AI Improvements

[furballdn]

Using USEM (semi upped) AI3 steals my short sword while he has a Fahrenheit and I am serious.

He could've done that to reduce the damage he'd take.

[dragonsdemesne]

I don't have screenshots, because it happened over several turns, but I was playing against an arena deck with Unstable Gases.  It had one in play for awhile that it wasn't using.  I was wondering about this, since I was around 30-40hp, but reasoned that it didn't want to kill its own dragonflies with it.  (It had 2 or 3, plus a flying eagle's eye)  It had two burning pillars, but kept spending the quanta every turn on explosions or other things.

A couple turns later it played a second Unstable Gas, and still didn't use the first one.  This surprised me, but I figured it would just use them both next turn to deliver the coup de grace.

The next turn, it had 2 fire quanta from the pillars, two Unstable Gases, and my hp was in the 20s somewhere, I think 22.  It didn't use either gas, preferring to cast explosion on my weapon instead of killing me with the two gases.

The turn after that, it wastes the fire quanta on another explosion, casts Sky Blitz, which due to my Dusk shield, the dragonflies and flying eagle's eyes, doesn't kill me.  (I can't fault it for sky blitzing there, but it should have just killed me with gases)

The turn after that, it doesn't even play any fire cards, it just ignores the gases despite having two unused fire quanta, attacks, and gets through my dusk shield, finally killing me.

I'm wondering if maybe some card I had in play made the AI erroneously think I could reflect its gases.  Unfortunately, other than the improved dusk shield, I can't remember what permanents I had.  I think I had a sanctuary and an hourglass and the shield left at the end, and some towers; everything else was blown up.

Short version: If the AI has enough unstable gases and enough fire quanta to kill the player, it should just do it! :p

[furballdn]

Egregious example. A pharaoh who has had shard of readiness cast on it doesn't activate its ability twice per turn. Sometimes it doesn't use it's ability at all!

[russianspy1234]

the ai will play shard of serendipity when its hand is almost full, even with towers in hand.

[dragonsdemesne]

It played overdrive on my lava destroyer, presumably to lobotomize it, which makes sense, given that it was a brand new 7/1 and the 2nd turn of the game.  However, following that up with a Basilisk Blood on the same creature... not so smart.

It turns out I lost the game before it unfroze, but still... not very bright :p  Only one or the other was needed for control, not both.

[Brontos]

That's quite frequent to see the AI uses two or even three abilities/cards to CC the same creature. An infection, a freeze, a lightning etc.

[Elite arbiter]

AI uses overdrive on scarabs despite there being a SoR'd pharaoh on the field that can keep increasing their hp ad nauseum.

[Brontos]

Platinium AI with 1 hp left just Firestormed the field with only a single Voodoo doll on my side.
Not sure it was a smart decision. :]

[fbparis]

AI prefers stealing/destroying Shields of Gratitude rather than Jade Staff, but Jade Staff heals for 5 AND deals damages.. And also if AI doesnt play a forest element, so in this case SoG heals only for 3.

Also AI always prefers steal/destroy Feral Bonds than Shield of Gratitude or Jade Staff, even when very few creatures on the board both sides. On this point, not sure if it's good or bad.

[dragonsdemesne]

The AI apparently does not know that Flooding/Inundation kills edge creatures now.



I know it drew an Inundation two turns ago, because the one in my hand is from Mindgate.  My Micro Abomination is on the edge.  It has plenty of quanta and hasn't done anything else in those two turns, other than maybe some towers.

[I8SumOrangesNItWasK]

Egregious example. A pharaoh who has had shard of readiness cast on it doesn't activate its ability twice per turn. Sometimes it doesn't use it's ability at all!

It can only activate the ability twice on the turn it is used, after it is used. Acctually, it can be used once (for full cost) before SoR is used, THEN twice free AFTER SoR. However, every future turn is only once (albeit free). As the SoR's description says at the end " creatures can use their skill twice this turn". If they don't use the ability at all though, then yeah that's almost always dumb. Maybe they still think it costs quanta?


Others I have to add:

-The AI will sometimes use two weapons in the same turn. Can't see when this is ever a good idea.
-The AI will use Sundial while THEY have a Phase Shield up. Basically pointless.
-The AI seems to ignore the fact that a creature they can send out can be devoured. While I understand sometimes you still want it out to attack the player, occupy their devourerer's (for lack of a better word) turn, drain their -- whatever. But honestly, they shold pay much closer regard to devour if at all possible. Please note that they will send out creatures with 0 attack that have no use to be out for just 1 turn (such as Otyugh, ironically). I'm also to assume this is the same case for Paradox, although I don't use it myself so couldn't be certain.

[I8SumOrangesNItWasK]

The AI just used 2 shields back-to-back -- an Improved Fog, and then a Bone Wall.

Before that, it used a Dimensional Shield and then a Sundial. Same battle. I kid you not.