Starter Decks and (unbalanced) Matchmaking

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Is matchmaking fair?

I don't mean this as a rhetorical question, rather one that I hope provides anecdotal evidence for folks, like myself, who have just started playing Gwent and are using the only decks at our disposal which are the ones given to us at the conclusion of the Tutorial.

Is it just me, or does it seem that new players are at a disadvantage when playing with starter decks? I am consistently losing multiple matches in a row (8-9 loss streaks) before I can eek out one (1) win. The opponents I am facing are using decks comprised of mostly Legendaries, fancy Scenarios, etc. yet are ranked the same as me; Rank 25.

How does matchmaking work? Does it not take into account the decks being used, experience, W/L ratio of the player, other factors? The fact of the matter is that I am being steamrolled by players who theoretically have the same amount of experience/rank as me, but have vastly superior decks and cards.

Does anyone have any recommendations, advice, insight on how to move forward in the game so that people playing with starter decks (because that's all we have, and we're FTP) have a viable chance of winning matches against others with comparable decks?
 

DRK3

Forum veteran
My guess is your opponents found out the recently added 'starter trees'.

These can be found on the reward book, the last page (blue tab if i remember correctly). These trees require very little reward points and very easy and quick quests, and provide really good legendaries, they should be your top priority to fill these when starting the game, as they give a lot of cards that are played in top ranks (AA for NR, Braathens for NG, etc).
 
My guess is your opponents found out the recently added 'starter trees'.
Ironically, I'm working through the starter trees, and it is this reason why I made my original post. The starter tree for each faction requires you to win 2 total matches in order to finish each faction tree, and I am finding it increasingly difficult to win said matches in order to obtain the rewards they give.

In any case, the opponents I am facing are using decks that are decidedly not starter or even intermediate in nature; as I mentioned earlier, they are using Scenario cards, as well as decks comprised mostly of Legendaries, and not the ones found in the starter trees.
 

DRK3

Forum veteran
Ironically, I'm working through the starter trees, and it is this reason why I made my original post. The starter tree for each faction requires you to win 2 total matches in order to finish each faction tree, and I am finding it increasingly difficult to win said matches in order to obtain the rewards they give.

In any case, the opponents I am facing are using decks that are decidedly not starter or even intermediate in nature; as I mentioned earlier, they are using Scenario cards, as well as decks comprised mostly of Legendaries, and not the ones found in the starter trees.

Sorry to hear that. And if that's the case, i cant help out much...
But i do find it strange that at rank 25 you're already finding opponents with such decks, at least in a consistent rate, from what i hear, you only start finding metadecks at rank 15 or so. Are you sure you're on ranked? Because the matchmaking on ranked is based on your rank (and not on the alternatives you suggested, as far as we know) but on other mods its a free for all.
 
Are you sure you're on ranked? Because the matchmaking on ranked is based on your rank (and not on the alternatives you suggested, as far as we know) but on other mods its a free for all.
Dumb question, but how do I know if I am on ranked? What's the best way to play Gwent so I am not being steamrolled in matchmaking by people with far superior decks than the starter decks I have been given to play?

Is there a way to play Gwent without playing Ranked yet still obtain quest rewards, resources, materials etc.?
 

DRK3

Forum veteran
Dumb question, but how do I know if I am on ranked? What's the best way to play Gwent so I am not being steamrolled in matchmaking by people with far superior decks than the starter decks I have been given to play?

Is there a way to play Gwent without playing Ranked yet still obtain quest rewards, resources, materials etc.?

Well, there have been a lot of changes in the menus display, precisely to guide newer players to ranked and not having those accidentally playing unranked and being steamrolled by veterans.

When you click play on the main menu, there should be 3 options:
-the 1st is ranked, and where the matchmaking will put you against players of the same rank
-the 2nd is the current seasonal mode, that changes weekly in a 12 mode/week cycle
-the 3rd is training mode, but it includes 2 options - against AI or against other players. Its this last option (now fairly hidden) that is usually called unranked or casual mode

Also, you have draft mode on the main menu, its the 2nd option.
All of these modes EXCEPT playing against AI or friends give you rewards and resources and count for quests.
 
