diff --git a/zone/attack.cpp b/zone/attack.cpp
index a15e74416..1d9f4a2f5 100644
--- a/zone/attack.cpp
+++ b/zone/attack.cpp
@@ -3930,6 +3930,7 @@ void Mob::CommonDamage(Mob* attacker, int64 &damage, const uint16 spell_id, cons
 				parse->HasQuestSub(CastToNPC()->GetNPCTypeID(), EVENT_DAMAGE_GIVEN)
 			) ||
 			(
+				attacker &&
 				attacker->IsNPC() &&
 				parse->HasQuestSub(attacker->CastToNPC()->GetNPCTypeID(), EVENT_DAMAGE_GIVEN)
 			)
@@ -3941,6 +3942,7 @@ void Mob::CommonDamage(Mob* attacker, int64 &damage, const uint16 spell_id, cons
 				parse->HasQuestSub(CastToNPC()->GetNPCTypeID(), EVENT_DAMAGE_TAKEN)
 			) ||
 			(
+				attacker &&
 				attacker->IsNPC() &&
 				parse->HasQuestSub(attacker->CastToNPC()->GetNPCTypeID(), EVENT_DAMAGE_TAKEN)
 			)
@@ -4070,7 +4072,7 @@ void Mob::CommonDamage(Mob* attacker, int64 &damage, const uint16 spell_id, cons
 
 			bool is_immune_to_frontal_stun = false;
 
-			if (IsBot() || IsClient() || IsMerc()) {
+			if (IsOfClientBotMerc()) {
 				if (
 					IsPlayerClass(GetClass()) &&
 					RuleI(Combat, FrontalStunImmunityClasses) & GetPlayerClassBit(GetClass())
@@ -4206,10 +4208,11 @@ void Mob::CommonDamage(Mob* attacker, int64 &damage, const uint16 spell_id, cons
 			(IsClient() || zone->random.Roll(RuleI(Combat, MeleePushChance)))) {
 			a->force = EQ::skills::GetSkillMeleePushForce(skill_used);
 			if (IsNPC()) {
-				if (attacker->IsNPC())
+				if (attacker && attacker->IsNPC()) {
 					a->force = 0.0f; // 2013 change that disabled NPC vs NPC push
-				else
+				} else {
 					a->force *= 0.10f; // force against NPCs is divided by 10 I guess? ex bash is 0.3, parsed 0.03 against an NPC
+				}
 				if (ForcedMovement == 0 && a->force != 0.0f && position_update_melee_push_timer.Check()) {
 					m_Delta.x += a->force * g_Math.FastSin(a->hit_heading);
 					m_Delta.y += a->force * g_Math.FastCos(a->hit_heading);