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Playerbots

AI Controlled Characters

108 views Last updated Sep 16, 2026, 2:52 PM by GRANDPAGAMER

'''Playerbots''' are AI-controlled World of Warcraft characters available on the Shadowmourne Realm.

Shadowmourne uses the AzerothCore '''mod-playerbots''' system, allowing AI characters to exist alongside real players, join groups, perform class roles, travel through the world, use equipment, participate in PvE and PvP activities, and respond to player commands.

Unlike ordinary pets or summoned creatures, Playerbots are full characters with:

  • a race
  • a class
  • equipment
  • talents
  • spells
  • bags
  • money
  • professions
  • quests
  • mounts
  • combat strategies
  • non-combat strategies
  • group behavior
  • AI-controlled movement

Playerbots are one of the defining systems of the Shadowmourne Realm.

Command Systems

Shadowmourne Playerbots use '''two different command systems'''.

Playerbot Server Commands

Administrative and character-management commands use:

.playerbots

Players may also find that abbreviated command entry such as:

.pl

works when accepted by the AzerothCore command parser.

The canonical command registered by the Playerbots module is:

.playerbots

These commands manage bots, random bots, linked accounts, monitoring and other Playerbot systems.

Bot Chat Commands

Commands such as:

follow
stay
attack
help
co
nc
autogear
maintenance

are commands sent directly to a Playerbot rather than server administration commands.

These are normally sent through whisper, party chat or another supported chat channel.

.playerbots Command Tree

The Shadowmourne Playerbots module registers the following main command tree:

.playerbots bot
.playerbots account
.playerbots rndbot
.playerbots gtask
.playerbots pmon
.playerbots debug

Each branch performs a different type of Playerbot management.

.playerbots bot

The '''bot''' branch is the primary character-management interface.

.playerbots bot

It is available to normal player security level accounts.

The Playerbot manager supports commands including:

list
reload
tweak
self
add PLAYERNAME
init PLAYERNAME
remove PLAYERNAME
addclass CLASSNAME [male|female|0|1]

List Bots

.playerbots bot list

Displays Playerbots available through the Playerbot manager.

This is useful when checking which characters can currently be controlled.

Add a Bot

.playerbots bot add PLAYERNAME

Example:

.playerbots bot add Arthasbot

Attempts to add the specified character as a Playerbot.

The named character must meet the Playerbot system's account and permission requirements.

Remove a Bot

.playerbots bot remove PLAYERNAME

Example:

.playerbots bot remove Arthasbot

Removes the specified character from Playerbot control.

This does not necessarily mean the character itself is deleted.

Initialize a Bot

.playerbots bot init PLAYERNAME

Initializes the specified Playerbot.

Initialization may prepare AI data, strategies and other Playerbot-specific character state.

Use initialization commands carefully on established bots.

AddClass

The AddClass system can quickly provide a Playerbot of a selected class.

Syntax:

.playerbots bot addclass CLASSNAME

or:

.playerbots bot addclass CLASSNAME male
.playerbots bot addclass CLASSNAME female

Numeric gender values may also be accepted:

.playerbots bot addclass CLASSNAME 0
.playerbots bot addclass CLASSNAME 1

Supported class names are:

  • warrior
  • paladin
  • hunter
  • rogue
  • priest
  • shaman
  • mage
  • warlock
  • druid
  • dk

Examples:

.playerbots bot addclass warrior
.playerbots bot addclass priest female
.playerbots bot addclass dk male
.playerbots bot addclass mage

AddClass is especially useful when a party needs a missing role.

For example:

  • Warrior → Tank or melee damage
  • Paladin → Tank, healer or melee damage
  • Priest → Healer or caster damage
  • Mage → ranged damage
  • Death Knight → Tank or melee damage

The server configuration determines whether normal players may use AddClass.

AddClass Bots

AddClass bots are different from normal persistent altbots and Random Bots.

They are drawn from accounts reserved for the AddClass system.

The server maintains a pool of AddClass accounts specifically for this purpose.

AddClass bots are useful for quickly filling missing group roles.

Examples:

.playerbots bot addclass warrior
.playerbots bot addclass priest
.playerbots bot addclass mage

A player could therefore quickly assemble:

  • one tank
  • one healer
  • several damage characters

for a Dungeon group.

.playerbots account

Shadowmourne includes a Playerbot account-linking system.

