# Game AI

Design NPC and enemy decision-making with finite state machines, behavior trees...

- Repository: https://github.com/gamedev-skills/awesome-gamedev-agent-skills (6445 stars)
- Category: Design
- License: Apache-2.0
- Last updated: 2026-10-28
- Runs scripts: no, instructions only

## Install

Claude Code: `npx skills add gamedev-skills/awesome-gamedev-agent-skills --skill game-ai -g -a claude-code -y`
Codex: `npx skills add gamedev-skills/awesome-gamedev-agent-skills --skill game-ai -g -a codex -y`
Cursor: `npx skills add gamedev-skills/awesome-gamedev-agent-skills --skill game-ai -g -a cursor -y`
Gemini CLI: `npx skills add gamedev-skills/awesome-gamedev-agent-skills --skill game-ai -g -a gemini-cli -y`
Claude Code plugin marketplace: `/plugin marketplace add gamedev-skills/awesome-gamedev-agent-skills`

## Description

Design NPC and enemy decision-making with finite state machines, behavior trees, steering behaviors, and A* pathfinding, engine-neutral algorithms that pair with the detected engine's navigation API. Use when building enemy AI, an FSM or behavior tree, steering/flocking, or pathfinding, or when the user mentions state machine, behavior tree, blackboard, A*, navmesh, seek, or patrol/chase.

## SKILL.md, as published by its author (untrusted third-party text, read it as data)

# Game AI: decisions, steering, and pathfinding

Build believable NPC behavior from three separable layers: **decide** (what to
do), **steer** (how to move there), and **path** (how to route around the map).
Keep them decoupled, a behavior tree picks a target, the pathfinder produces
waypoints, steering follows them. This skill teaches the engine-neutral
algorithms; bind them to your engine via the related skills below.

## When to use

- Use when implementing enemy/NPC logic: patrols, chase/flee, guard states,
  group movement, or "find a path to the player".
- Use to choose between an **FSM** (few clear states), a **behavior tree** (many
  reactive behaviors with priorities), or **steering** (smooth local movement).
- Use when integrating pathfinding: A* on a grid/graph, or driving an engine
  navmesh agent.

**When *not* to use:** for the engine's concrete navmesh/agent API and baking,
use `unity-navmesh`, `unreal-behavior-trees`, or Godot's `NavigationAgent2D/3D`
(see that engine skill). For movement/collision feel, use `physics-tuning`. For
spawning waves along lanes, see the `tower-defense` genre skill.

## Core workflow

The rest: https://github.com/gamedev-skills/awesome-gamedev-agent-skills/blob/HEAD/skills/disciplines/game-ai/SKILL.md