Card AI (Improvements) Requests

[tasteful]

Opponent used Control Magic to take my Dromar, the Banisher, then activated its ability on its attack, naming white, when it was the only creature in play, thus returning it to my hand for no reason. I mean I guess if I had destroyed Control Magic I would have gotten it back for cheaper, but that is still a pretty obviously bad move.

In another game, opponent played Darigaaz's Caldera first turn.

[Pux]

The AI will attack into Haunted Plate Mail even if the player can activate the ability.

[MC Brodie]

Similarly the AI will attack into or block a creature that can become monstrous (block a Nessian Asp with a 6/6 creature and get blown out).

[Agetian]

The AI seems to have issues trying to use Antler Skulkin. He'd use its ability on a creature with 1 toughness (a bad target for Persist already), and would waste a bunch of mana using that ability numerous times on the same target. Maybe it's worth adding a check that the potential target doesn't already have Persist, and >1 toughness would be nice too...
[observation from the latest official beta, v1.5.14]

- Agetian

[mastroego]

AI is mana screwed (one Plains on the field) but could use its Weathered Wayfarer to get more lands.
Instead, it uselessly attacks (I have 0-power blockers) over and over again, until I mill it to oblivion several turns later.

[Agetian]

When I have Web of Inertia in play, the AI is exiling a card even if he doesn't have to (such as when he's not planning to attack anyway, or even when he doesn't have any creatures!)

- Agetian

[Agetian]

Some observations where the AI can't really handle some of the red cards well and thus can be improved:

* Spells with X that allow distribution of damage. I can so far confirm that Fireball and Rock Slide suffer from this. For Fireball, he wastes mana including targets that have the end result of him not killing anything. For Rock Slide, he doesn't seem to take advantage of distribution to kill multiple available targets.
* Orcish Spy. He is activating this every turn, even at the cost of not being able to chump block a deadly threat. I don't think the AI actually pays attention to what it "sees" yet, but even when/if it does, it lets you look at 3 cards so there's no reason to use it every turn unless the opponent has shuffled.
* Viashino Sandstalker. This one is actually funny to see. He will basically summon it during his precombat main phase no matter what, and then when it comes time to attack he'll determine he'd lose it if he attacked with it, so he doesn't attack. Repeat ad infinitum.

- Agetian

[Agetian]

The Hideaway AI can be improved, I think (comes from my friend's observation): the AI attempts to activate Hideaway lands (including paying the cost for such activation) even when the conditions for playing the free exiled card are not met. (Well, I've witnessed this at least with Hollowtooth Hollow, but it's possible all the hideaway lands suffer from it)

- Agetian

[Marek14]

The Hideaway AI can be improved, I think (comes from my friend's observation): the AI attempts to activate Hideaway lands (including paying the cost for such activation) even when the conditions for playing the free exiled card are not met. (Well, I've witnessed this at least with Hollowtooth Hollow, but it's possible all the hideaway lands suffer from it)

- Agetian

I've seen that with Windbrisk Heights and Shelldock Isle. Windbrisk Heights is especially big offender since AI uses the ability in his upkeep, i.e. at time where there's no possible way to fulfill the condition. Even limiting this activation to combat on his turn would help a lot.

[Xyx]

I just witnessed the AI literally tapping itself to death with Horizon Canopy.

[Xyx]

The AI does not seem to use Jaya Ballard's "destroy target blue permanent" ability. I had a fully leveled Haalimar Wavewatch beating the AI to death. It used Jaya to shoot all my other creatures for damage, and when those were all gone it simply attacked me, and then I attacked back for lethal. Maybe it's a leveler issue, but it didn't seem the least bit interested in dealing with the Haalimar Wavewatch.

[krevett]

The AI does not seem to use Jaya Ballard's "destroy target blue permanent" ability. I had a fully leveled Haalimar Wavewatch beating the AI to death. It used Jaya to shoot all my other creatures for damage, and when those were all gone it simply attacked me, and then I attacked back for lethal. Maybe it's a leveler issue, but it didn't seem the least bit interested in dealing with the Haalimar Wavewatch.

Same with jace's ultimate, he could have milled me to death (I only had 19 cards in my library and he had 15 counters on his Jace Beleren) but instead keep on make me draw with his +2 ability

[Xyx]

Here's a bunch of observations made over the past two months. Could be some of them already got fixed, but these situations aren't all easily reproduced so I didn't re-check.

A bunch of cards have "AI", "?" or "AI ?" in their AI column. What's the difference?

Serious known issues | Open

These cards already have a flag in the AI column but the AI wrecks itself with them regardless. Perhaps it could be instructed to not cast these spells or activate these abilities at all ever.

The AI likes to activate empty Mimic Vats.

The AI will cast Pact of Negation when it can obviously not pay the upkeep.

The AI will cast Ghazban Ogre when it's obvious that it will have to give the ogre away on its next upkeep. It also won't trade Ghazban Ogres on turn 2, thus giving me control of both ogres.

