Good Steal Gambit

[Nezkeys]

1) Steal doesnt appear to be able to turn itself off after a successful steal. Is there any way around this?

2) Foe:Flying > Steal initiates combat and these enemies arent aggressive yet anything grounded thats non aggressive both steal and attack have to be manually inputted. Is there any way around this also? I tried on those fat toads in phon coast with 3 different gambits foe status: sleep > steal and foe:lightning weak/vulnerable > steal. Confused why i can attack flying foes that arent aggressive or why i cant just attack non aggressive in the first place lol

3) Makes me think they also could have deepened this awesome feature with things like foe status: casting darkra > equip bone helm/bone mail, or foe: fire weak > equip flame arrows etc. I realise this is more difficult but its been done with pc mmos that allows you to automate gearswaps mid battle. Lua and spellcast for example. The steal one could have been fixed with a simple line its code saying "if enemy=no item: move to next gambit" etc

[Hinnyuu]

Originally posted by Nezkeys:

1) Steal doesnt appear to be able to turn itself off after a successful steal. Is there any way around this?

Not automated, no. Steal doesn't have a smart function in gambits.

Originally posted by Nezkeys:

2) Foe:Flying > Steal initiates combat and these enemies arent aggressive yet anything grounded thats non aggressive both steal and attack have to be manually inputted. Is there any way around this also? I tried on those fat toads in phon coast with 3 different gambits foe status: sleep > steal and foe:lightning weak/vulnerable > steal. Confused why i can attack flying foes that arent aggressive or why i cant just attack non aggressive in the first place lol

I'm not sure I understand what you are trying to say. If units aren't hostile, they're not "foes" and any gambit associated with "foe" will not work.

Originally posted by Nezkeys:

3) Makes me think they also could have deepened this awesome feature with things like foe status: casting darkra > equip bone helm/bone mail, or foe: fire weak > equip flame arrows etc. I realise this is more difficult but its been done with pc mmos that allows you to automate gearswaps mid battle. Lua and spellcast for example. The steal one could have been fixed with a simple line its code saying "if enemy=no item: move to next gambit" etc

I don't know if the engine allows for this, but feel free to ask a modder. There are limits to the gambit system.

[Nezkeys]

Originally posted by Hinnyuu:

Originally posted by Nezkeys:

1) Steal doesnt appear to be able to turn itself off after a successful steal. Is there any way around this?

Not automated, no. Steal doesn't have a smart function in gambits.

Originally posted by Nezkeys:

2) Foe:Flying > Steal initiates combat and these enemies arent aggressive yet anything grounded thats non aggressive both steal and attack have to be manually inputted. Is there any way around this also? I tried on those fat toads in phon coast with 3 different gambits foe status: sleep > steal and foe:lightning weak/vulnerable > steal. Confused why i can attack flying foes that arent aggressive or why i cant just attack non aggressive in the first place lol

I'm not sure I understand what you are trying to say. If units aren't hostile, they're not "foes" and any gambit associated with "foe" will not work.

Originally posted by Nezkeys:

3) Makes me think they also could have deepened this awesome feature with things like foe status: casting darkra > equip bone helm/bone mail, or foe: fire weak > equip flame arrows etc. I realise this is more difficult but its been done with pc mmos that allows you to automate gearswaps mid battle. Lua and spellcast for example. The steal one could have been fixed with a simple line its code saying "if enemy=no item: move to next gambit" etc

I don't know if the engine allows for this, but feel free to ask a modder. There are limits to the gambit system.

Well they arent classed as allies either? Or are they? Bottom line is if i can initiate combat manually against these targets i should still be able to initiate combat against these automated as well?

[Hinnyuu]

Originally posted by Nezkeys:

Bottom line is if i can initiate combat manually against these targets i should still be able to initiate combat against these automated as well?

That is not a logical conclusion. One doesn't follow the other in any way.

I don't believe there is a way to automate gambits on neutral units.

[Sakhari]

As far as the Steal gambit goes, if you're wanting a character to steal regularly without needing additional babysitting, the most effective version I've used is a pair of gambits:

1) Foe: HP < 90% - Attack (or whatever you want your default action to be)
2) Foe: HP = 100% - Steal

That way, you'll usually jump into the fight, steal once, and then join in the attack rather than breaking off and chain-stealing another target that hasn't been attacked yet.

You won't get everything if you have damage being spread out among several targets but you'll get something from most encounters and your character won't get stuck in stealing loop.

[Serafie1999AD]

Originally posted by Sakhari:

1) Foe: HP < 90% - Attack (or whatever you want your default action to be)
2) Foe: HP = 100% - Steal

This is what I've used, and it has worked well for most of the time. Of course, it requires that you have the other characters attack the party leader's target (assuming you're controlling the thief character).

[Nezkeys]

Originally posted by Sakhari:

As far as the Steal gambit goes, if you're wanting a character to steal regularly without needing additional babysitting, the most effective version I've used is a pair of gambits:

1) Foe: HP < 90% - Attack (or whatever you want your default action to be)
2) Foe: HP = 100% - Steal

That way, you'll usually jump into the fight, steal once, and then join in the attack rather than breaking off and chain-stealing another target that hasn't been attacked yet.

You won't get everything if you have damage being spread out among several targets but you'll get something from most encounters and your character won't get stuck in stealing loop.

I dont get how that works because there is no mug so once you have stolen you would have to do 10% damage before the attack gambit initiates...which you wont be doing cause the game will auto loop you in steal again. I mean i can see a way around that being have another character attack the party leaders target but again you couldnt set this at 90 as nothing would happen...so you just attack when its at full hp which means it will die before you can steal from it.

