Targeting System

Documentation Unreal Engine AI Targeting Multi-Player

Register player pawns as combat targets. Each AI gets one assigned target. UTargetSelector picks the pool if several exist.

When to Use This

Co-op with two or more player pawns as separate target pools.
Versus or FFA where AI should spread across teams or players.
Spawning AI before the player exists (lazy assignment on RegisterCombatTarget).
Bosses pinned to one player (bIgnoreTargetRedistribution).

Single-player: one RegisterCombatTarget call with bAutoAssignUnassigned = true pins unassigned combatants to that pawn. If an AI registers while targets already exist and no selector is configured, RegisterCombatant falls back to the first non-friendly entry in CombatTargets.

Viewport

LVL_SEC_Showcase>Targeting

Selector:

Target 1(2)

Target 2(3)

Target Counts

Target 1: 2

Target 2: 3

Events●

Target Counts

Target 1: 2

Target 2: 3

Event Log●

No events yet

Click targets to eliminate. System periodically re-evaluates assignments based on strategy.

Register Combat Targets

Use UAICombatRoleSubsystem (same subsystem as Combat Roles).

On the server, register any pawn other AIs should fight over. In Blueprint, on the player pawn's BeginPlay: add Get AI Combat Role Subsystem (no inputs), then call Register Combat Target with Target Actor set to Self and Auto Assign Unassigned checked.

Player pawn · Event BeginPlay

AICombatRoleSubsystem

Target

Target ActorSelf

Auto Assign Unassignedtrue

Reevaluate Existingfalse

Search context menu: Register Combat Target, category AI | Combat Role | Targeting.

Flag	Effect
`bAutoAssignUnassigned`	Assigns unassigned combatants directly to this target (skips team-friendly pairs), then `ForceReassignment()` (role evaluation). Default: `false`.
`bReevaluateExisting`	Calls `ReevaluateAllTargets()` so assigned combatants re-run `TargetSelector` (honors `bIgnoreTargetRedistribution`). Default: `false`.

SetCombatTarget(Player) is deprecated: it calls RegisterCombatTarget(Player, true) only.

Each registered target owns a separate role pool. Two players can each cap at three Attackers independently.

Target Selectors

On registration, target loss, or redistribution, the subsystem resolves UTargetSelector and calls SelectTarget.

Selector	Behavior	Typical use
`UFirstTargetSelector`	First entry in the candidate list	Single-player default when you add the class in settings
`UClosestTargetSelector`	Lowest squared distance from `FTargetSelectionContext`	Melee chase
`UBalancedTargetSelector`	Fewest assigned combatants; sticky while tied for least-loaded	Co-op fairness
`URandomTargetSelector`	Uniform random pick	Chaos encounters
`UAwarenessFilteredTargetSelector`	Filters by `USECAwarenessComponent` state, then runs `InnerSelector` (closest if null)	Stealth / perception-gated aggro

Selectors are Abstract, Blueprintable, EditInlineNew. Set one on EnemyAIConfig or project settings.

Awareness Filtered Target Selector

Set Target Selector to Awareness Filtered Target Selector, then fill the instanced fields below. Add Awareness Config on the same EnemyAIConfig (Awareness System).

Details

Awareness Filtered Target Selector (AwarenessFilteredTargetSelector)

Awareness Filter

Min Required State

Lost

Inner Selector

None

Instanced selector on EnemyAIConfig. Requires USECAwarenessComponent on the AI controller.

Field	Notes
Min Required State	Target awareness on this AI must be `>=` this state (`static_cast` on enum order). Default Lost passes Lost and Detected; Unknown, Forgotten, and Suspicious fail.
Inner Selector	Runs on the filtered list. Null picks closest by squared distance.
Missing awareness component	Warns once per controller, then runs the inner selector (or closest fallback) on the unfiltered list.

Resolution order

EnemyAIConfig → Target Selector
Project Settings → Default Target Selector
Registration-only fallback: if both are null during RegisterCombatant, the subsystem assigns the first registered non-friendly target in CombatTargets.
SelectTargetForCombatant / SelectTargetFor: if no selector is configured, returns nullptr (no pick).

Co-op and redistribution need Default Target Selector (for example UBalancedTargetSelector) or per-AI overrides.

Configure per AI

Combat Role

Target Selector

None

Ignore Target Redistribution

Field	Notes
Target Selector	Instanced selector object. Null uses project default.
Ignore Target Redistribution	Skips this AI in `ReevaluateAllTargets` and periodic target refresh. Boss pinned to one player.

Project default

Project Settings → Plugins → Soulslike Enemy Combat → Combat Roles → Target Selection:

Target Selection

Default Target Selector

None

Lazy Assignment

Set FAIRoleRegistrationParams::InitialTarget at registration time to pin one AI to a specific pool without waiting for a selector.

With bAutoAssignUnassigned = true, waiting combatants get this target directly (no selector) and run role evaluation. With false, unassigned combatants call SelectTargetForCombatant once a target appears (requires a configured selector).

Target Loss

UnregisterCombatTarget or OnDestroyed on a registered target triggers this sequence:

Combatants on that target lose AssignedTarget; role resets to SEC.Role.None where applicable.
OnCombatTargetUnregistered broadcasts.
SECCombatControllerComponent::HandleCombatTargetLost fires OnCombatTargetLost on each orphaned controller.
Subsystem calls SelectTargetForCombatant(..., bIsTargetLossReselection = true) and AssignCombatantToTarget if the selector returns an actor. (SelectTargetFor does not set this flag.)
OnCombatantsOrphaned broadcasts with the lost target and orphaned controllers.

