Common Patterns & Examples

Documentation Unreal Engine AI Patterns

Ready-to-use patterns for melee, defensive, and aggressive enemy types.

The distance bands below (for example 100-250cm) describe the Range of a Distance Scorer. Distance is opt-in: an action only reacts to range once you add a Distance Scorer to its Scoring list and tune that scorer's Range. Movement values map to UMovementBehaviorProfile fields (DesiredDistance, DistanceTolerance, CrowdTolerance, and the strafe-rest / threat-response toggles).

Pattern 1: Basic Melee Enemy

ActionSet:

2-3 melee attacks at close range (100-300cm)
Quick retreat when too close (under 100cm)

Movement:

DesiredDistance: 200
DistanceTolerance: 0.2, CrowdTolerance: 0.45 (circles anywhere in roughly 110-240cm)
bEnableStrafeRest: true

Actions:

LightAttack:  100-250cm, 2s cooldown, weight 1.0
HeavyAttack:  150-300cm, 4s cooldown, weight 0.8, chains from LightAttack
QuickRetreat: 0-100cm,   3s cooldown, weight 1.5 (defensive)

Pattern 2: Defensive Enemy

ActionSet:

Defensive actions score higher
Longer cooldowns, stays at distance

Movement:

DesiredDistance: 350
DistanceTolerance: 0.2, CrowdTolerance: 0.3 (circles in roughly 245-420cm, gives ground sooner than most)
bAdjustDistanceByThreat: true, ThreatDistanceScale: 1.0 (backs off further as threat rises)

Actions:

CounterAttack: 150-250cm, only when Player.Attacking tag (2x multiplier)
Block:         100-300cm, BehaviorTree sequence with shield raise
Retreat:       0-200cm,   high weight, moves away

Pattern 3: Aggressive Rusher

ActionSet:

Close-range focused
Short cooldowns

Movement:

DesiredDistance: 100
DistanceTolerance: 0.1 (tight far edge, closes in fast), CrowdTolerance: 0.8 (refuses to be pushed off your face)
bEnableStrafeRest: false (no forced breaks, relentless pressure)

Actions:

LungeAttack:   200-400cm, 1s cooldown, high weight (initiator)
RapidSlash:    50-150cm,  1.5s cooldown, chains from LungeAttack
Grapple:       0-100cm,   3s cooldown, BehaviorTree with special animation