How to get an npc to use a spell in combat?

[Zor2k13]

I am trying to get an npc to use a spell during combat instead of other spells they would normally use. I see the spell list in the construction set and place the spell there but the npc don't use it. Why is that spell list option there in cs anyway?

[fejeena]

Have the NPC the right combat style ?

 

good examples for combat styles are Bandit or dremora NPCs. there are melee fighter, ranged fighters, magicians  all with different combat styls.

 

And if you add a new spell to a spell user think the spell he use during a fight is the first in the list, so move your new spell up ( or delete all other spells)

[Zor2k13]

I noticed that most npcs have spell leveled lists in the "spell list" section of cs. when I go look at those leveled lists of spells there are some options like use all spells and so on. Does the game make the npc use spells more often in combat when they are given spell leveled lists instead of individual spells?

 

I tried different class and combat styles earlier but they would never use a spell in a fight. If their class was battle mage or mage something like that, the npc would run away a lot and have fists out instead of their melee weapon. Leaving them at class of warrior and combat style of default caused the npc to use summon ghost spells.

[varenne]

See the CS Wiki section titled, "Basic AI & Package Editing". You need to set Aggression and Confidence higher, near or at 100 for each. For magic using NPCs, you will also want to review Oblivion:Magic Overview, section titled, "Spells" to begin with and maybe going into Powers and Abilities too. Understanding magicka and the regeneration of it is essential. 

 

Understanding how you want to build an NPC magic user initially is important. You don't want to have them in all magic schools, so focus on one or two at first adding maybe a 3rd later. Look to Mage and Necromancers in game as base examples. Level 100 mages &  necros can be made very powerful, depending on magic school and spells selected, so make sure to balance them as you develop them, as well as if you want them to level with your PC or not.

 

 

 

Does the game make the npc use spells more often in combat when they are given spell leveled lists instead of individual spells?

 

I've never seen any evidence of that, but it could be a design limit of the NPCs I have in game. The Oblivion game engine is not the most robust and is a bit dated when it comes to AI.

[Zor2k13]

The spell I am trying to get an npc to use is the ichgagother spell from pse mod but it is a scripted effect. When a spell is set to use scripted effects it doesn't have things working on it like cost and magicka useage all those things in the cs menu go to zero when scripted effect is set for the spell. This spell is only given to the player not to npcs maybe it can't be used by npcs? There is a setting for spell is hostile I tried that too thinking maybe the npc won't use it if it is not hostile during combat.

 

The spell is a touch spell so under the alteration category so I thought that might be causing problems maybe the combat AI doesn't care much for alteration. I could try just giving them a paralyze spell instead but it looks better to see the player get hit by the gagother spell and have to hobble away tied up while the npc catches up to them.

[movomo]

Then it's no wonder why they won't use the spell. It's scripted. Npcs don't randomly throw spells. They intentionally pick some of them when they choose to use it. Healing spell when they are wounded, fire ball when they got pissed off. And they'll never know what a scripted spell will do, that's why they won't use any scripted spell.

Try making it a greater power. It may work (or not). Otherwise you'll have to script them to make them cast a scripted spell.

[Zor2k13]

Thats what I was afraid of:-( 

 

I play with the true crime mod and the bandt ringleaders always throw lightning spells at me as soon as I get out of melee range or if I attack from a distance. So I took a look at that mod and noticed the ringleader npcs use LL0 destruction target leveled list for shock spells. Their confidence settings are 100 and energy level at 70 and they have a custom class. I was testing with similar settings but still couldn't get any response and haven't tried adding the gag spell to a leveled list yet. But if a script effect means they won't use it then I can't do anything about it. I will try the greater power thing and see how that goes.

[E.L. Palmer]

I use CS to modift certain npcs like companions. I select Battlemage for them and under race, I add spells to their list.