AI Goals

Define custom AI behavior for your entity. When AIGoals is present, it overrides any Behavior preset.

Syntax

Each goal can be simple or have parameters. You can optionally specify priority with a number prefix:

AIGoals:
  - float                           # Simple (uses default priority)
  - meleeattack{speed=1.2}          # With parameters
  - 1 swell{radius=3}               # With explicit priority (lower = higher priority)
  - 2 meleeattack                   # Priority prefix without params

Priority Syntax: X goalname or X goalname{params} where X is the priority number. Lower numbers run first (priority 0 runs before priority 1).

Goal Types

float

Keeps the entity above water.

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
-	-	-	No parameters

Priority: 0

- float

panic

Makes the entity flee when hurt.

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
speed	double	1.25	Movement speed while fleeing

Priority: 1

- panic
- panic{speed=1.5}

meleeattack

Performs melee attacks on the current target.

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
speed	double	1.0	Chase speed
alwaysfollow	boolean	false	Follow through walls

Priority: 2

- meleeattack
- meleeattack{speed=1.2, alwaysfollow=true}

note

If you have attack goals but no AITargets, the entity defaults to hurtbytarget (only attacks when attacked first).

randomstroll

Wanders randomly when idle (avoids water).

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
speed	double	0.8	Wander speed

Priority: 7

- randomstroll
- randomstroll{speed=0.5}

lookatplayer

Looks at nearby players.

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
range	double	8.0	Look range in blocks

Priority: 8

- lookatplayer
- lookatplayer{range=12.0}

---

Combat Goals

leapattarget

Leaps at the current target (like spiders and wolves).

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
leapheight	float	0.4	Vertical velocity of the leap

Priority: 4

- leapattarget
- leapattarget{leapheight=0.5}

movetowardstarget

Approaches the current target aggressively (like iron golems).

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
speed	double	0.9	Movement speed
within	float	32.0	Maximum distance to start approaching

Priority: 2

- movetowardstarget
- movetowardstarget{speed=1.0, within=16}

avoidentity

Flees from specified entity types (for cowardly mobs).

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
target	string	player	Entity type to avoid (e.g., player, wolf, cat, ocelot)
distance	float	6.0	Distance to maintain from target
walkSpeed	double	1.0	Walking speed when avoiding
sprintSpeed	double	1.2	Sprint speed when close

Priority: 1

- avoidentity
- avoidentity{target=player, distance=8}
- avoidentity{target=wolf, distance=6, walkSpeed=1.0, sprintSpeed=1.2}
- avoidentity{target=cat, distance=6}

tip

Skeletons avoid wolves, and creepers avoid cats and ocelots in vanilla Minecraft. Use this goal to replicate that behavior.

swell

Creeper-like swelling behavior that triggers an explosion when close to targets.

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
radius	int	3	Explosion radius in blocks
fuse	int	30	Ticks before explosion (1.5 seconds default)
powered	boolean	false	Whether explosion is powered (2x radius)

Priority: 1

- swell
- swell{radius=4, fuse=40}
- swell{radius=3, fuse=30, powered=true}

tip

The swell goal makes the entity start swelling when within 3 blocks of a target. If the target moves away (>7 blocks) or breaks line of sight, swelling stops.

rangedattack

Generic ranged attack behavior with customizable projectiles (snowballs, potions, fireballs, etc.).

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
projectile	string	snowball	Projectile type (see below)
potion	string	harming	Potion effect (for splash/lingering potions)
attackInterval	int	60	Ticks between attacks
attackRadius	double	15.0	Maximum attack range
speed	double	1.0	Movement speed when chasing

Projectile Types:

Projectile	Description
snowball	Snow golem style (default)
egg	Thrown eggs
small_fireball	Blaze-style fireball
fireball	Ghast-style large fireball
splash_potion	Splash potion with effect
lingering_potion	Lingering potion cloud
arrow	Shoots arrows
trident	Throws trident

Potion Types (for splash_potion and lingering_potion):

harming, healing, poison, regeneration, slowness, weakness, strength, swiftness, invisibility, fire_resistance, night_vision, water_breathing, turtle_master, slow_falling

Priority: 4

# Snow golem style (default)
- rangedattack{projectile=snowball}

# Witch-like potion thrower
- rangedattack{projectile=splash_potion, potion=poison, attackInterval=60}

# Blaze-like fireball shooter
- rangedattack{projectile=small_fireball, attackInterval=40}

# Ghast-like entity
- rangedattack{projectile=fireball, attackInterval=80}

# Drowned-like trident thrower
- rangedattack{projectile=trident, attackInterval=50}

rangedbowattack

Skeleton-style bow attack with strafing behavior.

