Needles of Frenzy

[XuaXua]

What is the use of the needles of frenzy?

Use them against an enemy and you're in trouble (unless you're with Chei and slouch afterwards).

Use them against and ally and the ally becomes your enemy because you attacked them.

And I am not sure you can use them on yourself, but even if you did, you would need to wield only one so it would be dropped and have a good Unarmed Combat skill to compensate because you wouldn't have any equipment.

And monsters tend to target YOU with needles, not their allies, but I don't know that I've ever encountered monsters with needles of frenzy. In fact, I've never had a monster arbitrarily pick up needles from the floor (curare autopickup) and try to use them against me. Chances are he doesn't have a blowgun anyway.

So... I'm trying to understand the rationale here. What am I missing? Are these useless items?

[greepish]

I would think, since one can't use abilities when enraged, it would be good against spellcasters? Or can enraged monsters use abilities?

[absolutego]

frenzied monsters not only berserk, but attack friend and foe alike. so use it on packs from far away. like enslavement, but not quite.
i've only used them a couple times, early on.

[galehar]

frenzied monsters not only berserk, but attack friend and foe alike. so use it on packs from far away. like enslavement, but not quite.
i've only used them a couple times, early on.

But does it really work? They don't seem to behave like neutral monsters at all. Looks broken to me.

[MyOtheHedgeFox]

You mean, anyone who usually tries to avoid melee combat?

[XuaXua]

You mean, anyone who usually tries to avoid melee combat?

Spellcaster enemies NEVER try to avoid melee combat.

[absolutego]

But does it really work? They don't seem to behave like neutral monsters at all. Looks broken to me.

i could swear it worked that way when i started playing, which was 0.7. i don't think i've used them since.
then again, i had just started playing, so i didn't know right from left.

i'd fire up wizard mode but i can't run the game locally right now.

[CommanderC]

I think this is the piece of code that is broken (mon-behv.cc line 324):

  Code:

    // Instead, berserkers attack nearest monsters.
    if (mon->behaviour != BEH_SLEEP
        && (mon->berserk() || mon->type == MONS_GIANT_SPORE)
        && (mon->foe == MHITNOT || isFriendly && mon->foe == MHITYOU))
    {
        // Intelligent monsters prefer to attack the player,
        // even when berserking.
        if (!isFriendly && proxPlayer && mons_intel(mon) >= I_NORMAL)
            mon->foe = MHITYOU;
        else
            _set_nearest_monster_foe(mon);
    }


If mon->foe is MHITNOT, the condition is always false.
If mon->foe is MHITYOU, the condition is also false unless the monster is friendly.

[galehar]

Fixed.
The problem was in bolt::affect_monster. apply_hit_funcs is called and turn the monster neutral, but then monster_post_hit is called just after and turns it hostile with an ME_ANNOY behaviour event.