Why is it the allies in storys don't fight and only sometime help?

[retiredair.3876]

Why do they bother with allies in story combat they don't fight and seldom aide in any why? Also can group member help with the story combats?

[sokeenoppa.5384]

@retiredair.3876 said:Why do they bother with allies in story combat they don't fight and seldom aide in any why? Also can group member help with the story combats?Real players that are in your party can join in your story mission If they are in same map as you are.

[mercury ranique.2170]

Some allies are not supposed to fight (example, during protect NPC X and Y objectives). Others are somewhat bugged. Bottom line is that you are the hero, not the NPC.

[Blocki.4931]

Because AI is terrible and NPCs are intentionally worthless 99% of the time

[MoriMoriMori.5349]

I'm okay with them not fighting, buy why the kitten they can't even help me when I'm downed? They are completely useless. At least they finally tought them to revive you in PoF..

[Biff.5312]

I've often wondered this myself. Even if they are just animated to show them fighting npcs that are not targetable by myself, it would make more visual sense than having them stand around watching you fight. As a consequence I've always completely disregarded companions and frankly don't care when they inevitably die in some kind of effort at story drama.The only useful thing I've noticed is that the fight on claw island, if you've picked the charr assistant, you can get them to give you a turret to use. One of the worst designed elements of the game has been offering story choices that have no effect, and choosing a companion is among these.

[Kylden Ar.3724]

@"Blocki.4931" said:Because AI is terrible and NPCs are intentionally worthless 99% of the time

Even worse in WvW.

"Hey Benn, that wall over there is down. Should we go, you know, guard?"

"I'm on my union coffee break."

[Trise.2865]

NPC's have to be stupid otherwise there'd be no reason for you to be there, they would play the game for you.

[Biff.5312]

@Trise.2865 said:NPC's have to be stupid otherwise there'd be no reason for you to be there, they would play the game for you.

That doesn't stand to reason at all. It's comparable to saying that using a weapon in the game means the weapon is playing for you. Having assistance during story elements in no way equates to story elements being winnable without action.

[Poormany.4507]

IKR, worst one for me is the Zhaitan fight, for which we literally spent the whole core story bringing DE together and then they just stand around inside the airship during the actual fight, not even bothering to res...

Recent episodes seem to have much fewer bugs like this, fortunately.

[NICENIKESHOE.7128]

My guild always cracked at how much better we are at wielding Sohothin than Rytlock.

[Westenev.5289]

I actually disagree with Anet's design decision to make npc's useless (meaning you can't take your support build if you're particuarly lazy and don't want to retrait for dps). Story... really isn't that hard in the first place, and it's hard to feel anything for these characters when their sole role in the story is to stand around on the sidelines as a res bot (and sometimes failing at that).

Canach has to be my favourite chatacter, because he always gives the impression that he's doing something to contibute in a fight (usually blowing stuff up while we single handedly kill a wave of enemies). The other characters often don't have such excuses, often making me wonder what they are even doing there.

[Khisanth.2948]

It's inconsistent. There are some story steps where you can pretty much go AFK and the NPCs will complete it.

[Urud.4925]

It adds a new level of excitement actually. You are downed and

• Rytlock stops fighting and just stays still (a true warrior doesn't perform humble tasks like ressing)
• Kasmeer is usually irresolute betwen ressing you and helping the others, so she walks back and forth doing nothing
• Marjory ress you very few times, but most of the times she just watches you dying (I hate her the most, as I'm sure she enjoys the view)
• Canach is usually helpful. If he's not busy with some mob, he comes to ress you. But sometimes he stops ressing you like at 80% and never comes back to you... And you're there... What? Seriously? Thanks.
• Braham is the jolly. I stopped cursing him time ago. The boy tries to help you, but in his way. "Boooss!" (casting a shield far from me).
• Caithe resurrects you sometimes, or even gets close to you when she thinks you are in trouble (like in the last chapter of the personal story). But she's also not completely reliable.

It's fine. Sometimes I sigh, but it's my job to complete the instance/fight. We shouldn't rely on them and just watch from afar. They are just useful to get a bit of aggro sometimes.

[Astralporing.1957]

@Trise.2865 said:NPC's have to be stupid otherwise there'd be no reason for you to be there, they would play the game for you.I'd say that avoiding combat and letting you do all the hard (and dangerous) work is opposite of stupid.

[Klowdy.3126]

My favorite is when you go into a downed state, and they run up and just stand there. It wasn't as if they were attacking anyway, but they aren't really doing anything, now are they?

[VAHNeunzehnsechundsiebzig.]

well, there is a NPC in Kessex, that can do its event all by herself. Player interaction is not needed, but welcome...

While I have been angry many times (Zhaitan fight, Caithe always shows up when you just finished your fight, the rest not even moving), I do see the reason why: if the NPCs were smart and good, the player would be just a waste of ressources.

It would be nice, if they were smart enough to either defend themselves or heal the player... but... oh well. Sometimes they do (HoT, LW... Braham occasionally doing the right thing, purely by accident, I guess).

[ArchonWing.9480]

they don't fight and seldom aide in any why?

It's so you can get used to actual players doing the same thing.

[Milea.6043]

Why? Why?!!! Because the non-motivated, non-player allies are all descended, in a direct straight line, from the biggest leech of them all...Guild Wars 1 Nightfall's Kormir! If you have ever played with that wretched woman (with eyesight or without), then you know the pain, the horror, and the rage. More spit has hit screens yelling at her than any other NPC in Guild Wars history. Between 2006 and 2012 Kormir was the reason for so many computer upgrades...many computers were smashed because of her lack of anything. We are playing with her descendants and it is a pox on us all, but we know this, and we are prepared.

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

A few years ago, the Devs changed the AI so the NPCs would not help as much. The Devs found the AI was a bit too helpful.They said they might go back and adjust a few; no idea if that ever came to pass.

You can find the Dev posts in the archived old forum, if you so desire.

[Balsa.3951]

Would it be ever a chalange with Rox and. Braham around if they constant Rezz and do a lot of dmg ?

All anet maybe can do is the illusion of they helping like Braham did at Saandsweep isles when shield The pups. The power level of the Commander is just so great that NPCs looking weak in compare..

If they not standing back they also could become nothing more than visual clutter.

[elve.2750]

even the Gw1 npc were better. thats like 10 yrs back...

[Poormany.4507]

@elve.2750 said:even the Gw1 npc were better. thats like 10 yrs back...

Tell that to Togo the 100th time he gets stuck on a chest during a mission... ;)

[GaijinGuy.8476]

It’s sucks to see them just standing there, not fighting, looking down at you desperately try to get back up.I always feel a little happy when I see them dir thinking to myself “should I help? Or just stand here watching you struggle?”.Feel like becoming the bad guy sometimes.

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

Or Alesia...lol.

The allied NPCs used to do more, but the Devs thought they were doing too much, so a change was implemented long ago.