Seriously getting sick of the AI in Gwent

[Nightlistic]

Seriously getting sick of the AI in Gwent

Forth day I've been playing Gwent from morning until some days 1or 2am, and I am just disgusted by the AI. There is not a single NPC Gwent player who doesn't seem to have the absolutely best cards in the world and always having them every time you play them. I have encountered matches were I roll 5 Hero's and the AI just happened to roll 5 Hero's. If I use three spy cards they just happen to have three spy cards. If I use decoy to take there spy cards they just happen to have decoys, and on top of that EVERYONE has an endless supply of Scorch cards. Match I just lost baffled me cause I used a spy card and the two cards it pulled I don't even have. I was like where did those come from I don't even own those. Then to add insult to injury its taking 35 attempts to beat an NPC, and my decks are all around 150 strength with maxed special and 5 hero cards per deck. Its just absolutely baffling to me. I've read the hints, I've googled how to win easy at Gwent, well none of those work when the AI at least on my game version of PS4 seems to have AI 9/10 is pulling the perfect cards, at the perfect time every time. Gwent is an amazing game and its super fun but this AI is not fun and it seriously needs a look at in a future patch.

So I just witness the AI do this. I started off with 3 spy cards. AI just happened to have 3 decoys. So I had 4 Hero cards and yep the AI just happened to have 4 Hero cards. Now the AI had not used the spy cards yet so it was still using the delt hand. Matched me card for card with the Hero cards. So I put down a 10 point ranged card and a horn. Lucky for the AI it had a scorch card to destroy that one then after that it pulls 2 of those cards that can summon 2 cards of the same type both were 5 points so in two plays it gained 30 points and to top it off it had a horn. All the while I'm running out of cards and some so it drops the spy cards and well you see where that's going. I'm truly at a loss for words when describing the AI actions in Gwent other than it was obviously coded kinda shady. Seems like I'm the only one not walking around with a GOD MODE gwent deck in the game cause even the beggar merchant guy has cards that could probably buy him a castle. ~sighs~Guess I'll continue spending 45 rounds per NPC and giving all my crowns away since its apparently my fault for even attempting to challenged the legendary Gwent Players of Velen and Novigrad. Must be nice to always get the cards you need and want every time.

Another AI issue I have encountered is when you use a card that lets you pick from your discarded cards, and when the player chooses a discarded card that summons other cards at least for me it never works but when the AI does the exact same thing it works flawlessly. Really makes me wonder if Gwent was fully beta tested before launch.

 

[prottenstein]

The only serious problems I had in Gwent, apart at the beginning, have been in the High Stakes quest.
Without spoilers, I found a lot of problems in those matches because it seemed my deck couldn't function at all: I had 4 spies and seen none while cycling at least half deck, using decoys on opponent's spies.
I have no shame saying I realoaded until I won that quest, because I too feel cheated by those gwent matches.

 

[Gerald01]

Game is completely rigged as far as cards go, but the AI can be so stupid it makes up for it.
I mean they both contribute to the game being problematic, AI idiocy just make it possible to defeat it..

---------- Post merged on 26-06-2015 at 12:00 AM ----------

The only serious problems I had in Gwent, apart at the beginning, have been in the High Stakes quest.
Without spoilers, I found a lot of problems in those matches because it seemed my deck couldn't function at all: I had 4 spies and seen none while cycling at least half deck, using decoys on opponent's spies.
I have no shame saying I realoaded until I won that quest, because I too feel cheated by those gwent matches.

The halfling was going for a spy+medic binge almost everytime. Incredible stuff. He even pulled 4-5 spies in a row one drawing the other during last round. Ridicolous.

 

[prottenstein]

The halfling was going for a spy+medic binge almost everytime. Incredible stuff. He even pulled 4-5 spies in a row one drawing the other during last round. Ridicolous.

My problem was Sasha.
Spy after spy, I managed to use decoys and revives but I couldn't draw any one of my 4 spies. I had a 34-36 card decks and I drew no spies in 10 + 8-10 more cards.

 

[Tuco]

Forth day I've been playing Gwent from morning until some days 1or 2am, and I am just disgusted by the AI. There is not a single NPC Gwent player who doesn't seem to have the absolutely best cards in the world and always having them every time you play them. I have encountered matches were I roll 5 Hero's and the AI just happened to roll 5 Hero's. If I use three spy cards they just happen to have three spy cards. If I use decoy to take there spy cards they just happen to have decoys, and on top of that EVERYONE has an endless supply of Scorch cards. Match I just lost baffled me cause I used a spy card and the two cards it pulled I don't even have. I was like where did those come from I don't even own those. Then to add insult to injury its taking 35 attempts to beat an NPC, and my decks are all around 150 strength with maxed special and 5 hero cards per deck. Its just absolutely baffling to me. I've read the hints, I've googled how to win easy at Gwent, well none of those work when the AI at least on my game version of PS4 seems to have AI 9/10 is pulling the perfect cards, at the perfect time every time. Gwent is an amazing game and its super fun but this AI is not fun and it seriously needs a look at in a future patch.

