Adventurer Squad AI: Suddenly a lot more competent.

[Ekimmak]

So, I ran The Vault as a White Mage. It wasn't fun, a lot of the time the ambushes run past your tank and focus on you.

Got to the final boss, and wiped to the DPS check, because the AI weren't grabbing the orbs on their own fast enough, and I didn't have a fast enough reaction to use Benediction to survive.

Second time, I got past, because while I was holy'ing orbs on the southern end, I'd use engage to keep the rest of the party fighting the northern orbs. After that, it was a relatively easy fight (turns out they ignore the effects of the knights, so you don't have to cleanse them, just focus on your own dodging).

Then I took the dungeon on again, so I could get more gear. And to my shock and delight, the AI dealt with the orbs on their own. When they spawned, the AI focused on killing the orbs, to the point I was a hindrance for not going counterclockwise (they did have the unfortunate habit of the dps waiting for the tank to get first hit in, but I suppose better slow here than quickdraw in other fights)

So yeah, that's cool.

[RopeDrink]

It wasn't fun, a lot of the time the ambushes run past your tank and focus on you.

- Don't move forward while the squad has Regen/MedicaII ticking.
- Stay in range of your tank so their AoE emnity moves actually get things off you.
- Use the attack command so your squad immediately attacks them before enemies get to you.

Haven't had that issue in the past - haven't had that issue in the present. Their behaviour is based on two measly buttons.

...Got to the final boss, and wiped...

...Second time, I got past, because...

You just admitted that you yourself did something to make the process easier, not the NPC's. Furthermore, between Assize and Holy, there really isn't any reason why a WHM wouldn't dunk a chunk of orbs by themselves. You don't need to kill them all to survive, just most - and a WHM of all things has so many recovery CD's it's borderline obnoxious. The NPC's themselves have pretty stupid-high DPS - even when using attack-command to send them after orbs one by one, they would still kill them pretty quickly.

they did have the unfortunate habit of the dps waiting for the tank to get first hit in

If you use attack command, everything typically attacks without waiting -- if not now, then definitely before.

So yeah, that's cool.

Still don't see how any of it suggests any kind of improvement other than the Orb thing - which is either misuse of the commands or a possible script. Even if they incorporated a script to handle specific encounter issues (eg. Wandering Palace adds, Vault Orbs), this has no bearing on actual squad AI. I'm sure they have tweaked it since my last outing, but it really won't be THAT much different.

[Ekimmak]

- Don't move forward while the squad has Regen/MedicaII ticking.
- Stay in range of your tank so their AoE emnity moves actually get things off you.
- Use the attack command so your squad immediately attacks them before enemies get to you.

Haven't had that issue in the past - haven't had that issue in the present. Their behaviour is based on two measly buttons.

With or without regens, only one person procs the ambushes in a command mission, and that's you. In Stone Vigil, you're the only person who causes Wyvern attacks, or Ice Sprites to appear. In Sohm Ahl, I can use engage from a distance to clear out the adds that normally have a dragon covering them with suppressive fire/ice, without the dragon showing up (not that I'd want to, it's faster to do both at once). And if you do trigger somethings aggro without using "Attack", the tank will immediately move to engage them themselves. It's just luck whether their opening Overpower will tag everyone or just the target.

You just admitted that you yourself did something to make the process easier, not the NPC's. Furthermore, between Assize and Holy, there really isn't any reason why a WHM wouldn't dunk a chunk of orbs by themselves. You don't need to kill them all to survive, just most - and a WHM of all things has so many recovery CD's it's borderline obnoxious. The NPC's themselves have pretty stupid-high DPS - even when using attack-command to send them after orbs one by one, they would still kill them pretty quickly.


If you use attack command, everything typically attacks without waiting -- if not now, then definitely before.

Well, yeah. I'm giving backstory on what happened. I know I didn't do too well the first attempt. And to be fair, the only reason I failed the first time was because I didn't know what happens if the orbs are left alive: I assumed it would just supercharge his attack to instakill you: didn't realise there'd be a small delay before each explosion, giving a chance to Benedicition myself. If I'd known, I would have used that.

And no, the DPS will wait for the tank to get the initial hit in because that's what they ALWAYS do. It's so that something like "Archer uses raging strikes" doesn't pull everyone who isn't engaged on them instead of the tank (and that IS something that happens. I've run Stone Vigil enough times to know)

Still don't see how any of it suggests any kind of improvement other than the Orb thing - which is either misuse of the commands or a possible script. Even if they incorporated a script to handle specific encounter issues (eg. Wandering Palace adds, Vault Orbs), this has no bearing on actual squad AI. I'm sure they have tweaked it since my last outing, but it really won't be THAT much different.

... well, it doesn't. It was just an interesting thing I found. And it makes me wonder if maybe there's something written in that "if a squadron has beaten this mission before", then it unlocks better AI for the more complex mechanics: IE beating down adds instead of waiting around to be ordered to.

[Ramesses]

I will sincerely hope this is the case and can test it out when next I find the time (or incentive) to do runs with my squad. I usually go as tank mainly due to the method in which the AI functions.