Talk:Minion

We need some screenshots or renders of the various types of minion there are ;) --Gummy Joe 21:08, 18 July 2007 (UTC)
 * I've posted links to minion pages, and those minion pages that are as of yet unstarted I have taken the liberty to start. - -  Arkhar  02:07, 3 August 2007 (UTC)

Minion stats research
I did some extensive minion damage research today, here are the results. -- Gordon Ecker 07:29, 3 January 2008 (UTC)
 * I did more research on damage using Deathly Swarm at rank 16 to determine armor and Taste of Death to determine Health. All minions have level*20+80 Health, and the armor research results are above. -- Gordon Ecker 09:52, 3 January 2008 (UTC)
 * Did you use logarithms to determine armour in that last part? Because I'm getting 72 armor for a level 18 Horror, which is also the accepted value, via the following calculation: Damage Modifier = 2^((60-AL)/40); 76/94 = 2^((60-X)/40); .8085=2^((60-X)/40); log0.8085=((60-X)/40)log2; 40(log0.8085)/log2=60-X; -12.27=60-X; X=72.27; AL = ~72     I haven't checked the other values, but this may cause slight changes here and there in your results. --  Arkhar  22:27, 5 January 2008 (UTC)
 * No, I just used a spreadsheet to generate a table of damage multipliers and picked whichever armor value most closely matched the data. -- Gordon Ecker 04:33, 6 January 2008 (UTC)
 * 73 may have been the closest arithmetically or geometrically, but in this case we want the number that is exponentially closest, which I believe to be 72. In any case, the number you got was close enough to allow you to generate what appears to be a sound formula, so the number is accurate enough.  --  Arkhar  05:37, 6 January 2008 (UTC)
 * I've recalculated the armor starting with the base damage and estimated armor, you're right about level 18 horrors having 72 armor, the others match my previous calculations. The damage vs. a level 16 Jagged Horror was a transcription error, I've added the correct value. -- Gordon Ecker 05:43, 6 January 2008 (UTC)
 * Great, thanks. --  Arkhar  00:34, 7 January 2008 (UTC)

Minion AI
I don't mean to whine, but isn't it about time minions got an AI improvement? Sure, they're not supposed to be little Einsteins, but even your average housefly understands that to reach something on a cliff top, you don't stand at the base and stare up at it. I'm a minion master, and I just can't help feeling like this is getting neglected amid the waves of skill updates which, incidentally, don't seem to be doing much good.69.40.116.142 22:57, 20 March 2008 (UTC)
 * Agreed. &mdash;  ク  Eloc  貢  23:26, 20 March 2008 (UTC)

Sooo ture yo loose your whole army until you go up thier kill them all and than they will realise "OMG THEIR DEAD ok back to following the master" but hey if you were undead would you really bother to go up that hill or around that obsticle  The Golden Arrow 18:59, 26 March 2008 (UTC)
 * If you can make them walk around, you can make them walk around a tree. --  Arkhar  04:10, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

They don't exactly have brains, do they?68.78.136.130 22:54, 24 June 2008 (UTC)
 * If I'm ever attacked by zombies, I'll be sure to walk to the top of a hill. --RoyHarmon 19:58, 20 October 2008 (UTC)
 * I think it would be reasonable for minions to respond to their controller's calls. -- Gordon Ecker 01:43, 21 October 2008 (UTC)
 * You can imagine the minion factory teams in HA being able to get all their minions on one target then remove soa form it and it just kersplode? it's bad to make them follow commands. 90.206.224.62 22:57, 30 December 2008 (UTC)
 * It would help if there was a 10% chance per minion or something. Maybe they would have that rare chance to respond or attack other people the team is attacking (monkey see, monkey do). I mean they are the master after all. 64.222.106.112 03:47, 1 December 2009 (UTC)
 * Integrating a chance wouldn't solve the problem. I'd like to see Minions return to their master at a certain distance. It'd really solve a lot of the issues mentioned. ···  Danny  Pew   Pew  21:15, 1 December 2009 (UTC)