I guess the only efficient way around it is what im already doing...just turn the gambit off once its stolen then turn back on but meh. It surprises me they have never "fixed" this or let us auto attack neutrals either

[Sakhari]

Originally posted by Nezkeys:

I dont get how that works because there is no mug so once you have stolen you would have to do 10% damage before the attack gambit initiates...

This assumes that the other characters in your party are also capable of dealing damage. If not, what are they doing?

The way it plays out is that the fight starts, your thief makes a steal, your other characters deal some damage, and your thief switches to attack mode and joins in. As long as the thief gets to the target first (which it always should when you're controlling it unless you have a berserked gunner/archer in the group or are slowed or something), you'll get at least one swipe before the attacks start. More often than not, that's all you need.

[Serafie1999AD]

Originally posted by Nezkeys:

I dont get how that works because there is no mug so once you have stolen you would have to do 10% damage before the attack gambit initiates...which you wont be doing cause the game will auto loop you in steal again. I mean i can see a way around that being have another character attack the party leaders target but again you couldnt set this at 90 as nothing would happen...so you just attack when its at full hp which means it will die before you can steal from it.

I guess the only efficient way around it is what im already doing...just turn the gambit off once its stolen then turn back on but meh. It surprises me they have never "fixed" this or let us auto attack neutrals either

That's why you have two characters attack the party leader's target. Immediately after stealing, they attack the enemy, and if the enemy isn't dead yet, the thief will switch to attacking. If the other two manage to kill off the enemy, then the thief will just move on to the next enemy, and this way, you'll deal with the enemies one at a time. I suppose you could set the Gambit as "Foe: HP < 100% - Attack" (I can't remember if such a Gambit exists), but I've never seen a normal non-boss/Hunt/Rare-Game monster remain at over 90% HP after two attacks from the other party members.

[Nezkeys]

Originally posted by Sakhari:

Originally posted by Nezkeys:

I dont get how that works because there is no mug so once you have stolen you would have to do 10% damage before the attack gambit initiates...

This assumes that the other characters in your party are also capable of dealing damage. If not, what are they doing?

The way it plays out is that the fight starts, your thief makes a steal, your other characters deal some damage, and your thief switches to attack mode and joins in. As long as the thief gets to the target first (which it always should when you're controlling it unless you have a berserked gunner/archer in the group or are slowed or something), you'll get at least one swipe before the attacks start. More often than not, that's all you need.

Lol yeah one of them attacks and basically one shots everything so your advice isnt any different to what im already doing really which is this...

Vaan:
Foe: highest hp = steal

Whm:
Foe: any = oil

Blm:
Foe status: oil = firaga

This gives my thief enough time to steal once sometimes twice if the enemy is immune. In that scenario i turn off steal gambit and my stealer goes to the next gambit down which is just foe: lowest hp = attack. Or if i know some enemies coming up that will mess up that strat (like baknamy) i have a back up gambit foe: nearest = blizzara. I guess you just really cant automate it so you 100% get a steal before anyone else attacks without being locked into infinite steal. If there was a mod for smart steal i bet everyone would use it lol

[Eltia]

Foe: HP < xx % -> Steal.

Foe: Ally / Leader Attacking or HP Lowest -> Attack.

xx = 90 generally works well. If your DPS is not hitting hard enough, increase the value. If they are hitting too hard, decrease the value, or consider stealing right away.

[Nezkeys]

Originally posted by Eltia:

Foe: HP < xx % -> Steal.

Foe: Ally / Leader Attacking or HP Lowest -> Attack.

xx = 90 generally works well. If your DPS is not hitting hard enough, increase the value. If they are hitting too hard, decrease the value, or consider stealing right away.

Everything gets one shot lol

[Eltia]

Originally posted by Nezkeys:

Everything gets one shot lol

In that case, equip your tank (hope your Vaan / Balthier is a knight or Shikari) with Thief Gloves and do Foe: Closest -> Steal. Run around the map, steal and move on.

[Nezkeys]

Originally posted by Eltia:

Originally posted by Nezkeys:

Everything gets one shot lol

In that case, equip your tank (hope your Vaan / Balthier is a knight or Shikari) with Thief Gloves and do Foe: Closest -> Steal. Run around the map, steal and move on.

Vaan is shikari/foe and he is the one that steals. If he doesnt manage to steal he doesnt get another chance unless oil misses lol. I could probably kill the mobs without oil but i purposefully do it that way to give me time to steal just wish it dealt with steal in a smarter way

[Scheneighnay]

Gambits aren't complex enough to be smart in most cases, but it definitely should work like you say, where an enemy that's already been stolen from won't be targetted.

There's already an invisible background gambit for most healing where someone won't cast raise, esuna, or etc when another party member is already casting raise, esuna, or etc.

I just wish you could set priorities for each of those cases. IE, Fran has 3 phoenix lores, Balthier has 2 phoenix lores, and Vaan has none, so Fran should get priority when using phoenix down, then Balthier, then Vaan.

[Hinnyuu]

Originally posted by Scheneighnay:

I just wish you could set priorities for each of those cases. IE, Fran has 3 phoenix lores, Balthier has 2 phoenix lores, and Vaan has none, so Fran should get priority when using phoenix down, then Balthier, then Vaan.

This is problematic because of free actions. If you had priorities it would delay your gambit action when the priority character is busy with something else. That leads to very awkward and confusing gameplay when things don't happen and you're not sure why.