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Note: This page is not a discussion page; it is for users reporting AI bugs and ArenaNet responding.
This page is designed to house AI issues observed by players in-game.
Please sign your comments.

How to report AI bugs

Use the following form:

{{AI issues
| Area and status = 
| Name = 
| Issue = 
| Fix = 
| Additional info = 
}} ~~~~

Example

{{AI issues
| Area and status = Hero
| Name = Dunkoro
| Issue = When attacked by a lot of enemies, he does not attempt to flee.
| Fix =  Make him run away when he is under attack.
| Additional info = None.}}

Creates

Hero -- Dunkoro

Issue: When attacked by a lot of enemies, he does not attempt to flee.
How to fix: Make him run away when he is under attack.
Additional info: None.

Comments from the QA team:
- - The problem has been corrected.
- - The problem has been reported.
- - It was determined not to be a problem.

AI issues archive

Resolved issues
Resolved issues 2
Resolved issues 3
Incorrect issues
Unresolvable issues
Discussions archive 1

Please view the current issues and check if your issue is already listed. If not, click here to post a new text issue.

[edit] Current AI issues

To view pending AI bug reports see ArenaNet:AI bugs

[edit] Control panel issues

[edit] Flagging and movement issues

vizunah square (local quarter) -- all henchie party from foreign quarter - all 8 of them

Issue: after the rendezvouz between Togo & Mhenlo the foreign quarter henchies kept running towards the north west of the plaza. Even after the rest of the team moved out to continue the mission the henchies wouldn't follow.
How to fix: hire decent AI programmers. j/k - restart mission.
Additional info: none

[edit] Skill usage issues

"Forked Arrow" -- Any Hero

Issue: Heroes will use Forked Arrow while enchanted or hexed, which uses energy without gaining anything from it.
How to fix: Give Forked Arrow minimum priority while under an enchantment or hex.
Additional info: none

Thanks for the report! I have submitted it. Joey Knight 22:43, 3 November 2009 (UTC)

"Rodgort's Invocation" -- Any Hero

Issue: Heroes will not use Rodgort's Invocation, even while they have a plethora of energy - such as while under the effects of Lyssa's Aura and Fire Attunement. They only seem to cast it when the target is at around 10% life or less.
How to fix: Add some priority to Rodgort's Invocation that makes it more valuable than an auto attack to the AI. If possible, please also increase its priority when the caster has a lot of energy.
Additional info: none

Thanks for the report, but after testing this I found Heroes to be using the skill quite often and intelligently. Joey Knight 23:05, 3 November 2009 (UTC)

They'll use it on one target when it's at 10% health or whenever they can hit multiple opponents with it. For the AI, I think there is indeed little room for improvement. --Draikin 21:06, 5 November 2009 (UTC)

"Energy Drain" -- Any Hero

Issue: Heroes will use Energy Drain even when they are nearly full on energy, wasting the skill's recharge time.
How to fix: Require at least around 50% of the user's energy pool be empty before giving Energy Drain priority.
Additional info: none

Thanks for the report, but this is working as intended. Energy Drain has a dual function of not only giving the caster back energy, but also to cause energy drain on the target. Therefore, you'll want to drain the target on recharge to get the full effect. Its an added bonus that this is also keeping your own energy pool topped off. Joey Knight 23:52, 3 November 2009 (UTC)

I disagree - in both PvP or PvE it's closer to ideal to use it on recharge when a chunk of the energy gain can be used. Considering that the energy gain is larger by a factor of 2 or 3, isn't the energy burn the bonus effect? -- 22:29, 9 November 2009 (UTC)

Elite Zaishen Challenges -- Master of Whispers, Livia, Olias

Issue: They don't use Death Nova whatever their Combat Modes.
How to fix: Give higher priority to Death Nova or make them use it on allies that are below 25% health.
Additional info: none

Thanks for the report, but I have tested Death Nova with and without minions and Heroes are using the skill correctly and intelligently. I'd also mention that having a Hero set up with minion skills using Death Nova with Feast for the Dead and Taste of Death is super fun! :) Joey Knight 05:02, 4 November 2009 (UTC)