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
speed	double	1.0	Movement speed
attackInterval	int	20	Ticks between shots
attackRadius	float	15.0	Maximum attack range

Priority: 4

- rangedbowattack
- rangedbowattack{attackInterval=30, attackRadius=20}

note

The entity should have a bow equipped (Equipment: mainhand: minecraft:bow) for proper behavior.

---

Sun Avoidance Goals

fleesun

Makes the entity seek shade when in sunlight.

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
speed	double	1.0	Movement speed when fleeing

Priority: 2

- fleesun
- fleesun{speed=1.2}

restrictsun

Prevents pathfinding through sunlit areas.

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
-	-	-	No parameters

Priority: 0

- restrictsun

tip

Combine fleesun and restrictsun for undead-style sun avoidance:

- restrictsun
- fleesun{speed=1.2}

---

Pet Goals

These goals work with the Taming module.

sitwhenordered

Makes tamed pets sit when ordered by their owner.

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
-	-	-	No parameters

Priority: 1

- sitwhenordered

followowner

Makes tamed pets follow their owner, with teleportation when too far.

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
speed	double	1.0	Movement speed
startdistance	float	10.0	Distance to start following
stopdistance	float	2.0	Distance to stop following
teleportdistance	float	12.0	Distance to trigger teleport

Priority: 6

- followowner
- followowner{speed=1.2, startdistance=8, stopdistance=3, teleportdistance=15}

---

Animal Behaviors

tempt

Makes the entity follow players holding certain items.

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
speed	double	1.0	Movement speed when following
items	string	wheat	Items that tempt (semicolon-separated)
canscare	boolean	false	Whether running scares the entity away

Priority: 3

- tempt{items=wheat}
- tempt{speed=1.2, items=wheat;carrot;potato, canscare=true}

eatblock

Eats grass blocks (like sheep).

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
-	-	-	No parameters

Priority: 5

- eatblock

---

Environment Goals

breakdoor

Breaks doors (like zombies on hard difficulty). Automatically configures the entity's pathfinding to plan routes through closed doors.

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
breaktime	int	240	Ticks to break door (12 seconds default)

Priority: 1

- breakdoor
- breakdoor{breaktime=120}

Full Zombie-like Behavior

For complete door-breaking behavior, combine with nearestplayer{mustsee=false}:

AIGoals:
  - float
  - breakdoor{breaktime=120}
  - meleeattack
  - wateravoidingrandomstroll
AITargets:
  - nearestplayer{mustsee=false}   # Can sense through doors

This lets the entity detect players through closed doors and path to break them down.

opendoor

Opens and optionally closes doors (like villagers). Automatically configures the entity's pathfinding to plan routes through closed doors.

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
closedoor	boolean	true	Whether to close door after passing

Priority: 5

- opendoor
- opendoor{closedoor=false}

---

Movement Goals

lookaround

Randomly looks around when idle.

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
-	-	-	No parameters

Priority: 9

- lookaround

followmob

Follows other nearby mobs.

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
speed	double	1.0	Movement speed
stopdistance	float	3.0	Distance to stop following
areasize	float	7.0	Search radius for mobs to follow

Priority: 6

- followmob
- followmob{speed=1.0, stopdistance=2, areasize=10}

---

Aquatic Goals

randomswim

Swims randomly in water (for aquatic mobs).

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
speed	double	1.0	Swimming speed
interval	int	120	Ticks between swim attempts

Priority: 4

- randomswim
- randomswim{speed=1.2, interval=80}

wateravoidingrandomstroll

Wanders randomly while avoiding water.

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
speed	double	1.0	Movement speed
probability	float	0.001	Chance per tick to start wandering

Priority: 6

- wateravoidingrandomstroll
- wateravoidingrandomstroll{speed=0.8, probability=0.002}

wateravoidingrandomflying

Flies randomly while avoiding water (for flying mobs).

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
speed	double	1.0	Flying speed

Priority: 6

- wateravoidingrandomflying
- wateravoidingrandomflying{speed=1.5}

breathair

Surfaces periodically to breathe (like dolphins).

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
-	-	-	No parameters

Priority: 0

- breathair

tryfindwater

Seeks water when on land (for aquatic mobs).