I agree with DRK 3. Things have changed since I was back on rank 25, but typically players at that level would only have several really good cards if they spent a significant amount of real money, or if they’ve been playing a lot, but are still back at a low rank. I don’t know how often the former occurs, the latter would’ve rare for a player playing ranked games.

But Gwent can be very streaky — one day my deck is unbeatable, the next it is hopeless. But these streaks should even out.

It is hard to play unranked matches unless you specifically try to. They are found under practice (select human opponent). Regular ranked matches are under play. If you are rank 25, you will get more even matches playing ranked; around rank 15 unranked will give you a good percentage of easy matches.
 
Also, you have draft mode on the main menu, its the 2nd option.
All of these modes EXCEPT playing against AI or friends give you rewards and resources and count for quests.
Not for nothing, but when playing against the AI, is it normal for the AI to completely dominate every game? I'm using the only decks I have at my disposal, which are the starter decks given to me post Tutorial, and I am consistently getting beat down by the AI, which is using far superior decks and cards than what I have.

It is hard to play unranked matches unless you specifically try to. They are found under practice (select human opponent). Regular ranked matches are under play. If you are rank 25, you will get more even matches playing ranked; around rank 15 unranked will give you a good percentage of easy matches.
Is Practice mode and Training mode the same thing? And to clarify, Practice/Training mode(s) give experience, resources and count towards quests, correct?

DRK3 and quintivarium, what would you suggest I do moving forward in Gwent regarding the issues I am having with (unfair?) match-making? I just finished the starter trees for all factions (they're all 15/15 now). Not sure what my next "steps" are regarding my progression in this game.
 
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I don't recall the AI being that hard to defeat with a starter deck -- but it has been a long time since I tried (back then, the only AI deck was monsters). This evening, I will try it and report further. If the AI is beating up on you but not me, it means you need to work on your actual play rather than your deck. If the AI demolishes me as well it is likely a deck issue. I after I test this, I can offer advice to proceed.

As for "practice" mode, I misremembered the term used. I meant training mode. As yes, you get full experience, resources and progress toward quests (except those on reward trees that require play on seasonal mode) for training mode against human opponents. You do not get credit against the AI.
 
Not for nothing, but when playing against the AI, is it normal for the AI to completely dominate every game? I'm using the only decks I have at my disposal, which are the starter decks given to me post Tutorial, and I am consistently getting beat down by the AI, which is using far superior decks and cards than what I have.


Is Practice mode and Training mode the same thing? And to clarify, Practice/Training mode(s) give experience, resources and count towards quests, correct?

DRK3 and quintivarium, what would you suggest I do moving forward in Gwent regarding the issues I am having with (unfair?) match-making? I just finished the starter trees for all factions (they're all 15/15 now). Not sure what my next "steps" are regarding my progression in this game.
You sure you selected training vs AI because it sounds more like you played Training vs Players because in that mode there are a lot of high Rank Players playing current Top Tier Decks for easy wins against unoptimized Decks and new Players.

Training vs AI doesn't give you any rewards anyway so it's pretty pointless to play that mode, you should stick to ranked where you face players that are around the same Rank as you are, i guess it's possible that you face some players who spend money to craft a Top Tier Deck there but that shouldn't be like every match, so if you struggle that much you maybe want to show us the Deck you're currently using, so we can maybe give some tips on how to improve it.

As for resources just spent you're Reward Points on other Trees and focus mainly on the Story nodes which give you Ore for Kegs
 
well, if a personal friend start to play the game right now i would suggest this form.

First play on rank with the starting decks untill you think your deck is not goo enought and you are struggle.

Take all your resouces and invest in the last expansion barrels, since usually they are the strongest card. Also, try to first invest in only one faction.

