How do NPC-taunts-PC mechanics work ?

[MrZork]

TL;DR:  Looking for a good wiki article or guide that explains the mechanics of an NPC taunting a PC.

 

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I've been on a while, though my highest level toon is level 31 and I still sort of consider myself a newb. I often get a short amount of time to play and try to solo a short run or so. I mention this because what I am wondering about would not be an issue for a more experienced player or someone in a party.

 

Last night my tanker was on a mission for The Magician in the Night Ward. Some of the Black Knights used taunts on him, which I had never encountered before. Since I had never had a toon taunted, I didn't know that I could no longer choose my targets and that my toon would just stand around if he wasn't targeting the taunter. And, since he is mostly melee and the taunter was usually out of range, he mostly stood around, wondering why only his AoE power was doing anything. He ended up in the hospital, but was able to prevail the second time through.

 

Through the help channel, some helpful players explained that NPC taunting is pretty rare (only occurs in a few missions) and that Escape inspirations can help, as can the Assault power from the Leadership pool (which my toon does not have). Also, don't fight the taunt target selection, just attack the taunter. Okay, got it.

 

But, afterward I tried hitting the Wiki to see if I could learn something about how NPC taunt mechanics work. I wasn't really able to find much out. Taunt seems like a status effect, but there doesn't seem to be a magnitude or protection level for it. It wasn't clear to me if Mez resistance or defense was helpful. How long does it last? Does it require a to-hit roll? Etc.

 

If someone could point me to the right Wiki article on NPC taunting mechanics or maybe a guide here on the forums, I would appreciate it. I understand from the online chat that NPC taunting isn't common enough to really worry about nor build around. But, I'd still like to understand more about it. Thanks!

[Snarky]

A Tank's taunt is magnitude 4.  That tells us one thing for sure.  That magnitude will vary.  It is not set for every taunter across the game.  When fighting the AVs in the Miss Liberty TF you will encounter Black Scorpion.  Who will Taunt.  Pretty sure (complete guess) his Taunt will have a higher Magnitude.

 

The advice you received in game was good.  Escape inspirations. Assault power. Possibly Clarion Incarnate power?  (probably...) All help.

 

What helps most is killing the taunter.  Or the oldest trick in the book.  Having a Tank Taunt the Taunter before the thing wrecks the team.  Then they can have a insult fight while the team wrecks the room and deal with the Taunter last.

[Psyonico]

https://hcwiki.cityofheroes.dev/wiki/Taunt_(Status_Effect)

https://hcwiki.cityofheroes.dev/wiki/The_Black_Knights

 

So, that's the basics of what the wiki has, I link the Black Knights because that was the enemy you were fighting.  Eternal Guards have a Taunt power.  The best way to deal with it is just kill whatever taunted you.

[MrZork]

Thank you both. I just figured out that the Taunt power has a magnitude 4 (at least for PCs) by looking at it in Mid's. It also has a duration. I did not see any protection from that power, as there is for knockback, teleport, etc. It looks like that duration is modified by taunt resistance. The Assault (Leadership pool) power shows a -Taunt effect, which I am assuming affects duration. I don't know of any other (and I am not sure how to check on Clarion). Even the Empathy's Clear Mind and Willpower's Strength of Will powers don't help with taunt (which seem like an oversights, really). I notice that even the first three sized of Resist Effects Inspirations only give 50% taunt resistance, while the largest gives 75%. Once again, I am assuming that means the duration is lowered.

[Snarky]

3 hours ago, MrZork said:

Thank you both. I just figured out that the Taunt power has a magnitude 4 (at least for PCs) by looking at it in Mid's. It also has a duration. I did not see any protection from that power, as there is for knockback, teleport, etc. It looks like that duration is modified by taunt resistance. The Assault (Leadership pool) power shows a -Taunt effect, which I am assuming affects duration. I don't know of any other (and I am not sure how to check on Clarion). Even the Empathy's Clear Mind and Willpower's Strength of Will powers don't help with taunt (which seem like an oversights, really). I notice that even the first three sized of Resist Effects Inspirations only give 50% taunt resistance, while the largest gives 75%. Once again, I am assuming that means the duration is lowered.

yeah, and the reason I do not research more is because the solution comes down to ....1) have the tank solo the thing away from the team 2) kill the thing.  anything else is literally sad choices

[Psyonico]

I'd have to check in-game, but I'm pretty sure Clarion doesn't have taunt protection either, but it's such a rare effect that it's not really something to worry too much about.

[oedipus_tex]

IIRC Taunt on players is mostly an effect on the player's GUI. The logic appears to be something like this: if player tries to execute a power on a creature, and that player is currently Taunted by something else, the power does not execute, and the selection reticle is re-centered on the creature who performed the Taunt. There's a floating orange text pop up over your head when this happens that says "Taunt!"

 

Like folks mentioned you can eliminate a Taunt effect by killing the Taunter. Also you can still cast AoE attacks, and powers that affect a location like Rain of Fire aren't affected at all, so you can still hit other stuff.

Edited August 18, 2021 by oedipus_tex

[Doomguide2005]

Does it carry the -range of player Taunt.  Tried but couldn't find it on CoD

[ZorkNemesis]

49 minutes ago, Doomguide2005 said:

Does it carry the -range of player Taunt.  Tried but couldn't find it on CoD

 

The -range effect is tied to specific powers, namely Brute and Tanker taunt along with Scrapper Confront, and is not part of the taunt effect itself.  The few enemies that do taunt likely don't have that as part of their taunt power.  The Black Knight taunt does not: https://cod.uberguy.net/html/power.html?power=blackknights.spear_fighting.taunt

 

Edited August 18, 2021 by ZorkNemesis

[Doomguide2005]

     Yeah I spotted the Black Knight entry but wasn't sure that was the foe in question.  Hadn't run Night Ward arcs yet before my computer died.  Thanks for the info.