Single combat bug: SC fights wrong monster (4.2.3)

[robinjohnson]

With a character with the Single Combat spell:
Target any monster.
Hit (but don't kill) a different, adjacent monster, without re-targeting.
Cast Single Combat, and press 't' to choose the targeted monster.

You are now fighting the monster you just hit, but when the Single Combat ends, it is the *targeted* monster that is "defeated" - when you return to the normal level, that monster is dead, with all its loot lying on the floor where it was, and the monster you actually fought in SC is still there. I just discovered this by accident trying to SC a Fury, and only had to fight a Xaren to beat it. I was able to reproduce it immediately with a grape jelly and a werewolf of Sauron.

I wonder if it'll work on Morgoth.

[robinjohnson]

update: if you killed the monster you hit before casting SC, the game crashes. Serves me right.

[Cuboideb]

This problem with single combat could be related to this issue in some way ? https://github.com/angband/angband/issues/5063 (monster with invalid race pointer)

BTW, nice description of the bug Robin!

[Nick]

Originally Posted by Cuboideb

This problem with single combat could be related to this issue in some way ? https://github.com/angband/angband/issues/5063 (monster with invalid race pointer)

Oh, good point.

[kineahora]

Originally Posted by Nick

Oh, good point.

Oh one other thing with Single combat.

Minor sorta-bug: All other spells allow you to cast and then use the graphical targeting. If you try that with SC it just says you have not selected a target (a target must be selected in advance)--kinda not really a "bug"--it just acts differently than all other spells which is a minorly irritating inconsistency. We should be able to cast mce and then target using the graphical interface...

[kineahora]

Originally Posted by robinjohnson

update: if you killed the monster you hit before casting SC, the game crashes. Serves me right.

hmm I wonder if this is what caused my SC crash that I posted...

[robinjohnson]

Originally Posted by kineahora

Oh one other thing with Single combat.

Minor sorta-bug: All other spells allow you to cast and then use the graphical targeting. If you try that with SC it just says you have not selected a target (a target must be selected in advance)--kinda not really a "bug"--it just acts differently than all other spells which is a minorly irritating inconsistency. We should be able to cast mce and then target using the graphical interface...

This isn't my experience (4.2.3, Windows, roguelike keyset.) You can't just give a direction to target the first monster in that direction, which would be nice, but you can use '*' to target after the prompt.

[EpicMan]

Imagine Morgoth's chagrin as the Paladin uses Single Combat to KO him by beating some unique O in his place!