Available account commands include:

.playerbots account setKey
.playerbots account link
.playerbots account linkedAccounts
.playerbots account unlink

These commands are player-level commands and cannot be executed from the server console.

Set Security Key

Syntax:

.playerbots account setKey SECURITYKEY

Example:

.playerbots account setKey MyPrivateBotKey

This sets the Playerbot security key associated with the player's account.

The key is used when authorizing another account to be linked.

Do not publicly share a Playerbot account security key.

Syntax:

.playerbots account link ACCOUNTNAME SECURITYKEY

Example:

.playerbots account link MYALTACCOUNT MyPrivateBotKey

This attempts to link another account using that account's configured Playerbot security key.

Account linking allows Playerbot features to recognize trusted relationships between accounts.

View Linked Accounts

.playerbots account linkedAccounts

Displays accounts currently linked through the Playerbot account-linking system.

Syntax:

.playerbots account unlink ACCOUNTNAME

Example:

.playerbots account unlink MYALTACCOUNT

Removes the selected linked-account relationship.

Random Bots

'''Random Bots''' or '''RndBots''' are server-managed AI characters designed to populate the world.

Unlike bots manually attached to a player, Random Bots may operate independently.

Depending on server configuration they may:

  • log in automatically
  • travel
  • grind
  • quest
  • level
  • upgrade equipment
  • join groups
  • use battlegrounds
  • use dungeon finder
  • interact with other players
  • participate in guild activity
  • move between zones

Random Bots help make Shadowmourne feel like a populated living world.

.playerbots rndbot

Random Bot administration is handled through:

.playerbots rndbot

This command requires Game Master security.

Supported Random Bot operations include:

stats
update
reset
init
refresh
add
remove

Random Bot Stats

.playerbots rndbot stats

Displays Random Bot statistics.

This may include information about the Random Bot population and online state.

Random Bot Update

.playerbots rndbot update

Forces or triggers Random Bot update processing.

Random Bot Refresh

.playerbots rndbot refresh

Refreshes Random Bot information or state.

Random Bot Add

.playerbots rndbot add

Adds Random Bot activity according to the installed Random Bot manager behavior.

Random Bot Remove

.playerbots rndbot remove

Removes Random Bot activity according to the Random Bot manager behavior.

Random Bot Init

.playerbots rndbot init

Reinitializes the Random Bot system.

'''Warning:''' this is an administrative operation.

The Shadowmourne Playerbots configuration specifically warns that reinitializing Random Bots completely resets them.

Do not use this command casually on the live realm.

Random Bot Reset

.playerbots rndbot reset

Resets Random Bot state.

This is also a server-administration command and should only be used when the effects are understood.

Playerbot Performance Monitor

Game Masters can access the Playerbot performance-monitor system using:

.playerbots pmon

Available operations include:

.playerbots pmon reset
.playerbots pmon tick
.playerbots pmon stack
.playerbots pmon toggle

pmon reset

.playerbots pmon reset

Resets Playerbot performance-monitor statistics.

pmon tick

.playerbots pmon tick

Prints Playerbot performance information focused on tick processing.

pmon stack

.playerbots pmon stack

Prints Playerbot performance stack information.

pmon toggle

.playerbots pmon toggle

Enables or disables the Playerbot performance monitor.

This is intended primarily for server administration and debugging.

Guild Task Command

Game Masters have access to:

.playerbots gtask

This command passes Playerbot guild-task operations to the Playerbot Guild Task Manager.

It is an administrative command rather than a normal bot-control command.

See Playerbot Guild Tasks.

Playerbot Debug Commands

Playerbot debugging includes:

.playerbots debug bg

This passes commands to the Playerbot battleground tactics debugger.

It requires Game Master security.

These tools are intended for debugging Battleground behavior and should not normally be required during regular gameplay.

Bot Chat Commands

Playerbot chat commands are separate from .playerbots.

The Shadowmourne build explicitly contains support for commands including:

help
attack
follow
stay
co
nc
maintenance
autogear

These commands are processed by the Playerbot AI.

help

Send:

help

to a bot to request Playerbot command information.

This is one of the most useful Playerbot commands because the AI can report available commands directly.

When unsure whether a Playerbot command exists, start with:

help

follow

follow

Orders the Playerbot to follow its master.

The Shadowmourne AI contains both a Follow action and a Follow strategy.