Reading this post doesn't seem like your problem is with the "AI" at all, but with the (alleged) tendency to always draw the perfect hand... Which on a side note is not some impression I ever got, and that's coming from someone at his second playthrough right now who won the "High stakes tournament" both times without ever needing a reload.

 

[Gerald01]

My problem was Sasha.
Spy after spy, I managed to use decoys and revives but I couldn't draw any one of my 4 spies. I had a 34-36 card decks and I drew no spies in 10 + 8-10 more cards.

I got Sasha and the rest on the first try. Basically in my experience the games went from hardest to easiest, with the count being a walk in the park.
Damn halfling beat me 5-6 times.

 

[prottenstein]

I got Sasha and the rest on the first try. Basically in my experience the games went from hardest to easiest, with the count being a walk in the park.
Damn halfling beat me 5-6 times.

1st try I beat the halfling without a problem. Sasha was a problem because she got her spies, while mine weren't appearing. The Half-Elf was a joke. The Count was a problem just the 1st time, but it was easy in general. Even because the monster deck is quite easy to beat: Biting frost and nothing more.

 

[yoobzon]

I actually managed to win the tournament in the first try I was fighting for my life since I wasnt sure if losing would trigger a fail (from what i read here I guess it does not ). Although I have to admit the halfling was like 97=96 in the last round, so it wasnt without some luck

The thing that will make you an unbeatable Gwent master is learning how to kite your opponent. I lose one round 95% of the time just so I can bleed them out.

If the guy comes out strong and you dont have weather effects to counter, lose the first round
if you can win the 1st without much strain, kite him a bit in the second (decoys are perfect) and lose the round once he uses a strong card

In general I like the Gwent AI cos it really makes you think. My only criticism is late game when you have 7 hero cards and you're a god. they need to cap the hero card thing at 3 and introduce minimum threshold for low value cards (as in, you have to have at least 6 cards valued at 3 or less in your deck)

 

[Nightlistic]

Reading this post doesn't seem like your problem is with the "AI" at all, but with the (alleged) tendency to always draw the perfect hand... Which on a side note is not some impression I ever got, and that's coming from someone at his second playthrough right now who won the "High stakes tournament" both times without ever needing a reload.

I don't play with the mind frame of having the perfect hand. I play with the cards that i' dealt. My complaint is that the AI at least in my case and I've done nothing but play Gwent since Monday from morning til night is that the AI is always dealt the exact cards needed to counter everything I'm dealt. Seriously what are the odds that both the AI and myself are dealt four hero cards, and enough decoys to snatch up the exact amount of spy cards I have so it can reuse them at the same time? The AI is unbalanced and that's my complaint. The AI has better luck than Lucky Charms when it comes to having the cards it needs to win compared to the player.

 

[Tuco]

No, I'm sorry, I played my fair amount of Gwent myself and I never got the impression that the AI always had "the perfect cards to counter you".
If that was the case I wouldn't win at my first try almost the totality of my games once I got a well developed deck.

Also, I don't know if you realized it, but with a deck slim enough and with enough spies and decoys in it, you have pretty much the chances to reliably see at least two thirds of the cards composing your deck ending in your hand at some point, which makes for some pretty high chances to count on some predetermined strategy.

 

[Lieste]

Sounds like the issue isn't the AI, but rather your hands.

You *shouldn't* have 30+ cards in your hand. Keep it down to 22-24 avoid too many weaker heros ~ only the 15s and the medic/spy ones are really useful... then add 1-2 more to taste. Also look at how many "special" cards you have. While you can have 10, they don't necessarily help as much as drawing a better hand does. I generally run 6-7 here, mostly decoys and commander's horn.

I don't generally lose. A few players have strong hands and use them in a similar way to how I do... which can lead to close run games, but most are easy coin after the first few games as your hand gets stronger and you can discard the less useful ones.

 

[Allekbeth]

A well built northern realms deck is pretty much impossible to beat.
And while the AI DOES know what is in your hand, it doesn't always play its hand properly.

Off the top of my head:

4 spies, Thaler, Djikstra, Stennis, Elf
1 Decoy
1 Scorch

2 Catapults
1 Combat medic
3 Reavers
3 Commandos

Geralt, Ciri, Yennifer and all norther realms heros.
Dandelion and the Dragon card

Pretty sure I haven't missed anything.

It clocks in at 23 cards and you will usually draw all but 2-4 of them.
Against a spy or medic deck you will usually draw your entire deck.

Open with spies the first round until the opponent passes, play enough cards to win the round.
The idea is to play as few cards as you need to in order to win, so don't worry about "wasting" big heros.
Use the foltest seige horn leader card.
Double catapult with a horn will beat just about any value so long as your opponent passed.
Or do one catapult with a horn or a catapult with no horn.
Then medic them back next turn.

