So is that auto-engage behaviour of the Harpers the same thing that activates when you decide to climb the towers on the outside? I’ve heard that doing so always results in Jaheira dying, as you’re leaving the Harpers to fend for themselves on the ground floor.
Most likely. As it seems that there's just a timer before they decide to rush in. I haven't pinpointed the exact trigger for the timer (Either leaving Shar's domain or going near Moonrise) but there does appear to be one, I found it on one of my first playthroughs as I stopped to recover health by passing around the Peirapt of Wound Closure and chugging health potions and do some inventory management... Only for the Harpers to decide to rush on in of their own accord.
Seems like this just adds to the list of uniquely annoying Harper behaviour.
NPC's running headfirst into AoE's is not unique to Harpers. It occurs whenever there are NPC's since there's no code in regards to avoiding them.
There are a number of times when this causes issues, such as the Nere encounter (The terrified gnomes love to go run themselves into AoE's, die and then all get mad at you) as well as several encounters in the city in Act 3 where the civilians in the street can walk into AoE's and cause everyone to get mad at you.
With also some lesser issues that don't involve enraging factions, such as the Druids in the Kagha encounter who love to get rekt by Kagha's Moonbeam (Regardless of if she's an ally or enemy) or even your own party members running through your own AoE's once a fight ends and they rush back to your PC...
In turn, does this auto-engage behaviour of the Harpers also exist if you spear the Nightsong? Because as far as I recall, only Jaheira waits for you at Moonrise, then? (Of course, that auto-engage behaviour could still apply to her alone, but it would seem rather unrealistic to me that she would attempt to storm Moonrise all by herself if you e.g. decide to climb the outside of the tower in such a scenario.)
Most likely. AI behaviours in this game are not complex enough to factor in choices (There have been complaints in another thread about how Jaheira will act like you have the Artifact even if you pass the skill check to not let her know about it).
So she'll run in even if she's alone.
