Game mode: Online Private
Type of issue: Bug
Server type: PvP
Region: North America
Dancer’s set to Follow won’t attack, draw aggro, or even draw weapons. Some will just dance. Others will posture, raising their fists but not actually attacking.
Please provide a step-by-step process of how the bug can be reproduced. The more details you provide us with the easier it will be for us to find and fix the bug:
Hey there @epaeon
Welcome to our community.
Is the private server using any mods?
Yes though none of them affect dancers as far as I know. We are using Pippi, Pickup+, Fashionist, Emberlight, Compass Icon, and Seductive Derketo Priests.
The thread title would make a catchy 80’s pop rock song.
Do you have weapons equipped to them and, if the answer is yes, have you tried placing them in the area you’re going to fight in?
I think first would be try run a test without any mods.
While you say non of your mods is affecting thralls, this isn’t true.
Pippi has a large impact when it comes to interactions and lot of stuff.
Emberlight handles weapons, this may also affect thrall fighting.
Seductive Derketo Priest affect animation.
Fashionist still affect armours, make stands and can have some influence. Pick-up had also some problems after some game-patches.
Understand me well, i love mods, i use mods lot in my games and on my servers. But they can make troubles to.
The thralls not feeding is just one of the exemples.
Animes, fighting problems may be some others.
Try out in singleplayer, but without your mods, spawn with admin the same-dancer, give him same weapons and see what happens. Then add one by one the mods, again see what happens.
Also like said, dancers are tricky, they may come with orbs, daggers, and other fancy stuff. Orb don’t mostly work fine.
Try remove all, then give them one weapon at first just. Try out in the wild, not near a full base running lot stuff.
I had mostly better results with them giving them a sword, then let the fight with daggers, they jump way to much around.
Thanks for all the suggestions. I will give them a try. This problem mostly happens while I’m the the Unnamed City with my dancer following me. He is equipped with the Adventurer’s Blade and Silent Legion Armor. Nothing else on him. This has also happened with other dancers I have had follow me as well as some of my friends on the same server.
Here is the answer! Thralls now have preferred weapons. Dancers prefer Daggers of any kind. So give him Daggers and he will know what to do.
Ignasis is Ko6ka correct about this? Will thralls refuse to use other weapons? Thanks for the input btw Ko6ka.
There’s an issue in which thralls can become unresponsive if equipped with a weapon kind different to the one it spawned with then broken at the wheel of pain.
That could explain the issue you reported.
To add to @Ignasi said, it does not happen with all thralls, but I will follow @Ko6ka’s advice with entertainers.
The Sepermeru Captain comes equipped with a pike and I use him/her with a truncheon. Two handed default, one handed weapon and they fight quite well without any prompting near Sep, perhaps too well 
Anytime I approach them some take off after a shaleback (even the elites) and kick his a$$. They also leave a horde of purgers laying about.
The only time I have seen this fail is when the purgers awake; then they just stand there, not seeing them as a threat. I have taken to killing the unnamed purgers while they are unconcious to mitigate.
Thanks for the tip !
Regards
jim
I stay mostly to my rule.
I look what weapons they come with. 2hander become 2hander, but better, 1hander become 1hander but better. Archers stay archer mostly, some may, but still run some tests do very well with a 2h greatsword.
Dancers, i hold them as dancers, barely take them with me, they stay mostly at home, or at a secure location to waite. Then they become good daggers if they came with them. Or a good sword for those coming with a sword or kopesh.
Truncheons i give to 1h sword thralls mostly, and still had best results with that.
Still there can be some exeptions and occasional troubles, if:
)But mostly giving them similar weapons to what they cam with, but simply better, is what is working the best over time.
I do the same, @Vattende, but the availability and ease of the Sep Captain overcame this distinction. So many Captains with truncheons, so few purges
So far, they have performed admirably.
Based on your earlier recommendations, I am now experimenting more with thralls, although I still like most of my pets.
I did apply Totemic Fodder to a greater wolf who is now appropriately named ‘Fugly’.
I do intend to run with an entertainer, armored and weaponized beyond what she came with, just for the relief from corruption.
Regards
jim
The captains are fine mostly, i agree, also make a stock, time may change.
Pets are fine around bases and for hunting trips, they help me often also carry part of the thick hides home. But for more serious fights, a good well stuffed thralls still is better. Dancers, sure lower corruption, but if alone i prefer a good fighter with me for most destinations. Dancers are a good option in groups of players. So one can come with a dancer.
For the fodders i have also my preferences, some looks way better to me than others. The wolves looks cool. 
I bring Luba out a lot. I have her in some decent armor and she uses venom infused daggers. 
.
The secret to my success is to place her weapon in her hand. Then add 4 other items to her slots so she cant put them away. I usually do this with buffing ambrosia, potions or if going for long trips I throw in purified water. Also her favorite foods.
She will do the dagger cartwheel back.
But otherwise she will fight
Yes, sure they fight, but the catweel like you say way to much for me.
Also filling them up with stuff may work here for you, but may break other thralls, they need mostly at least one free slot to work correctly and handle theyr weapons.
Sure, thralls are still a personal choice, and i take mostly fighters with me when i do. Also testliving lot where i got some very smart fighters i wouldn’t exchange against 10 dancers.
I’ve tested Luba with a spear and a two-handed sword too, and she fights well with them, performing full combos like a pro. Best of all, she doesn’t backflip herself over the horizon with those weapons. She’s a very useful little helper in corrupted areas.
But, give her a one-handed weapon and she just thinks it’s a lollipop or something, because she absolutely won’t participate in any violent activity unless she can kill with both hands.
Sure, daggers make her backflip, and most dancers way to much. Some do just this,
I mean, it’s nice to look at, but not still very effective. 
Happy you found the perfect weapon(s) for her.
I also put a sword of From on her and she combos. She just needs two handers. I have mine in silent legion and Crom and shes a beast.
I get the daggers should be her thing.
Just like freya is pretty mean with a sword.
Overall Dancers can make mean fighters as well as utility
Yes, have some pretty nice fighters with Crom sword to, they do well, for sure.
And wanna not spoil what i have on testlive ! 