Hey guys, I understand the difficulty against the AI in Vizima seems hard, but there are a few strategies that really help out.
Background: I am the programmer who implemented gwint, including the AI
I will try to heavily avoid spoiling exactly how the AI works while giving you concrete tips on how to increase your chances of success. Gwint is a game of strategy. You need to react to the current situation, because believe me, to a degree, the AI is playing the long game. It will gladly surrender if it thinks it will give him a bigger advantage in later rounds.
Here are a few tips for +70% win rate against the guy in Vizima
1) Buy the cards at the inn in white orchard. In fact, I always try to buy the cards when I get a chance. If you don't want to spend too much of your precious gold, look at the card tooltips and buy only cards you think you will use and cards of a single faction. Last I checked, you can get the version of Foltest that essentially gives him a free horn for seige row in the prologue inn. Considering the number of nice seige cards in Northern Realm, he has to be my favorite. The clear weather effect on Lord Commander of the North can be very powerful too.
2) Make sure to beat the gwint tutorial guy in white orchard, he will give you a card.
3) Try and keep 1-2 dummies in your deck (can easily have at least one by the time you reach Vizima).
4) You have a nice advantage when playing northern realm against Nilfgaard. While nilfgaard has win on draw, you get a free extra card after you win a round. Plan on this (and hope you don't draw poorly).
5) One good strategy is to try and get the AI to waste as many cards as possible. If you have a dummy (see point 3), you can open the first round with stronger cards. The AI is petty, and never likes being behind. Be wary not to start with your highest card however. If you saw him play a high card that's a non hero and you had a scorch, wouldn't you use it?
6) Spies are really good. I almost always throw them all out in the first round. It forces the AI to play a card (any card) to stay in the match and gives you one more card (total). If the AI decides (it makes random decisions
) to surrender, you can play a weather card to reduce the spies you played to 1 and get a really easy win in first round.
7) Plan around weather cards. If you have a frost card, and you don't think you will use it this round, try and use your melee creatures before your ranged/seige. That way you know you can use it later without hurting yourself. The inverse applies, if you think you may use a weather card later in this round, don't play cards from that row this round.
8) Clear weather is an important card. Make sure to keep it until the end (unless you end up in a situation where it will make a big difference of course). When the AI weathers down your strongest row on the last round, you will be very glad you held on to it for your critical hour of need.
9) If you are afraid of scorch, only play cards of the same value or lower than your opponent. Remember, staying in a round is a gamble for both you and him. Keep in mind that scorch can burn multiple cards so avoid playing multiple cards of the highest value. The more damage scorch does to you, the more likely he is to use it against you. If you have to suffer the agony of scorch, try to force him to burn only one of them.
10) The AI will NEVER pass first after he has lost a round. If you've lost a round already, neither should you. Passing in this scenario, can guarantee you a loss that you cannot react to. Use this to your advantage (force him to play cards when he doesn't need to)
11) If you haven't lost a life gem yet, and you are far behind, there are a few tactics to consider:
A) If he hasn't surrendered yet, and you have some low cards (even weather cards that may hurt you more than him), considering playing them anyways to try and force him to burn more cards. Do NOT do this if these cards could have a major impact on the subsequent rounds
B) If he has surrendered, you need to decide how much it will cost you to beat him this round. Remember you are northern, so if you both have 5 cards left and one card will give you the win, you will have a draw bringing you back to equal footing on the last round. Remember that this can be an ideal time to use a dummy, even if its on a 1 point soldier. That's one point you can use for the next round.
12) Remember to use your leader ability. Leader abilities count as a turn so you can use them to stall / force the other player to keep playing.
13) Remember that this is a card game and there's always a bit of a luck factor. Laugh in the face of defeat and persevere, success is just around the corner.
Hopefully these tips/tactics will give you guys a better fighting chance.
If you have any more questions,
I will check periodically to answer them.
