Summoning Bug... really bad bug.

[Meldread]

Unfortunately I learned about this bug the hard way.  Thanks to TransitionCube for pointing out to me what happened on IRC.

It works like this:  When you're in subdual / spar mode and have summons out they will subdual / spar like normal.  However, if you unsummon JUST ONE while they are attacking a PC all summons will instantly go to full damage mode.

...so I suppose until this bug is fixed... no summons in PvP unless you plan to go full damage immediately.

[Ebok]

Did you un-summon one manually?

Or did its duration simply end and that is what triggers it?

[Relinquish]

Well, if you're going to manually unsummon it the PvP would be over, so you have the time to tell it to stop I think. I've had this problem once.

[Meldread]

Yes.  I was in spar mode, and after the PC was down on the ground (winded) I manually unsummoned one of my summons.  I was doing it so they'd stop attacking and he could stand up.  I didn't know about the bug at that time, and so the second summon was still attacking... and FD'ed him.

No idea what happens when the duration ends, but until we know for certain I'd say the same thing happens.

[Meldread]

Also... I'm not 100% sure about this.  But this may happen randomly.  

Before this took place I had just dueled the same PC, with the same two summons.  The PC was subdued by the summons (winded), and I unsummoned them just the same as I did the second time.  No FD or bleeding.  

I've also been in duels where TONS of summons were used, and I was subdued.  The summons were unsummoned the same way and I wasn't FD'ed.  

So this may happen somewhat randomly... or just all the other times everyone was extremely lucky.  I don't know for sure, but in either case, summoning in duels = bad idea.

[Relinquish]

Its when it attacks in that split second between summoned and unsummoned.

[Meldread]

Ah.  I'm not sure if that's fixable... short of either making it so summons -always- subdue only, or giving PC's a /c unsummon command to use that would allow us to unsummon everything spontaneously.

I think throwing all summons on permanent spar mode is the best route to go, if this can't be fixed easily.  (Spar over subdual because if you don't, and have a lot of summons attacking a PC at once, it's going to make them drop their pack.  I've had that happen to my PC once.)