Make NPCs fight

Use npc.attack(target) on the server to make an NPC pursue and fight a player or another NPC. Your game mode chooses who to attack and when to stop.

if (player.ready && player.canAct && npc.alive) {
  npc.attack(player); // melee
}
// Later, cancel pursuit and combat:
npc.hold();

Equip the fighter

A role supplies a body and clothing, but does not guarantee the weapon your encounter needs. wear replaces the equipped list, so preserve the clothes:

const sword = "c164f346-0463-4116-b790-094b11274e5e";
if (!npc.wear([...npc.wearing, sword])) {
  console.log("The fighter's equipment was refused.");
}

For an archer, equip a bow and compatible arrows before requesting bow combat:

const bow = "5c23394a-3300-4570-a8b7-ef1c11519047";
const arrows = "710e3706-8974-404b-b23a-6f51670ef1ed";
if (npc.wear([...npc.wearing, bow, arrows])) {
  npc.attack(player, { weapon: "bow" });
}

Bow attackers approach within 18 metres and fire native projectiles. Their equipped arrows are replenished while shooting; this is not an inventory ammunition economy. Use a separate game-mode rule if archers should run out.

Choose and retain a target

The target can be a Player, Npc or network ID. It must be alive, able to act, visible in the NPC’s virtual world and within 128 metres. An invalid target returns false and leaves the previous order alone. An accepted order replaces movement, following or a patrol.

Issue an attack when the target changes. Calling it every tick keeps replacing the same order. Retain the target while it remains eligible, and use hold() or a new movement order when it should stop fighting.

The attack fails when its target dies, disappears or leaves range. It waits while the NPC is dormant; no combat damage is simulated without a client running the body. reached is not a victory event. Watch npcDeath or playerDied for deaths.

Detection radius, team rules and the distance an NPC may chase from home belong in your script. There are no chaseRadius or leashRadius options on attack. The guarded-area tutorial uses a World Builder area to decide when a guard fights and returns to patrol.

Handle NPC attackers

playerHit receives a Player | Npc attacker. playerDamage, playerDied, npcDamage and npcDeath can also report null for an unidentified cause. Do not assume every attacker has a player nickname or connection.

Events.on("npcDeath", (victim, attacker) => {
  const name = attacker instanceof Player ? attacker.nickname
    : attacker instanceof Npc ? attacker.name : "an unknown cause";
  console.log(`${victim.name} died: ${name}`);
});

For NPC melee against a player, playerHit runs before damage. Returning false refuses the hit; setting hit.damage changes the amount. NPC melee uses the victim’s native result with hit.priced === false. Damage and death events report outcomes after health changes.

const trainingGuards = new Set<number>(); // add only your resource's guards
Events.on("playerHit", (_victim, attacker, hit) => {
  if (attacker instanceof Npc && trainingGuards.has(attacker.id)) {
    hit.damage = Math.min(hit.damage, 5);
  }
});

Human NPCs support melee and bow combat. Of the animal NPCs, wolves and wild dogs support ordinary melee bites. Other animals and animal bow attacks are refused. Paired predator takedowns are not supported.

Try the sample hunter

With the default game mode running, /npcdemo hunter creates a melee hunter and /npcdemo hunter bow creates an archer. It looks for players within 30 metres and returns after straying 60 metres from its last position outside combat. These are sample rules, not the attack API’s limits. /npcdemo reset removes the demo NPCs.

Keep the IDs of NPCs your resource creates and remove those NPCs on resourceStop. Stopping the script does not remove them or their orders.