Babysitting Togo, Mhenlo, and Nika

Okay, this is really frustrating and I am sorry, but I have to speak out...

Is anyone else sick of baby-sitting the NPCs? Let me ask it a different way, is it more common for you to fail the mission / quest due to some flaw in your gameplay or the lack of intelligence on the part of the NPCs?

I am speaking specifically on the various Togo, Mhenlo and Nika vs. Afflicted mission / quests. Waves of Afflicted assaults the NPCs, and the "great" Master Togo often goes down in less than a minute.

Maybe it's just me, but I want to play the game and have fun. Trying to work around people's poor programming (whether it be henchmen or NPC AI) is not fun. Why does Anet put so many of these "baby-sitting" missions in the game? Not just that, but they're close to one another as well.

Prophecy also had critical NPCs (Rurik, Evania, Ghostly Hero, etc.) -- yet rarely has it been such an issue. If the NPCs were with you to start with, at least it is within your power to affect the outcome. As it is, the Faction campaign is just plain frustrating.

I don't want to be all negative and such, but does anyone else have this strong sense of frustration? If you do, please speak up -- only if you speak up would Anet realize that this is an issue and fix it.

Some possible fix:
--> don't make the NPC take damage until they are aggro'd by the PCs
--> have the NPCs start out with you

But hey, this game isn't really encouraging us to play with their Henchies, they would rather you grab a real team and socialize while fighting, so mabye the bad AI is actually intended.

nvm poster i was replying to was deleted.

Its a plot to make GWP missions seem more enjoyable and its working.

"NO ASSASSINS!!" "ASSASSINS NEED NOT APPLY!" " GTFO N00B ASSASSIN!!"

I remember King Adelden can tank ~4 titans on his own. Master Togo goes down to like a assassin and a mesmer.

That's because Adelbern is a Warrior, Togo is a Ritualist.

I'm liking the way Factions is layed out though. Teaches the healers a thing or two about energy management. You know the ones that have a fierce battle, 30 seconds in, their energy is spent? How about 5 minute+ battles with hordes of enemies?

I enjoy coming out of those and saying "My energy is 43 of 47" as soon as it's over.

It also teaches people about kiting and aggro management too. From Prophecies, we went from 'Pull group, warriors hold aggro, we hit from behind' to 'Here's 20 enemies that jump in the middle of your party. If you suck, you die.'.

Agreed. I think these 'babysitting' missions are intended to get us using management skills such as keeping up our energy and aggroing well. The NPCs are there to provide more of a challenge, because, just like the members of the party, they need healing, and if they die usually the quest/mission is over.

I think one that is quite frustating is the quest near Tahnakai Temple. You're stuck in the center where three paths join up, and hordes of Afflicted pour in. To do it successfully, you need to keep yourselves alive and be able to take down the Afflicted effectively so as not to have several parties of Afflicted aggroed at the same time, while making sure to keep alive the NPCs that you're supposed to be protecting.

It may be that there are too many 'babysitting' quests/missions, but hey, think about it, these NPCs are giving your party help, you just need to make sure they stay alive.

I think I'll "love" Togo as much as I did Prince Rurik (whos beloved memory I cherish by naming my pet tiger after him).

Nevertheless, the missions are fun. I was a bit worried about energy management myself (not mine, since I play Warrior) but what got to us was a bad split. Nevertheless, great fun, am really enjoying it, if for nothing else, then for insane death count and repeatability! It's not PvP but rather endurance test for PvE...

The only problem I see is the current problem with PUG forming. I have a hard time getting into one since the mission outpost looks like friggin ToPK now, with Barrage and MM's in high demand, yet noone needs another tank. And my guildies are still thinking wether to buy Factions ("what what? I can still farm trolls, can't I?"). Argh, I'll just have to switch to my blasted ellie then

Tanks are useless now Put 16 in your weapon and do damage like you're supposed to.

By tanks I don't mean Super-stanced-heavy tank. And yes, I agree, useless, you have to be run all the time and adrenal spike alot, change priorities...

Hell, I've seen Afflicted Monks kiting (not running away, but zig-zag and around), so...

the game is just teaching you tactics like people are saying. take time to analyse the situation before you go charging in. ive done all my quests to date with my assassin with just henchies and only died 3 times. im level 19 now. watch the patrol patterns and pick of lone groups. pull groups away from the main body of the enemy think about the targets.. what are you fighting who poses the biggest threat?

i love how i cant give my opinions to people in any way without it being deleted...

i beat the mission on the first try with henches so i dont know that the person is talking about, its just like the THK situation...ive never had a problem with that mission, it might just be the people controlling the henches not the henches themselves.

but this will probably get deleted again