The Huntsman Patch - Evil Watchman quest seems impossible after Icebreaker pre-patch
I am making this post because I genuinely don't know what else to try at this point.
I'm currently working on The Huntsman Path – Evil Watchman in PvE mode and only need 2 more PMC kills within the Dorms area on Customs to complete the quest.
Normally this shouldn't be a difficult task, but for me it has become completely impossible.
Over the last 10 days, I have run well over 150 Customs raids, with the sole purpose of finding PMCs inside the Dorms area. During all of these raids, I have not encountered a single PMC inside Dorms. Not one.
At first I assumed I was just getting unlucky, but after this many raids I no longer believe luck has anything to do with it.
To avoid the usual suggestions, here is a list of everything I have already tested:
Raid conditions tested:
- Day raids
- Night raids
- Local PvE raids
- BSG-hosted PvE raids
Different approaches tested:
- Sprinting directly to Dorms from spawn
- Playing slowly and arriving much later
- Staying in the raid until the final minutes
- Waiting around Dorms for extended periods
- Rotating around both 2-story and 3-story Dorms repeatedly
AI manipulation attempts:
- Killing every Scav I encountered
- Leaving Scavs alive
- Killing bosses
- Leaving bosses alive
- Using Acid Flares
- Using grenades to attract AI
- Using smoke grenades
- Using F-1 grenades and other explosives
I've also spent a lot of time researching the issue. I watched numerous YouTube guides, searched through Reddit threads, and followed every piece of advice I could find from other players who completed the quest recently.
Nothing has changed the outcome.
What makes me think this is not simply bad RNG is the amount of raids involved. After more than 150 runs specifically focused on Dorms, the probability of never seeing a PMC there seems extremely unlikely.
Because of that, I suspect there may be a problem with the current PMC AI behavior on Customs.
My personal theory is that this started sometime around the Icebreaker pre-patch that was deployed before the full release. Prior to that update, PMCs regularly appeared in or around Dorms and completing Evil Watchman was never considered a major issue.
Since then, I've noticed several other strange AI behaviors as well.
For example, PMC groups will sometimes stand completely motionless for long periods of time. They don't patrol, rotate, push fights, or react in the way they used to. It often feels like they become stuck somewhere along their route.
Another thing I've consistently observed is that PMCs seem to accumulate near specific extraction areas and then remain there for the rest of the raid.
The locations where I most frequently find them are:
- Scav Checkpoint
- ZB-1011
- RUAF Roadblock
- Trailer Park
In many cases I find multiple PMCs clustered around these locations, often showing very little movement compared to previous patches.
This leads me to believe there may be an issue with PMC pathfinding, spawn logic, or route selection on Customs. If the AI is prioritizing certain areas or getting stuck along its routes, that could explain why Dorms appears to be completely abandoned.
I'm curious whether other PvE players have noticed the same thing.
- Are you still finding PMCs in Dorms on Customs?
- If so, how recently?
- Have you completed Evil Watchman since the Icebreaker pre-patch?
- Have you also noticed PMCs getting stuck near extracts or standing still for extended periods?
At this point I'm mainly trying to determine whether this is an isolated issue affecting my raids or whether there is a broader problem with PMC AI on Customs that was introduced in a recent update.
Any feedback from players who have completed the quest recently would be appreciated.