"Brace Yourself" -- Any Hero

Issue: I built a hero for a support role in farming with my 55 hp Necro where it was just the two of us. Eventhough this spell cannot be cast on himself, no hero would cast it on me. I tried Morgahn, Dunkoro, and Tahlkora. When I clicked it, it just showed a green check mark. I had to click it again to remove the checkmark, target myself, then click the skill again. Farming level 28's with only 55 hp makes it very difficult to target myself every 10 seconds then click my hero's skill bar.
How to fix: If a foe in hard mode can interrupt my skill the instant I click it, it should be easy for a hero to use "Brace Yourself" the instant a knock-down skill is being used. Also, it would be great if the hero could realize that I'm the only other person in the party, so obviously I should be the target of the skill. For more people in the party, maybe AI could see who needs a kd counter? If multiple people need one, then prioritize by life?
Additional info: none

Thanks for the report. Unfortunately, this is the same issue with Aura of Stability and the AI just has no way to know when an ally is about to be knocked down. The best it can do is recognize that an ally has been knocked down and then use the skill to prevent a knock down chain. Joey Knight 19:56, 4 November 2009 (UTC)

PvP Henchman -- All paragons

Issue: Aggressive Refrain is not maintained outside of combat.
How to fix: Maintain it outside of combat, recast whenever resurrected or at start of match.
Additional info: None.

Thanks for the report. I have submitted it. Joey Knight 19:36, 4 November 2009 (UTC)

Misery 20:12, 6 October 2009 (UTC)

Hero -- Vekk + Bsurge

Issue: He is very selective of who, and when, he uses Blinding Surge on while on 'Defend,' sometimes refusing to do so unless forced. When set to 'Attack' he spams in on any and every target.
How to fix: Having the hero use it on judge who is blinded and not blinded and use the skill accordingly while in Defend, using it on recharge seems like overkill in Attack because it does not check for the condition, just the mediocre damage.
Additional info: Even vs. all melee mobs he's selective of targets.

Thanks for the report. I have submitted it. Joey Knight 22:09, 4 November 2009 (UTC)

Paragon Heros -- Incoming / Fall Back.

Issue: They will use Incoming and Fall Back at the same time, even if on the same or separate paragons, even if eight paragon heros have it they will all use it at the same time, which is really funny to watch.
How to fix: Make them chain the skills and recognize when one or the other is up and use it accordingly.
Additional info: Heros recognize using Fall Back after battles (at least Morgahn does) and not during them, but if under Incoming and the battle ends, Fall Back is immediately used.

LunchboxOctober 02:23, 22 October 2009 (UTC)

They will also stack Charge with both of these skills. Misery 07:00, 22 October 2009 (UTC)

Priority of Death Nova on Necromancer heroes -- All 3 heroes

Issue: Death Nova will often be spammed to such an extent, that the hero will priortise it over raising minions, when there are defintely exploitable corpses in the area.
How to fix: Reduce the priority over raising mins in a MM build.
Additional info: [OAhjUwGaISTBlMLVoBVVSTUbbhA] is an example build. The only way around this seems to be to disable it and micro it, the consequence of this is often that the hero will then cast DN on him/herself.

Klefer 18:04, 23 October 2009 (UTC)

This could also be fixed by lowering the health percentage a subject must have to be considered a suiteable target for the spell. Often DN ist used on subjects that are about to, or are being healed simultaneously to full health, wasting the spell completely. --Golgarit Raven 04:00, 30 October 2009 (UTC)

Dodge, Zojun's Haste -- Heroes, Monsters

Issue: The AI continues to attack after using either skill, effectively wasting it. While monster AI seems to use it whenever it likes, Hero AI only uses it at low health, under high pressure - but still attacks through it. It is never used as a speed boost.
How to fix: The Heroes' choice of time to use it is better. However, perhaps kite behavior, as Heroes set to "Peace" do, would be appropriate until pressure lets off. When the AI is fleeing, or when Heroes are flagged across significant distance, perhaps they should use it then too (as they do Charge).
Additional info: A prime example of monsters who have this skill are Bone Dragons; observe a fight with them to see what I mean.

"Glyph of Swiftness" -- Any Hero

Issue: Heroes will use Glyph of Swiftness with no regard to the future - blowing it on skills with 2 second recharge times and the like.
How to fix: Prioritize using it with skills with longer recharge times.
Additional info: none

--The preceding unsigned comment was added by 75.104.16.78 (talk).

