I'm starting to build a online PVP (duel like, one-on-one) game, where there is leveling, skill points, special attacks and all the common stuff. Since I have never done anything like this, I'm still thinking about the math behind the levels/skills/specials balance.

So I thought a good way of testing the best builds/combos, would be to implement a Genetic Algorithm. It'd be like this:

• Generate a big group of random characters
• Make them fight, level them up accordingly to their victories(more XP)/losses(less XP)
• Mate the winners, crossing their builds, to try and make even better characters
• Add some more random chars, emulating new players
• Repeat the process for some time, or util I find some chars who can beat everyone's butt

I could then play with the math and try to find better balances to make sure that the top x% of chars would be a mix of various build types.

So, is it a good idea, or is there some other, easier method to do the balancing?