Useful situations include:

  • traveling
  • regrouping
  • entering an instance
  • recovering after combat
  • moving a party through a dungeon

stay

stay

Orders a Playerbot to remain in position.

Shadowmourne has dedicated Stay strategy and Stay action support.

This is particularly useful for:

  • positioning ranged DPS
  • positioning healers
  • preparing boss fights
  • avoiding dangerous terrain
  • preventing bots from following the player into mechanics

attack

attack

Orders the Playerbot to attack the master's selected target.

This command is directly supported by the Playerbot chat-command system.

A typical pull might be:

  1. select an enemy
  2. position the party
  3. order the tank or bot to attack
  4. allow threat to stabilize
  5. begin full party damage

Combat Strategy: co

The command:

co

controls '''combat strategies'''.

It is implemented by the Playerbot AI as the Change Combat Strategy action.

Typical syntax uses strategy changes such as:

co +STRATEGY
co -STRATEGY

The exact strategies available depend on:

  • class
  • specialization
  • level
  • bot state
  • installed Playerbot AI strategies

See Playerbot Strategies.

Non-Combat Strategy: nc

The command:

nc

controls '''non-combat strategies'''.

It is implemented separately from combat strategy handling.

Typical syntax:

nc +STRATEGY
nc -STRATEGY

Non-combat strategies can affect behavior such as:

  • following
  • questing
  • looting
  • food usage
  • mounting
  • travel
  • buffs
  • PvP behavior

Shadowmourne's Playerbot factory includes multiple default non-combat strategy sets.

maintenance

maintenance

Runs Playerbot maintenance behavior when permitted by server configuration.

Maintenance can be used to keep AI characters properly prepared as they progress.

The Playerbot system contains maintenance support for areas such as:

  • ammunition
  • attunement quests
  • available spells
  • bags
  • class spells
  • consumables
  • food
  • gems
  • enchants
  • glyphs
  • keyring items
  • mounts
  • pets
  • pet talents
  • potions
  • reagents
  • reputation
  • skills
  • special spells
  • talents

Not every maintenance operation necessarily runs every time.

Behavior depends on server configuration and bot type.

autogear

autogear

Runs the Playerbot automatic-equipment system.

Autogear evaluates equipment and attempts to improve a bot's gear according to its class, specialization, level and configured limits.

Shadowmourne currently has the standard AutoGear command enabled.

This can be especially useful after:

  • leveling
  • creating an AddClass bot
  • obtaining new equipment
  • changing specialization
  • preparing a bot for dungeon content

AutoGear BiS

The Playerbots build also contains support for:

autogear bis

This system uses the Playerbots Best-in-Slot gear database.

However, availability is controlled separately by server configuration.

If the BiS system is disabled, normal:

autogear

should be used instead.

Playerbot Strategies

Strategies define how Playerbot AI behaves.

Shadowmourne separates AI behavior into several states.

Important examples include:

  • combat strategies
  • non-combat strategies
  • dead-state strategies
  • class strategies
  • movement strategies
  • role strategies

Commands such as:

co
nc

allow players to modify strategy behavior.

A Playerbot's strategy set can dramatically change its performance.

A healer, tank and DPS character should not necessarily use the same strategy configuration.

See Playerbot Strategies.

Follow and Stay Strategies

Follow and Stay are more than simple movement commands.

They also exist as actual AI strategies.

'''Follow''' tells the AI to maintain movement relative to its master.

'''Stay''' establishes a position that the AI attempts to maintain.

This matters during combat because the bot's AI can check whether Stay is active before choosing movement actions.

As a result, positioning commands can be extremely important during difficult encounters.

Playerbot Party Roles

Playerbots can perform traditional World of Warcraft roles.

Tank

Tank-capable classes include:

The tank should generally engage before damage characters.

Healer

Healing-capable classes include:

Healers require:

  • appropriate talents
  • sufficient mana
  • suitable equipment
  • reasonable positioning

Damage

Damage bots may be:

  • melee
  • ranged physical
  • spellcasters

Examples include:

Building a Five-Player Group

A traditional dungeon composition is:

  • 1 Tank
  • 1 Healer
  • 3 Damage

For example:

Player: Mage
Bot: Warrior Tank
Bot: Priest Healer
Bot: Rogue DPS
Bot: Hunter DPS

Using AddClass bots, a missing class can be requested when permitted:

.playerbots bot addclass warrior
.playerbots bot addclass priest

Dungeon Tips

When taking Playerbots into a Dungeon:

  1. verify every bot is present
  2. check equipment
  3. check talents
  4. confirm your tank
  5. confirm your healer
  6. check healer mana
  7. place ranged bots carefully
  8. use follow while traveling
  9. use stay when positioning is important
  10. allow tanks to gain threat
  11. avoid unnecessary pulls
  12. regroup before bosses

Playerbots perform best when the human player acts as the group's commander.

