The unique combat mechanics and exploration weren’t the only things that drew me to Where Winds Meet. The game also offers several side activities to pass the time, like the Madiao card game.
This particular mini-game had me hooked right from the start. At a glance, the game seems to be fairly easy. But in reality? It’s a highly complex format that requires risk-taking, strategy, and perfectly timed bluffs. Think of it as playing an ancient form of Mahjong or Rummy.
I’ve lost more rounds than I can count, but even the best fighters take a few hits now and then. A bit of luck while playing Madiao does help, but I realized that reading my opponents is what really wins games. If you wish to know how to play and win Madiao, too, this guide will help you out.
How Madiao Card Game Works in Where Winds Meet
The goal of the Madiao game is to get rid of your deck of cards before anyone else does, or get each player drunk enough to eliminate them.
Each player gets 13 cards. Your set of cards could have values ranging from 1 to 10, or yellow Wild Cards. You could also get more than one card of the same number – this is because in a deck, there are four cards for each number from 1 to 10.
Anyone who receives a Wild Card can use these as any numbered card – as long as they have at least 1 other card of that number.
One Coin Explained
At the start of the round, any random player will receive the One Coin. Whoever obtains it gets to decide the card value that all players in the game should follow.
The One Coin will stay with them if they successfully win a challenge. If they lose, the One Coin will be handed over to the truthful player, and they get to decide the next card value. The One Coin will also belong to the player who picks the penalty shot, too.
How Challenge Works in Madiao
If you challenge a player and attempt to call their bluff, there are two outcomes for this:
- The challenged player was truthful: You take a drink and collect all cards on the table.
- The challenged player lied: The player takes a drink, which increases their chance of passing out by 25%.
You also get a third option, which is to take a penalty for not challenging any players during the round. If you do that, you need to drink and collect all the cards on the table, but you will get the lead for the next round.
The easiest way to challenge a player to their bluff is if they have placed a large number of cards at one go. But do keep in mind that each player has a random chance of placing Wild Cards, too, so calculate your strategy accordingly before initiating a challenge.
How to Win
- At the start of the round, place all smaller value cards first of any amount.
- It is best to keep double-stacked cards and higher-value cards for later rounds and get rid of singular, low-value cards first.
- Use Wild Cards only when necessary.
- In the first round, usually skip challenging others.
- As the round progresses, you would have a clearer idea of who is bluffing and who isn’t.
- The best hint that you could get is if a player claims to have more than three copies of the same card value.
- While handing out cards, keep them at three cards or lower to avoid being challenged.
All Madiao Locations
There is one Madiao game table at Qinghe and 12 of them in Kaifeng. All table leaders, entry fees, map location, and rewards will be mentioned in the table below.
Qinghe Madio Locations
Li Peiran is the only available player who is willing to play a game of Madiao with you in Qinghe.
| NPC | Entry Fee Per Round | Rewards |
| Li Peiran | 15x Resolve 20x Commerce Coin | 7x Resolve 5x Echo Jade 20x Commerce Coin 8x Qinghe Exploration 2,400x Character EXP 2,400x Coin |
Kaifeng Madio Locations
You get a larger selection of players in Kaifeng, especially while exploring Kaifeng City.
| NPC | Entry Fee Per Round | Rewards |
| Shu Shier | 50x Resolve 20x Commerce Coin | 7x Resolve 5x Echo Jade 20x Commerce Coin 8x Kaifeng Exploration 2,400x Character EXP 2,400x Coin |
| Wang Chengsheng | 30x Resolve 40x Commerce Coin | 7x Resolve 8x Echo Jade 40x Commerce Coin 10x Kaifeng Exploration 3,000x Character EXP 3,000x Coin |
| Lü Le | 30x Resolve 20x Commerce Coin | 7x Resolve 5x Echo Jade 20x Commerce Coin 8x Kaifeng Exploration 2,400x Character EXP 2,400x Coin |
| Shu Shijiu | 55x Resolve 20x Commerce Coin | 7x Resolve 5x Echo Jade 20x Commerce Coin 8x Kaifeng Exploration 2,400x Character EXP 2,400x Coin |
| You Lin | 55x Resolve 20x Commerce Coin | 7x Resolve 5x Echo Jade 20x Commerce Coin 8x Kaifeng Exploration 2,400x Character EXP 2,400x Coin |
| Zhu Daniang | 30x Resolve 20x Commerce Coin | 7x Resolve 8x Echo Jade 40x Commerce Coin 10x Kaifeng Exploration 3,000x Character EXP 3,000x Coin |
| Squireling Xu | 50x Resolve 20x Commerce Coin | 7x Resolve 8x Echo Jade 40x Commerce Coin 10x Kaifeng Exploration 3,000x Character EXP 3,000x Coin |
| Uncle Ba | 30x Resolve 20x Commerce Coin | 7x Resolve 5x Echo Jade 20x Commerce Coin 8x Kaifeng Exploration 2,400x Character EXP 2,400x Coin |
| Li Meng | 30x Resolve 40x Commerce Coin | 7x Resolve 8x Echo Jade 40x Commerce Coin 10x Kaifeng Exploration 3,000x Character EXP 3,000x Coin |
| Long Aotian | 30x Resolve 60x Commerce Coin | 7x Resolve 10x Echo Jade 60x Commerce Coin 12x Kaifeng Exploration 3,600x Character EXP 3,600x Coin |
| Bao Dating | 50x Resolve 20x Commerce Coin | 7x Resolve 5x Echo Jade 20x Commerce Coin 8x Kaifeng Exploration 2,400x Character EXP 2,400x Coin |
| Yang Bao | 30x Resolve 20x Commerce Coin | 7x Resolve 5x Echo Jade 20x Commerce Coin 8x Kaifeng Exploration 2,400x Character EXP 2,400x Coin |
For more Where Winds Meet guides, check out our guides on Secret Edict Chamber Guide (Martial Temple), Harvestfall Village All 5 Wandering Tales Guide, and How To Play & Win in Chess.