Why they arn't listed as allies
Since during the Gyala hatchery mission, the dead allies (young turtles) are ressurected after the cutscene, it would seem that dead allies are also ressurected. Could this be a reason why minions arnt listed as allies, coupled with the fact that it would be a long list and constant updating? --The preceding unsigned comment was added by User:68.78.136.130 (talk).
 * I agree on the 'long list' part, but the constant updating already takes place. But actually, I don't know any reason why they don't show up on the list as allies. (Besides, you can only resurrect those with a corpse, right?) [[Image:User Horsedrowner avatar.jpg|19px| ]] horsedrowner  06:57, 4 July 2008 (UTC)

ya is there a way to make their health show up or something, i hate that if i want to put a spell on them i have to target them manualy --The preceding unsigned comment was added by User:71.236.185.58 (talk).
 * Only by holding the mouse over them. -- Gordon Ecker 02:09, 10 July 2008 (UTC)

Degeneration corrections
I did some testing. Both the 20 degeneration cap and the 84 second claims are bogus. Natural degeneration kills low level minions faster than high level minions, and appears to be uncapped. I stacked over 30 regeneration on an old minion with no effect on the rate of health loss. -- Gordon Ecker 08:53, 17 July 2008 (UTC)
 * I left a Rt/N Minion Bomber alone with lvl 10 bone horrors for 4 hours. When I left it was taking 12 seconds for the minions to degen to 50% Health. When I came back after 4 hours it was STILL taking 12 seconds to degen to 50% health. I'm pretty sure there is a cap on natural minion degen, it is not limitless. [[Image:User Druid Sig.png|19px]] Druid 09:10, 5 August 2008 (UTC)
 * Would it not be best to assume the degen is handled in the same way as players degen, the regen you apply is taken into account first and then the degen, which is capped at -10 pips if i remember correctly, in that case if you stack 30 regen on a minion all the degen would appear as still -10 if the developers are smart and have set degen to some crazy number like 999 or something. because 30 - 999 is -969, therefore as only a max of -10 can appear -10 is what appears?--Whisperwind 12:03, 6 August 2008 (UTC)
 * Yes, that's what I meant by uncapped. Minions can accumulate more than 10 pips of degeneration, but, like everything else in the game, they can't be affected by more than 10 pips of net degeneration. -- Gordon Ecker 02:33, 15 August 2008 (UTC)
 * I read the statement on degeneration on the page I was also confused until testing it out. It appears the game caps degeneration at 10 for minions, but remembers it's stacked degeneration.


 * You can tell this pretty clearly with two necromancer spells: Verata's Sacrifice and Blood of the Master. If you keep the minions alive for about 3 mins or so all at different times coming into existence, buff them back upto full health and you'll notice a consistent 10 health degeneration among all the minions while casting Blood of the Master.  Now apply verata's sacrifice and you'll notice different degeneration on the different minion groups(assuming you haven't sat there for 10 mins otherwise their degeneration could be over 20 degeneration and buffing only +10 would not be able to show this.


 * This is pretty interesting to note, becuase verata's sacrifice comparatively is stronger early on, while blood of the master is more effective if the minion master is attempting to maintain the minions indefinitely.97.77.48.77 08:12, 10 March 2011 (UTC)

Minion Absorption
Is there such a thing? and where could I find out more information about it, I know a few people use minions to combat the mursaats attacks but I was wondering if it is a minion specific ability or just the size of the part divides the damage? --Whisperwind 11:12, 2 August 2008 (UTC)

Critical Hit
Can minions critical hit? I'm just wondering if "Go for the Eyes!" will work with minions. Blood Red Giant 09:35, 22 March 2009 (UTC)
 * GftE does work with minions, and they can critical hit. Don't expect a massive damage boost, though, as their crits don't automatically deal max damage. Vili [[Image:User Vili sig.jpg|User talk:Vili]] 10:11, 22 March 2009 (UTC)
 * Awesome, thank you. I'm using it in a new build of mine, and since my new build involves 47 minions.... lol Blood Red Giant 10:15, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

