Mobs and potions

[Egon the Monkey]

Have to say, I like that mobs now seem to use potions more, but it does mean in the case of Invis potions, they never drop the things because they always use them in round one. Can they be given some kind of random variable so they only use them up for an ambush maybe 50% of the time?

[BeteNoire]

Most of the potions they use aren't in the drop table either way.

[Egon the Monkey]

No, this is a new update or bug. For example Timeless Netherese Guardian Soldiers always use invis when they engage, whereas previously they would not, and it was a guaranteed drop.

[BeteNoire]

Yes, and things like Bandit Thugs use barkskin, invis, and haste and do not drop them even if you kill them before hand. However, if they're using the potions they should drop, that's just part of that update, but many did that a while back. Orc berserkers that drink their healing pots never drop them for example, now or before the update.

[The Old Hack]

I wonder if that is because the AI always had at least the brains to use healing when it got hurt. I have noticed that certain high powered mobs, when killed with overwhelming force before they have a chance to drink, will often drop healing potions. (Example: Hold Person and then killed before it ends, PhK, and so forth.)

Anecdotally, we had a low level area on my old server where some genius had equipped all the level 1 to 2 skellies with potions of cure light wounds. This resulted in that when they got damaged, they would drink their potion and get killed by it because undead take damage from healing; in addition, under the experience system we had, the players would get no XP for the kill. It was funny actually, you could easily imagine the skeletons going, "All right, you have me, but you won't take me alive! ...or undead... or dead... or WHATEVER!" *quaffs cure potion and self-destructs*

[Egon the Monkey]

Yes, I know mobs can use their loot, but by default it's just healing usually. My point is that some mobs and bosses are drinking all the stuff that's formerly been the reward for killing them, often to little use to them but an annoyance to the PCs who have been loot nerfed as a presumably unintended consequence.

[Germain]

So.. you are thinking it's unfair that a creature drops something guaranteed instead of using it to survive or get a leg up?

Yeah... this isn't changing.

[TheMacPanther]

I'm all for mobs using their potions against the playerbase, makes things interesting and exciting.

[THEDiamondJ]

Forgive me EFU for trolling but....................................................

lol        

[The Old Hack]

I had an awesome experience on one quest. Some invisible mob ran right past my front liner for the mages. I followed it and reached it just as it started to sneak attack our caster. By the time I nailed it, the poor mage was already at Badly Wounded. After that I stayed on my toes all the time in what had been a routine quest before.

Another went invis right in front of me and fled. I chased it and managed to corner it and kill it, Blindfighting helped a lot there.

I do not think this needs changing. On the contrary, I think it means the DMs should consider giving more mobs a chance of having potions. Ersatz Everyorc becomes much more interesting if there is a chance he'll drink Blur or something. (Archer orcs would love having retreat potions, I bet!)

[Egon the Monkey]

What I mean is that mobs, especially tough bosses, that never used to use potions and had them as part of the quest payout are now drinking them in the same order with 100% certainty every time they spawn. If this was compensated by giving them a little more loot for the extra risk that they'll quaff it if you don't Gank Them Now, or they weren't guaranteed to drink, it'd be an brilliant challenge in that it would be a way to vary the power of monsters at random and keep PCs from knowing exactly what a given one does. Instead it is a good challenge, but a predictable one and results in a loot nerf. Some mobs that have and use non-cure potions when necessary is a good thing, and leads to PCs concentrating on killing them fast before they heal up.

On the other hand, we now have every single one of a certain class of Nightriser deciding "Tonight is Invis Gank Night" despite them being in a huge horde rendering it pointless. This also means they will *never* drop that potion any more as they use it on round one every time.

What I'm suggesting is not that mobs stop using droppable potions.
(I felt the need, in light of posts above, to make that abundantly clear)

It's that they have a random chance of using a potion in their inventory. This way, you never know exactly what you're facing, and nor is it guaranteed that a mob with a buff potion or device will never drop it as they'll already have used it. Means this won't result in PCs shouting "Quick! Kill the boss before he drinks our Haste!" (To make a wild guess about likely metagaming)

[Drakill Tannan]

I wonder if that is because the AI always had at least the brains to use healing when it got hurt. I have noticed that certain high powered mobs, when killed with overwhelming force before they have a chance to drink, will often drop healing potions. (Example: Hold Person and then killed before it ends, PhK, and so forth.)

Anecdotally, we had a low level area on my old server where some genius had equipped all the level 1 to 2 skellies with potions of cure light wounds. This resulted in that when they got damaged, they would drink their potion and get killed by it because undead take damage from healing; in addition, under the experience system we had, the players would get no XP for the kill. It was funny actually, you could easily imagine the skeletons going, "All right, you have me, but you won't take me alive! ...or undead... or dead... or WHATEVER!" *quaffs cure potion and self-destructs*

Funny, i used to do that when i played a riser.

[Letsplayforfun]

Critters using droppable potions and not just ones you wouldn't get anyways limits potion bloat, which is good.

Quests may very well "pay less" if they do, and i don't mind at all, but that's just me.