I wonder if the group makeup (including level) affects the tank merc behavior. I've been fooling around on a level 50s rogue alt with a tank mercenary, so molo. The tank merc is set to Auto Assist and Agressive stance. The only group role I used was Main Tank. However, the following behavior didn't depend on whether or not the tank role was set. When I aggro multiple mobs or get adds when fighting one mob, the tank merc won't switch targets to take aggro off me unless I target one of those mobs. Once the merc gains enough aggro on that mob, I have to switch targets again so the merc will peel aggro off the next mob. It doesn't matter if I turn off attack so that I'm not building aggro on the mob the merc is attacking. Even though my aggro percent is low, I can imagine the mercenary might not be happy about the numerical difference in aggro.
Your opinion doesn't change my observed test results however. I will be testing some more today with different scenarios to see how they behave and will include the late add situation that you describe to see how they each handle it. Stay tuned.
Your testing was/is with Level 111 Vah Shir tank (no tank AA) on aggressive (group main tank) and Level 113 Vah Shir tank (no tank AA) on assist. These are not the same as level 120 merc tanks. In addition, the Furious Wrath merc AAs may be granting them aggro abilities that do not turn off when on Assist, as they should. While your testing may be helpful, it is not a full examination of the issue. Darkpaw needs to have someone in QA create 120 tank mercs with full AAs (both with and without Night of Shadows merc AAs). They can also see exact aggro numbers in real time as they fight (I assume) as well as break down that information and compare it to what it should be.
Also how does the 120 tank merc not having any weapons affect the tests? I am seriously considering de -leveling my enchanter from 120 to 119 as I notice the tank merc she has does not seem to be slapping as hard as he would slash if he had a weapon.
I see this behavior with level 111 and 113 mercs so it's not level based. With mobs in camp, If I target and pull a new mob into comp then either or both mercs will attack the new mob, regardless of stance and role. The puller's merc often attacks first (protectively I guess) even before the (other) main tank merc does. If on the other hand, a mob assists into camp on its own (untargeted), then (only) the main tank merc will attack it. Keeping your target on yourself (to avoid targeting a mob) differentiates these behaviors.
I think I've verified the problem. Tank mercs at every level tested (80, 111, 113, 120) are using a single combat ability only if they are the group main tank: Mercenary Taunt [Tue Jan 24 15:48:28 2023] Kothen activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jan 24 15:48:37 2023] Kothen activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jan 24 15:49:02 2023] Kothen activates Mercenary Taunt. Otherwise tank mercs no longer activate any other warrior disciplines or combat abilities at all. They previously did use them so I tested lower level (80) to double check. I even let my aggressive group tank merc get down to 4% HP and it never activate any defensive disc. Tank merc aggro issues reported here are imo a side effect of discipline activation failure. I will look in my logs to see the last time tank mercs were activating discs properly. I think everyone should like the OP of this bug report to get it fixed.
This problem is perhaps 2 years old. The most recent log I have on my druid (who sometimes uses a tank merc) that includes tank merc disc usage is from June 2020. Every log after that, where the tank merc is fighting is devoid of discs other then Mercenary Taunt. I consider this a very bad bug for tank merc users and will now be testing other mercs for similar breakage. This is what a level 107 tank merc used to do (past tense).... [Sat May 23 00:04:57 2020] Pulidian activates Calculated Strike Rk. II. [Sat May 23 00:07:20 2020] Pulidian activates Calculated Strike Rk. II. [Sat May 23 00:07:57 2020] Pulidian activates Calculated Strike Rk. II. [Sat May 23 00:10:40 2020] Pulidian activates Calculated Strike Rk. II. [Sat May 23 00:12:19 2020] Pulidian activates Calculated Strike Rk. II. [Sat May 23 00:13:49 2020] Pulidian activates Calculated Strike Rk. II. [Sat May 23 00:15:28 2020] Pulidian activates Calculated Strike Rk. II. [Sat May 23 00:17:04 2020] Pulidian activates Calculated Strike Rk. II. [Sat May 23 00:18:12 2020] Pulidian activates Calculated Strike Rk. II. [Sat May 23 00:22:42 2020] Pulidian activates Calculated Strike Rk. II. [Sat May 23 00:25:01 2020] Pulidian activates Calculated Strike Rk. II. [Sat May 23 00:26:34 2020] Pulidian activates Calculated Strike Rk. II. [Sat May 23 00:36:18 2020] Pulidian activates Calculated Strike Rk. II. [Tue Jun 16 10:21:47 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 10:21:50 2020] Pulidian activates Kluzen's Roar Rk. II. [Tue Jun 16 10:21:57 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 10:22:04 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Area Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 10:22:06 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 10:22:26 2020] Pulidian activates Calculated Strike Rk. II. [Tue Jun 16 10:22:29 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 10:22:31 2020] Pulidian activates Kluzen's Roar Rk. II. [Tue Jun 16 10:23:03 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Area Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 10:23:06 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 10:23:08 2020] Pulidian activates Kluzen's Roar Rk. II. [Tue Jun 16 10:23:10 2020] Pulidian activates Calculated Strike Rk. II. [Tue Jun 16 10:23:23 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 10:24:54 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Area Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 10:24:56 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 10:24:59 2020] Pulidian activates Kluzen's Roar Rk. II. [Tue Jun 16 10:25:17 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 10:25:22 2020] Pulidian activates Calculated Strike Rk. II. [Tue Jun 16 10:49:53 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Area Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 10:49:55 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 10:49:57 2020] Pulidian activates Kluzen's Roar Rk. II. [Tue Jun 16 10:50:07 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 10:50:10 2020] Pulidian activates Calculated Strike Rk. II. [Tue Jun 16 10:50:38 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 10:50:42 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Area Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 10:50:44 2020] Pulidian activates Kluzen's Roar Rk. II. [Tue Jun 16 10:50:46 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 10:50:56 2020] Pulidian activates Calculated Strike Rk. II. [Tue Jun 16 10:51:20 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Area Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 