Basic Trope: Taking an action which is extra effective because it exploits a flaw in the AI.
- Straight: In Tales of Troperia XV, the Aegis spell puts up a strong physical barrier, but prevents the target from using non-magical attacks for its duration. If used on an opponent, the AI does not recognize the status, so they will try (and fail) to attack normally, becoming a defenseless sitting duck while your party blasts them with magic, trivializing some tough foes.
- Exaggerated: The Aegis spell breaks the opponent's AI for the entire battle, crippling them completely even after it wears off.
- Downplayed: The Aegis spell only lasts for one turn, allowing the rest of your party to get some free hits in but the opponent can soon act once again.
- Justified:
- The Aegis spell was specifically developed to be used offensively, even though it shows up in the "Buffs" section of the White Magic menu.
- The Aegis spell nerfs melee effectiveness to such an insane degree that the MeleeVSMagic function overflows to a negative value which tricks the AI into thinking that magic is useless.
- Inverted: The Aegis spell breaks the target's AI...by turning them into an Attack! Attack! Attack! Lightning Bruiser who can One-Hit KO your entire party.
- The AI is Too Dumb to Fool, a spell which disguises weak units as strong ones does nothing because they simply attack whatever is closest.
- Subverted:
- The Aegis spell breaks the target's AI, but the developers programmed in a default failsafe that still makes them capable in battle.
- Using possession on Evulz's mooks you'll see their moveset lacks any magical attacks or the ability to dodge or defend. Physical basic attacks really are their best option for passing their turn because they don't use any stamina.
- Double Subverted: ...however, the default failsafe is prone to Artificial Stupidity, still making them easier than they would have been.
- Parodied: Transforming into a spectral spider results in the enemies panicking and attempting to unload physical attacks at it while screaming in high pitched voices.
- Zig-Zagged: The Aegis spell breaks the target's AI, but was developed in-universe by a mage trying to twist White Magic spells offensively, and the way he twisted the spell causes only the positive effects to apply to those under the Big Bad's command, like nearly all enemies in the game. While the AI doesn't know how to handle the downside of the spell, it doesn't matter as it doesn't apply to them while they become highly resistant to physical attacks from the positive effect.
- Averted: Developer's Foresight. The AI is programmed very well and can respond to everything a player tries to do.
- Enforced: The game is based on a book in which the heroes use the Aegis spell in exactly this fashion, so it is required to work in-game as well.
- Lampshaded: Party member Quirby says during the first battle in which the player does this "man, that Aegis spell makes them stupid, doesn't it?"
- Exploited:
- Defied:
- Discussed:
- Conversed:
- Deconstructed:
- Reconstructed:
- Played for Laughs:
- Played for Drama: The discovery of the Aegis exploit sets off a chain of events that questions the morality of using such spells against sentient beings, leading to a dramatic storyline where characters must confront the consequences of their actions.
