AI Does the Darndest Things

[fabulaparva]

From the main Beta Testing Thread (when v0.8.23 was implemented):

implemented the new AI! currently available on Galanna Battlemages, Lugal Halberdiers, Kiduu Bowman, Gamesh Crossbowman. Note that doesn't mean they're now super hard, because I didn't want to make them too difficult, but in act3 bosses I'll use it a lot (like the Kraken!). Didn't use it on Yeldin since seems already difficult enough

Remember those grey wolves in Act 1, just standing there, buffing themselves up when they could attack you? Well, we now have new, more cunning enemies, starting from Act 2. However, as quoted above, they'll be featured more in Act 3, so it might be better not to nitpick on those Act 1 wolves too much ...unless they have a pattern of behaviour that other enemies throughout the other Acts follow as well.

So what silliness have you witnessed/taken advantage on? Gamesh Crossbowmen who take aim but shoot on the ones they didn't take aim on? Kiduu Bowmen hitting haste when they could kill?

This thread is for posting your observations on any nonsensical choices the AI does in battle. Especially concerning the new AI.

[yayswords]

Act 1 wolves using defend

Mormont using defend over his magic bolt too.

[jack1974]

When I have time will look at least at the few act 1 bosses to add them the new AI

[yayswords]

If you force a ranged/melee position swap, the melee will prefer to take an empty spot in the front row if there is one, rather than undo the swap. This might sometimes be the right choice (because if they swap back they incur extra delay) but usually it's not.

On a related note, I always grin when the lancer gladiators hurry to the back row and leave the healer to tank, if only those two are alive.

[fabulaparva]

Silly Galanna Battlemage healing behaviour is not only limited to casting heals on ShadowHunters with full HP (under that 90HP in total -- original bug post here: viewtopic.php?f=40&t=3397&start=540#p26931), but sometimes they also cast life on themselves when they are very close to their max (202 HP or something):

Spoiler:

That's a turn splendidly wasted. It's rather cute. Healed for 2HP? Now let me giggle.

[jack1974]

Yes I believe that should be fixed on next update, but do you have the AI log for that? is quite useful to see what the AI did think

[fabulaparva]

Didn't have the battleLog for that particular fight, but I was able to reproduce a similar situation with the BattleMage healing himself for 7HP after all three of his fellow ShadowHunters were KO:

AI

Spoiler:

[13:58:07]
[13:58:07] ################# AI REQUEST for Galanna Battlemage ################
[13:58:07]
[13:58:07] Considering Life
[13:58:07] 3 Friend(s) have less than 60 HP, 1 needed (Reverse: False)
[13:58:07] Targets: ['Galanna Battlemage', 'Galanna Shadow Hunter A']
[13:58:07] Decorator Minimum Health
[13:58:07] Targets: ['Galanna Shadow Hunter A']
[13:58:07] Target is Galanna Shadow Hunter A
[13:58:07]
[13:58:07] ############### Executing Life ##############
[13:58:07]
[13:58:17] Start AI action request for Galanna Shadow Hunter A
[13:58:17] Request action from node Root
[13:58:17] Condition is False
[13:58:17] Request action from AI action OverdriveAction
[13:58:17] Return action for slot Overdrive with Shadow Of Death as slotted skill.
[13:58:51]
[13:58:51] ################# AI REQUEST for Galanna Battlemage ################
[13:58:51]
[13:58:51] Considering Life
[13:58:51] 3 Friend(s) have less than 60 HP, 1 needed (Reverse: False)
[13:58:51] Targets: ['Galanna Battlemage']
[13:58:51] Decorator Minimum Health
[13:58:51] Targets: ['Galanna Battlemage']
[13:58:51] Target is Galanna Battlemage
[13:58:51]

Combat

Spoiler:

[13:58:07] Galanna Battlemage regenerated 20 HP thanks to Eagle's Grace.
[13:58:07] Galanna Battlemage healed Galanna Shadow Hunter A for 38 HP using Life
[13:58:15] Althea healed Krimm for 53 HP using Restore
[13:58:15] Althea revived Krimm.
[13:58:15] Althea used Potion of Minor Restoration
[13:58:17] Krimm is KO.
[13:58:17] Galanna Shadow Hunter A hit Krimm for 70 Dark damage using Shadow Of Death.
[13:58:17] The Condition will expire in 4 turns
[13:58:17] Defense decreased by 25 %
[13:58:17] Galanna Shadow Hunter A inflicted Scared on Krimm
[13:58:20] Vaelis hit Galanna Shadow Hunter A for 41 Water damage using Leap Attack.
[13:58:20] The Condition will expire in 2 turns
[13:58:20] SPRegen decreased by 100 %
[13:58:20] Magic decreased by 25 %
[13:58:20] Vaelis inflicted Confused on Galanna Shadow Hunter A
[13:58:23] Althea hit Galanna Shadow Hunter A for 22 Earth damage using Aimed shot.
[13:58:26] Galanna Shadow Hunter A is KO.
[13:58:26] Riley hit Galanna Shadow Hunter A for 10 Normal damage using Magic Bolt.
[13:58:36] Chalassa hit Galanna Battlemage for 1 Normal damage using Melee Attack.
[13:58:36] Chalassa hit Galanna Battlemage for 6 Normal damage using Melee Attack.
[13:58:40] The duff will last until the end of the battle.
[13:58:40] SPRegen increased by 10
[13:58:40] HPRegen increased by 10
[13:58:40] Speed increased by 20 %
[13:58:40] Riley used Energize.
[13:58:45] The duff will last until the end of the battle.
[13:58:45] Defense increased by 50 %
[13:58:45] Threshold increased by 150 %
[13:58:45] Vaelis used Defend.
[13:58:49] The duff will last until the end of the battle.
[13:58:49] Defense increased by 50 %
[13:58:49] Threshold increased by 150 %
[13:58:49] Chalassa used Defend.
[13:58:51] Galanna Battlemage healed Galanna Battlemage for 7 HP using Life

Doing really stupid stuff here myself trying to reproduce the issue: just defending and not hitting him, so that I got him to do stupid stuff (eg heal for 7HP eventhough I caused him no dmg) In the previous post ( screenshot fight) I wasn't fooling around, only he was.

EDIT: Seems as if he's in a mode where he only heals everybody on his team, regardless of whether they need him or not, and only after he's ran out of mana he starts attacking. This is really silly because he ends up wasting most of his mana on heals when his battlemates (he himself included) don't really need them.

[jack1974]

Yes, is a problem of the bug found in the AI. Now with the fixed one, the check would become from:
3 Friend(s) have less than 60 HP, 1 needed (Reverse: False)
to:
3 Friend(s) have less than 60% HP, 1 needed (Reverse: False)

so in any case shouldn't heal anyone unless they're at less than 60% of total health, and as consequence also attack more/use other skills instead of just healing

[renke_]

I think this was already mentioned somewhere. Strike Through should be normally only used when someone is in the backrow - but Krimm's horde attacks with this skill the only frontrow char without someone in the second line ^^

[jack1974]

Yes that's the old AI though. Since I'm not going to replace all enemies already done with new AI, will probably just give them another attack, is faster!