10:51:26 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 10:51:29 2020] Pulidian activates Kluzen's Roar Rk. II. [Tue Jun 16 10:51:37 2020] Pulidian activates Calculated Strike Rk. II. [Tue Jun 16 10:51:46 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 10:52:00 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Area Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 10:52:03 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 10:52:05 2020] Pulidian activates Kluzen's Roar Rk. II. [Tue Jun 16 10:53:55 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Area Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 10:53:58 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 10:54:01 2020] Pulidian activates Kluzen's Roar Rk. II. [Tue Jun 16 10:54:17 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 10:54:23 2020] Pulidian activates Calculated Strike Rk. II. [Tue Jun 16 10:54:27 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 10:58:21 2020] Pulidian activates Calculated Strike Rk. II. [Tue Jun 16 10:58:23 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Area Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 18:46:49 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Area Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 18:46:51 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 18:46:53 2020] Pulidian activates Kluzen's Roar Rk. II. [Tue Jun 16 18:47:07 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 18:47:09 2020] Pulidian activates Calculated Strike Rk. II. [Tue Jun 16 18:48:49 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Area Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 18:51:22 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Area Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 18:51:27 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 18:51:29 2020] Pulidian activates Kluzen's Roar Rk. II. [Tue Jun 16 18:51:35 2020] Pulidian activates Calculated Strike Rk. II. [Tue Jun 16 18:51:46 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 18:51:56 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 18:51:58 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Area Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 18:52:00 2020] Pulidian activates Kluzen's Roar Rk. II. [Tue Jun 16 18:53:02 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Area Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 18:53:06 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 18:53:08 2020] Pulidian activates Kluzen's Roar Rk. II. [Tue Jun 16 18:53:14 2020] Pulidian activates Calculated Strike Rk. II. [Tue Jun 16 18:53:36 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 18:53:53 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Area Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 18:53:55 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 18:53:58 2020] Pulidian activates Kluzen's Roar Rk. II. [Tue Jun 16 18:54:03 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 18:54:09 2020] Pulidian activates Calculated Strike Rk. II. [Tue Jun 16 18:54:14 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 18:54:23 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 18:54:38 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Area Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 18:54:43 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 18:54:57 2020] Pulidian activates Calculated Strike Rk. II. [Tue Jun 16 18:57:26 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 18:57:34 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 18:57:39 2020] Pulidian activates Kluzen's Roar Rk. II. [Tue Jun 16 18:57:59 2020] Pulidian activates Calculated Strike Rk. II. [Tue Jun 16 18:58:02 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 18:58:12 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 18:58:22 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 18:58:32 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 18:58:35 2020] Pulidian activates Calculated Strike Rk. II. [Tue Jun 16 18:58:37 2020] Pulidian activates Kluzen's Roar Rk. II. [Tue Jun 16 18:58:47 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 18:59:02 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Area Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 18:59:12 2020] Pulidian activates Calculated Strike Rk. II. [Tue Jun 16 19:05:23 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 19:05:25 2020] Pulidian activates Kluzen's Roar Rk. II. [Tue Jun 16 19:05:38 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 19:05:40 2020] Pulidian activates Calculated Strike Rk. II. [Tue Jun 16 19:05:53 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 19:05:58 2020] Pulidian activates Kluzen's Roar Rk. II. [Tue Jun 16 19:06:08 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 19:11:08 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Area Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 19:11:10 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 19:11:12 2020] Pulidian activates Kluzen's Roar Rk. II. [Tue Jun 16 19:11:23 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 19:11:31 2020] Pulidian activates Calculated Strike Rk. II. [Tue Jun 16 19:11:33 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 19:25:58 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Area Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 19:26:01 2020] Pulidian activates Calculated Strike Rk. II. [Tue Jun 16 19:28:31 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Area Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 19:28:50 2020] Pulidian activates Calculated Strike Rk. II. [Tue Jun 16 19:28:52 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 19:28:56 2020] Pulidian activates Kluzen's Roar Rk. II. [Tue Jun 16 19:29:06 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 19:29:08 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Area Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 19:29:16 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 19:29:26 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 19:29:28 2020] Pulidian activates Kluzen's Roar Rk. II. [Tue Jun 16 19:29:35 2020] Pulidian activates Calculated Strike Rk. II. [Tue Jun 16 19:31:25 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Area Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 19:31:27 2020] Pulidian activates Mercenary Taunt. [Tue Jun 16 19:31:29 2020] Pulidian activates Calculated Strike Rk. II.
I have been fiddling with Tank mercs a lot recently and this post caught my eye. My experience matches what others mentioned above. Huge aggro from tanks, even without taunting. and they don't seem to activate any discs at all. I've been testing in Assist stance without Tank Merc being designated at Group Tank, so i wouldn't expect them to taunt, but shouldn't they be activating some kind of defensive discs when they are being hit in combat? Are merc being looked at going into next expansion?
Melee dps mercs only use Thief's Eyes/Vision. Tank mercs only use Mercenary Taunt. It would be nice if they restored all their other abilities.