Flail -- Any Hero

Issue: Heroes will seemingly only use Flail when the target has been knocked down. This makes sense in PvP, where kiting is common, but not so much in PvE where monsters rarely kite.
How to fix: Change the AI in PvE mode to use Flail more often.
Additional info:

Hong 14:57, 4 November 2009 (UTC)

As stated in my previous ticket, the previous behaviour was perfect for PvE, terrible for PvP. Now it's perfect for PvP, terrible for PvE. Misery 15:03, 4 November 2009 (UTC)

I agree that it used to be terrible only in PvP, but now it's actually terrible for both PvE and PvP in my opinion. --Draikin 21:11, 5 November 2009 (UTC)

Full Ack. Afaik Ai can determine if an enemy is under the effects of a speed bonus, so it should use Flail as long as the enemy does not have one. On second thought, maybe conditional usage would help here. As per the check: "I just hit someone twice and did damage doing so. He doesn't have a speed bonus. Let's use Flail to hit him harder." That way Ai would also conserve the skill, not wasting it while being blind or hitting someone using Shadow Form or similar - and not wasting it on fast runners, for which Enraging Charge would be the wiser choice. To follow my usual tactical way of thinking, take a look at [OQASEZKPGW+qQRwcYBM4xAD]. Run up, hit it, use Flail to inflict some damage. Use CS to stick with the target or EC to pursue, canceling Flail. --Golgarit Raven 22:05, 5 November 2009 (UTC)

The main problem I have with the current implementation is that the AI seems reluctant to cancel Flail when the target is running away from them, and that the skill has become useless on non-melee heroes/henches. What currently happens with hammer warriors hench/heroes is that they KD the target, activate Flail and (hopefully) use Crushing Blow or other attack skills. That's all fine. The problem is that when their target gets up and runs away from them they don't immediately cancel Flail with other stances. There should be an additional check for the AI to cancel Flail when their target is not adjacent to them, in the same way they cancel Frenzy when low on health. This would actually make the skill somewhat viable, whereas now it's doing more harm than good. Additionally, if a hero/hench is wielding a ranged martial weapon, they should activate Flail as long as they're within range of their target. --Draikin 23:20, 5 November 2009 (UTC)

Hero skill usage -- Renewing Smash

Issue: Heroes will use this skill on recharge regardless of having a recharging stance at the moment or not. This is not obviously the desired behavior for this attack skill since it has a mediocre damage, high energy cost and long recharge.
How to fix: Make the AI only use this skill when they have a warrior stance recharging.
Additional info:

--FunnyUsername 20:02, 4 November 2009 (UTC)

"They're on Fire!" -- Tested on Hayda

Issue: Used with no regard. It is activated constantly in combat even if the team has no capability of burning anyone.
How to fix: Prefer it is activated just after mobs are burning, or when hero notices an action from a team member that will directly result in burning (i.e. Searing Flames as opposed to Mark of Rodgort + Firestorm)
Additional info: None.

Nadenh 12:42, 11 November 2009 (UTC)

Blazing Finale -- Tested on Hayda

Issue: Not used on minions... better put, it is not used on all allies. I did not test this on a pet.
How to fix: I'm not sure if heroes know the skills of other heroes but perhaps after another party member uses a shout/chant that effects allies or the hero w/ Blazing Finale has a shout that affects allies any ally should be a potential target not just party members. Prefer it be activated preemptively on the ally the hero sees has most mobs around it.... including if "most" meant one mob.
Additional info: This was tested in Old Ascalon in normal mode traveling from Ascalon to the interior the scorpion cave to the south with myself, Livia, Hayda and Olias. Templates were set so that Livia only produced low level minions, Olias only healed and Hayda was the only attacker (excluding minions). It did not matter if a short chant/shout was used on all allies or a long one ("Go for the Eyes!" and Song of Concentration, respectively) Hayda would not cast Burning Finale preemptively or while the the minions were affected by a longer chant while they were attacking the devourer mobs.

Nadenh 12:42, 11 November 2009 (UTC)

Signet of Lost Souls -- Tested on Livia

Issue: Used when mobs has < 50% health..... even if necro hero has full health and energy.
How to fix: Perhaps waiting until the necro had a decreased in health/energy >= 50% of the return from the signet (perhaps 50% for health, 75% for energy).
Additional info: None.

