diff --git a/autowalker.cpp b/autowalker.cpp
index 19ebffe..983beed 100644
--- a/autowalker.cpp
+++ b/autowalker.cpp
@@ -106,14 +106,17 @@ void Autowalker::path_fail(Matrix& bad_paths, Point pos) {
 }
 
 bool Autowalker::path_player(Pathing& paths, Point& target_out) {
-  bool found = paths.random_walk(target_out, false, PATHING_TOWARD);
+  bool found = paths.random_walk(target_out, false, PATHING_TOWARD, 4, 8);
 
   if(!found) {
+    fmt::println("4/8 NOT FOUND");
     // failed to find a linear path, try diagonal
-    if(!paths.random_walk(target_out, false, PATHING_TOWARD, MOVE_DIAGONAL)) {
+    if(!paths.random_walk(target_out, false, PATHING_TOWARD, 8, 8)) {
       path_fail(paths.$paths, target_out);
       return false;
     }
+  } else {
+    fmt::println("4/8 YES FOUND");
   }
 
   if(!fsm.$level.map->can_move(target_out)) {
diff --git a/pathing.cpp b/pathing.cpp
index 0995612..81390b7 100644
--- a/pathing.cpp
+++ b/pathing.cpp
@@ -74,12 +74,25 @@ void Pathing::clear_target(const Point &at) {
   $input[at.y][at.x] = 1;
 }
 
-bool Pathing::random_walk(Point &out, bool random, int direction, size_t dir_count) {
+/*
+ * This is a weird discovery, but if you randomly select a starting point on
+ * the 8 compass, but only check 4 directions from there, it does the best
+ * pathing so far. It will walk around items, navigate around enemies, find
+ * paths through corners, etc. If you change slice_count/dist_count to just
+ * 4 it fails more frequently.
+ *
+ * Look in the autowalker.cpp:path_player function for an example of what
+ * I'm doing.  I start with 4/8 and it finds paths 99% of the time, but
+ * if that fails I do a full 8 direction search.  This weirdly finds the
+ * best directions to go more often.
+ */
+bool Pathing::random_walk(Point &out, bool random,
+    int direction, size_t slice_count, size_t dist_size)
+{
   bool zero_found = false;
-  dbc::check(dir_count == 4 || dir_count == 8, "Only 8 or 4 directions allowed.");
 
   // first 4 directions are n/s/e/w for most enemies
-  std::array<Point, 8> dirs{{
+  std::array<Point, DIRECTION_MAX> dirs{{
       {out.x,out.y-1}, // north
       {out.x+1,out.y}, // east
       {out.x,out.y+1}, // south
@@ -92,19 +105,22 @@ bool Pathing::random_walk(Point &out, bool random, int direction, size_t dir_cou
       {out.x-1,out.y-1} // north west
   }};
 
+  dbc::check(slice_count <= dirs.size(), "slize_count must be <= DIRECTION_MAX");
+  dbc::check(dist_size <= dirs.size(), "dist_size must be <= DIRECTION_MAX");
+
   // get the current dijkstra number
   int cur = $paths[out.y][out.x];
 
   // pick a random start of directions
   // BUG: is uniform inclusive of the dir.size()?
-  int rand_start = Random::uniform<int>(0, dir_count);
+  int rand_start = Random::uniform<int>(0, dist_size);
 
   // go through all possible directions
-  for(size_t i = 0; i < dir_count; i++) {
+  for(size_t i = 0; i < slice_count; i++) {
     // but start at the random start, effectively randomizing
     // which valid direction to go
     // BUG: this might be wrong given the above ranom from 0-size
-    Point dir = dirs[(i + rand_start) % dir_count];
+    Point dir = dirs[(i + rand_start) % dist_size];
     if(!shiterator::inbounds($paths, dir.x, dir.y)) continue; //skip unpathable stuff
     int weight = cur - $paths[dir.y][dir.x];
 
diff --git a/pathing.hpp b/pathing.hpp
index c55acf1..ad5ebc3 100644
--- a/pathing.hpp
+++ b/pathing.hpp
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ using matrix::Matrix;
 
 constexpr const int PATHING_TOWARD=1;
 constexpr const int PATHING_AWAY=-1;
-constexpr const int MOVE_DIAGONAL=8;
+constexpr const int DIRECTION_MAX=8;
 
 class Pathing {
 public:
@@ -29,7 +29,8 @@ public:
   Matrix &paths() { return $paths; }
   Matrix &input() { return $input; }
   int distance(Point to) { return $paths[to.y][to.x];}
-  bool random_walk(Point &out, bool random, int direction, size_t dir_count = 4);
+  bool random_walk(Point &out, bool random, int direction,
+      size_t slice_count=4, size_t dist_size=4);
 
   bool INVARIANT();
 };