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Advanced Aggro System

EliteMobs tracks two separate values for every player who damages an Elite: the raw damage each player has dealt (used for loot and reward contribution), and a threat value — the aggro ledger that decides who the Elite attacks.

Note: aggro is the name given to the mechanic that determines which player the boss targets for their attacks

How targeting works​

Every time a player damages an Elite, EliteMobs adds to that player's threat and immediately re-evaluates the Elite's target. AdvancedAggroManager picks the player with the highest accumulated threat who is:

  • online, alive and valid
  • in Survival or Adventure mode
  • in the same world as the Elite
  • within 35 blocks of the Elite

Raw damage is deliberately not consulted when picking the target, so a lower-damage tank with Loud Strikes gear can hold the boss's attention. Targeting is also refreshed when an Elite is first spawned in and when threat is inherited from a summoner.

These checks apply when targeting is re-evaluated; this is not a continuous range monitor. If no eligible player has a finite threat entry, the manager leaves the existing target unchanged rather than clearing it.

How Loud Strikes Works​

The Loud Strikes enchantment increases the threat generated on hit for entities spawned by EliteMobs. Each item's Loud Strikes bonus equals its enchantment level divided by 3, and the bonuses are summed across all 6 equipment slots (helmet, chestplate, leggings, boots, main hand, and off-hand).

Formula: Damage-Based Threat = Damage Dealt × (1 + Total Loud Strikes Bonus) × Class Threat Factor

The class threat factor is 0.8 while the player's advanced combat class is active and its root lineage is spellcaster; otherwise it is 1. Direct threat additions, such as taunts, do not create damage contribution and do not use this damage formula. The examples below use a class factor of 1.

Per-Item Calculation: Loud Strikes Bonus = Enchantment Level ÷ 3

Examples:

  • No Loud Strikes at all = 1.0× threat, so threat tracks raw damage exactly
  • Loud Strikes III on one item = 3 ÷ 3 = 1.0 bonus, so 2.0× threat
  • Loud Strikes III on all 6 equipment slots = 6 × 1.0 = 6.0 total bonus, so 7.0× threat
  • Dealing 100 damage with a 6.0 total bonus = 100 × 7.0 = 700 threat

This is what lets tanks hold aggro while dealing significantly less damage than DPS players. Because the base multiplier is 1, a player with no tank gear still builds threat normally — Loud Strikes multiplies on top of it rather than replacing it.

The shipped elitemobs:loud_strikes definition has an enchanting cap of 10 (maxLevel), an item-worth parameters.value of 6, and parameters.procedural: false. Explicitly authored over-cap levels are retained. Use the current shared enchantment format, rather than the retired maxLevelV2 and maxEnchantmentLevel fields.

The gear panel of your player status screen shows the equipment multiplier, 1 + total Loud Strikes bonus. It does not include the Spellcaster class factor or direct threat additions.

Threat inheritance from summons​

Custom bosses that summon reinforcements can pass their threat table on. When a summon is configured with inheritAggro=true, the reinforcement copies the summoner's threat ledger (but not its damage/reward contribution) and immediately picks a target from it. This keeps adds attacking the tank instead of instantly latching onto whoever is nearest.

Technical Details​

For each player attacking an Elite, EliteMobs records two separate values:

  • Damage dealt: Recorded combat damage before the threat multiplier. Used for loot eligibility, contribution and rewards.
  • Threat generated: Damage multiplied by 1 + that player's total Loud Strikes bonus (sum of level / 3 across all 6 equipment slots), then by the class factor above. Separate direct threat additions also enter this ledger. Used for targeting only.

Non-finite or negative Loud Strikes values are clamped to 0, and non-finite threat entries are skipped when selecting a target. Clearing an Elite's combat state (clearDamagers) wipes both maps together so damage and threat cannot drift apart.

Frequently Asked Questions​

Q: If I deal the most damage, will the boss always target me? A: Only if you also have the most threat among eligible players and no eligible taunt overrides it. Damage ranks match threat ranks only when players have the same multipliers and no separate threat additions. Loud Strikes can let a lower-damage tank exceed a higher-damage player's threat.

Q: How much Loud Strikes do I need to tank effectively? A: Enough that your threat multiplier exceeds the DPS damage gap. A full set of Loud Strikes III across all 6 slots produces a 6.0 bonus, i.e. a 7.0× threat multiplier — meaning you can hold aggro while dealing roughly one seventh of a bare-geared player's damage.

Q: Can I see my current threat multiplier? A: The gear section shows the equipment multiplier. It does not include the class factor, direct threat additions or accumulated threat totals.

Q: What happens if I run out of range? A: On the next target update, players further than 35 blocks away are ineligible. The manager selects the highest-threat eligible player, if one exists; otherwise it leaves the existing target unchanged.

An active taunt takes priority over accumulated threat while its target is eligible: online, alive, in Survival or Adventure, in the same world and within 35 blocks. If the taunted target becomes ineligible, that forced target is cleared. See [Alpha] Advanced Combat System for the class system.