See the current meta in sites like "team aretuza" "team elder blood" "team leviathan gaming" and try to copy those decks (usually you will have enough scrapts to copy the top deck) and see some plays in youtube.

Play with that deck as far as you can and try to win as many as you can and save your resources.

Next month the meta will change, since will have balance patches. If its just balance patches (and not an expansion), problably your deck will be still good, maybe not top tier but still good (maybe you will have to do some small changes).

Wait untill half of the month (more or less) and those team will divulgue they're meta.

If your deck is still performing well, i recomend you to wait to another month.If the meta changed a lot and your deck nerfed to the ground, since you saved soe resources try to copy the meta of the current seasonal.

Copy it, play a lot, win a lot, save resouces for the next month.

After like 5-6 months you problably will start to have a lot of cards and you will be free to do whatever you want
 
when playing against the AI, is it normal for the AI to completely dominate every game? I'm using the only decks I have at my disposal, which are the starter decks given to me post Tutorial, and I am consistently getting beat down by the AI, which is using far superior decks and cards than what I have.
I just played 4 games against the AI with a variety starter decks I had not previously used. The AI cards were not significantly better than mine, and, except for a round where I badly messed up by forgetting what my cards did, I won rather handily.

As One Who Craves Souls suggested, you might not have been playing the AI. Players in unranked often have very strong cards. If you were indeed playing the AI, you may be tending to overlook the potential of your cards.

If you are losing overwhelmingly and frequently to the AI, it would help to know just what you are playing. If you could post a video of a round or even give a written synopsis of what was played, that might help me spot things that would help. At the very least, tell me the faction whose starter deck you would like help with and I can give further suggestions.
 
The new REWARD book faction (15 point)

It should not be locked by win with faction. I have litterraly like 0 cards from any faction except monster. I can´t win a fight. I constantly facing full tribe meta decks with my random cards.


EDIT: I didn´t know you can finish quest at Draft (thx for info btw) So finish quest there is best way if your collection suck as mine.
EDIT: Nwm lost 12 game in row at draft, the difference standart/draft is like 5 card at my opponent side. Almost premade decks. So fun facing hunger, deathwish scenaria, with viy, draw deathwish, ozzrel, et etc when i got like amazing witcher, relict mage construct skelige combo...
Thats exactly reasson why i almost never played HS arena.

This was another run... Rly cool meting my frost deck at draft. He didn´t play a single card which i dont have at my premade deck.

Looks like there is a loooots of work with draft ahead.
Snímek obrazovky 2021-11-17 015952.jpg
 
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If you are losing overwhelmingly and frequently to the AI, it would help to know just what you are playing. If you could post a video of a round or even give a written synopsis of what was played, that might help me spot things that would help.

You sure you selected training vs AI because it sounds more like you played Training vs Players because in that mode there are a lot of high Rank Players playing current Top Tier Decks for easy wins against unoptimized Decks and new Players.
It appears that I was playing against Players and not the AI in Training mode; not sure how I screwed that one up, lol. Apologies for the confusion!

At the very least, tell me the faction whose starter deck you would like help with and I can give further suggestions.

[...] so if you struggle that much you maybe want to show us the Deck you're currently using, so we can maybe give some tips on how to improve it.
So the starter decks I am using are the ones you receive once you finish the Tutorial in the game. I am using these decks, unaltered, from each faction to complete the Starter tree quests.

Using these decks in Play (ranked) against other players has been a frustrating and absolutely maddening experience due to the amount of losses I stack up before I can manage a win due to players with much more advanced cards and decks I do not have.

However, as of yesterday, I have finished the Starter tree quests for each faction, and have decided to take the advice voiced here and focus on a single faction to work on. I've selected Northern Realms as my faction to focus on, and this is the deck that I am currently fielding:


The above deck was taken from the following resource:


Now, having spent some resources to put this deck together, I've found that I am winning games more often than not in Ranked, and that I am being matched with players who have slightly weaker to similar strength decks as mine. However, I am still encountering players fielding decks filled with Legendaries and scenarios, although not as frequently.

