Currently, Gwent: The Witcher Cardgame has six factions, each with its own mechanics and abilities. The skill sets allow for specific strategies and end up giving each of the factions different difficulties, either when assembling decks or playing them.
The factions present in Gwent from CD Projekt Red are: Northern Realms, Skellige, Scoia’tael, Nilfgaard, Monsters and Sindicate. Each of them presents the possibility of six skills. Choosing the skill also adds an additional provision amount to the 150 base provision. This directly influences the cards that can be used, thus directly impacting on the strategy of the deck – not only due to the chosen effect.
Difficulty scale
A fundamental factor in analyzing the difficulty of the abilities, regardless of the faction, is its interaction with the chosen cards. Thus, we can consider that the greater the provision included in the base and the lesser interaction with types, the greater variety of decks will be built. This doesn’t mean that the deck will be the most effective, but it can be more friendly for novice players who do not intend to over-elaborate the interaction skill and set of cards.
Following this same line of reasoning when using skills with less added value, you will have to be more precise in choosing the cards. This implies using specific types for better performance and making the best possible use of the type, key word and skill relationship. A good example of this interaction would be Scoia’tael decks that use the Elven Scout (who benefits from traps), the trap cards and Vernossiel.
Based on the interaction described above, we will classify the skills as:
- Strong interaction (SI): It is only played with certain types.
- Medium Interaction (MI): Allows mobility of types.
- Weak Interaction (WI): Unconstrained by types.
Factions
North Realms
overall rating: MI
The faction is mostly characterized by units like soldiers, knights and mages. His special card type is Warfare, which has interaction with some cards. As much as your skills provide enough points, there is a good balance between removal and generation and depending on the chosen skill, one side can benefit. One of its mechanics that differentiate it from other factions is the Charge. In addition, it benefits greatly from the interaction between machines and is one of those that best exploits the reinforcement of units.
Skellige
overall rating: MI
Pirates, priests and beasts are among the most present units. As is said in the lore of the game, they are masters of the seas and have powerful ships. Your special card type specifies are Raids and Alchemy. Among its most different mechanics are the benefits gained from damage, either in friendly or enemy units. Its specific keyword is bloodlust, which benefits from damaged units in the opponent’s field.
Scoia’tael
overall rating: SI
Among the Scoia’tael are dwarves, elves, dryads, beasts and ent. Generally speaking, it isn’t a faction focused on high-score plays with a single card (Aglais and Harald Gord do not think so), as it easily allows strategies with the creation of units and collective reinforcements. Its special card is Nature and it’s one of the factions that depends the most on types to be used. Among its specific keywords are Harmony and Symbiosis.
Nilfgaard
overall rating: SI
It is very similar to Northern Realms in terms of unit types, differing mainly by the Aristocratic type cards. It also uses machines, but they have a strong interaction with the Tactical cards, which are Nilfgaard’s specials. It stands out for filtering the deck well, interacting with status markers and using cards from the opponent’s faction. In fact, this last interaction brings great moves with the keyword Assimilate.
Monsters
overall rating: WI
Is it one of the most brutal factions on Gwent? If you consider most of its skills, yes. Monsters are basically formed by different categories of creatures (ogroids, vampires, beasts, etc.) and by the Wild Hunt, having Thrive and Consume as specific keywords. Its specific special card is Organic (and Wild Hunt )and it doesn’t have a large number of interactions with other faction cards.
Sindicate
overall rating: MI
Along with the faction came a new resource: coins. Your cards have keywords that are different from the others (Rate, Accumulation, Insanity, Profit) and require a little more from the player to manage this resource. The units refer to the gangs of The Witcher and interact well between their own types and also interchangeably when based on the currency resource. Faction cards are not included in the basic collection and are acquired upon account development. Its special card type is of the Crime type.
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