The AI compulsively taps Bazaar of Baghdad and will eventually throw away its entire hand.

The AI will cast Armageddon Clock and then pay to keep the counters off.

The AI likes to use Kry Shield when there is no apparent reason to do so.

The AI attached Takklemaggot to its own creature even though I had four valid targets.

The AI uses Horn of Deafening on its own creature, during its main phase.

The AI will apparently feed anything and everything to City of Shadows, up to and including its Leviathan (after saccing two Islands to untap it, no less).

The AI gave its Icatian Infantry first strike and triple banding (sinking all of its mana into it) and then passed the turn without attacking. It also likes to give out these abilities if there is no other creature on the battlefield. In fact, it looks like the AI is determined to sink all of its mana into Icatian Infantry no matter what.

The AI sinks all its mana into Tidal Flats, even when it has no creatures.

The AI uses Elvish Scout to untap its unblocked creatures.

The AI sacrificed both of its creatures to Heroism, on its own turn, on a battlefield without red creatures.

The AI really loves to use Goblin Kites, getting one creature killed after another.

The AI will use Sylvan Library to draw extra cards until it has only 4 life left.

Minor known issues | Open

These cards already have a flag in the AI column, but at least the AI does not totally wreck itself with them. It mostly doesn't cast or activate them.

The AI does not use Diamond Valley to sac creatures that are about to die to removal anyway. At least it does not sac creatures needlessly.

The AI does not use Island of Wak-Wak.

The AI will attack with Hasran Ogress (and pay for it) even when it is clearly pointless to do so. It probably tries to bluff a trick.

The AI will not activate Golgothian Sylex even if its life depends on it.

The AI seems to think that Xenic Poltergeist is just a 3-mana 1/1.

The AI seems to think that Sorceress Queen is just a 3-mana 1/1.

The AI casts Transmute Artifact without an artifact in play. Also, when it sacs an artifact creature, it does so pre-combat even if it could have attacked with it.

The AI seems to think Orcish Mechanics is just a 3-mana 1/1.

The AI will not cast Gaea's Liege ever, it seems.

The AI does not recognize the glorious combo of Merfolk Assassin + War Barge. It gives its own Merfolk Assassin islandwalk. It even does this when I have a Merfolk Assassin, too.

The AI will not cast Festival even if its life depends on it.

The AI used Dark Sphere to prevent only a single point of damage while it was still at 20 life.

The AI cast Dance of Many with no creatures on the battlefield. And then kept paying its upkeep.

The AI sometimes activates Tower of Coireall on my turn.

The AI double-blocked my 4/4 with its Spitting Slug and a 2/2, but did not have the mana to pay for Spitting Slug. This did not end well.

The AI cast Tourach's Gate without any thrulls on the battlefield.

The AI does not sac its Armor Thrull for value when chump blocking with it.

The AI cast Patriarch's Bidding on an empty graveyard.

Attacking and blocking | Open

The AI ran his creature right into my two first strikers that could double-block it to death.

The AI is way too reluctant to trade or chump block.

The AI won't chump block with creatures that aren't going to live past its upkeep anyway, like Keldon Marauders with only one counter remaining.

The AI will combo off with a hundred 1/4 Deceiver Exarch tokens and then not attack with them, presumably because the opponent has a 4/4 Loxodon Smiter. (Seeing the AI combo out is super cool, though!)

I've noticed that the AI will combo out with Splinter Twin/Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker and Deceiver Exarch, but it prefers to tap Pestermite to attack even if it's enchanted with Splinter Twin.

The AI runs into my blocker (while I'm tapped out), then plays its removal post-combat.

The AI ran its 1/2 into my two 1/2s without a trick up its sleeve and without me able to block anything else.

The AI suicided its 2/2 Niall Silvain into my 2/4 Ghost Ship without apparent reason. Maybe it thinks it can still regenerate after attacking and wants to "bluff the combat trick".

The AI pumps its Fire Drake to 2/2 while blocking my 2/3. I don't think it intended to chump-block. Maybe it doesn't see that it can only pump once.

The AI blocked my Ball Lightning with a 1/1 while it was still at 20. It probably thinks that's a good trade.

The AI does not seem to understand how blocking a band works (then again, neither do many players). It double-blocked my 2/2+3/3 band with two 1/5s. Next turn it blocked that same band with a 2/2 first striker (while it was still at 20).

The AI chump attacked with its Keldon Champion right into my two Basilica Guards. No tricks or anything. The next game it chump attacked its Lightning Elemental into my Basilica Guard for absolutely zero value.

Self-destructive play | Open

The AI practically auto-scoops when it casts these cards. It will totally wreck itself.

The AI will throw away lands to Zuran Orb for no apparent reason.

The AI will happily kill itself with Cyclone; it hardly ever fails to pay the upkeep.

Exploits | Open

The AI makes serious mistakes when playing against these cards.

The AI Lightning Bolted my Forgotten Ancient, making it a 1/4. It also tried Lava Dart.

The AI can't handle Painful Quandary; it keeps casting spells and never discards, meaning it usually kills itself in short order.

