Check out this thread:
http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=117256
Amazing binds that helps with the controlling of your pets substantially. Sometimes the protector bots run in and try to do some melee and other times your bots will chase a mob. If you see them doing that tap follow to get them back and just set them to attack again and that should work itself out. Also try to web grenade runners, that helps out your crew a lot 
I find that I just end up running into melee range and just having them follow until I get some traps set up then push attack and then lay down the destruction. This isn't totally effective though until you get AT LEAST force field generator.
Hope that helps some.
Try liberal use of Passive mode to keep wayward pets following orders.
Passive will clear out their agro list, making them more responsive to things like Stay, Goto, or Follow.
Of course don't just keep them in Passive all the time (you'll at least need Defensive for bodyguard mode), but periodically flip them into that mode to remind them you have orders you'd like followed immediately, not at their whim.
If that doesn't work, I usually shoot one where the others can all see...
"When heroes fail, the Angels will save you."
MASTERMIND NUMERIC KEYPAD PET CONTROLS
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Quote:
This has worked pretty well with my bots. Bolded part is one of best advices I've seen. I'm sure after dismissing 1-2 A-Bots none of the Drones or Protectors dares to disobey anymore |
Originally Posted by Sandolphan
Try liberal use of Passive mode to keep wayward pets following orders.
Passive will clear out their agro list, making them more responsive to things like Stay, Goto, or Follow. Of course don't just keep them in Passive all the time (you'll at least need Defensive for bodyguard mode), but periodically flip them into that mode to remind them you have orders you'd like followed immediately, not at their whim. If that doesn't work, I usually shoot one where the others can all see... |
Btw one usefull trick while fighting at controlled environment (AE grinding for instance) is to only use lvl 32 bot upgrade (or 1st summon Protectors and then use lvl6 "equip" and then summon A-bot and drones and finally cast upgrade. I almost could offer my head on a plate unless this trick result a vast higher usage of aoe powers (that you get from lvl32 upgrade).
I don't know whether this is common knowledge that I just didnt know (or whether I'm just greatly mistaken, but I kinda doubt it). But I realized it just few days ago while pondering the way bots are recycling powers they are going to use. Now I can solo purple lt's with greater speed because I dont have to deal with runners. They almost never manage to leave my Tar Patch before entire +3/8 spawn is down as they used to pretty often before I learned this trick.
I'd actually call bot grind (not that my build is even close to best ones) aoe awesomeness unless I hadn't seen elec/sd scrapper of my friend hitting 750hp (dmg capped) pbaoe attacks and basically two shotting entire spawns non stop (Lightning rod+Fireball, next spawn with Stunning charge+Fireball. Rinse and repeat. That was totally sick).
I've never seen the "conflicting commands" warning. It is possible you have a typo in your commands. I don't believe there should be any issue with giving the command /petcom_pow Drone stay defensive.
Keep in mind, though, that there is no way to say to a henchman "fire, but don't move". If he is aggroed, then he WILL move into range to attack that foe. If he has no currently recharged ranged attack, he will move into melee to brawl. (Or Smash, for a Bot) This is a limitation of the AI, there would be no way to change it without allowing it for critters as well. (Although I have noticed most of the time Snipers will remain where they are instead of trying to come to a player that is hiding, like other MOBs. i.e., pulling doesn't work)
Anyway, Defensive tells your Bots not to fire "until you see the whites of their eyes". Actually what it means is don't fire until you are fired on first. If you or any henchman is hit by an attack, though, Defensive henchmen will move to attack that foe. Even if he is on the other side of the room.
The only way to make henchmen stay where they are and not move is to set them to Passive. Which will keep them from firing as well. So the best way to use that is to use pulling techniques, hide yourself and your henchmen behind a wall, and use Passive until the foes come around the corner. Note also that Attack Passive is a perfectly valid command combination, and it will cause the Bots to attack that target, and no other target, and not run after any other target. (Although they will run after that one if it flees) I know quite a few people use Attack Passive because of their frustration with the AI.
I am going through a lot of underplayed alts. Dusted off my Bots traps MM. Started to do an arc. So far so good.
Problem.
I can't seem to get the dummies to just frikking hold still and shoot. No running after runners. No closing to melee, just frikking STAND STILL AND SHOOT!
I set them all to Defensive, Stay. It keeps giving me a conflicting commands warning. (huh!?)The dummies are just flat out disobeying me at times as well. When they chase runners, and I tell them Go To here, they get about halfway back and reverse course after the runner again.
First of all, what is the possible conflict between defensive and stay put? I can see Aggressive and Stay here as conflicting. I can see Aggressive, Follow me as a conflict.
Second of all is there any way to make them follow me and ONLY counter fire with ranged, not close to melee as part of their return fire?
In other words, I want them to stick together and only shoot at range.
Can this be done? Or is this just part of the wonky AI, no work
around?
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