Companion chooses violence over safety + Spike 'bleeding'

[13utterflyeffect]

Platform: Windows 11

Version: 1.21

Basically I've just noticed a behavior that seems to happen when you kill a Spike with a companion; usually your companion's smart enough to realize that the spike is going into explode.

Occasionally though, they seem to be overcome with insatiable bloodlust and they will repeatedly attack Spikes in an act of rage with no regard for their own safety, unless they are forcibly pulled away by the camera leaving their position. 

Thus far, it has happened with kittens and Umbra. It probably happens with other companions but I haven't brought them into the mines yet. I unfortunately don't remember what kitten it was but there is a possibility of overlap with the lucky trait, but that'd be pretty weird if those coincide.

I've noticed that this generally happens when I kill the spikes instead of them, but occasionally it happens when they kill them as well. Last time it happened, Umbra KOed the spike in one hit.

There's also a weird behavior whenever your companion has the 'fierce' trait-- presumably also works if you use the Deep Cuts skill, but I haven't tested it. The Spikes will continue having the 'bleed' effect when knocked out, occasionally interrupting the explosion sequence.

Will update if I find any more info on this.

[Agrith Dragonflame]

Yes. When the Spike enters countdown mode, it doesn't stop being an enemy. It is unkillable now until it explodes, but is still an enemy. As such, effects that work on enemies do appear to still effect them (not sure about abilities like Mortal Wounds, but I suspect so). Your companions can also still recognize them as enemies, hence why I think they sometimes just keep attacking. I've had it happen with Krampy and Spark, so it's not just due to Lucky.

[pixel]

Happens with Glimmer and Jag as well - seems to be unrelated to personality, which I'm not sure affects the actual AI of how they battle. All cats seem to fight the same to me, though *maybe* there's a variance in how often they run away from an enemy.

[zielonaofwildwood]

I've never seen this but this sounds so annoying! I would assume that this can happen to anybody and might be a glitch if a specific sequence occurs before the buddy tries to kill the spike. Could you give me more details on how this happened? The instances might share a common trait.

Also how could Umbra KO a spike if their max damage is 5 and I'm pretty sure spikes have an HP of 6?

[condemnedtoaschoolcomputer]

idea: when the spikes begin the detonation process, they send out shockwaves that dont affect the player but do affect buddies!