Guild Wars 2

I’m fairly sure that this is new. I’m playing through my PS on a new character (latest of many), and I’m repeatedly seeing NPCs who are supposed to be assisting me or taking part in the story just standing around during combat instead of fighting. They seem to join combat when personally attacked – but until then they might as well not be there. “Nothing to do with me, Squire…”

I first noticed it for sure with Trahearne during The Battle of Claw Island (although I’m fairly sure it had happened before that point). In the final courtyard defence, where I remember him as always being an active combatant, he simply stood there doing nothing throughout. I’ve just played Retribution, and at one point (as “we” were supposed to be recapturing the walls) I was in the middle of a group of 8 or 9 “accompanying” NPCs (including Fibbhar Ygosson), all just standing admiring the scenery while I fought a veteran on my own. It wasn’t until the mob used an AoE that my so-called “companions” actually deigned to get involved. And I’ve seen it a number of times between the two episodes, so I strongly suspect it’s a generic bug rather than a specific one.

Not just the PS – I’ve just recently had exactly the same with the Charr NPCs in the Urban Battlegrounds fractal.
Used to be they’d attack anything that just looked at them funny, now I’ve got to actively get them involved by dragging them directly into the middle of the fight or bring the fight to them.
As you say, they only get involved now if they are personally hit, otherwise they just get out the popcorn ……..

Yep. Observed and reported. Only began seeing this after the Monday “maintenance” patch.

I just wrapped up Confessor’s Stronghold on a character. Three NPCs (Rytlock, Marjory, Canach) helped with the first couple of fights, then didn’t fight Justicar Adrienne + adds, or any of the 10+ enemies on the ground during the Jade Construct fight. A frustrating and not fun experience.