Originally posted by Polonius Ulf:

People see patterns in random data, and you don't have to be crazy. There's even a word for it which I'm too lazy to look up.

No, it's absolute fact with Valheim. Mobs that are closing on you to melee range (if you have a bow drawn and aimed) will sidestep one way, then when you correct aim they will sidestep the other way, repeat ad-infinitum.

It's a cheesy mechanic the devs put in to try and make bow combat more challenging. Needs to be removed and replaced with actual competent AI.