Re: AI Helper Builds
 

You're not the first one to think this would be useful.

Gandalf created a set of starter build pretenders for each nation for tutorial/practice game purposes. See the history of his trial here, go to Starter Files:
http://www.dom2minions.com/index.html

I was thinking bigger in my proposal (2 years ago) that never went anywhere. I still think an online repository of pretender builds would be great, and you could have it pick some at random and download for use in your SP games. Here is the old dom2 thread where I tried to stir up interest.

Sill

What spells does the AI favor?
 

What other useful spells does the AI use often?

Re: AI Helper Builds
 

I completely agree... there's nothing more painful then watching 5 or more AI opponents all send their pretenders into the arena death match.

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif

Re: What spells does the AI favor?
 

Air: The AI has access to decent evocations like Orb Lightning. They can also use Mirror Image and Mistform effectively.

Blood: Summon Imps, but don't trust the AI to keep slaves around in a responsible manner.

Death: Frighten and Terror, skelly spam, Ghost Grip, Wither Bones and Dust to Dust.

Earth: ...Flying Shards? Nothing useful comes to mind.
Fire: Fire Flies. Same problem as earth.

Nature: Vine Arrow, sometimes buffs like Barkskin and Personl Regeneration nothing really useful comes to mind.

Water: The only spell I can think of is the dehydration spell. Sailor's Death? Or maybe Dessication. Nothing worth casting.

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I think the AI grimoire should just have more spells. I wouldn't mind seeing enemy mages using magma bolts and whatnot. Disintegrate and Pillar of Fire might be a bit over the top, but giving them most spells up to ~level 5 would serve to boost the AI experience.

Re: What spells does the AI favor?
 

One devestating water spell the AI uses frequently (a global actually) is Lure of the Deep.

Re: What spells does the AI favor?
 

I agree exactly... spells like disintegrate and pillar of fire have low path requirements with powerful results and should not be added. Powerful spells with high path requirements should be added to the AI grimoire as this will not change current game experiences and only help us map makers.

Re: What spells does the AI favor?
 

I know for a fact that the first two globals the AI casts are usually Gift of Health (1) and Mother of Oaks.

Re: What spells does the AI favor?
 

The AI will also use Curse like a mutha. Enough that I avoid lizardman-held territories for as long as possible. Decay and Shadow Bolt also seem to be popular.

Re: What spells does the AI favor?
 

I remember the AI being smart enough to use Shadow Blast and Terror on my large armies.