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Companions and dungeon mechanics: Things it would be interesting to test or otherwise know

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FrancisCrawford
FrancisCrawford
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There are a lot of ways in which companion behavior could be antithetical to dungeon or trials success, and I'm guessing ZoS hasn't anticipated and properly handled every single one of them. So testing seems called for, in areas such as:

1. How good are companions at avoiding or mitigating damage from boss attacks?
2. How good are companions at avoiding or mitigating damage from environmental attacks?
3. If Drodda stuns a companion in Direfrost Keep, will s/he rapidly break free? (If not, the fight will be very difficult for everybody there.) Or will Drodda never choose a companion as the stun target?
4. Will a companion block the Warden of the Shrine's heavy attacks in City of Ash, reducing the fire left on the ground?
5. How do companions deal with the portal mechanic in the last fight of Imperial City Prison?
6. How will companions deal with the potion mechanic in the last fight of Stone Garden?
7. Can a companion be tagged in the last fight of Ruins of Mazzatun, and what happens if s/he is?

There are many more questions of this kind one could ask, e.g. for any dungeon or trial where positioning matters.
  • BalticBlues
    BalticBlues
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    As I understood ZOS' streams, companions do not know any special dungeon/trial mechanics.
    As noobs do, they just play their skill rotation - which is what you defined for them.
    If they then die like noobs do, failing the mechanics, you can rez them or not...

    I even expect them to stand firm in red AoE, sucking up all heals from the group healer :p
    Edited by BalticBlues on April 17, 2021 10:08PM
  • phaneub17_ESO
    phaneub17_ESO
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    The way I like to think of them is they're basically the same as a Bear or Clannfear pet you can customize. Their AI looks similar to that of pets, anything they can do the companions can do and whatever they can't do is the same. AI for blocking when they have a shield equipped just like NPC mobs, I dunno if they can interrupt maybe with a Heavy Attack at best like mobs do to stun you. If you want them to move out of danger you'll have to use the Command Pet Attack and Retract to get them to switch targets or move back to you otherwise I think they'll stay in danger until they die or you tell them to move.
    Edited by phaneub17_ESO on April 17, 2021 10:01PM
  • UntilValhalla13
    UntilValhalla13
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    If they can't stand on the second pressure plate in direfrost, what's even the point of their existence?
  • Tommy_The_Gun
    Tommy_The_Gun
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    BalticBlues wrote: »
    As I understood ZOS' streams, companions do not know any special dungeon/trial mechanics.
    As noobs do, they just play their skill rotation - which is what you defined for them.
    If they then die like noobs do, failing the mechanics, you can rez them or not...

    I even expect them to stand firm in red AoE, sucking up all heals from the group healer :p

    I watched the stream too, and if it will be the case, I guess best thing to with companion is to convert it to heal bot. So if you are solo, it would only heal you and cast some buffs, and do not engage in combat. Maybe even it will be worth it to slot a taunt yourself in case AI will go crazy and some mobs will attack your companion - because a dead companion will be kinda useless....

    Also, as far as I can tell, it will be possible to order your companion to move from point A to B, by using "command pet" (Y by default).
  • FrancisCrawford
    FrancisCrawford
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    Tommy_The_Gun wrote: »
    BalticBlues wrote: »
    As I understood ZOS' streams, companions do not know any special dungeon/trial mechanics.
    As noobs do, they just play their skill rotation - which is what you defined for them.
    If they then die like noobs do, failing the mechanics, you can rez them or not...

    I even expect them to stand firm in red AoE, sucking up all heals from the group healer :p

    I watched the stream too, and if it will be the case, I guess best thing to with companion is to convert it to heal bot. So if you are solo, it would only heal you and cast some buffs, and do not engage in combat. Maybe even it will be worth it to slot a taunt yourself in case AI will go crazy and some mobs will attack your companion - because a dead companion will be kinda useless....

    Also, as far as I can tell, it will be possible to order your companion to move from point A to B, by using "command pet" (Y by default).

    In two previous MMOs, my preferred use of similar NPCs was as healbots.

    Specifically, that was what I chose for LOTRO soldiers, and it was my top choice for Guild Wars henchmen. My Guild Wars heros were typically 2 glass-cannon elementalists and a minion master. (My main was an elementalist as well.)
  • tim99
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    UntilValhalla13 wrote: »
    If they can't stand on the second pressure plate in direfrost, what's even the point of their existence?

    Yeah, seems a bit strange. They take a slot in 4-people-content, but they can't get the loot, nor do special environment mechanics like the 2 plates you meantioned. Or the 12 plates in aetherian archive....
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