Regarding the Northern Realms faction I have chosen to focus on, how should I proceed with it? What is the correct way to focus on a faction? Is there a general framework and/or outline to follow for best effect?

As for resources just spent you're Reward Points on other Trees and focus mainly on the Story nodes which give you Ore for Kegs
Can you tell me where the Story nodes are found? I'm not seeing anything that shows me where to find them.
 
To focus on one faction, you basically commit your purchases (kegs, reward tree nodes) to choice that advance that faction. So when you buy kegs, do not by ultimate kegs, buy NR kegs. When you buy nodes on reward trees, focus on trees or branches devoted to NR, when you craft cards, craft NR cards.

There can be a few exceptions. Since cards in the price of power expansion are powercrept (stronger than older cards of the same provision level), you should probably buy some expansion kegs as well — you will get fewer NR cards but those you get will be of better quality. I would not be looking for legendary or even epic cards in expansion kegs, but this is the fastest way to get new bronze cards. You can also consider neutral kegs as neutral cards also benefit NR. However, except for a small handful of cards (Oneiromancy, Korathi Heatwave) which you will likely craft anyway, most of the neutral card you really want would come from the expansion anyway—I would buy expansion kegs over neutral kegs.

To use your rewards most efficiently, start with the Northern Realms tree on the main page. Work towards treasure chests and scrolls. The chests usually give a lot of resources/trinkets for the cost. and the scrolls (story nodes) pay the most ore that can be used to purchase kegs. Also be aware that buying the character nodes not only gives you a leader skin cosmetic, it unlocks the other northern realms trees on this page.

After this tree, I suggest you look at year of the wererat tab, where you will find the way of the witcher tree. Each character you unlock in this tree opens a new tree -- and each of these new trees have nodes that offer location cards (legendaries). These cards are worth pursuing.

And remember, it is not necessary to finish all nodes in trees immediately. You will gain cards faster if you simply grab the high reward nodes of each tree, then move to another tree. You can always return to finish the tree later.
 

DRK3

Forum veteran
It appears that I was playing against Players and not the AI in Training mode; not sure how I screwed that one up, lol. Apologies for the confusion!




So the starter decks I am using are the ones you receive once you finish the Tutorial in the game. I am using these decks, unaltered, from each faction to complete the Starter tree quests.

Using these decks in Play (ranked) against other players has been a frustrating and absolutely maddening experience due to the amount of losses I stack up before I can manage a win due to players with much more advanced cards and decks I do not have.

However, as of yesterday, I have finished the Starter tree quests for each faction, and have decided to take the advice voiced here and focus on a single faction to work on. I've selected Northern Realms as my faction to focus on, and this is the deck that I am currently fielding:


The above deck was taken from the following resource:


Now, having spent some resources to put this deck together, I've found that I am winning games more often than not in Ranked, and that I am being matched with players who have slightly weaker to similar strength decks as mine. However, I am still encountering players fielding decks filled with Legendaries and scenarios, although not as frequently.

Regarding the Northern Realms faction I have chosen to focus on, how should I proceed with it? What is the correct way to focus on a faction? Is there a general framework and/or outline to follow for best effect?


Can you tell me where the Story nodes are found? I'm not seeing anything that shows me where to find them.

@quintivarium already gave you sound advice on how to spend resources, so im gonna focus on your deck.

The one you showed here should be very solid:
Its NR devotion to take advantage of kerack marines (if you switch it up and include even a single neutral card, it stops being devotion and kerack marines arent as worth it).
Its a simple engine overload deck, with a great focus on boosts, but also kerack frigates to also generate points without being completely vulnerable to an Yrden.
The best card is probably Anseis + leader charge, and Viraxas to repeat it, and Viraxas has good alternatives in bloody baron and kerack marines.
That deck can easily get you to rank 15, and if you insist probably even further, to rank 10 or even 5.

