What starting spells are the most effective for AI?

[Tiltowait]

(One additional question: if we ommit Cracks Call, what other uncommon Nature spell would you give the AI in its place?)

Path finding (and endurance) seem poorly used by the computer player. Change terrain and transmute could be used on enemy cities, but aren't. Cockatrices and Basilisk are fearsome, but are usually dispatched by player-controlled high level heroes or normal units that have 10+ resistance scores. Ice bolt seems the only choice here.

Can I suggest to put the answers in a table and use a weight to sort out the answers?

We are looking forward to your table, Franco.

Someone above didn't sort their uncommons and rares into the list with the others, which will screw up the table weights.

[zitro1987]

. Cockatrices and Basilisk are fearsome, but are usually dispatched by player-controlled high level heroes or normal units that have 10+ resistance scores. Ice bolt seems the only choice here.

You're not going to have high-level heroes when your nearby wizard sends a stack of 4 basilisks to your capital early on (as a starting uncommon spell). Basilisks also have 15 melee and 30hp

[Tiltowait]

You're not going to have high-level heroes when your nearby wizard sends a stack of 4 basilisks to your capital early on (as a starting uncommon spell). Basilisks also have 15 melee and 30hp

Well, that's my experience with basilisks and cockatrices. When I encounter them they usually don't end my game. They're just another CP obstacle I need to overcome, I don't even attack unless I know I can take them with 10+ resistance. Even if I don't, an 8 or 7 resistance normal unit will just take more casualties than normal, the stoning ability probably won't be decisive.

Ice bolt, on the other hand, is very effective at keeping all heroes but high defense, high hit point ones from participating in battles. The CP has plenty of mana and spell skill to shoot off a max strength ice bolt in every battle, and it has a strong algorithm for choosing the unit most likely to be killed.

[kyrub]

OK, here is what was written in Insecticide long time before (a really old version). There are lot of decisions there, that I doubt today, some are downright baffling (the Life Drain, how could I? ..probably a mistake). I took some risks as well and I tried to imprint new strategies (like impose more flying units for Nature wizards to enable them to create large flyer stacks). Many starting spells were aimed to counter Invulnerable Guardian exploit, which was the theme at the time (like reliance on Dispels in Sorcery... pretty limited AI focus). On the other hand, I aimed to keep the game from being predictable, I wanted to promote spells unused by AI (Incarnation, Wrack?). Oh, and I wanted to put away overrealiance on Cracks Call. Anyway, today I feel a correction is long overdue. Voila the reason I started this thread, to stir discussion and gather opinions.

My observation for AI were/are
- that AIs with capacity of early summons do much better than non-casters, but the amount is uncontrollable (problems with substandard units like Nagas)
- that anything helping early spreading of AI (common spells) is of utmost importance (WaterWalking!)
- that AI did not use very well defending enchantments
- that blasting something was a simple and efficient way that AI should have the possibility to use
- AIs tries to cast spells all the time with changing focus (unit enchantments, summons, city spells, globals). If it does not have unit enchantments, it burries itself in cheap summons (that may become a problem on difficulties lower than impossible).

(1.40 version)
LIFE
Just Cause ... Heroism ... Holy Weapon ... Healing
... Holy Armor ... Star Fires ... Guardian Spirit
... Endurance ... Bless ... True Light
Dispel Evil + Prayer ... Incarnation

DEATH
Life Drain ... Skeletons ... Black Sleep ... Mana Leak
... Ghouls ... Dark Rituals ... Cloak of Fear
... Weakness ... Darkness ... Terror
Black Prayer + Shadow Deamons ... Wrack

CHAOS
Fire Bolt ... Eldritch Weap ... Hell Hounds ... Warp Wood
... Fire Elemental ... Corruption ... Shatter ...
... Warp Creature ... Disrupt ... Wall of Fire
Lightning bolt + Chimeras ... Doom Bolt

NATURE
Water walking ... Sprites ... Giant Strength ... Resist Elements
... Web ... War Bears ... Stone Skin
... Wall of Stone ... Earth to Mud ... Earth Lore
Change Terrain + Cockatrices ... Gorgons

SORCERY
DM true ... Psionic Blast ... Phantom Warriors ... Confusion
... Counter Magic ... Guardian Wind ... Word of Recall
... Resist Magic ... Floating Island ... Nagas
Disenchant True + Phantom Beast ... Storm Giant

[Tiltowait]

Does the CP use Earth Lore? How about Change Terrain? I see Life Drain is still in first place for Death. I would like to encounter a computer player that has cast unit enchantments on its whole stack. Heroism is very effective outside of combat and makes the white wizards like Ariel much less wimpy. The other day the computer summoned The Chosen One and I waited until he boarded a Galley before sinking it and sending him to the bottom. He wasn't resummoned, but shortly thereafter I banished his wizard. Phantom Warriors is great for the player but I fear confusion and its -4 resistance more in the hands of the computer player. Terror is one of those spells that seems really hard to know if it's working. Does the CP know to cast Water Walking on its settlers? I know I see lizard settlers arriving from offshore. If people want to take enough life books to do invulnerable guardian spirits then there's nothing the computers can do. It's like clicking an "I win" button, why bother even playing the game?

[Anthony]

There are almost no situations where the AI is better off casting life drain than black sleep, particularly if it has any ranged units at all.

[kyrub]

...Does the CP use Earth Lore? How about Change Terrain?
Earth Lore never, but it should at least simmulate it. AI needs to know a position of enemy city before casting malign spells. EL would help with it. - Change Terrain yes, that's why I put it on the list. But my new uncommon choice is ICE BOLT (thanks for inspiration, guys!). Nature lacks combat spells and I hate CC.

...I fear confusion and its -4 resistance more in the hands of the computer player.
I still think Dispel Magic True is more important for AI players but I agree that Confusion is more fun and surprising to play against.

...Does the CP know to cast Water Walking on its settlers?
You did not play Insecticide, did you? It's the first thing every AI does. That's why it has the first place on the list. I should have put Flight as uncommon as well.

...If people want to take enough life books to do invulnerable guardian spirits then there's nothing the computers can do.
It is no walk in the park, nowadays. The prayer bug is gone. And Storm Giants, Gorgons etc. can stop the spirit.

...There are almost no situations where the AI is better off casting life drain than black sleep
Sure. At the time, I repaired LD casting AI decision so I let it on the list by pride, am ashamed to say. Death realm has got some really bad decisions, I must say.

[FrancoK]

Is there a way to remove spells if there are certain peculiarity?
I.E. Magician protected by Guardian Wind.
Mana Leak when there are no drainable opponents.
Spell Lock and no spell to protect (BTW you there is a bug in SL, right? )