The creature artificial intelligence (AI) has been overhauled in Dysotopia to provide players with new challenges and unique combat situations. Creatures now have individual personalities (timid, fearless, etc) and will react to different situations depending on their personalities. Creatures may form parties, make camps at night, run away from threats or even run for their lives when critically wounded.
Morale
Morale is one of the new personality traits of creatures. Creature morale is constantly adjusted in combat and checked in certain circumstances. Because the engine is relative complex we will demonstrate how morale works with some example situations:
Overwhelming Challenge
If a creature with low morale encounters a threat that seems overpowering they will often decide to avoid the threat entirely by keeping their distance. If engaged by a powerful creature they may even turn and flee combat entirely or possibly become paralyzed with fear.
On the other hand, a creature with an extremely high morale score may take on challenges they are not suited for. These encounters often result in their instant death or severe wounds which drastically lowers their morale thus eventually ending up in their desire to leave combat against powerful foes. There are exceptions and some creature will fight to their death.
Wounded
When creature are wounded they undergo additional morale adjustments and checks. A creature who through it was up for a challenge may still change it’s mind and flee after a powerful blow from an opponent.
Parties
If a number of creatures come together in the same area and one or more of them has a high charisma score and more hit dice than others, the lower level creatures may agree to follow the charismatic creature into battle. The size of creature parties are limited by the charisma bonuses of the leaders. Keep in mind that creatures with underlings may also serve masters, for example:
- Four level 2 goblins decide to follow a level 5 goblin shaman
- Five level 1 goblins decide to follow a level 4 goblin sorcerer
- Both the level 5 goblin shaman and level 4 goblin sorcerer decide to follow a level 7 goblin champion
In the situation above you now have a small army being led by the goblin champion that consists of 12 creatures. These encounters are exceedingly rare but are possible with the AI enhancements.
Situational Awareness
Creatures that have formed parties and are engaged in combat pay attention to their surroundings. If their leader comes under attack they may stop to buff or heal them, or even switch targets and engage their threats. If their leader is slaughtered in front of their eyes their morale may be lowered and they may tun and flee from battle.
Special Attacks
Some powerful creatures may have special attacks that even further challenge players to think on their feet. An example of this may be a powerful lich who combines fallen skeletons into more powerful skeletal constructs or a dimensional creature who teleports it’s foes around the stage of battle.