Shadowwaxwellbrain

Based on game build 714014 | Last updated: 2026-02-27

Overview

ShadowWaxwellBrain is a brain component that implements behavior-tree-based AI for Shadow Waxwell minions in Don't Starve Together. It is attached to entities such as shadowworker, shadowprotector, and shadowduelist, and determines how these minions respond to dynamic conditions such as proximity to the leader (Shadow Waxwell), ongoing minigames, nearby threats (e.g., explosions, hostile entities), and designated work targets (e.g., trees, rocks, graves). The behavior is highly modular and varies by minion type using conditional logic inside the constructor.

The brain integrates with multiple components:

• combat: To check for active combat, cooldowns, and target validity.
• follower: To identify and maintain proximity to the leader.
• workable, burnable: To select and verify valid work targets (e.g., avoid burning flora).
• minigame_participator, minigame: To respond to minigame states and crowd positions.
• health, explosive: To trigger fleeing behaviors for safety.

It relies on pre-built behavior definitions (wander, chaseandattack, panic, faceentity, leash, runaway, standstill) from the behaviours/ directory and on BrainCommon for helper utilities.

Usage example

This brain is typically added automatically by the game when spawning Shadow Waxwell minions; modders do not usually instantiate it manually. However, an example of typical usage (e.g., for testing or mod extension) is shown below:

local myminion = Prefabs:CreatePrefab("myminion", "myminion")
myminion:AddComponent("brain")
myminion:AddComponent("combat")
myminion:AddComponent("health")
myminion:AddComponent("follower")
myminion:AddComponent("workable")
myminion:AddComponent("burnable")
myminion:AddComponent("explosive")
myminion:AddComponent("minigame_participator")

myminion.brain = ShadowWaxwellBrain(myminion)
myminion.brain:OnStart()

Dependencies & tags

Components used:

• combat (via inst.components.combat)
• follower (via inst.components.follower)
• health (via inst.components.health)
• workable (via inst.components.workable)
• burnable (via inst.components.burnable)
• explosive (via inst.components.explosive)
• minigame_participator (via inst.components.minigame_participator)
• minigame (via components.minigame)

Tags added/removed: None directly. Tags used conditionally for selection:

• stump, grave, farm_debris (for dig actions)
• CHOP_workable, MINE_workable, DIG_workable (work target filtering)
• fire, smolder, event_trigger, waxedplant, INLIMBO, NOCLICK, carnivalgame_part (excluded from work targets)
• shadowcreature, nightmarecreature, stalker, monster, hostile, player, companion, spiderden (for threat evaluation)
• prechop, premine, predig (stategraph tags checked for repeating work actions)

Properties

Property	Type	Default Value	Description
inst	Entity	—	The entity instance this brain controls. Inherited from Brain._ctor.
bt	BT (Behavior Tree)	nil (set in OnStart)	The active behavior tree; assigned after OnStart completes.

Main functions

ShadowWaxwellBrain:OnStart()

• Description: Initializes and assigns the behavior tree (self.bt) based on self.inst.prefab. Constructs a root PriorityNode hierarchy with conditional and priority-based branches for different minion types (worker, protector, fallback). Priorities include: dancing, minigame watching, explosion/danger avoidance, combat work (workers), and chasing/attacking (protectors/duelists).
• Parameters: None.
• Returns: nil.
• Error states: None documented. May fail silently if required components (e.g., combat, follower) are missing or the prefab is unsupported.

ShadowWaxwellBrain:OnInitializationComplete()

• Description: Saves the spawn point if inst.SaveSpawnPoint exists. Prevents overwriting existing spawn data.
• Parameters: None.
• Returns: nil.
• Error states: None documented.

Helper Functions (Internal, Not Part of the API)

The following local functions are used internally by OnStart but are not called directly by external code. They are included for context:

• GetLeader(inst), GetLeaderPos(inst) — retrieve the leader entity (via follower) and its position.
• GetFaceTargetFn(inst), KeepFaceTargetFn(inst, target) — determine and verify a nearby player to face.
• GetFaceLeaderFn(inst), KeepFaceLeaderFn(inst, target) — determine and verify the leader to face.
• IsNearLeader(inst, dist) — checks if leader is within distance dist.
• FindEntityToWorkAction(inst, action, addtltags) — (deprecated) finds a valid work target for action.
• FindAnyEntityToWorkActionsOn(inst, ignorethese) — preferred version; returns a BufferedAction for any valid work (CHOP/MINE/DIG).
• DanceParty(inst) — pushes "dance" event to trigger dancing animation.
• ShouldDanceParty(inst) — checks if leader is dancing ("dancing" state tag).
• ShouldAvoidExplosive(target) — ensures target is either non-explosive or already burning/smoldering.
• ShouldRunAway(target, inst) — determines if target is a lethal or hostile entity.
• ShouldKite(target, inst) — returns true if kiting is appropriate (e.g., combat active and target is valid and alive).
• ShouldWatchMinigame(inst) — checks if a minigame is active and the minion’s combat target is either nil or also a minigame participator.
• WatchingMinigame(inst) — returns the minigame instance if participating.
• WatchingMinigame_MinDist/TargetDist/MaxDist(inst) — return distance thresholds from minigame.watchdist_*.
• CreateWanderer(self, maxdist) — returns a Wander behavior node.
• CreateIdleOblivion(self, delay, range) — returns a LoopNode that triggers "seekoblivion" if leader moves too far from spawn.
• IsLeaderInCombat(leader) — checks if leader recently attacked or was damaged (within COMBAT_TIMEOUT).
• FilterAnyWorkableTargets(targets, ignorethese, leader, worker) — filters and prioritizes work targets, ignoring those currently reserved or burning.
• PickValidActionFrom(target) — returns the matching action (ACTIONS.CHOP, MINE, or DIG) for a workable target.

Events & listeners

This component itself does not register event listeners directly via inst:ListenForEvent. Instead, it embeds event-driven behavior in stategraph-interfacing actions (e.g., DanceParty pushes "dance" via inst:PushEvent). However, the following events are referenced in behavior logic:

• Pushes:

  • "dance" — triggered by DanceParty(inst) when leader is dancing.
  • "seekoblivion" — triggered by CreateIdleOblivion when leader exceeds the spawn radius.
  • "follow" (via Follow/Leash behaviors — internal to behavior system).
  • "panic"/"runaway" (via RunAway behavior — internal to behavior system).
  • "face" (via FaceEntity behavior — internal to behavior system).

• Listens to: None directly. The component assumes the host entity’s stategraph and behavior-tree engine handle state transitions and reacting to game events (e.g., combat, proximity, damage).