The shaman... casts lightning bolts? That's about all I've ever noticed but then I am caster DPS so I do that quest from 30 yards away and the friendly NPC spawns run in to deal with the potential adds so I have basically never been in melee range, dunno if he does anything else if you are up close. There's one add that I take out first, actually, before I go after MacKilligan because otherwise I end up with him on me but even if I don't get him first it's still totally doable.

The rest of our quests are blowing up kegs of ale, stealing food stores, Wildhammer insignia, and taking out some of the mounted gryphon riders.