Just went through the articles, quick note and a question
Pending the page, the notes vary. For Bone Horror and Bone Fiend: Behavior Like all minions, they will attack any enemy without command, and it is impossible to disengage them. ---

Bone Minion has no behavior. ---

For Vampiric Horror: Behavior Like all minions, Vampiric Horrors will attack any enemy that comes within a certain distance of them. If you attack an enemy outside of the Vampiric Horrors' Aggro range, they will move to attack them, unless you attack with a spell, in which case they will stay where they are. They will also not move when being hit by AoE spells. ---

For Shambling Horror and Jagged Horrors, there is no behavior on how they attack or target. ---

And no behavior on the Celestial Horror and Flesh Golem. ---

Now back to the subject I really came here for. I've been doing a lot of Alliance Battling, and I've been able to keep Warriors off me. But every time there is a Minion Master around me, I'm getting knocked down by the Minions, speaking no one else is around and able to knock me down. Necromancer runs off, and I'm usually solo capping because the others are dead. And the Minion Master didn't have Flesh Golem, but instead Aura of the Lich. Was there an update, or is something wrong?--iRathur 17:53, 7 May 2009 (UTC)


 * The Kurzick Army Elementalists and Luxon Army Elementalists have Teinai's Wind and Lightning Surge, those skills could be knocking you down. -- [[Image:User Gordon Ecker sig.png]] Gordon Ecker (talk) 07:17, 8 May 2009 (UTC)


 * I haven't Alliance Battled again recently, but I do know the Minion Master was outside of the mob in the middle of the map trying to cap a Shrine I had just captured. I don't know what the Kurzick Maps are called, much less describe properly. It was at the shrine with Rangers near the Luxon Base with a small stream leading down the left side of the map. So I highly doubt it was a Kurzick Elementalist.--iRathur 02:42, 18 May 2009 (UTC)
 * If it was before the December 11th update, you could've been knocked down by Weaken Knees. It also could've been caused by Gale, it doesn't deal any damage or inflict any persistent debuff, so it won't show up in the Damage Monitor or Effects Monitor. -- [[Image:User Gordon Ecker sig.png]] Gordon Ecker (talk) 06:00, 18 May 2009 (UTC)


 * That's probably it, Gale. N/E is quite common now. Thanks!--iRathur 19:33, 21 May 2009 (UTC)

Decomposition rate
Given that "At level 18, Bone Fiends live for 1 minute 24 seconds", I wonder if we can figure out the interval between degeneration increases. should be the equation needed, with being the maximum degeneration reached and  being the time spent at each level of degeneration. ··· cedave  15:59, 30 June 2009 (UTC)

Parties!
Should a note be on the page that minions are in their own party? I don't remember if each minion master has their own party or not (I think they do). The way to test is get two minion masters and use Seed of Life on a minion: if it heals both MM's minions, then they are not split. <>Sparky, the Tainted 14:14, 13 July 2009 (UTC)
 * Your logic's a bit faulty. Seed of Life heals your party members when the minion (ally) is hit. However, I think I know what you mean, and here's my best explanation: Minions are collectively treated as allies and one person using Blood of the Master will heal all allied minions within radar range. ···  Danny  Pew   Pew  16:36, 13 July 2009 (UTC)
 * Members of the same party seem to share aggro with eachother, if one monster in a group aggroes, the entire group aggroes, and if one party member attacks or gets attacked by a monster, all the heroes and henchmen will react to it. Minions seem to aggro independently. -- [[Image:User Gordon Ecker sig.png]] Gordon Ecker (talk) 01:51, 14 July 2009 (UTC)
 * Seed of Life heals the target's party members, not the caster's. I accidentally used Seed of Life on a minion once (I only had one minion master), and it healed all of the minions. -~=Ϛρѧякγ User Sparky, the Tainted guided sig.png (τѧιк)  20:28, 26 July 2010 (UTC)

