-rin (Status of the ki-rin (lawful): Level 19 HP 124(124)) where
they could not even place a single hit! The ki-rin is the 'A' at the
right wall above the nymph 'n', all other 'A' are my devas minions.
#------#
#|.AAA|#
#A.AAn|#
------
Only when I left that room they hit and killed the nymph on one turn.
(The ki-rin is of course still alive.)

I don't usually watch my minions make their kills. I'm comfortable
with: You hear some noises in the distance. What I'm saying is what
you are showing here any different from their ordinary behavior?

In this instance I'm not quite sure what their "ordinary behavior"
is. In fighting I haven't yet observed any difference between pets
and minions; if the foe's level is too high they ignore the enemy,
if it's low enough they try to kill it, if the foe's _defense_ is
_absolutely effective_ they nonetheless continue to fight despite
its attack-ineffectiveness. It *seems* that here they engaged in
an [ineffective] melee with the ki-rin, not considering to spend
a single hit on the nymph (over about two dozens rounds). Then I
left the area - while not changing the nymphs surrounding; still
the same minions around the 'n' - and they instantly killed her.
It *seems* that the attack vector of the minions is depending on
the players position in this case, but that sounds strange in a
scrum situation as depicted. But that seems at least to explain
it; maybe the fixed engagement to the opponent is loosen only if
the enemy moves (which is impossible in above encirclement).[*]

Janis

[*] This speculation stems from the engagement method that foes
have when they attack an invisible/displaced character that they
initially cannot locate; once they found you they continue hitting
unless you move again. - Not sure this is correct or might be the
source of above minions' behavior since the attack engagement and
move and attack vector may be completely unrelated. - I'm puzzled.