Raid Tips

Playerbot raids require considerably more organization.

Important considerations include:

  • tank assignments
  • healer assignments
  • boss targeting
  • raid positioning
  • threat
  • interrupts
  • encounter phases
  • movement
  • environmental hazards
  • resurrection and recovery

Playerbots can provide the bodies required to attempt larger content, but encounter mechanics may still require player planning.

See Playerbot Raid Guide.

Random Bots vs Player-Controlled Bots

Random Bots and player-controlled bots serve different purposes.

{| class="wikitable" ! Type ! Main Purpose ! Controlled By |- | Random Bot | Populate the world | Server AI |- | Altbot | Persistent player-associated bot | Player + AI |- | AddClass Bot | Quickly provide a requested class | Player + AI |}

Random Bots are primarily world-population AI.

Altbots are better suited for persistent progression.

AddClass bots are designed for rapidly filling missing group roles.

Safety Notes

Some .playerbots commands are powerful server-administration tools.

Commands involving:

rndbot init
rndbot reset
pmon
debug
gtask

should not be confused with normal player bot-control commands.

Normal players should primarily use:

.playerbots bot
.playerbots account

and bot chat commands authorized by the server.

Game Master commands should be used only when their effects are understood.

Troubleshooting

Bot does not respond

Try:

help

Check that:

  • the bot is online
  • the bot is associated with your Playerbot manager
  • you are permitted to control it
  • the bot is alive
  • the bot is not stuck in another map or instance

Bot will not follow

Try:

follow

If necessary:

  • stop moving
  • verify the bot is alive
  • check the group
  • leave and re-enter the area
  • reposition the bot

Bot will not stay

Try:

stay

Remember that some encounter mechanics or emergency AI behavior may still influence movement.

AddClass fails

Verify:

  • AddClass is enabled
  • the requested class name is valid
  • AddClass accounts are available
  • you have permission to create AddClass bots

Valid class names are:

warrior
paladin
hunter
rogue
priest
shaman
mage
warlock
druid
dk

Autogear fails

Check:

  • AutoGear is enabled
  • bot type is permitted
  • equipment limits
  • item-level limits
  • equipment availability
  • class/spec compatibility

Command is unknown

Start with:

.playerbots

or send:

help

to the bot.

Remember that .playerbots commands and bot chat commands are separate systems.

Command Quick Reference

Player Commands

.playerbots bot list
.playerbots bot add PLAYERNAME
.playerbots bot init PLAYERNAME
.playerbots bot remove PLAYERNAME
.playerbots bot addclass CLASSNAME
.playerbots bot addclass CLASSNAME male
.playerbots bot addclass CLASSNAME female

.playerbots account setKey SECURITYKEY
.playerbots account link ACCOUNTNAME SECURITYKEY
.playerbots account linkedAccounts
.playerbots account unlink ACCOUNTNAME

Bot Chat Commands

help
follow
stay
attack
co
nc
maintenance
autogear

GM Commands

.playerbots rndbot stats
.playerbots rndbot update
.playerbots rndbot reset
.playerbots rndbot init
.playerbots rndbot refresh
.playerbots rndbot add
.playerbots rndbot remove

.playerbots pmon reset
.playerbots pmon tick
.playerbots pmon stack
.playerbots pmon toggle

.playerbots gtask
.playerbots debug bg

Technical Information

Shadowmourne uses the AzerothCore Playerbots module.

The Playerbot system contains dedicated components for:

  • Playerbot AI
  • Random Bot management
  • account linking
  • bot factories
  • equipment management
  • dungeon suggestions
  • travel nodes
  • battleground AI
  • guild systems
  • speech
  • custom strategies
  • autogear
  • maintenance
  • performance monitoring

The realm also uses a dedicated Playerbots database for Playerbot-specific data.

Because Shadowmourne may receive Playerbot updates over time, commands and AI behavior documented on this page may evolve.