Nadenh 12:42, 11 November 2009 (UTC)

Splinter Weapon -- Tested on Livia

Issue: NEVER used on minions.
How to fix: Only because it is ... I think.. the only weapon spell that effects multiple targets from one attack I wouldn't mind a couple being throw on the minions. No need to cast it like Death Nova but for a MM with splinter it would be nice to see the minions use it.
Additional info: None

Nadenh 12:42, 11 November 2009 (UTC)

"Rit Item Spells" -- Any Hero

Issue: Most of the ritualist item spells will not auto cast prior to aggro. Only 3 out of 17, Energetic Was Lee Sa, Mighty Was Vorizun, and Protective Was Kaolai seem to work properly outside of combat. I can understand that the ones with relatively short durations compared to recharge would want to be saved for when they are needed, but the ones that can be easily maintained should be. I have a build in mind that Destructive Was Glaive would be useful for on a hero, but it won't even cast during combat until an enemy is actually adjacent.
How to fix: Make Anguished Was Lingwah, Blind Was Mingson, Cruel Was Daoshen, Defiant Was Xinrae, Destructive Was Glaive, Generous Was Tsungrai, Resilient Was Xiko, and Vocal Was Sogolon cast outside of combat as well.
Additional info: Tested on all 3 necromancers and both ritualists. I did do the official bug report through the NCsoft support site, if that has any bearing on me posting it here as well.

--The preceding unsigned comment was added by 153.104.19.195 (talk).

Though the general idea is good, I strongly oppose item spells being used out of combat as long as items are still considered melee weapons! This will still result in caster heroes being main targets for enemies. As for some of these, I must oppose the idea of them being used out of combat all together, since that would endanger the whole group if used outside combat: Lingwah will summon an attacking spirit on recast, drawing aggro while moving. Mingsong has no effect ooc, wasting energy. Daoshen, too. Xinrae, too - it's the Ritualists Protective Spirit, and that one shouldn't be used until needed either. Glaive would only waste energy on damage to non-existing targets, adding armor penetration to not used spells (because you're not in combat). Tsungrai would be okay, yet why add to max health and lose bonuses from carrying your staff altogether? I's prefer staff bonuses like a double +30 Health or hct/hrt when ooc. Xiko would be fine, if the condition is met in the first place. Sogolon too, if ooc-useable shouts or chants are present in the skillbar. That said, we have 2 of those skills left that would make sense out of combat, when their conditions are met. Xiko and Sogolon. --Golgarit Raven 12:52, 13 November 2009 (UTC)

Above all, Glaive needs fixed, because that isn't being cast at any point before, after, or during combat, unless something gets right up against you. I realize this is not a discussion page, but I feel your points are mostly invalid. On my ele hero, I have elemental attunement, fire attunement, and aura of restoration. None of those are being "used" while ooc, does that mean they my hero should wait until aggro to begin putting them up? I think the answer is a unanimous no. The point of holding an item is to serve in much the same way as a preparation for rangers or an enchantment or weapon spell on casters. Livia spams death nova ooc (which according to you would be a waste of energy) so that the instant enemy mobs engage, there is the potential for a massive aoe spike at the onset of battle. True, you do lose weapon bonuses, but why do you even want weapons when you have a good item? To quote the sabway page of pvx- "Weapons : Doesn't matter much as this hero will be carrying Kaolai the vast majority of the time." We all want our healer to be ready to give instant large partywide heal at a moments notice. This is also the fundamental reason your build is 100x more important than your weapon sets. If you have good skills, you want them to be used. I see your point on Lingwah. I would make so that rit doesn't drop the ashes, just allows the item spell to end, and recast. The idea behind the skill is having an instant spirit ready, so that you can have one on the ground the second you make aggro. Otherwise, it would just make more sense to cast the binding ritual Pain at a lower cost and higher level.--The preceding unsigned comment was added by 153.104.19.195 (talk).

Yeah but then again, the skill expiring (due to time, condition, death or recast) means dropping the item, making the spirit appear (or other respective effects). A casting time of 1 (with the proper weapon handy 0.5) second to fetch the item is short enough to use it in combat. If those skills had, like, 5 seconds casting time, you would have a point. Ele attunements are at 2 seconds, and used ooc, because they have no sideffect like putting out damage on recast. They can remain up and running because they don't block other skills. Just imagine a hero with like, 2 or 3 item spells, acting as you stated. he would cast a different one each 10 seconds, since all of them are marked "immediate use on reload", spamming them the whole time. That hero would move slower even than a minionmaster and always be on around 50% energy. It's just not practiceable. As for Glaive, its effect takes place "in the area" which is a predefined pretty small circle (about one third to half earshot), so dropping it while noone is near you would have no effect. --Golgarit Raven 12:41, 16 November 2009 (UTC)

As a point of information, the item skills are not SUPPOSE to activate when the duration ends. If you refer to http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Item_spell you will see that "Most item spells will not drop when the duration specified ends. Instead, the item held will disappear. Items that are lost in this manner will not yield any benefits as though it were actually dropped." Yes, it is activated upon death, and since they won't be casting again while dead, I would kind of want the effect. And as for Glaive, I'm not asking that it is DROPPED when nobody is in the area. I'm only asking it is cast in advance so it CAN be dropped when somebody gets into the area. Or at the very least have Glaive cast during combat. I don't care so much that they cast it outside as much as they cast it at all!--The preceding unsigned comment was added by 153.104.19.195 (talk).

