Square Enix finally did it. After decades of forcing us to play “fishing” or “holding a button to run in a circle,” they gave us Queen’s Blood. It’s fast, it’s tactical, and, unlike Triple Triad, it doesn’t have a “Random” rule that turns your deck into a pile of trash because you stepped foot in the wrong province.

But as you reach the back half of the game, you’ll notice something. The AI starts making moves that feel…unnatural. it’s that they seem to be reading your hand before you even confirm your move.

The computer isn’t just playing the game; it’s running a high-speed simulation of your inevitable failure.

The Predictive Modeling Trap

Let’s get the “technical” reality out of the way: the AI in Queen’s Blood doesn’t technically see your hand, but it does something much more annoying. It operates on perfect predictive modeling.

 Most human players think three moves ahead. The high-level AI (looking at you, Shadowblood Queen) calculates every possible point outcome based on the cards currently on the board. If you place a card that could lead to a power-up in three turns, the AI will prioritize blocking that specific lane immediately, even if it seems like a sub-optimal move at the time.

It’s not “cheating” in the sense of breaking the rules; it’s cheating by being a calculator in a game about vibes and momentum.

The Shadowblood Queen’s AI logic is fast, but it’s still limited by your system’s hardware, specifically how your RAM speed and data throughput affect the background simulation.

The Blueprint: The “Shadowblood Slayer” Deck

The Blueprint: The “Shadowblood Slayer” Build

Most “Pro” guides will tell you that you need to farm a Tonberry King or a Joker to cheese the finale. That’s nonsense. I dismantled the Shadowblood Queen on my first attempt using a Counter-Enfeeblement build that turns her own mechanics into a liability.

The Logic Behind the Build: The Queen’s deck relies on lowering your card power to fuel her own. Most players panic when they see their power dropping, this deck leans into it.

• Rictus & Chimera (The Engines): You should run two of each. These gain power when any card is enfeebled. Since the Queen must weaken your cards to play her nukes, she is effectively paying you a power tax for every move she makes.

• The Legendary Anchors (Titan, Odin, Alexander): These provide a raw numerical ceiling the Queen can’t reach once you’ve secured territory.

• Replacement Tech (Insectoid Chimera): The AI calculates the board based on current placements. By using a replacement card late in the game, you “break” its math and steal a lane it thought was already locked.

How to Dismantle the Queen on Try #1

If the AI is a calculator, you need to be a logic error. Here is how you dismantle the late-game opponents without smashing your controller.

1. The “Wait and See” (Going Second is Winning) The AI is programmed to contest your expansion. If you go first and claim the middle row, the AI will immediately counter.

• The Fix – Pass your first turn if you have to. Let the AI commit to a lane first. In Queen’s Blood, the person who places the last card in a contested row usually wins the territory.

2. Aggressive Expansion (Column 3 or Bust) Don’t play defensive. Rush the 3rd and 4th columns immediately. The Shadowblood Queen has very few “Replacement” cards. If you block her from placing her Rank 3 cards by taking the spots they need, her “predictive modeling” collapses because she has no legal moves left.

3. The Gi Nattak Pivot The AI struggles to calculate “replacement” moves. It assumes a square is “locked” once it’s filled. By dropping a Gi Nattak on top of a card that’s about to be destroyed, you transfer its power to the cards above and below it, effectively “stealing” two lanes with one move.

A few more tips:

Don’t rush the middle. Take the top and bottom lanes first. The AI is programmed to react to your “push.” If you don’t push the center, the AI “stalls.

You could also use a Crystalline Crab (Rank 1). It buffs adjacent cards. Place it in the backline early.

The AI loves to destroy its own cards to power up. Use the Archdragon to lower the power of their replacement cards before they can flip the lane.

The Verdict

The Shadowblood Queen isn’t a goddess; she’s a puzzle. She’s designed to make you feel like your deck is weak by constantly lowering your power, but her logic is brittle. Stop playing for points and start playing for the board.

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