Small change to pet AI

[Disoputlip]

The way pet casters, in my case shadows choose what damage-spell to autocast is they take the highest circle spell they know, and cast that.

Often that means they loose consentration.

I think they should choose the highest circle where they don't fail. E.g. a level 9 shadow should choose magic missile, and a level 16 shadow should choose pain touch.

[Ambar]

at necro lvl 38, wraiths start out by casting monir globe, then they move to cone of cold, has been my veryvery little experience .. it looks to me like they cast the spell two circles below the necro

at this level my necro has contagion, the circle below that is beltyns, when i make them abort and cast beltyns they lose concentration a lot

but i tell you what, that minor globe coudl possibly save the say (lol)

hehe before every fight i have my casters minor globe just to get it out of the way

*grin*

#al {omin}{order Jim cast 'minor globe' me;order Leo cast 'minor globe' me}

seems to work! (more grins) .. i find casting pets sooo much fun!

Edit: Arilin tells me that his pets also coldshield themselves, so I guess I must add that to my alias!!

[Disoputlip]

I am only talking about mob AI.

I am not talking about the spells you order them to cast.

[Arilin Nydelahar]

I am only talking about mob AI.

I am not talking about the spells you order them to cast.

Neither is she. Play with caster necro pets. If they aren't globed, the first thing they will do in a fight is globe themselves, without you wanting them to.

It's a stupid AI thing. Frankly they shouldn't do anything I don'd tell them to.

[Disoputlip]

Ahh, then stop hijacking the thread :)

I think it is fine that pets kick etc. If they were micromanagable then it would be a major upgrade to necromancers.

I just find it annoying the damage spell they choose. And that was what the thread was about

[Ambar]

Didn't think I was hijacking, so sorry ..

/sarcasm

[Cap'n Touk]

I agree with Disoputlip - casting mobs should be more intelligent about the offensive spells they cast. They should cast ones they don't fail most of the time.

Not casting random protective spells is a seperate and equally annoying matter I agree should also be looked into.

[Birile]

In my experience, they will cast minor globe only if they're engaged (and now that Iqhas is 45 they seem to want to cast "regular" globe on themselves even if I've had them minor globe themselves prior to the fight). I haven't had any experience with them coldshielding themselves, that would be yet another annoyance...

Frankly, if I came to a fight where they needed any sort of globe, I would order them to cast it themselves. My pets have, in fact, died more often than not whenever they decide they need to cast these sorts of spells in battle.

I wouldn't mind it too much at all if caster pets were changed completely to not do any sort of casting whatsoever unless ordered. A little more micromanagement--but let's be honest, necromancers/liches are all about micromanagement to begin with.

[Todrael]

Pets cast spells that will assist them in combat - globe/minor globe when fighting, and coldshield should they happen to be tanking. Then they cast damage spells at whatever it is they're fighting, to try and do the most damage possible. When they run out of high circle spells, they move to lower circles.

If you eliminate casting on their own, then they will just stand there dumbly and let whatever is that they're fighting kill them, unless ordered otherwise. I'd not want a pet that stupid.

You should also recognize that if they don't cast their highest circle spells first, they'll run out of spells in general much faster, and therefore become useless faster during fights, dealing less damage overall.

And finally, since you already know that they'll globe/minor globe themselves... order them to do it before the fight. It's been part of my spellup routine for as long as I can remember. Observe, think, anticipate, act. It's your job to know how to use your pets.

[Gormal]

Didn't Shev say that spell failure is completely removed as it is now for 2.0?

There needs to be some kind of requirement to read everything about 2.0 before posting code requests.

[Thilindel]

..You should also recognize that if they don't cast their highest circle spells first, they'll run out of spells in general much faster, and therefore become useless faster during fights, dealing less damage overall.

And finally, since you already know that they'll globe/minor globe themselves... order them to do it before the fight. It's been part of my spellup routine for as long as I can remember. Observe, think, anticipate, act. It's your job to know how to use your pets.

Generally, caster pets are weird. It doesn't make sense that they'll cast defensive spells when not tanking, nor do they look out for master's tank. If spectre is dying, caster pet, I would think, would try to heal said spectre. Mob AI for minions is that of rescuing their leader. The least caster pets could do is look out more for the tank (if solo'g.) But either way, Minor Globe is utterly useless - As is Globe, in that effects of lower circle spells still work. Feeb, spook, etc. It's not desirable for a pet to waste time and points in casting spells that are a complete waste.

Maybe having a 'tog offensive pet/defensive pet' would be an option. Shadows are lvl 35 when you are level 50, so they can heal themselves easily...and they do when THEY are tanking. Nothing wrong with that. Would be cool to have the toggle of defensive where they try to support the tanking pet. Since pets' spell damage is seemingly 50%, if that, of the master's spell damage for relative same spell level, I don't really see why they don't heal (but with reduced power) the lich they serve. You ARE undead, and your pet is trying to heal an undead target. Just make it cure serious or something. Hell, an enchanter can charm NPCS that cast cure serious, so why not?

As for knowing your pets and what they do, why settle for what they do when the AI stands room for improvement? Just like how mobs are retarded and stone/shield themselves repeatedly.

[Lilira]

Since pets' spell damage is seemingly 50%, if that, of the master's spell damage for relative same spell level, I don't really see why they don't heal (but with reduced power) the lich they serve. You ARE undead, and your pet is trying to heal an undead target. Just make it cure serious or something. Hell, an enchanter can charm NPCS that cast cure serious, so why not?

Enchanter with charm: NPCs like to help you cus they LIKE you as a result of the spell. Of course they want to heal their friend!!! When it wears off they want to kill you alot.

Lich (cus well with necro its a moot point) with pets (especially casting ones): "First off, with all likelihood, you killed me. Then, You just dragged my butt out of my death and into this undeath. Its bad enough I'm having to follow your commands and kill the stuff you tell me to regardless of my previous alignment, but now you want me to heal your undead self of my own volition? I don't think so!!!! Besides, I only have enough brains for self-preservation."

[Thilindel]

Too much thought there.

They are minions. Their job is to serve, and in some manner preserve. A shadow, wraith, or ghost is going to hold no hostility (humoring that avenue) toward another pet who is tanking.

[moritheil]

Did anyone else have a sudden vision of a black-and-white car manned by zombies with a cracked shield, and lettering reading "TO SERVE AND PRESERVE?"

[Thilindel]

The Elite Zombie Special Task Force. Ah, I read about them! They usually drive with their windows up, with some mysterious fog within the car. When they do open the doors, it's typical for giggling and laughter to be heard from within the vehicle. Mostly, the largest complaint from witnesses is the constant pestering for snacks and munchies towards passerby motorists.

These thugs must be stopped at all cost!

[Botef]

For pet heal to be balanced for lichs they'd have to up the mana cost on heal undead drastically, which would make it rather useless for everyone else.
A handful of !bash casters and some good command stacking could keep a lich alive for a long long time. NPC casters don't quite compare imo.