Why off script?
 

A4H2 mage holding an air goes into combat scripted for
Arrow Fend/Mist Form/Orb Lightning/Orb/Orb

Combat starts mage casts
Air Shield/Mist Form/Sermon of Courage/Sermon of Courage and combat ends.

Now....On the one hand, I'm glad for the substitution. The combat was against a small non-archer army and by the time Orb Lightning came up he was just as likely to hit his own troops as the enemy and he did save the gem for when he'll need it, but I'm left wondering why he went off script and will he stay on script when he goes up against that 150 longbow stack next turn?

Re: Why off script?
 

Was orb lightning in range? It doesn't have great range.

He'll cast arrow fend vs 150 archers, yes.

Re: Why off script?
 

the bold part is your answer for your arrow fend question, the AI recognized there weren't any archers so Arrow Fend would be useless. no idea why the AI cast Air Shield though, but that's a different matter :re:

Orb Lightning was probably just out of range by the time your Mage was scripted to cast it, so it did something else(a self spell, which suggests your Mage wasn't even in range for good range offensive spells such as Lightning Bolt).

Re: Why off script?
 

I don't think the AI is smart enough to recognize no archers. It probably just decided the enemy was too weak to waste gems on.

As said, the enemy was probably just out of range for Orb Lightning.

Re: Why off script?
 

+1

Generally, reasons for going oft script:

1. Enemy force is not a sufficient threat to waste gems
2. Spell will put caster over fatigue 100
3. Insufficient gems (perhaps for blowing extra gems earlier)
4. No targets in range.
5. too much collateral damage (too many friendlies affected)
6. The ai really thinks it can do a better job with something else.
7. Insufficient paths to cast the spell. Communion didn't get off due to death of slaves, pots didn't get off etc.

Essentially looking at the log, whatever you script has a weighting bonus. The computer looks at all castable spells,
and weighs them. It does a pretty good job on direct damage spells, pretty arbitrary on others.

things that excessively fatigue you will get a penalty, as will gem use.

Spell with the best results is cast.

Re: Why off script?
 

The AI thinks it's smarter than you are, and a lot of times it's right.

It's the times it's wrong that cause people to tear out their hair.

Re: Why off script?
 

I had not realized the casting system was that good.

The game continues to surprise me.

Thanks for the responses.

Re: Why off script?
 

Old thread, I know, but I have a specific question.

I want a D5 mage, base casting fatigue 2, to cast Darkness (D4 spell, 400 fatigue, 4 gems). He has plenty of gems. Will it work?

Re: Why off script?
 

It will work if he considers his opponents scary enough.