so, as many of you are probably aware given the talent’s description, you can issue both attack and defense commands and have both take affect. Though how this works is the skeletons with the shields will fall back to the defensive point and the warhammer skeletons will attack the target. however, the defensive command must be given after the attack command or else all skeletons will attack
There arises an issue I have with this that could cause problems.
with all of sienna’s skeletons there are a few ways the attack order ends:
- the targeted enemy dies
- the skeletons get too far away from sienna
- Another target is indicated.
There is another way to cancel it – issue a defense command at least for the other two talents. outside of this, there is no way to directly cancel an attack command. And you might see where this is going.
With dread seneschal, the only way to get the skeletons to stop going for a target is to issue another attack command. This means that in situations where you feel like you want all six to be on the defensive line, you cant, not until the target you indicated is dead. you can indicate a clan or slave rat, but the targeting seems to favor elite enemies to the point it will ignore your crosshair and designate an elite if it is in view. So, you have 3 skeletons running off to fight an elite when you’d rather be holding off a horde. sure the skellies have increased HP from the perk, but fewer bodies holding the line equals a greater chance of rats breaking through the line.
The defense command doesnt have this issue since since simply pressing/holding the block buttons cancel it. this also begs the question – does the warhammer skellies get the increase to their defense when the hybrid command is in effect or just the 6 second attack buff? this is important to know because in cases where you can redirect the warhamers to say, attack the front of a horde in order to get them to aid the line as a work around, it could be that they end up squishier from not having the defence buff.
Also, when the attack command from the hybrid command is finished, it seems like it also cancels the defense command forcing you to reissue the command instead the warhammers running to join the line.
Overall, dread seneschal, while giving great buffs, gives you less control over your skeletons. While this may not create issues frequently, I can see it causing a problem in certain situations.
My recommendation – double issuing a defense command cancels the hybrid command and has all members join the line. This is similar to other talents where issuing a defense command overrides attack, but requires a second input in order to allow the hybrid command to be given as well,