Let us teach you the best bot commands in CS2

Like many games, CS2 has Bots: AI-controlled opponents and teammates that you can command and use to train scenarios or have fun with.

From very basic use as additional (or only) players on a server to highly specialised uses like placing them in specific spots, bots are a versatile tool that you can use to become a better player.

In this article, we will show you how to use the according commands and give you hints on what to do with the Bots in CS2.

What are bot commands used for in CS2?

Bot commands in CS2 are used to add, remove and give orders to Bots on the server. By using the commands, you can customize your practice environment and control your own little NPC army.

Understanding Bot Mechanics

While a simple application of Bots is using them in an offline 5v5 match as teammates and opponents, their use is way more complex if you know how to manipulate their behaviour.

You can use commands to adjust and modify bot difficulty, weaponry and tactics on the fly to fit a specific use case. Bots are meant to simulate human players to an extent, allowing you to refine strategies and skills outside of competitive play.

While they won’t be helpful when training your game sense, they can be great for warming up, training your aim and going through specific scenarios, like clearing a bombsite and checking angles quickly and efficiently.

How to Add Bots to CS2 Matches

Adding bots to a CS2 match is easily done using specific console commands. For instance, the command “bot_add” followed by T or CT will add a bot to the terrorist or counter-terrorist side, respectively.

You can specify the number of bots you want to add and their difficulty level, ensuring the match's competitiveness aligns with your skill level and training goals. Of course, you can also remove bots if you want to.

Practice Scenarios with Bots

CS2 bots are instrumental in creating various practice scenarios. You can configure bots to use only pistols with the “bot_pistols_only” command, facilitating targeted weapon practice.

Other commands like “bot_kill” allows you to restart a round instantaneously, which is ideal for resetting practice scenarios rapidly. These customizable scenarios enable you to rehearse specific aspects of gameplay, such as entry fragging or site retakes, with precision and repeatability.

How do I use bot commands?

You must understand the correct command syntax and become familiar with common commands to use bots effectively. Most importantly, you have to use the developer console to enter those commands, so make sure to enable it and bind a key so you can open it once you need it. We also have an article on using the developer console right here.

Common Bot Commands

Counter-Strike 2 (CS 2) hosts a variety of bot commands that allow you to control in-game bots for a more tailored gaming experience.

Bot Management Commands in CS 2:

• Add a Bot to a Team: bot_add [team]
  • Example: bot_add ct adds a bot to the counter-terrorist team.
• Kick (remove) a Bot: bot_kick [name]
  • Example: bot_kick John removes the bot named John from the game.
• Adjust Bot Difficulty: bot_difficulty [number]
  • Example: bot_difficulty 2 sets the bots to medium difficulty. More on that below.
• Freeze Bots: bot_stop 1
  • Prevents bots from moving. They can resume with bot_stop 0.
• Place a Bot on certain position: "bot_place"
  • Places a Bot where you look
• Make all Bots crouch: "toggle bot_crouch"
  • Useful for certain positions or boosts

You can also give the Bots commands by using the in-game radio menu; there, you can let the bot follow you, hold position, etc.

What are the most useful commands I should know

When managing bots in Counter-Strike 2 (CS2), understanding specific commands can enhance gameplay and provide customized experiences. Learning how to adjust bot difficulty and create bot scripts is essential for any server admin or player seeking to tailor the bot behaviour to their liking.

Customizing Bot Difficulty

In Counter-Strike 2, adjusting the bot difficulty ensures that new and experienced players can find a suitable challenge. To change the difficulty level of bots in a game, a player may typically use the following commands in the console:

• bot_difficulty [value] where [value] is replaced with a number to set the desired difficulty level.

The difficulty levels are usually structured as:

• 0: Easy
• 1: Normal
• 2: Hard
• 3: Expert

These commands directly impact how bots in CS2 react to players, with higher difficulties leading to faster reactions and more strategic behaviours.

But in CS2 the Bot difficulty gets adjusted depending on your score, right now this is mostly bugged and not very well implemented leading to really bad Bots. In CS:GO, there was also the possibility to use even more scripts to adjust the AI of Bots, so-called Bahvioural Trees.

You can read a very good piece on it by David Burst here:

• https://davidbdurst.com/blog/csknow_behavior_tree_bots_0_1.html

As of yet, it’s not possible to do this in CS2, though; we don’t know if Valve will implement customizable AI databases and scripts again.

Start Using the Commands to Improve Your Gameplay Today

With all of our tips and the commands for controlling bots in CS2, you can start experimenting on your own and with friends, implementing them in your warmup and training to get the best out of the CS2 bots.