So, how's your arena experience?

[4RM3D]

Yeah I already knew that strategy but isn't NEEDING to give up a round just prove that the coin flip is worse?

Matter of perspective. The coin flip is a big issue already and Arena doesn't necessarily make it worse (or better). The difference is that in Arena both players are in the same boat, meaning without CA spies and the same RNG mess. This results in not having a tactical decision to either play a long round or trying to bleed the opponent, which means a dry-pass is the most safe option.

 

[StrykerxS77x]

Matter of perspective. The coin flip is a big issue already and Arena doesn't necessarily make it worse (or better). The difference is that in Arena both players are in the same boat, meaning without CA spies and the same RNG mess. This results in not having a tactical decision to either play a long round or trying to bleed the opponent, which means a dry-pass is the most safe option.

IMO the coin flip is worse as I dislike feeling like I have to pass and then giving control to my opponent who might have a great strategy to beat me in the next round even being a card down.

 

[zevashtyan]

bad experience. dont like

 

[kiramode]

How are the prizes in this format? Is it profitable similar to hearthstone arena?

 

[NGBloodgeist]

Pros:
. I get to experience other factions since I've only played Nilfgaard since CB.
. Get to see new decks or fun combos.

Cons:
. It's just way to random. I like the idea of a bigger card pool but it's near impossible to construct anything half way decent.
. The draws. From several golds to hardly any. It's no fun stomping the player to getting demolished because of horrible draws.
. Card advantage. I feel it's even more important than ever.
. Card types and actual cards. Why is Ciri Nova in the lineup? Pull or summon "ver y specific card" and play it. It is a gamble yes but it's never paid off for me at least to try and get cards to synergize.

I want arena to succeed and it's a breath of fresh air to play against new decks. I feel like they need to reduce the factions from all open to just two.or three only. It would give more consistency I feel.

 

[Ic3Purple]

It is a nice addition to the game, but the insane RNG factor is still what makes this game bad.

 

[Khreygond]

You can pull some very interesting combos, it's not meant to be competitive, just fun

I had a Farseer and I played Dijkstra which got me Ge'els and a Light Longship. Ge'Els pulled Blue Dream with which I created a Ciri in the second round (I had won the first), and the longship started triggering the Farseer, I couldn't help but think this is the best Dijkstra I've ever played

 

[stridecolossus]

It's fun I guess but way to random to be anything more than a change to casual play, like most of the other posters I think everyone has had a few arena matches then they will continue with casual/ranked/pro as before.

Likes:
- nice alternative to casual play.

Dislikes (ignoring technical issues):
- coin flip and card advantage are amplified due to the random nature of decks - not sure how that could be fixed.
- having all factions means the card pool is way too large to get any sort of card synergies going - personally I thought the 'bug' where you drew from 2 factions was better and more thematic.
- not a fan of some decks getting tons of gold and silvers and others getting less, just seems pointless as you're basically screwed if you get less than the average - why not have fixed numbers like normal Gwent decks?

In summary it just feels like a.n.other CCG with Gwent cards - no strategy, no card synergies, just point throwing.

 

[Khreygond]

no strategy, no card synergies, just point throwing.

Hmm, no strategy, sure. No synergies, not necessarily. You just need neutral synergies. Things that synergize well with all kinds of things. I just finished my first successful Arena bout (9 wins - 2 losses), playing first more than half the times. My finisher was Sihil and Dragon's Dream which gave me a mountain of points in a long round, especially if I could throw Iris in that fog I also got Letho: Kingslayer with Reinforcement.

At any rate, yes, it's not meant to be anything more than an alternative to casual play. But it's quite fun IF you get a good deck. If you don't, you can always break the contract. 150 ore grows on trees practically, it's so easy to get.

 

[Iuliandrei]

Anything is better than ranked right now, i like it especially when i get some weird combos like Sabrina + Assassin. However i feel like i'm not getting as many golds as everyone else, my average right now is at 5.85, whenever i see other decks usually go for 8-9.

