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Henchman's Programming

AuthorMessage
Survivor
May 01, 2013
5
I've been playing Wizard101 for a few months now, and I'm already about done with it. I'm a level 98 Fire Student.

Usually when I enter a dungeon, I always rely on a Life Henchman to act as support for healing. But when I'm up against a boss who's the same school as me, I purchase two henchmans: Life & Ice.

I recently died because the Life henchman that I always use in every Dungeon kept healing the Ice Henchman who had full health, 2 Frozen Armor, 3 Ice Armor, and 5 Tower Shields. While I was dead, my Life henchman kept healing the Ice Henchman with no mercy. And to my new found knowledge, I had to be alive to have finished the dungeon. My Life Henchman didn't heal me before Ice could kill the boss, and I had to start the dungeon all over again.

I don't want this to happen, ever. This thing should've been fixed a long time ago when I did my research on a Life Henchman's purpose, who was found useless.

I'm not saying this is the Henchman's fault, but to whoever programmed a Life Henchman to heal the most fully health character with the most chances of living in a duel is beyond my comprehension. Because at this rate, I don't see any reason to promote a faulty game.

Fix this.

Astrologist
Aug 20, 2011
1077
Nobody is really satisfied with the warning to use henchman at their own risk. It makes sense that because henchmen are an investment of real money, we want them to get the job done.
  • the highest heal priority should default to human players when they are defeated and head-rolling

  • all types of henchmen should heal players if their school can heal; they should start using sacrifice, healing current, and availing hands

Survivor
Apr 12, 2011
30
Do you find that some times when you need the life henchman that it takes so long for the crown shop to calculate the "What others buy" that time runs out before henchmen can even be displayed?

I am saving so much money because of that glitch in the advertisement portion of crown shop. LOL

This post should be Titled: "When ads do not pay"

At least you seem to have time to buy them.

I sure do miss Salvus

It is ok I am getting better at battle because of it.

Sophia Dragonheart

Delver
Apr 16, 2014
268
Henchmen just ruin the traps I set for the kill. Especially the life henchman. He always uses Forest Lord and wastes all my traps. I only used henchmen very rarely anyway. If I can't solo within three tries then I consider a henchmen, but very carefully. I rely heavily of feints and hexes for killing my enemies. Therefore henchmen are the spoilers.

Scarlet ShadowStone Exalted
Scarlet SwiftRiver Level 25
Scarlet FireEyes Level 20

Armiger
Jan 11, 2012
2497
leflamewizard on Oct 8, 2014 wrote:
I've been playing Wizard101 for a few months now, and I'm already about done with it. I'm a level 98 Fire Student.

Usually when I enter a dungeon, I always rely on a Life Henchman to act as support for healing. But when I'm up against a boss who's the same school as me, I purchase two henchmans: Life & Ice.

I recently died because the Life henchman that I always use in every Dungeon kept healing the Ice Henchman who had full health, 2 Frozen Armor, 3 Ice Armor, and 5 Tower Shields. While I was dead, my Life henchman kept healing the Ice Henchman with no mercy. And to my new found knowledge, I had to be alive to have finished the dungeon. My Life Henchman didn't heal me before Ice could kill the boss, and I had to start the dungeon all over again.

I don't want this to happen, ever. This thing should've been fixed a long time ago when I did my research on a Life Henchman's purpose, who was found useless.

I'm not saying this is the Henchman's fault, but to whoever programmed a Life Henchman to heal the most fully health character with the most chances of living in a duel is beyond my comprehension. Because at this rate, I don't see any reason to promote a faulty game.

Fix this.
a much better investment would be to get a Life Mastery Amulet (that you only pay for once and can use on any wizard on your account not already a life wizard) and craft some gear to give you bonuses for healing. My L100 Pyromancer operates that way and he RARELY dies. I use that, combined with Primordial (sun spell), Satyr (Life Spell), and Prince of the Sky Robes (crafted gear which adds Accuracy, Critical hit, and Strength to life spells). Try it for yourself and see if that helps.

The minion/henchman spell engine has been talked about for a long time now, and people agree it needs an upgrade.

Survivor
Dec 14, 2008
36
"Because at this rate, I don't see any reason to promote a faulty game."

The game isn't faulty. You're entering dungeons with nothing but help from minions. Get friends or random people to assist you. Don't blame the minions. You don't have to use them (especially since constant reliance on them is expensive).

Astrologist
Aug 20, 2011
1077
True Fire on Nov 12, 2014 wrote:
"Because at this rate, I don't see any reason to promote a faulty game."

The game isn't faulty. You're entering dungeons with nothing but help from minions. Get friends or random people to assist you. Don't blame the minions. You don't have to use them (especially since constant reliance on them is expensive).
No, it pretty much is the henchmen's fault, and that's the point of thread. Henchmen are both negligent of the player and they're expensive. Sure, maybe he overstated his case in criticizing the game overall, but he's absolutely right that the artificial intelligence behind henchmen needs revising.