Can someone explain this to me?
''...'although they are affected by the 10 net degeneration cap, their "base" degeneration appears to be able to increase indefinitely. That to me, reads a bit contradictory. My comprehension might be off but it looks like it says "It doesn't go past the 10 degeneration, but it does... indefinitely. I'm confused. I want to know exactly what makes them degenerate faster. The longer they live, or the more you have?--  anguard  16:01, 14 July 2009 (UTC)
 * I think it means externally inflicted degeneration (e.g. Life Transfer, bleeding) is capped at 10 pips but their own natural degeneration (caused by the length of their existence) has no cap. -- mira  castillo  16:09, 14 July 2009 (UTC)
 * Ah, okay. Thanks.-- [[Image:User_Vanguard_VanguardLogo.png|19px]] anguard  16:13, 14 July 2009 (UTC)
 * The game limits the amount of regeneration / degeneration to 10 pips. However, you can have more regen/degen than that, it just won't be expressed. This explains it better than I can <_<
 * "Health regeneration will stack to exceed ±10 pips, but the effect will be no greater than that of ±10 pips. For instance, if a target has -20 health regeneration they will lose health at the rate of -10 pips, and if they use a +10 Healing Breeze, they will still lose health at the rate of -10 pips."
 * http://guildwars.wikia.com/wiki/Health#Health_regeneration.2Fdegeneration
 * Also, the longer a minion lives, the more degeneration it has. The amount of minions you control has no effect on the degeneration of a minion. -- Chrono  (talk) [[Image:User Chrono007 sig.png| ]] 16:14, 14 July 2009 (UTC)
 * That stuff I already knew, it was just the Minions I didn't get.-- [[Image:User_Vanguard_VanguardLogo.png|19px]] anguard  16:39, 14 July 2009 (UTC)
 * But that's what the section you quoted is talking about... It's saying if you kept a minion alive for several hours (or some long amount of time) the minions would have a huge "base" degeneration (-50? -200? who knows), but that they are still affected by the -10 degen cap. Their degeneration doesn't function any different than any other characters / monsters / etc. --  Chrono  (talk) [[Image:User Chrono007 sig.png| ]] 17:18, 14 July 2009 (UTC)
 * it would be interesting to figure out if there is a maximum degeneration cap. I'd assume that degeneration/regeneration is stored in a single byte, and likely 0 is 0, 1-127 or so is health gain, and 255-128 is health loss. If anyone wants to sit around with a minion for a couple hours with only direct healing and see if it ever stops losing health, that would tell us right away whether or not ANet included a solid degeneration cap, provided I'm correct about the regen/degen structure. This could also be used to figure out the period of time between degen "steps" using a modified version of the formula a few sections up. ···  Danny  Pew   Pew  17:38, 14 July 2009 (UTC)
 * All the same, Chrome, my confusion is quelled and my question was answered.-- [[Image:User_Vanguard_VanguardLogo.png|19px]] anguard  22:54, 14 July 2009 (UTC)

Minion Cap
should there be a note or trivia about there not being a minion cap at some point
 * What? There always is a minion cap :/-- Unending fear  User Unendingfear Crane eats peanut.jpg 02:38, 4 December 2009 (UTC)
 * Not true way back in Phrophecies there was no minion cap