 

[Unfund]

Been having a lot of fun with arena

 

[Cardzilla]

crappy due to horrible xbox servers

 

[Sunsibar]

Still loving the Arena! Just played a bit and I'm going to play some more as soon as I get this post done

Everything is possible in there. Just today I saw a player winning the Arena match without drawing one single gold during the entire match and opponent's side was practically full of golds. I have also won surprisingly many matches with a deck that only had 3 golds. As I have lost surprisingly many matches with 9 golds. At best I have only managed to get half way through the O'Dimm challenge, so far, but I consider that being already a good achievement.

Definite good points in Arena are:
- All cards are available to everyone (yes, I know that everyone doesn't get similar chances to pick during the draft)
- The complete randomness (yes, I really do like it just the way it is). You are not going to see same opponent decks twice. You are also not going to get same decks twice. It makes you think, think, think. How to do my best with the cards that I have. I love it! Every game is different and unique. And you don't have any idea what your opponent is going to do next. You think you may have, but your opponent didn't have the card you were expecting. Instead he/she surprised you with something completely different.
- I know it's kinda pointless after two previous notes, but still, as a casual, lower mid level player, it feels awesome to win a match against level 100, rank 21 player.
- I have had terrible luck in casuals and in ranked last few seasons. And I mean literally terrible luck. But I seem to have way better luck in Arena. So, definitely a yay!
- Drafting a deck is still equally enjoyable and fun, as playing the actual matches with it.
- Very refreshing break from casuals and ranked.

Downsides?
- Haven't found any yet.



This_is_just_so_much_fun!

And now, please excuse me, I have a date with Gaunter O'Dimm.

 

[jovi_wan_kenobi]

Everything is possible in there.

Agreed with that. It's quite fun and always surprising. Had an incredible deck (6 gold/17 silver/3 bronze) and struggled in level 3 (okay, one time because of DC). Another time reached level 8 with 13 bronze.

 

[Ic3Purple]

If it has a portion of really good fun, due to it's RNG, it is also too much of it. Mean to say, there can't be deck with 9 golds plus the leader ( or more) and 15 silvers, rest bronzes, vs 13 bronzes, 6 golds, and silvers.

Again, this metagame prizes always the lucky bastard, not the skill or outsmarting. The first deck simply outscore by far the second. As for me, I'm done with the Arena until something change.

 

[Esmer]

If it has a portion of really good fun, due to it's RNG, it is also too much of it. Mean to say, there can't be deck with 9 golds plus the leader ( or more) and 15 silvers, rest bronzes, vs 13 bronzes, 6 golds, and silvers.

Yes, this is definitely a problem. The difference between 5 golds deck and 10 golds deck is huge. Sure, you can still win with 6 golds (especially if you have better synergies), but power level of cards is very important. I even lost one game 0-2, because my opponent's deck was way stronger.

Anyway, draft modes work the same in other CCGs, but it would still be great if there wasn't such a big difference between the number of golds in the Arena.

 

[Ic3Purple]

Besides, I would like to re-pick a card during the drafting if by mistake I picked a wrong one, misclick, whatever... That's because that card may break my deck.

The reselection should be available, not to all card, but when selecting one, maybe ask if "are you sure to keep this one?" So I can re-pick safely without breaking my deck. Then confirm the final choice.

 

[SoSaHer]

I really enjoy the arena in it`s current format.

I`m currently having fun with a deck that used letho + cockatrice (bronze monster unit that resets) as a finisher. Works suprisingly well if I draw into the cards

 

[Skybeatzz]

I did it quite often now and well its based on the luck u get with the gold cars, one time i got 11 another i got 6. its obvious that u got better chance with the deck with 11 gold cards, but its quite funny and sometimes interessting what u can do if u combine the different groups

 

[VladAtheris]

Played three runs, never had less than 6 golds. Average win rate of 8/run. I don't see much point to it when you have all the cards unless you want to farm premium golds. It's not that fun for me because all you have to do is set up your win condition and then it's gg. Your opponents have no clue what you are running and will not see it coming. I've have 4 games I think where they just forfeited halfway into round 1 because they were going 2 down and still behind on points.
I can only see this being something people do regularly if they want to farm scraps, ore and packs.
I like the HS arena because it is far more random than the Gwent arena. In a game where you have 45% of your deck at your disposal at the beginning of the game you simply do not get the same level of randomness.
I want my arena experience to be explosive and wild and the Gwent arena just isn't that.