AI Helper Builds

HoneyBadger · #1 March 26th, 2008, 10:22 PM

Thanks NT Jedi. That's a good start. Avoiding or dealing with Arena challenges is definitely an important consideration.

I don't know how feasable it would be to add useful equipment, without modding, because most of the useful equipment out there takes research in construction. Maybe if people don't mind sitting on their nations for the first year while they play the AI side? That might actually be worth it, in longer SP games.

What I'm really after with this thread is how you would use the starting points to build specific Pretenders for the AI to use though. Like, how you'd deligate points/magic/scales to a Cyclops or a Scorpion King for Abyssia, for instance. In order that someone reading this thread could use it as a reference for quickly building Pretenders for an SP game, in order to add to the SP challenge. So, which Pretenders work best with which AI nations? You can divide suggestions into different categories, like which Immobile, which SC, etc. so that players can mix and match what type of Pretenders they want to see that AI fielding.

P.S. I wish there were a way to mod the game so that Pretenders couldn't participate in Arena combats.

sector24 · #2 March 26th, 2008, 10:32 PM

Well, a powerful immobile pretender should have astral. I remember fighting a Sphinx with 9 Astral, a little nature, and high dominion. The AI scripted Body Ethereal, Luck, Personal Regeneration and then spammed Paralyze. Almost impossible for conventional troops to defeat due to 1500+ hit points and huge regeneration. Plus the added bonus of the capital always having high dominion and the inability of the pretender to get itself killed by doing stupid things.

Since Body Ethereal and Luck are spells that the AI uses a lot, Astral is a good choice for them.

HoneyBadger · #3 March 26th, 2008, 10:37 PM

There, that's exactly what I want. You've got the specific chassis, the areas of magic, and why. If you could just come up with min/max specifics, that'd be awesome.

I'd like to have atleast 1 separate Pretender build per nation, if possible, so that not every nation is led by a Sphinx, but we're definitely making progress.

Foodstamp · #4 March 27th, 2008, 01:13 AM

Can Sphinx get regeneration? He is lifeless so I think regeneration will not work on him.

Saulot · #5 March 27th, 2008, 03:50 AM

Foodstamp is correct. Lifeless do not benefit from regeneration.

sector24 · #6 March 27th, 2008, 05:14 PM

You broke my imaginary pretender!

AlgaeNymph · #7 March 27th, 2008, 09:15 PM

Quote:

sector24 said:
Since Body Ethereal and Luck are spells that the AI uses a lot, Astral is a good choice for them.

What other useful spells does the AI use often?

sector24 · #8 March 28th, 2008, 01:41 PM

Quote:

DryaUnda said:

Quote:

sector24 said:
Since Body Ethereal and Luck are spells that the AI uses a lot, Astral is a good choice for them.

What other useful spells does the AI use often?

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.

Edratman · #9 March 28th, 2008, 01:50 PM

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

NTJedi · #10 March 28th, 2008, 01:52 PM

Quote:

sector24 said:

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.

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.