Return nullptr from SelectTarget when Context.bIsTargetLossReselection is true to skip auto-reassign on the orphan path. Handle the orphan in OnCombatTargetLost.

EnemyControllerBase exposes Blueprint event K2_OnCombatTargetLost on the same path.

USECCombatControllerComponent* CombatComp =
    Controller->FindComponentByClass<USECCombatControllerComponent>();
CombatComp->OnCombatTargetLost.AddDynamic(this, &AMyAIController::HandleTargetLost);

Integration

System	Link
Combat Roles	Per-target role pools; see RegisterCombatTarget there.
Awareness System	`UAwarenessFilteredTargetSelector` + `AwarenessConfig` on the same `EnemyAIConfig`.
Action System	Per-action target via Contextual Execution.
Movement System	`MovementEvaluatorComponent` reads `GetFocusActor()`; the subsystem sets focus when it assigns a target.
Multiplayer	Register each player pawn as a combat target on the server.

AdvancedManual control API

Function	Purpose
`AssignCombatantToTarget(Controller, Target, bTriggerRoleEvaluation)`	Pin an AI to a pool (`nullptr` = unassigned).
`SelectTargetFor(Controller, CandidateTargets)`	Run configured selector on a custom list (self + friendlies filtered). Returns `nullptr` if no selector is configured.
`ReassignCombatantTarget(Controller)`	Re-run selector for one AI. On success, assigns the new target. On failure, clears assignment, resets role to None, and fires `HandleCombatTargetLost`.
`ReevaluateAllTargets()`	Re-run selector for all combatants (skips `bIgnoreTargetRedistribution`). Keeps the current target if the selector returns `nullptr` or the same actor.
`BalanceCombatantsAcrossTargets(bForceReassignment)`	Round-robin across targets; ignores selectors.
`TransferCombatantsToTarget(From, To, bForceReassignment)`	Move a pool (for example player death handoff).
`SetPrimaryTargetAndAssignAll(Target, bForceReassignment)`	Assign all combatants to one target.

AdvancedPeriodic target refresh

The reassignment timer updates roles only unless you enable Re-evaluate Targets On Reassignment under Combat Roles → Timing:

Timing

Role Reassignment Interval

Min Time In Role

Re-evaluate Targets On Reassignment

The flag runs only with CombatTargets.Num() > 1. Each cycle: ReevaluateAllTargets() (respects bIgnoreTargetRedistribution), then role evaluation. You can set the same flag on FAICombatRoleConfig via UpdateConfig.

Toggle at runtime:

Subsystem->SetReevaluateTargetsOnReassignment(true);

AdvancedCustom UTargetSelector

Subclass UTargetSelector in C++ or Blueprint. Override SelectTarget.

SelectTargetForCombatant and SelectTargetFor build FTargetSelectionContext before they call your selector:

Target Selection Context

Current Target

None

Combatant Count Per Target

0 Map elements

Distance Squared Per Target

0 Map elements

Is Target Loss Reselection

The subsystem strips the AI's own pawn and friendly actors (USECTeamHelpers::AreFriendly) from the candidate list. Return nullptr when Context.bIsTargetLossReselection is true to defer auto-reassign on the orphan path (SelectTargetForCombatant only).

AdvancedTeam filtering

Actors with ISECTeamInterface expose a team ID on the actor or its controller (0-254, or 255 = neutral via SECTeamID::NoTeam). USECTeamHelpers::AreFriendly removes same-team targets from:

Selector candidate lists
RegisterCombatTarget auto-assign
Registration fallback (first non-friendly target)
SetPrimaryTargetAndAssignAll and BalanceCombatantsAcrossTargets

Exception: TransferCombatantsToTarget moves combatants between pools as-is; it does not team-filter.

Actors without the interface count as neutral and stay valid targets for everyone.

Blueprint: Class Settings → Interfaces → SEC Team Interface → implement Get SEC Team ID.

Constants in SECTeamID: Player = 0, Enemy = 1, NoTeam = 255.

Damage (separate from targeting): USECTeamHelpers::CanDamageWithFilter with ESECTeamFilter (NoFilter, EnemiesOnly, FriendliesOnly, NeutralOnly). Melee trace exposes Team Filter on the pawn's SECMeleeTraceComponent:

Details

SEC Melee Trace Component (SECMeleeTraceComponent)

Damage

Team Filter

No Filter

Damage category on the wielder trace component. Filters who can be hit, separate from combat target selection.

AdvancedQuery and legacy API

Query

Function	Returns
`GetAllCombatTargets` / `HasCombatTarget`	Registered target pool
`GetCombatantTarget(Controller)`	AI's assigned target
`GetCombatantsForTarget(Target)`	Combatants on that target
`GetRoleCountForTarget(Role, Target)`	Per-pool role usage

Deprecated (compiler warnings)

Legacy	Replacement
`SetCombatTarget`	`RegisterCombatTarget(..., true)`
`GetCombatTarget`	`GetCombatantTarget` or `GetAllCombatTargets` (returns first registered target)

AdvancedSubsystem delegates

Delegate	Fires when
`OnCombatTargetRegistered` / `OnCombatTargetUnregistered`	Target added or removed
`OnCombatantsOrphaned`	Target lost; controllers need a new assignment
`OnCombatRoleChangedForTarget`	Role change with target context

Full list: Combat Roles → Subsystem delegates.