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
-	-	-	No parameters

Priority: 1

- tryfindwater

climbpowdersnow

Climbs on top of powder snow (like goats).

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
-	-	-	No parameters

Priority: 1

- climbpowdersnow

---

Priority System

Goals execute based on priority (lower number = higher priority):

Priority	Goal
0	float, breathair, restrictsun
1	panic, sitwhenordered, avoidentity, breakdoor, tryfindwater, climbpowdersnow, swell
2	meleeattack, movetowardstarget, fleesun
3	tempt
4	leapattarget, randomswim, rangedattack, rangedbowattack
5	eatblock, opendoor
6	followowner, followmob, wateravoidingrandomstroll, wateravoidingrandomflying
7	randomstroll
8	lookatplayer
9	lookaround

Override priority on any goal using the prefix syntax:

- 1 meleeattack              # Priority 1 (higher than default 2)
- 0 float                    # Priority 0 (runs first)
- 3 swell{radius=4}          # Priority 3 with parameters

---

Examples

Passive Mob

AIGoals:
  - float
  - randomstroll{speed=0.6}
  - lookatplayer

Hostile Mob

AIGoals:
  - float
  - meleeattack{speed=1.2}
  - randomstroll
  - lookatplayer
AITargets:
  - nearestplayer

Neutral Mob

AIGoals:
  - float
  - meleeattack
  - randomstroll
  - lookatplayer
AITargets:
  - hurtbytarget

Cowardly Mob

AIGoals:
  - float
  - panic{speed=1.5}
  - avoidentity{distance=8}
  - randomstroll{speed=0.4}
  - lookatplayer

Undead Mob (Sun Avoidance)

AIGoals:
  - float
  - restrictsun
  - fleesun{speed=1.2}
  - meleeattack{speed=1.0}
  - randomstroll
AITargets:
  - nearestplayer

Creeper-like Mob (Explodes)

AIGoals:
  - 0 float
  - 1 swell{radius=3, fuse=30}
  - 3 meleeattack{speed=1.0}
  - 5 wateravoidingrandomstroll{speed=0.8}
  - 6 lookatplayer
AITargets:
  - 1 nearestplayer
  - 2 hurtbytarget

Skeleton-like Archer

AIGoals:
  - 0 float
  - 1 restrictsun
  - 3 fleesun{speed=1.0}
  - 4 rangedbowattack{attackInterval=20, attackRadius=15}
  - 6 wateravoidingrandomstroll{speed=1.0}
  - 7 lookatplayer
AITargets:
  - 1 hurtbytarget
  - 2 nearestplayer
Traits:
  - sunburn
Equipment:
  mainhand: minecraft:bow

Pouncing Predator

AIGoals:
  - float
  - leapattarget{leapheight=0.5}
  - meleeattack{speed=1.3}
  - randomstroll
  - lookatplayer
AITargets:
  - nearestattackable{targettype=animal}

Tameable Pet

Taming:
  enabled: true
  item: bone
AIGoals:
  - float
  - sitwhenordered
  - followowner{speed=1.0, teleportdistance=12}
  - meleeattack{speed=1.5}
  - randomstroll
AITargets:
  - ownerhurtby
  - ownerhurt

Aquatic Mob

AIGoals:
  - breathair
  - tryfindwater
  - randomswim{speed=1.2}

Farm Animal

AIGoals:
  - float
  - panic{speed=1.3}
  - tempt{items=wheat;carrot, canscare=true}
  - wateravoidingrandomstroll{speed=0.6}
  - lookaround

Witch-like Potion Thrower

AIGoals:
  - float
  - rangedattack{projectile=splash_potion, potion=poison, attackInterval=60}
  - wateravoidingrandomstroll
  - lookatplayer
AITargets:
  - nearestplayer

Blaze-like Fire Mage

AIGoals:
  - float
  - rangedattack{projectile=small_fireball, attackInterval=40, attackRadius=16}
  - wateravoidingrandomstroll
  - lookatplayer
AITargets:
  - nearestplayer
  - hurtbytarget
Traits:
  - fireimmune

Snow Golem Clone

AIGoals:
  - float
  - rangedattack{projectile=snowball, attackInterval=20}
  - wateravoidingrandomstroll
AITargets:
  - nearestattackable{targettype=monster}

Trident-Throwing Guardian

AIGoals:
  - float
  - rangedattack{projectile=trident, attackInterval=50, attackRadius=20}
  - randomswim
AITargets:
  - nearestplayer
Traits:
  - waterbreathing