The AI likes to ping me with its Triskelion even when I have one (or more!) Powerleeches out.

The AI will continue to attack with a creature that I put Spirit Link on. It will even attack with double-Spirit Linked creatures, actually giving me life. (Just like Shandalar!)

The AI will walk head-first into Invoke Prejudice. It will pay if it can, but it won't check before casting.

The AI will summon a creature on an otherwise empty board with The Abyss.

The AI used Liliana of the Veil's -2 to make me sac my only creature: Academy Rector.

The AI really likes to spend removal on my Sakura-Tribe Elder.

The AI runs its removal right into Kira, Great Glass-Spinner.

The AI tried to shoot Kiora, the Crashing Wave with its Chainflinger despite me having used Kiora's +1 ability on it to prevent all damage it would deal.

Combat exploits | Open

The AI will attack or block blindly into these on-board tricks.

The AI likes to jam its attackers into my Perimiter Captains, presumably "just in case". This is fine if it has a combat trick or follow-up burn spell, but giving me free life is not a good idea. It's also not a good idea when all it has is Grizzly Bears versus my Yotian Soldier; that just allows me to get in for a point of damage that it could have blocked.

The AI will run its creatures into Desert with no regard.

The AI seems ignorant of Mishra's Factory (or any manland) on defense, and will happily run its 1/1s into them (just like Shandalar).

The AI seems oblivious to the pumping powers of my Icatian Priest.

The AI will chump block a band of Icatian Skirmishers+2/2 with its 6/3 while it's still at 19. That's a very costly chump block because the band gets first strike (before blockers, so the AI must have known about it - doesn't it see bands?).

The AI will chump block Order of Leitbur as if it doesn't see that the Order of Leitbur can be pumped and given first strike.

The AI seems to attack blindly into Elvish Fortress. Actually, it seems blind to any kind of on-board pumping whatsoever.

Suboptimal play | Open

The AI doesn't use these cards optimally but at least it doesn't auto-scoop.

The AI likes to play bouncelands (Dimir Aqueduct et al) during M1 but prefers not to cast any spells until M2. This means it often wastes a mana.

The AI often doesn't respond to life gain with Flames of the Blood Hand but lets me gain the life first and then casts it during my end step anyway.

The AI cast Inquisition of Kozilek, saw only lands, then immediately cast another Inquisition of Kozilek.

The AI tapped out for Vendilion Clique during my upkeep but revealed a card from its own hand, thus leaving me free to resolve whatever I wanted that turn. It's nice that it knows the "Clique on upkeep" trick, but if it's not going to disrupt my gameplan, perhaps it would be better to wait until the end of my turn and (pretend to) keep up counterspell mana.

I cast Control Magic on the AI's Triskelion with three +1/+1 counters and got it with all three counters still on it.

The AI will sometimes leave its Old Man of the Sea tapped even when it's no longer controlling a creature.

The AI does not like to chump block with its Rukh Eggs.

The AI used its Wyluli Wolf to pump my creature (that I had stolen from it with Old Man of the Sea - maybe it's confusing ownership with control?). It only rarely pumps its own creatures.

The AI steals my Grizzly Bears with its Old Man of the Sea and then immediately casts Unstable Mutation on the bears, thus losing control of it.

The AI is rather hesitant to block with Abu Ja'far, but that's what it's for.

The AI seems to think Atog is just a 2-mana 1/2.

The AI uses Amulet of Kroog to prevent 1 damage to creatures that are about to receive overkill lethal damage (which means it's still lethal even with that one point prevented).

The AI used Combat Medic to prevent damage to a creature that would still take lethal damage anyway while it could have saved the Combat Medic itself instead.

The AI will not cast Holy Light even if its life depends on it.

The AI really wants to see the top 3 cards of my library with Orcish Spy. It even double-checks if it has two spies.

The AI sacs its saprolings to its Elvish Farmer before there is a need to do so.

The AI uses Elven Fortress to pump the toughness of creatures that will take lethal damage regardless.

The AI does not harvest a saproling from its Thallid with three spore counters in response to removal.

The AI casts Thrull Champion after attacking with its thrulls instead of before. Boosting effects should be cast before combat.

The AI gives its Order of the Ebon Hand (and Icatian Infantry) first strike before they're even blocked (or blocking).

The AI does not float mana when I tap its lands (with, say, Opposition).

The AI chump blocked with Jackal Pup. That's not effective.

The AI saw fit to unearth its Hellspark Elemental only to chump attack it into my Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre.

The AI paid 2 life for a shockland that it didn't use.

The AI monstrified its Keepsake Gorgon during its own upkeep, while I had no creatures.

The AI kept a 5-card hand with no mana.

The AI cast Demonic Torment on my Blazing Effigy.

[Marek14]

AI is also blind to Jace, Architect of Thought -- it attacks with 1-power creatures into it when its first ability is active.

[Pux]

The AI shouldn't pay the Oracle of Bones Tribute if it the Oracle was the last card in your hand.