The dragon is very dynamic, you can decoy it and medic it to maximize the scorch special on him.

Second round is all about wasting your opponents cards and then laying down unstoppable force.
Play heros and then drop your scorch bait.
Do not EVER lay out all 3 reavers or commandos if they are not passed or if they have not dropped scorch.
Keep in mind some decks have double scorch and dragon.
If you need to bait multiple scorches, use your reavers.
Then medic back to 3 if you can, if you can't medic back your catapults.

Second playthrough I didn't lose a single game of gwent except early when I didn't have cards.
Understanding how to bait out weather cards and scorches is the key, and card advantage is the best way to do that.

Nilfgaard has superior spy access because of the special leader card that lets you draw from their discard, and they have TONS of medics, but beyond that they are generally weaker than northern realms IMO.

Either way, those two decks are nearly impossible to lose with as long as you play them correctly.
And it doesn't matter what the AI knows or if it is cheating on it's draws.
It's mathmatically impossible for the majority of the decks in the game to beat spy decks.
The only thing that properly counters it is another spy deck, and they generally use weak cards and can't win pound for pound if you can draw as many cards as they do.

Monster and Scoital decks are just useless. Don't play them unless you know what you are doing.

Seriously, how is anybody losing at gwent?
It's a fun distraction, but the system is easy to exploit.

 

[TheLocoMofo]

Either way, those two decks are nearly impossible to lose with as long as you play them correctly.
And it doesn't matter what the AI knows or if it is cheating on it's draws.
It's mathmatically impossible for the majority of the decks in the game to beat spy decks.
The only thing that properly counters it is another spy deck, and they generally use weak cards and can't win pound for pound if you can draw as many cards as they do.

Decoy cards are also great for counting other spy heavy decks.

Monster and Scoital decks are just useless. Don't play them unless you know what you are doing.

The monster deck ain't too bad once you've built it up. Only problem is, you'll be pretty much at end game by that stage.

 

[SoulTrain75]

I found a good strategy when playing is use spies quickly, save decoy in case they use a spy, and try to let the AI waste alot of high point cards in the first round while u play low point or weather cards (i found the only time i would need a weather card is when playing against those few npcs that fill up the whole combat row with cards.) then let them win. then the next 2 rounds you win. that worked for me alot.

 

[riotamus]

Seriously, how is anybody losing at gwent?
It's a fun distraction, but the system is easy to exploit.

Of course it becomes easy once you get the ultimate deck (after your post I realized I still miss 1 commando and 2 reavers; don't have Geralt either since I don't want to kill Radovid). Otherwise it would be nigh impossible to progress with a starting deck. Sure, there is some challenge scaling across ares and quests, but given the game's open-world nature general players assume an average-ish deck. The idea is that you collect your deck, and by the point it's done all common players become easy and you are ready to face the "final boss" - the tournament, which is gwent's endgame.

 

[peiyuanchao]

you're just bad............

 

[devivre]

Of course it becomes easy once you get the ultimate deck (after your post I realized I still miss 1 commando and 2 reavers; don't have Geralt either since I don't want to kill Radovid).

You don't need to kill Radovid to get Geralt

 

[Introspectah]

I don't play with the mind frame of having the perfect hand. I play with the cards that i' dealt. My complaint is that the AI at least in my case and I've done nothing but play Gwent since Monday from morning til night is that the AI is always dealt the exact cards needed to counter everything I'm dealt. Seriously what are the odds that both the AI and myself are dealt four hero cards, and enough decoys to snatch up the exact amount of spy cards I have so it can reuse them at the same time? The AI is unbalanced and that's my complaint. The AI has better luck than Lucky Charms when it comes to having the cards it needs to win compared to the player.

It's not random at all. In certain encounters both decks are rigidly pre-programmed as to reduce to a bare minimum the potential huge gap of difference in between quality of decks.
During multiple tries against certain opponents i never drew and would never have drawn any spies because that would've resulted in an easy victory for me.
Similarly, against certain opponents i never draw much Siege cards because, aided by the perk that doubles your siege units, that would result in a walk in the park for me.

So, the decks both players receive are not drawn randomly at all, but pre-programmed to avoid the player at hand drawing a ridiculous amount of overpowered cards while the NPC's not sufficiently equipped to counter them.
However, there's always a way to beat the NPC, no matter how powerful they seem to be.
Chance exists that you have just been staring blindly one outcome while disabling your self to widen your field of vision...plausible given the baffling amount of hours you've put in.

My advice is to detach your awareness from the game for even a brief period, so that you enable your self to think clearly (again).

 

[WolvenGear]

I did all the gwent stuff and never had a problem. Of course I save before every match. I had more trouble with a low-level blacksmith than I did with any of the matches int the tournament.

 

[riotamus]

You don't need to kill Radovid to get Geralt

I suspected as much actually, but I didn't even want to start the quest (and I read that Thaler is only available after completing it)