NPCs and enemy AI - PathfindingService (CreatePath, ComputeAsync, costs, modifiers, links, blocked paths), chase/follow loops, state machines, perception and line of sight, spawning/pooling, scaling to many NPCs. Use when creating enemies, pets, followers, shopkeepers, wave spawners, or fixing NPCs that get stuck, jitter, or lag the server.
NPC logic runs on the server (authoritative targets, damage, drops). Visual extras (idle
animations, nameplates, effects) can run on clients.
One NPC service drives all NPCs from a single loop (e.g. 5–10 Hz "think" rate, staggered), not one
script + while true per NPC. Tag NPC models (CollectionService) and keep per-NPC state in a table.
Server-owned physics: npc.PrimaryPart:SetNetworkOwner(nil) after spawning, so NPCs don't stutter
when ownership moves between nearby players (and exploiters can't push them).
Use Humanoid for NPCs that need walking/jumping/climbing; for simple movers (turrets, floating
enemies, crowds) use an AnimationController + Animator and move with constraints or CFrames.
Pathfinding
--!strict
local PathfindingService = game:GetService("PathfindingService")