Minion limit: bug or anomaly
I changed the bug note about the minion limit only being calculated when minions are created to an anomaly note because, to my knowledge, there is no official information on how the cap is supposed to work. The way it works now is actually relatively consistent with the inherent effects of other attributes, in that the caster's attribute level is only checked upon activation of a relevant skill, so even calling it an anomaly might be a bit too strong. --Irgendwer 02:09, 20 May 2010 (UTC)
 * this makes no sense at all minions arent skills and death magic clearly reads 'Without Death Magic, you can control no more than two undead servants. For every two ranks of Death Magic, you can control one additional undead servant.' it deos say what was teh inteintion so ill revert it back 127.0.0.1 02:14, 20 May 2010 (UTC)
 * I said the behavior was consistent with skills. If you've enchanted someone and you get hit with Wail of Doom, the enchantment isn't affected. Similarly, if you're maintaining several minions, a Wail of Doom on you is not going to affect them either. I don't particularly care what the Death Magic description says because it wouldn't be the only attribute description with vital information left out. One could argue that it's the Death Magic description that is bugged. --Irgendwer 02:33, 20 May 2010 (UTC)
 * That's because Wail of Doom only effects future skills lol. 80.192.156.3 10:05, 27 May 2010 (UTC)
 * On occassion I have run a build with Aura of the Lich... another skill that increases death by +2 and my staff is 20% chance of +1 death... At times I am able to control 11 minions and I can achive bone horrow up to level 23.... I can retain those 11 minions up until I loose both of the +attribute enchantments... So even while Aura of the lich by itself will not allow me to have 11 minions I can maintain my 11 minions if that is the only enchantment that stays... MrPaladin  &dagger;  talk 11:21, 27 May 2010 (UTC)
 * The bug should read something like "every time the number of minions is increased" because of skills that "steal" minions (in wich case the minions arent created). Unless, ofcourse, someone can proof that Verata's Aura for example ignores the minion cap. (KILL MementoMori 21:39, 27 February 2011 (UTC))

Staying back
Something needs to be done about the AI for minions, I keep finding that the minions my MM has end up sitting around behind me instead of fighting the enemies in front of us, they need to have the same function Heroes have, to which they attack when you do  Zachariah Zuan. 14:55, 1 August 2010 (UTC)

Player equivalence
I was thinking, how many players would a squad of 11 level 21 minions equal? I mean by damage output, meat shielding and so forth. A guildie of mine guessed 2-3, how near correct would this be? What about 12 level 22 minions? The latter is easy to achieve as well. Thanks. 91.154.212.254 19:04, 23 January 2011 (UTC)
 * Keepin mind that external influence matters a lot here, a well-placed "Ebon Battle Standard of Honor", "Barbs", or "Mark of Pain" can increase their damage significantly. Also if the minions are healed is very important. If you heal 10 minions for 100 health each, well lets just say it can go into into obsene amounts of health. Without any external influence I'd say 11 minions of lvl 21 have the damage output of a single well-played player, or two lesser players (or ones with controlling skills like knockdown or AoE). The meatshield effect however, lets take a closer look at Bone Horrors (Aura of the Lich). Level 21 means 500 health and approximately 80 armor. Well, I'd say imagine 11 dervishes with blessed armor standing next to you! So there you have it, massive meat shield, with no damage output unless you help them a bit ;) I hope this helps friendly folks out here! (KILL MementoMori 19:20, 23 May 2011 (UTC))

Just skills
It says on page that minions take double holy damage from skills,but it isn't mentioned that attacks that deal holy dmg( Avatar of Balthazar ) or dmg from wands and staves that deal holy damage is doubled too...I haven't checked for the wands but pretty sure AoB attacks do double dmg. 95.180.76.188 23:48, 3 March 2011 (UTC)
 * Fixed. I think that error occurred when that section was rewritten. --Silver Edge 07:15, 4 March 2011 (UTC)

Image
if you press Y, there is a box that says minions.... but nothing appears there. Should this be added? - GreenEarth28


 * When there aren't any minions, that's exactly what I expect to see. I wouldn't remove a note if someone added it, but I doubt that it's necessary. — Tennessee Ernie Ford ( TEF ) 00:49, 7 March 2011 (UTC)
 * I mean, even if there are minions, the box doesn't show a thing... maybe it was originally to be used as a minion count for all of your heroes and yourself? - GreenEarth28
 * They have to be YOUR minions. &mdash;  Raine Valen  [[Image:User_Raine_R.gif|19px]]  1:56, 7 Mar 2011 (UTC)


 * Yeah, unfortunately, it wasn't designed to show all minions; it only those for whom the player is master. — Tennessee Ernie Ford ( TEF ) 09:36, 7 March 2011 (UTC)