Gwent, the strategic card game within The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, has captivated players with its depth and complexity. To truly excel at Gwent, you need to arm yourself with the most powerful cards available. This comprehensive guide will reveal the best Gwent cards, explain their abilities, and provide strategies for dominating your opponents.
Introduction to Gwent and Best Cards
Gwent is a game of skill, strategy, and a bit of luck. Players face off in a best-of-three round format, using cards to build armies and outmaneuver their opponents. The key to victory often lies in having a well-constructed deck filled with the most effective cards.
Why are the best cards so crucial? They can:
- Turn the tide of a losing match
- Provide powerful abilities that disrupt your opponent’s strategy
- Offer flexibility in your playstyle
- Give you a significant advantage in card draw and field presence
If you’re a fan of The Witcher 3 and its immersive world, you might also enjoy other games similar to The Witcher 3 that offer rich storytelling and complex gameplay.
Top Hero Cards
Hero cards are the backbone of any strong Gwent deck. They’re immune to special card effects and often have high strength values. Here are the cream of the crop:
Geralt of Rivia
- Strength: 15
- Ability: None, but immune to special cards
- Why it’s great: Geralt provides a massive strength boost that can’t be affected by weather or other negative effects.
Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon (Ciri)
- Strength: 15
- Ability: None, but immune to special cards
- Why it’s great: Like Geralt, Ciri offers a substantial, immutable strength value to your side of the field.
Yennefer of Vengerberg
- Strength: 7
- Ability: Medic
- Why it’s great: Yennefer combines the immunity of a hero card with the useful medic ability, allowing you to resurrect a card from your discard pile.
Menno Coehoorn
- Strength: 10
- Ability: Medic
- Why it’s great: Another hero with medic ability, Menno provides a stronger base attack than Yennefer.
Cerys an Craite
- Strength: 10
- Ability: Summons all Clan Drummond Shield Maidens from your deck or discard pile
- Why it’s great: Cerys can single-handedly fill your battlefield with additional units, potentially swinging the game in your favor.
Powerful Spy Cards
Spy cards are placed on your opponent’s side of the field but allow you to draw additional cards. This card advantage can be game-changing.
Mysterious Elf
- Strength: 0
- Ability: Spy
- Why it’s great: The Mysterious Elf lets you draw two cards without giving your opponent any strength advantage.
Thaler
- Strength: 1
- Ability: Spy
- Why it’s great: With only 1 strength, Thaler gives your opponent minimal advantage while allowing you to draw two cards.
Other notable spy cards include Stefan Skellen and Vattier de Rideaux, which have higher strength values but can still provide crucial card draw.
Game-Changing Special Cards
Special cards can dramatically alter the state of the game. Here are some of the most impactful:
Scorch
- Ability: Destroys the strongest card(s) on the field
- Why it’s great: Scorch can eliminate your opponent’s most powerful units, potentially destroying multiple cards if there’s a tie for highest strength.
Decoy
- Ability: Return a non-hero unit card to your hand and replace it with the Decoy
- Why it’s great: Decoy allows you to reuse powerful ability cards or save a unit from destruction.
Villentretenmerth
- Strength: 7
- Ability: Scorch the strongest close combat unit(s) when the combined strength of the row is 10 or more
- Why it’s great: This card combines a decent strength with a powerful targeted Scorch effect.
Commander’s Horn
- Ability: Doubles the strength of all units in a row (except heroes)
- Why it’s great: Commander’s Horn can dramatically increase your total strength, especially when used on a row with multiple units.
For those interested in other strategic card games, check out our guide on building effective MTG control decks.
Effective Medic Cards
Medic cards allow you to resurrect units from your discard pile, giving you a second chance with powerful cards.
Yennefer of Vengerberg and Menno Coehoorn
As mentioned earlier, these hero cards combine strength with the medic ability.
Other Useful Medic Options
- Etolian Auxiliary Archers (Ranged, Strength 1)
- Siege Technician (Siege, Strength 0)
While not as powerful as the hero medics, these cards can still provide crucial resurrections in the right situations.
Strategic Utility Cards
These cards might not have the highest strength values, but their unique abilities can be game-changing when used correctly.
Kambi
- Strength: 0
- Ability: When removed from the battlefield, spawns Hemdall
- Why it’s great: Kambi can surprise your opponent by suddenly bringing out the powerful Hemdall card.
Ermion
- Strength: 8
- Ability: Ignites all Berserker cards on the field
- Why it’s great: In a Skellige deck, Ermion can activate multiple Berserkers at once, potentially swinging the game in your favor.
Isengrim Faoitiarna
- Strength: 10
- Ability: Provides Morale Boost to the close combat row
- Why it’s great: Isengrim combines hero strength with a row-wide boost, making him particularly effective in close combat-heavy decks.
Where to Find Top Gwent Cards
Acquiring the best Gwent cards requires a mix of strategies:
- Complete Gwent-related quests, such as “Gwent: Old Pals” and “Gwent: Big City Players”
- Purchase cards from innkeepers and merchants, particularly in White Orchard, Velen, and Novigrad
- Win matches against NPCs to earn random cards
- Look for specific NPCs who offer rare cards as rewards:
- Cerys an Craite: Win from the Innkeep at The Barrel and Bung Inn in Flovive
- Mysterious Elf: Win from Gremist during the “Gwent: Skellige Style” quest
- Geralt of Rivia: Win from Thaler during the “Gwent: Playing Thaler” quest
Tips for Building a Strong Gwent Deck
- Balance your deck with a mix of unit types (close combat, ranged, siege) and special cards
- Keep your deck size between 25-30 cards to increase the chances of drawing your best cards
- Include a variety of card types: high-strength units, spies, medics, and special cards
- Look for synergies between cards, such as cards that boost specific unit types
- Regularly update your deck as you acquire stronger cards
For more advanced deck-building strategies, check out our guide on Gwent deck builds.
Conclusion
Mastering Gwent requires more than just collecting the best cards – it demands strategic thinking, adaptability, and practice. However, arming yourself with these powerful cards will give you a significant advantage in your Gwent battles. Remember to continually refine your deck and strategies as you face tougher opponents.
If you’re looking for a break from Gwent, why not explore another beloved fantasy series? Check out our guide on the best Spyro games for some lighter, more whimsical gaming fun.
For those interested in other card games, take a look at our analysis of the MTG Core Set to see how it compares to Gwent’s strategic depth.
FAQ
- Q: Can I use these Gwent cards in the standalone Gwent game? A: No, this guide is specifically for the Gwent mini-game within The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. The standalone Gwent game has different cards and mechanics.
- Q: How many of each card can I have in my deck? A: You can have up to 3 copies of a bronze card, 1 copy of a silver card, and 1 copy of a gold card in your deck.
- Q: Are hero cards always better than non-hero cards? A: Not necessarily. While hero cards are powerful and immune to special effects, non-hero cards often have abilities that can be more situationally useful.
- Q: What’s the best faction to use in Gwent? A: Each faction has its strengths and weaknesses. Experiment with different factions to find the one that best suits your playstyle.
- Q: How can I practice Gwent without risking my in-game currency? A: Many innkeepers and some merchants will play Gwent with you without requiring a bet, allowing you to practice risk-free.
By mastering these cards and strategies, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a Gwent champion throughout the Northern Realms and beyond. Good luck, and may your draws be ever in your favor!