Working Companion AI

[mentaltyranny]

I promise I am asking for something simple here.  At mid- to late-game, which classes have the best companion AI?  I do not mind micromanagement if it is necessary, but if I can reduce it by taking different party members, I will.  Any help, even it is like "Wizard AI" sucks, would be helpful.

[Boeroer]

In general everything that relies on active abilities needs more micromanagement: all per-rest casters (Druid, Wizard, Priest), Cipher, Monk and Chanter if focused on invocations. Ranger if the Animal Companion is involved a lot. Also fragile classes tend to eed more attention - like glasscannon Rogues or Barbabrians, especially in the early game.

Classes that rely more on passive abilities and have restricted per-encounter resources are usually easier to manage via AI settings. Those are Fighter, Paladin, Ranger (if Animal Companion is neglected), (sturdy) Rogue, (beefy) Barbarian, Chanter (if focused on chants). 

I think in general the classes which are easiest to run successfully on AI are Fighter and Paladin tanks, tanky Chanters with Dragon Thrashed as main "weapon" as well as Rangers with bows who use their Animal Companion as bodyguard and not much else. Defensive-minded shield Rogues also work very well on AI, as do sturdy Rogues wit reach weapons (pike and quarterstaff) or even ranged Rogues. Barbarian is the same, only that ranged Barb doesn't make much sense.

Everything that needs fine adjustments (placing and timing of spells or other abilities) and every character who needs attention because of squishyness and the risk of getting knocked out is detrimental to the success of steering by AI.

There are exceptions - for example it's totally possible to build a Monk who runs beautifully on AI alone (see a build like "Fulmineo Prondroni" in the build list in this subforum - a Monk specifically build to run on AI) - but that needs some deeper knowledge of the classes and their abilities I'd say. 

Edited November 15, 2023 by Boeroer

[mentaltyranny]

@Boeroer, thank you so much for your reply!  I will consider the AI friendly monk.  Do you know any other builds "specifically build to run on AI"?

Edited November 15, 2023 by mentaltyranny

[Boeroer]

I think tehre are some in the build list that mention that they are good with AI, but I don't remember a specific one.

But for example: Edér as tank is very straightforward and easy to set up with AI.

If you build Aloth into an "Blast-Wizard" with an implement (wand/rod/scepter) and the Blast talent (and other implement-related abilities and talents) and let him use auto-attacks with the summoned weapon "Kalakoth Minor Blights" mostly he will also be quite easy to manage with AI. Same can be true if you skill him to be a melee wizard from the second row with a Pike, the goal would be to get Citzal's Spirit Lance at some point and use melee attacks with that mostly.

That way you can turn a normally very micro-heavy class into a relatively low-maintenace class which runs well with the AI.

Once can do the same with Druid (see Hiravias) if you focus on the Spiritshift instead of spellcasting.

That way those classes can be useful and yet low-maintenance in not-so-difficult fights - but when you need the full arsenal of spells you can still switch to direct control and have more impact when you need it.