I don't know how well the AI is equipped to tell when important things are coming, such as enemies. You want them to cast spells that might be useful in a moment, before being in a battle? So difficult to predict the future ("When there's enemies nearby? What if the PC plans on running around them, which often happens, and a nice seconds-long cast time slows them down, drawing the enemy?"). Look at the way they cast Life right now--the bugger is dropped all over the place, wasted most of the time. If they had several skills they were supposed to cast before battles, they'd never move an inch. | 72

{U|T|C} 12:45, 19 November 2009 (UTC)

I believe you all have good points, but the problem is there are far too many topics being argued for a single report. If you have a problem with the way skills are being cast, make a separate report for each individual one.

Hero -- Ritualist Heroes

Issue: Heroes do not use boon of creation. I have heard that they use it when low on energy, but I haven't even observed that behavior. For me it seems like they simply don't use it.
How to fix: Almost identical function like attunements. Should be maintained as such.
Additional info: None.

--Thc 18:14, 21 November 2009 (UTC)

[edit] Combat and behaviour issues

Necromancer heroes "danger" awareness -- All 3 heroes

Issue: The awareness of "danger" needs to be increased on Necro heroes. Often they stand right next to a melee opponent attempting to cast, especially a MM. This is, not seldom, suicidal.
How to fix: Increase awareness for heroes in the range of "dangerous" foes.
Additional info: none

Klefer 18:04, 23 October 2009 (UTC)

[edit] Independent NPC issues

Vizunah Square -- Master Togo (Discussion)

Issue: Gets stuck at the Second Open Gate near bridge
How to fix: Exit the mission and restart
Additional info: none

Fort Aspenwood -- Luxon Priest

Issue: Only uses Protective Spirit on injured players within range, despite having Healing Breeze.
How to fix: Make them use Healing Breeze in addition to Protective Spirit on injured players within range.
Additional info: The only reason I know they have Healing Breeze is because it's on the Luxon Priest page.

Arborstone mission -- Danika

Issue: If you've already killed the foes at the end of the mission, she runs straight through the cathedral, including all the monsters, rather than following players through the safe path.
How to fix: Make her follow players until she is actually at the end of the mission, rather than programming her to run to the end no matter what after the Stone Soul dies.
Additional info:

Arachni's Haunt (dungeon) -- Burning Spirits

Issue: They just patrol, but they don't agro or attack. They either get bodyblocked or try to keep patroling.
How to fix: Make them get agroed and use their spells.
Additional info: They are quite inoffensive at the moment...

[edit] General and miscellaneous issues

Hero/Henchman fighting Abbadon -- Any

Issue: Heroes and henchman do not attack Abbadon when he is bound; they must be locked on target.
How to fix: Cause them to automatically attack Abbadon when he is bound.
Additional info: I am not aware whether calling the target will cause them to attack; I did not think to do it at the time.

[edit] HA and GvG henchmen

PvP Henchman -- Warrior

Issue: Takes too much damage while using Frenzy and is easily spiked out. Frenzy is also used when the appropriate cancel stance is not available.
How to fix: This fix is not simple as proper Frenzy cancelling requires a certain level of situational awareness. Cancelling whenever any damage is taken removes all pressure being dealt by the warrior, but in the case of a spike build Frenzy needs to be almost immediately cancelled to prevent death. If it is possible to have Frenzy cancelled based upon the number of targetted packets of damage, that would be ideal. This would not really make the henchmen "too good" because frontline henchmen tend to output fairly pathetic pressure anyway and this change would only prevent them from instantly blowing up, monks would still have to catch the spike. Other situations where Frenzy should be cancelled include whenever melee classes converge upon the henchman. Simply cancelling when a damage threshhold is reached is not ideal as by then it is too late and monks will have to patch up the Frenzy damage. Frenzy should not be activated by a henchman when no cancel stance is available, i.e. Rush is not charged or almost charged.
Additional info: This exact issue also applies to Primal Rage. Frenzy and Primal Rage will never be used if Rush is active. Occasionally they will activate Frenzy while under pressure and immediately cancel it.