Does the AI in v13 read your moves??

[ThiroSmash]

Usually the way I overcome challenges in this game is through massive trial and error, and that includes reading when the AI wants to switch out, when it's going for a set-up move, when it's going to heal, etc.

 

I know that the AI has all the info on your team, including items and abilities. However, to my knowledge, the AI never actually reads your moves. That is, until I reached the Melia battle in chapter 15.

 

The battle starts as follows:

 

I lead Lapras vs the Hydreigon. My Lapras has Freeze-Dry and Frost Breath, so the AI chooses to switch into Aegislash turn 1, every time. I take the chance to switch into my Rapidash turn 1 as well.

Turn 2: I Will'O'Wisp with Rapidash. The AI always goes for Sacred Sword regardless of my action, leaving Rapidash at red health.

 

And in turn 3 is where things get shady: If I choose to stay in with Rapidash and click Flare Blitz, the AI always Shadow Sneaks for the kill. However, if I switch into my Intimidate Salamence, AI always chooses Sacred Sword instead to one-shot it.

 

Out of all the hours I've dumped into the hard fights of this game, this is the first and only instance where my move choice actually influences the AI's choice.

 

But then immediately after, AI behaves like normal again. If I sacrifice Rapidash and go into Mence, I can actually burn-stall the Aegislash because it uses King Shield every other turn, and I can cheese it with Protect.

[KM_]

I know AI reads items, not sure about moves. However the AI will almost always react the same to a situation. so you can map out reactions while working through a difficult fight. 

[Damien321]

The AI reads both, just a single move difference changed an AI's battle pattern for me, forgot which fight it was. I've just learned to keep track of what happens so I can plan accordingly.

[ThiroSmash]

1 hour ago, KM_ said:

I know AI reads items, not sure about moves. However the AI will almost always react the same to a situation. so you can map out reactions while working through a difficult fight. 

That's the thing, this is the one time when it didn't always react the same way. It was consistently reading my next action in turn 3: switch mon -> Sacred Sword; stay in -> Shadow Sneak. And I know for a fact that rng damage rolls had no impact in this situation.

[ABoringGuy]

17 minutes ago, ThiroSmash said:

That's the thing, this is the one time when it didn't always react the same way. It was consistently reading my next action in turn 3: switch mon -> Sacred Sword; stay in -> Shadow Sneak. And I know for a fact that rng damage rolls had no impact in this situation.

AI will always use the weakest move possible to kill you. If your Pokemon can be KO'd by shadow sneak then it would use it but if it cant KO you then it will use stronger moves. At least that is what happens to me.

 

Other things I found is that it can read what moves you have but not what move you use. I know this because AI has failed to use Sucker punch plenty of times for me so they definetely dont know which move I am gonna use.

 

They also know that you are gonna switch but dont know which Pokemon you are gonna switch to. I feel this is done just so that the move pursuit can be used successfully. There are many times AI used ghost moves when I switch to Normal type or Ground moves when switching to Flying types.

 

Of course this may differ to which battle you are in. Some battles (notably rift) seem to some more unique AI(could be wrong here though).

[MhicKy]

The AI reads everything EXCEPT which pokemon you're switching into
- If the AI sees that your Pokemon has a moveset that can destroy theirs while they don't have any means to retaliate, it will switch
- If the AI sees it can KO your Pokemon with a priority move, even if not effective (because the AI also calculates how much damage it will do), the it will do it
- If the AI sees it could KO your Pokemon with a priority move BUT you decide to heal then it will use it's strongest move again
- If the AI sees you are going to switch then it will use it's strongest move regardless of how much HP your previous Pokemon had, even if it could defeat it with a priority move

Like I said, the only think it doesn't predict is which Pokemon you're switching into, but it knows you're switching

[Vum]

Also something interesting i found is when i battled melia it didnt read my setup moves so you could use nasty plot hydreigon with ai manupulation to read kings shield since it always does it if in sword form unless u dont have dark pulse for some reason.

[Blontary]

May depend from a roll? 

[Lucifer Morningstar]

The one thing I know is that the AI will always finish a Pokemon in the red with either their weakest move or a priority move, that's a part of the design. 

 

[ThiroSmash]

6 hours ago, Yahiro said:

AI will always use the weakest move possible to kill you. If your Pokemon can be KO'd by shadow sneak then it would use it but if it cant KO you then it will use stronger moves. At least that is what happens to me.

 

Other things I found is that it can read what moves you have but not what move you use. I know this because AI has failed to use Sucker punch plenty of times for me so they definetely dont know which move I am gonna use.

 

They also know that you are gonna switch but dont know which Pokemon you are gonna switch to. I feel this is done just so that the move pursuit can be used successfully. There are many times AI used ghost moves when I switch to Normal type or Ground moves when switching to Flying types.

 

Of course this may differ to which battle you are in. Some battles (notably rift) seem to some more unique AI(could be wrong here though).

 

6 hours ago, MhicKy said:

The AI reads everything EXCEPT which pokemon you're switching into
- If the AI sees that your Pokemon has a moveset that can destroy theirs while they don't have any means to retaliate, it will switch
- If the AI sees it can KO your Pokemon with a priority move, even if not effective (because the AI also calculates how much damage it will do), the it will do it
- If the AI sees it could KO your Pokemon with a priority move BUT you decide to heal then it will use it's strongest move again
- If the AI sees you are going to switch then it will use it's strongest move regardless of how much HP your previous Pokemon had, even if it could defeat it with a priority move

Like I said, the only think it doesn't predict is which Pokemon you're switching into, but it knows you're switching

 

That's a bit inconsistent then. I managed to get free switches against the same Aegislash on the turns that it used King Shield, and I distinctly remember abusing protect turns of stall mons for free switches too in the past.

Another case about this is fake-out. For example against Angie's Jynx, it will always fake-out turn 1 regardless of if you switch the slot that it aims or not. The only time it doesn't fake-out is if it sees a kill with another move and is faster.

[321_King_123]

9 hours ago, Yahiro said:

 

Other things I found is that it can read what moves you have but not what move you use. I know this because AI has failed to use Sucker punch plenty of times for me so they definetely dont know which move I am gonna use.

 

 

In the fight of Mega-Gardevoir vs Mega-Absol?

[ThiroSmash]

3 hours ago, 321_King_123 said:

 

In the fight of Mega-Gardevoir vs Mega-Absol?

Oh yeah I just did that one. That Absol definitely reads your move after turn 1. Other Sucker Punch users don't do that, though, they seem to guess at random.