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Mobile specials
This section defines special functions (spec-fun's) for mobiles. A spec-fun is a hard coded function which gives additional behavior to all mobiles with a given vnum, such as the justice implementing guard or the beholder casting spells in combat. Special functions are a holdover from older mud versions (like Diku). In FKMud mob programs are often better to use than the spec_functions, as they give you much more flexibility and customisation.
However spec-funs are a simple shortcut if you want your mob for instance to cast certain spells in combat, or use a breath weapon.
The spec_guard function is used by the Justice system to have mobiles with this function to carry out the punishments etc of the justice system.
Setting a mobiles class to a specific guild or deity will have the mobile act in a way that is common to that guild or priest of that deity, when standing around and when in battle.
One of the common uses of these special functions is the healers in the training temples. They have the spec_cast_adept function. Types of functions that can be used are:
| spec_fido | Eats corpses |
| spec_cast_adept | For constantly healing mobs |
| spec_breath_fire | Uses fire breath weapon |
| spec_breath_frost | Uses frost breath weapon |
| spec_breath_acid | Uses acid breath weapon |
| spec_breath_gas | Uses gas breath weapon |
| spec_breath_lightning | Uses fire lightning weapon |
| spec_breath_any | Uses a random breath weapon in battle |
| spec_poison | Poisons foe with a bite |
| spec_guard | For guards in the justice system |
| spec_cast_cleric | General Cleric in battle |
| spec_janitor | Cleans up trash and drinks |
| spec_cast_undead | Casts curse, drain type spells in battle |
| spec_executioner | Old justice for dealing with killers and thieves. Do not use. |
| spec_judge | For judges in the justice system |
| spec_pet_gen | Looks for master, rests when master does |
| spec_paladin_warhorse | For a paladins warhorse, looks for master, aids, rescues, alerts to evil, doesn't tire |
| spec_pet_hawk | Will work for all pet birds |
| spec_pet_dog | Does spec_pet_gen plus also rescues master, race echos, sniffs invis chars |
| spec_pet_panther | For companion large cats, see dog |
| spec_pet_bear | For companion bears, see dog |
| spec_pet_wolverine | For companion wolves, see dog |
The last 7 specials listed are made for PC pets. They will seek out their master, will land when their master does and often step in front of their master in battle if they feel their master is being threatened. The paladins warhorse is sensative to alignment of those PC's around it.
You would set up a mobile in the #SPECIALS section like follows.
#SPECIALS
M QQ00 spec_thief
M QQ06 spec_cast_cleric
S