Gwent in The Witcher 3
Gwent is the card game everyone on the Continent seems to play, from innkeepers in Velen to emperors in Novigrad. This hub covers the rules, the six factions, every Gwent quest and the cards you can miss for good, and links to our database of all 181 cards from the base game, Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine.
Gwent Rules in 2 Minutes
Geralt learns the game from Aldert Geert at the White Orchard tavern, who also starts the Collect ‘Em All quest.
Three rows
Each player has a Close Combat, Ranged Combat and Siege row. A unit goes in the row printed on it; Agile units can go in Close or Ranged.
Best of three
Players take turns playing one card or passing. Once you pass you are out for the round. Higher total strength wins the round, and two round wins take the match.
Ten cards, no refills
You draw 10 cards and may redraw 2. You don't draw between rounds, except through Spies, the Northern Realms perk and some leaders, so every card counts.
Weather
Biting Frost, Impenetrable Fog and Torrential Rain drop every non-hero unit in a row to 1 on both sides. Clear Weather removes them.
Leaders
Every deck has one leader whose ability works once per match or passively.
Deck building
At least 22 unit cards, at most 10 special cards, one faction plus any neutral cards.
Six Decks, Six Perks
Every faction has a passive perk. Pick the one that suits how you like to play.
Northern Realms
Draw a card from your deck whenever you win a round.
Nilfgaardian Empire
Win any round that ends in a tie.
Scoia'tael
Decide who goes first.
Monsters
One random unit stays on the board after each round.
Skellige
Blood and Wine: at the start of round three, two random units from your discard pile return to the board.
Neutral
Neutral cards fit in any faction's deck, including Geralt, Ciri and the weather cards.
Plan Your Collection
Card Checklist
Tick off all 181 cards, filter for Collect 'Em All and spot the missable ones.
Best Decks by Faction
Leaders, key cards and weak spots for all five factions.
Gwent Players
Every opponent and card seller, region by region.
Hero Cards
Heroes ignore weather, special cards and abilities. Browse them here, or open the full database.
Every Gwent Quest
Who to challenge, where to find them and which card you win. For every opponent and card seller, see our Gwent players list.
| Quest | Where | Opponents and cards |
|---|---|---|
| Gwent: Playing Innkeeps | Velen, Oxenfurt, Novigrad | Stjepan → Yennefer; Inn at the Crossroads innkeep → Menno Coehoorn; Olivier → Tibor Eggebracht |
| Gwent: Old Pals | Novigrad, Kaer Morhen | Zoltan → Eithné; Roche → Saesenthessis; Lambert → Triss Merigold; Thaler → Geralt of Rivia |
| Gwent: Playing Thaler | Seven Cats Inn | Thaler → Geralt of Rivia, if Roche was played before A Deadly Plot ended |
| Gwent: Big City Players | Novigrad | Vimme Vivaldi → Vesemir; Marquise Serenity → Morvran Voorhis; Dijkstra → Esterad Thyssen; Scoia’tael merchant → Ciri; reward → Francesca: The Beautiful |
| Gwent: Velen Players | Velen | Bloody Baron → Sigismund Dijkstra; Haddy → Vernon Roche; Old Sage → Crone: Weavess; Oreton boatwright → Letho of Gulet; reward → Eredin: Destroyer of Worlds |
| Gwent: Skellige Style | Ard Skellig | Ermion → Leshen; Gremist → Mysterious Elf; Madman Lugos → Vampire: Katakan; Crach an Craite → Draug; Sjusta → Yaevinn; reward → Emhyr: The White Flame |
| High Stakes | Passiflora, Novigrad | Tournament with a 1,000-crown entry fee: Foltest: The Steel-Forged, Emhyr: The Relentless, Francesca: Queen of Dol Blathanna, Eredin: Bringer of Death |
| Gwent: Never Fear, Skellige’s Here | Toussaint (Blood and Wine) | Get the basic Skellige deck from Count Monnier, then win the 19 missing Skellige cards |
| Gwent: To Everything – Turn, Turn, Tournament! | The Pheasantry, Beauclair | Skellige decks only. Crowns, XP and The Victor’s Cup, but no cards |
Other quests that hand out cards: A Dangerous Game (Isengrim, John Natalis and Fringilla Vigo if you skip the gold), A Matter of Life and Death (the masquerade tournament), Shock Therapy (Iorveth), Open Sesame! (Gaunter O’Dimm), Dead Man’s Party (Cow) and Till Death Do You Part.
Missable Gwent Cards
Most cards can be picked up later, but these can be lost for good. Track them with our Gwent card checklist.
- High Stakes
Four leader cards. The quest fails for good if you lose a match or leave the Passiflora during the tournament. - A Matter of Life and Death
Milva, Dandelion and Vampire: Bruxa at the masquerade ball. You have to win the competition; the cut-off is The Isle of Mists. In Blood and Wine, Bruxa can still be won in Till Death Do You Part. - Claywich merchant
The only seller of Puttkammer and Sweers. Free him from his cage southeast of the Boatmakers’ Hut, and save first, because the encounter can bug out. - Roach
A promotional card added with the 2022 update. According to The Witcher wiki it could only be redeemed until December 31, 2023. - Not actually missable
Several quest players have fail-safes: the Bloody Baron’s card is in his office, Roche’s is in his notes, Thaler’s Geralt card can be looted at the Seven Cats Inn, and Crach’s Draug card is given automatically.
How Many Gwent Cards Are There?
| Faction | Base game | Hearts of Stone | Blood and Wine | Unique cards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Realms | 29 | 1 | – | 30 |
| Nilfgaardian Empire | 33 | 1 | – | 34 |
| Scoia’tael | 26 | 2 | – | 28 |
| Monsters | 38 | 2 | – | 40 |
| Skellige | – | – | 26 | 26 |
| Neutral | 18 | 4 | 1 | 23 |
| Total | 144 | 10 | 27 | 181 |
Collect ‘Em All and the Card Collector achievement only count base-game cards, and you only need one copy of each. Summoned tokens such as Hemdall and the Vildkaarl bears are not collectible and are left out.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I start playing Gwent in The Witcher 3?
Talk to Aldert Geert at the tavern in White Orchard during Lilac and Gooseberries. He teaches Geralt the game, gives him a Northern Realms starter deck and starts the Collect ‘Em All quest.
How many Gwent cards are there in The Witcher 3?
Our database lists 181 unique collectible cards: 144 in the base game, 10 from Hearts of Stone and 27 from Blood and Wine, including the Skellige deck. Many cards have several copies.
Which Gwent cards are missable?
The four High Stakes leaders, Milva, Dandelion and Vampire: Bruxa from the masquerade ball, Puttkammer and Sweers from the Claywich merchant, and the promotional Roach card. See the missable section above for the cut-offs.
What is the best Gwent faction?
There is no single best faction. Northern Realms is the easiest to start with because it draws a card after winning a round, and Nilfgaard’s tie-breaker and strong spies make it a favourite later on. Our best decks guide covers every faction.
How do I get the Skellige deck?
Play Gwent: Never Fear, Skellige’s Here in Blood and Wine. Count Monnier gives you the basic deck, and you win the remaining cards from players in Toussaint.
Do Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine cards count for Collect 'Em All?
No. The quest and the Card Collector achievement only need the cards from the base game.