The weakest link of the deck is Stennis, which is generally considered garbage, try to switch it for something else. Personally i like to include at least a lock in my decks and NR has Margarita at 6 provisions.
Egmund and ronvid are probably the ones that also could be replaced, but the top and low end of the deck are really solid.
 
Additionally to the already mentioned stuff by DRK3 and quintivarium since you're Deck doesn't use up the full Provision Limit you should probably add John Natalis (let's you play Amphibious Assault or Boiling Oil if you didn't draw into them) and Queen Adalia which you received from the NR starter Trees anyway.

Afterwards the Deck should probably look like this.

Reinforcements isn't really necessary but since it's also available in the starter Trees i did put it in, but like DRK3 already said this or Ronvid could be replaced with Margarita Laux Antille.
 
To use your rewards most efficiently, start with the Northern Realms tree on the main page. [...] Also be aware that buying the character nodes not only gives you a leader skin cosmetic, it unlocks the other northern realms trees on this page.
When you refer to "unlocks the other Northern Relam trees on this page", are you referring to the King Henselt, King Demavend, Princess Adda and King Foltest trees? Is there a best order to follow when choosing which of these Leader trees to ?

After this tree, I suggest you look at year of the wererat tab, where you will find the way of the witcher tree. Each character you unlock in this tree opens a new tree -- and each of these new trees have nodes that offer location cards (legendaries). These cards are worth pursuing.
To which tree are you specifically referring to when you specify "After this tree"?

And remember, it is not necessary to finish all nodes in trees immediately. You will gain cards faster if you simply grab the high reward nodes of each tree, then move to another tree. You can always return to finish the tree later.
Apologies in advance, but can you elaborate on what you mean when you refer to "grabbing the high reward nodes of each tree, then move to another tree"? I don't think I'm following you.

Egmund and ronvid are probably the ones that also could be replaced, but the top and low end of the deck are really solid.
Thank you so much for giving me your honest opinion on this deck! Regarding Egmund and Ronvid, which cards would you replace them with?

If you were going to further fine tune this deck, how would you flesh it out to achieve the most effective deck possible in winning ranked matches in today's metas and/or game play?

Afterwards the Deck should probably look like this.
Excellent. I will try this tweaked version of the deck out tonight! Thank you! =)
 
When you refer to "unlocks the other Northern Relam trees on this page", are you referring to the King Henselt, King Demavend, Princess Adda and King Foltest trees? Is there a best order to follow when choosing which of these Leader trees to ?


To which tree are you specifically referring to when you specify "After this tree"?


Apologies in advance, but can you elaborate on what you mean when you refer to "grabbing the high reward nodes of each tree, then move to another tree"? I don't think I'm following you.
Yes, I was referring to Hensley, Adda, Foltest, and Demavend trees.

“This tree” is ambiguous. I was thinking that in addition to the main tab NR trees, you turn to the way of the Witcher tree as a top priority. Getting legendary cards from reward trees is a super bargain. The exact sequence of trees is not that critical.

Finally, all I meant by grabbing the high reward nodes is to only purchase nodes that either give items you want or are required to get to items you want. If you are trying to build your card collection, you want kegs and ore. Powder is nice for trinkets, but it won’t get you cards. The best rewards are usually the scrolls and chests.
 

DRK3

Forum veteran
@Serellious I was gonna answer you back, but @OneWhoCravesSouls not only detected a major flaw in your deck i missed, but also posted a reworked version, even taking advantage of cards you already have, so definitely use the version he posted for you.

I am so used to using all possible provisions when making a deck i dont even look at the provisions when im seeing other people's decks, i just assume they use all provisions too.
And this is a good habit - using all possible provisions a leader ability provides - everyone should pick up quickly when making decks, its no wonder starter decks struggle so much when they have so many provisions "unspent".
 
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