Mob TP AI

[Taskmage]

Could someone link me to or repeat the information from the post that explains when and how a mob chooses what TP move to use? I know the information is around here somewhere, but the search terms are kinda ... common.

[ItazuraNhomango]

Re: Mob TP AI

From my faulty memory:
- Before low HP: Monster waits until 300% TP before using a special move. The move selection is random. Using a special consumes all its TP.
- Low HP (30%? 25%?): Monster will use special moves at 100% TP. Still random selection.
- Some monsters (e.g. Imps, Qutrub, etc.) losses or gain certain TP moves available depending on what's been done to them.
- Spike Flail is possible only when the person with highest enmity is behind the monster.
- Supposedly, some monsters can gain 300% TP without fighting (e.g. Magmatic Eruca on Firesday).
- Most TP moves have short charge time, around 0.5 seconds.
- Stunning TP moves during charge up does not remove TP; but, Absorb-TP will.
- Spells are not TP special moves.
- Parroting (Colibri's mimicry ability) is not a TP move, but is a spell casting move (thus it can be silenced).

[Armando]

Re: Mob TP AI

Close.

-Before low HP: Mob has a random chance to use TP on any of its attack rounds (and I mean specifically during its attack round; this is how most tanking accidents happen - e.g. Double Attack into crit'd Sickle Slash within a span of 0.5 secs.) The mob could use it shortly after reaching 100 TP, or it could sit on its 300 TP for a while. It's more likely not to use it any time soon after reaching 100, though.
- Percentage at which mobs start to use TP as soon as it becomes available is 25% or less.

A mob can only use TP moves that have selectable targets within range. If a mob had 100+ TP, and there are no targets within range at the time that it is taken to low HP, it'll pick a self-buff by default. If it has no self-buffs, it'll ready its longest-reaching TP move as soon as a target comes within range.

[ItazuraNhomango]

Re: Mob TP AI

Percentage at which mobs start to use TP as soon as it becomes available is 25% or less.

I think this says 30%, but it's a lot of text, and my Japanese isn't that great. @_@

Thanks for the corrections.

[Armando]

Re: Mob TP AI

Unless something changed in the past month it's 25%. I know 'cuz I was really damned sure it was 20%. VZX and someone else insisted it was 25%, so I went and checked it out and it is indeed 25%. Threw me for a loop lol.

[Taskmage]

Re: Mob TP AI

A mob can only use TP moves that have selectable targets within range. If a mob had 100+ TP, and there are no targets within range at the time that it is taken to low HP, it'll pick a self-buff by default. If it has no self-buffs, it'll ready its longest-reaching TP move as soon as a target comes within range.

This part ... below 25% if there are now targets in range it'll self-buff, otherwise it's random selection between the TP moves that have targets in range. So, as an example let's say you're kiting Fe'e or some other sea monk and it's under 25% with 90% TP. If you start a nuke at max casting range and you're still out of range for its ranged attacks, it will immediately use Hard Membrane or Regeneration on itself. If it closes to within 14 units during your cast there's an equal chance of it using Maelstrom or Ink Jet when the spell lands. It should be impossible to get hit by Cross Attack unless your spell lands at the moment it reaches melee range, correct?

[Armando]

Re: Mob TP AI

Well, when it can use Ink Jet/Maelstrom it also has a chance to use Hard Membrane or Regeneration. And yes, you are, for the most part, correct about Cross Attack. Most melee WS (including mob's) have range that extends slightly beyond melee range (which allows you to spam Blue Magic or use physical WS right outside a worm's melee range, totally unharmed.) But yeah, as long as it was outside of Cross Attack range when the spell hits it'll pick something else automatically.

Oh and uh, don't forget to take Subtle Blow into account for your nukes.

EDIT: Well, while I'm at it, may as will bring up my little trick again. If you're forced to melee for whatever reason, always remember that you can avoid close-range TP moves by going into first person view and running backwards. What this does is keep you at max melee range, and if the mob tries a close-range move you'll get out of its range before it can execute, wasting its TP. It'll work even if you run diagonally back (like running in circle backwards) - I used to do it against Shadows in Fei'Yin when farming keys. It's pretty amusing since Dimensional Death is their only attack.