Defender
May 23, 2009
110
Lucas Rain on Nov 13, 2014 wrote:
No, it pretty much is the henchmen's fault, and that's the point of thread. Henchmen are both negligent of the player and they're expensive. Sure, maybe he overstated his case in criticizing the game overall, but he's absolutely right that the artificial intelligence behind henchmen needs revising.
Tough discussion.

@OP
Henchmen aren't completely useless. Their only value is when you buy one per battle (with restrictions, lol.) I agree that henchmen need "revising" but they were never the best option to help you in your battles in the first place.

@Lucas Rain
True Fire's got a good point to ask friends for help instead of relying on henchmen.

Geographer
Mar 12, 2013
923
I would like to see a more detailed description of the henchman's AI and personality before buying.

"This healer from Last Wood is a staunch pacifist, and will never raise a hand against another living soul, but has prodigious healing capacity" = a henchman who won't goat monk into your stacked feints and get aggro'd before he's had a chance to heal.

"This rank 12 dino has small and large versions of life DOT attacks, fluffy, weaver, and brown spider, and might also have a heal or two - more aggro for going vs. death and balance mobs who pack shields

"This rank 10 flamewing grew up on the mean streets of Plaza of Conquests and knows how to put the burn on someone. He can also keep himself in good shape by mastering the art of power link but don't expect him to notice your health, too. (fire henchman that will rip off towers and spam DOT)

"This rank 11 fire elf is a selfless and tireless support personnel for your elemental school wiz" - heals blades traps fuel backdraft smoke etc. but not many hits

"This rank 12 storm elemental is well-trained in the Aikido martial art, and is a master of nonviolent art of war" - new improved water elemental with Enfeeble, HC, and windstorm added to his arsenal. Does not attack

"This rank 12 black cap froudling loves the delicate sound of thunder, but a big deafening bang is okay too, as long as it's them and not us." - Storm henchman with plenty of bolts, lord, fizzle dragon/catalan, sirens, and temp spam

So you can pick the right one for your needs.Sometimes you want passive, sometimes you want aggro, sometimes you just need a tank.

Historian
Jun 19, 2010
657
I'm sure I posted about this in the past; but because players pay crowns, they should have greater control in how henchmen are used. If you can't make it so one henchman can heal, blade, trap, or defend...

...why not create new sub-class henchmen that only heal, only fight, only blade or shield you, or trap what you fight. This would create an additional revenue stream for KI, because now folks have even more choices what type of henchmen to hire.

The other benefit to creating these single purpose henchmen would free up all the labor that would go into coding players being able to switch which mode the henchman functions in.

Historian
Aug 10, 2009
640
Tylerwildpants on Nov 15, 2014 wrote:
I'm sure I posted about this in the past; but because players pay crowns, they should have greater control in how henchmen are used. If you can't make it so one henchman can heal, blade, trap, or defend...

...why not create new sub-class henchmen that only heal, only fight, only blade or shield you, or trap what you fight. This would create an additional revenue stream for KI, because now folks have even more choices what type of henchmen to hire.

The other benefit to creating these single purpose henchmen would free up all the labor that would go into coding players being able to switch which mode the henchman functions in.
Yes Please!!

Astrologist
Aug 20, 2011
1077
crunkatog on Nov 14, 2014 wrote:
I would like to see a more detailed description of the henchman's AI and personality before buying.

"This healer from Last Wood is a staunch pacifist, and will never raise a hand against another living soul, but has prodigious healing capacity" = a henchman who won't goat monk into your stacked feints and get aggro'd before he's had a chance to heal.

"This rank 12 dino has small and large versions of life DOT attacks, fluffy, weaver, and brown spider, and might also have a heal or two - more aggro for going vs. death and balance mobs who pack shields

"This rank 10 flamewing grew up on the mean streets of Plaza of Conquests and knows how to put the burn on someone. He can also keep himself in good shape by mastering the art of power link but don't expect him to notice your health, too. (fire henchman that will rip off towers and spam DOT)

"This rank 11 fire elf is a selfless and tireless support personnel for your elemental school wiz" - heals blades traps fuel backdraft smoke etc. but not many hits

"This rank 12 storm elemental is well-trained in the Aikido martial art, and is a master of nonviolent art of war" - new improved water elemental with Enfeeble, HC, and windstorm added to his arsenal. Does not attack

"This rank 12 black cap froudling loves the delicate sound of thunder, but a big deafening bang is okay too, as long as it's them and not us." - Storm henchman with plenty of bolts, lord, fizzle dragon/catalan, sirens, and temp spam

So you can pick the right one for your needs.Sometimes you want passive, sometimes you want aggro, sometimes you just need a tank.
Nice points. I hope something like these descriptions will appear in the future, with revised AI henchmen.