Random Equips

[formerdeathcorps]

If a unit in a random battle is level X, what determines the likelihood of equipping a given item?

In other words, if a unit can use both spike boots and battle boots, how does the game decide what the randomly generated foe should equip?  Is it the best fit function?  Or is it the same chance for each?  Or is it sorted by the cost of the items to be equipped?

[R999]

From what I have seen, it is definitely not the best fit option, but I think there's a higher likelihood for the AI to pick a higher level item.

[formerdeathcorps]

The motivation for asking this was to reduce the randomness of stupid AI equips (like black clothes and armlets on monks that should be boosting PA).  By setting the unwanted gear to rare (but still buyable) and by lowering the levels of the "banned" items to 5 (the same level as perfumes), the AI now almost never equips such items.

On a related note, can someone please test this?  It seems to work, but I'd like confirmation.
Allow enemy ninjas to throw any weapon, but set the strongest weapons (Javelin II, knight swords, chirijiraden, etc.) to be usable at level 100 and up (we're assuming you're not torturing yourself with "God Mode").  Will the enemy still be able to throw the superpower weapons?

[Skip Sandwich]

there is a flag you can set in weapon atributes that determines if it can be thrown, so you can set the rare weapons of each type to be unthrowable, while still letting those weapon types as a whole be throwable. as for setting AI use for levels 100 and up, I think that would effectively lock out the AI from using those items, since level can never exceed 99.

[Pickle Girl Fanboy]

The motivation for asking this was to reduce the randomness of stupid AI equips (like black clothes and armlets on monks that should be boosting PA).  By setting the unwanted gear to rare (but still buyable) and by lowering the levels of the "banned" items to 5 (the same level as perfumes), the AI now almost never equips such items.

I'm working on something to fix this.  The best solution I came up with so far is to remove as much tiered obsolesence as possible - like how 90% of the items in the game are useless once you get above level 50 - and to make a catagory of body armor and head armor for mages and fighters.

FFXII is a pretty good model
Ribbons, Robes, Rings = mages
Helms, Heavy Armors, Armguards = Fighters
Hats, Clothes = light fighters, oddball mages (mediator, chemist)

And give each catagory bonuses specific to their strengths.
Mages: MP bonuses, MA, and MA Evade
Fighters: Above average HP Bonuses, PA, PA Evade.

I have accessories and shields all planned out, but it's tough planning all the armors.

[formerdeathcorps]

there is a flag you can set in weapon atributes that determines if it can be thrown, so you can set the rare weapons of each type to be unthrowable, while still letting those weapon types as a whole be throwable. as for setting AI use for levels 100 and up, I think that would effectively lock out the AI from using those items, since level can never exceed 99.

I tried doing that.  However, that only affected whether you could throw the item or not; the AI was still sending me free Javelin II's.