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With card battler Gwent going standalone, which Witcher stars deserve a card of their own?
CD Projekt Red's humongous open-world RPG, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, was easily one of 2015's greatest hits. The fantasy epic was brimming with things to do, so much so that literally tens of hours could be wasted just playing the in-game card battler, Gwent.
With its simple, easy to learn mechanics, but game changing strategies, Gwent quickly became a cult favourite amongst fans and now, due to overwhelming demand, a stand alone version of the tactical card game is on the horizon, complete with online multiplayer support.
With Gwent getting the full standalone treatment and readying to battle other massive card games, like Hearthstone and Magic: The Gathering, slight changes have had to been made and more things will have to be added in order to keep breathing life into Gwent. There are already over 250 Gwent cards in The Witcher 3, but CDPR have confirmed that there will be more to come.
Given that The Witcher universe consists of three games, two collections of short stories, five novels, comic books, and hundreds upon hundreds of colourful characters within that universe, CDPR should have no problem in adding new cards to Gwent. Here are some characters we think deserve a card of their own.
The Bloody Baron
Faction: Northern Realms Special Power: Scares an enemy card away
The Bloody Baron is everybody's favourite drunken warlord, even though he's a horrible ploughin' person whose own stupidity and crave for ale drove the family he loves away from him. He may be rotund and always intoxicated, but he's a fierce warrior nevertheless, and would be handy on the front line in Gwent. His ability to scare away his family will also serve him well on the board as he can scare away one enemy card, so long as it isn't a Botchling.
Vilgefortz
Faction: Neutral Special Power: Hero card with 20 attack points
Vilgefortz is the big bad guy of the books – an incredibly powerful wizard who's able to turn his enemies into a puddle with just a flick of the wrists. Without venturing too far into spoilers, Vilgefortz has a hand in nearly every event that occurs in the story and is, quite frankly, not a nice guy. However, due to his overwhelming power, his card would quite easily have the highest number of attack points of them all, and would obviously also be a hero card.
Shani
Faction: Neutral Special Power: Can bring two cards back to life
We first meet Shani back in the first book of the Witcher saga, Blood of Elves, as a university student who helps out Geralt and Dandelion in Oxenfurt. Afterwards we see her in the first Witcher game and in The Witcher 3's DLC, Hearts of Stone, as a medic who'll heal anyone regardless if they're friend or foe. She's an extremely talented medic, so would be able to bring two cards back into the action. She can also handle herself in a fight, too, so would have an effect in her own right.
Uma
Faction: Neutral Special Power: Can be used to trap an enemy card and reduce attack points
Uma, if you recall, is the grotesque little creature that Geralt finds at Crow's Perch, and later turns out to be the elf Avallac'h, who'd been cursed and was trapped inside the ugly beast. Uma can hardly walk so he wouldn't be much use on the battlefield, but his special power would be that he can trap a card on the opposition's side and render it completely useless.
Jorund
Faction: Skellige Special Power: Can steal a card from the opponent's board
You might not remember Jorund, son of Sigvald, but he's the only Skelliger in Arinbjorn who was friendly to a foreign Witcher and willing to sit down by the fire, share a drink, and a tale or two. Being a Skelliger, he's obviously a strong warrior, but his special power will be his friendliness. He'd be able to befriend one of the enemy's cards and bring it on to your side.
Leo Bonhart
Faction: Neutral Special Power: Eliminates hero cards
As of yet, not a single card in Gwent can eliminate a golden hero card, but if anyone can it's the infamous Leo Bonhart. Leo is a vicious, unmerciful and dastardly bounty hunter from the books, who's a constant torment to Ciri and unmatched with a sword. He once took down a gang of six bandits all on his own. With such a deadly ability, Leo would be the first and only card able to take out a hero upon entering the fray.
Lambert
Faction: Neutral Special Power: So annoying that an enemy card simply walks off
We all know that Lambert is more annoying than an arrow to the knee. He's cocky, arrogant and constantly trying to make fun of Geralt, and therefore us. It doesn't mean he doesn't deserve a card though, because he’s a handy swordsman in his own right. He won't have to use that ability as much in Gwent, as his special power would be that his annoying tendencies make an enemy card walk away to get out of earshot. Handy.
Vysogota of Corvo
Faction: Northern Realms Special Power: Can bring back hero cards
Vysogota of Corvo was a scholar and surgeon at Oxenfurt academy, but due to some advanced ways of thinking that the public of the time didn't quite agree with, he was forced to flee. He ended up becoming a hermit in a swamp, living in isolation until the day he found a wounded and lonely Ciri. He nursed her back to full health and set her on the path to victory. Due to his superb healing abilities, Vysogota would be the only Gwent card able to bring hero cards back to the board.
Detlaff van der Eretein
Faction: Monster Special Power: Change position on the board, summon every vampire.
Detlaff is the higher vampire who wreaks havoc on the city of Beauclair in The Witcher 3's Blood and Wine expansion, all because he was scorned by a lover. As a higher vampire he's almighty powerful, which could lead to some interesting abilities for his Gwent card. Firstly, Detlaff can change into smoke, which would allow him to change position on the board, even after he's been placed. He'd also be able to summon every other vampire from the monster deck and place them on the board.
Dudu
Faction: Northern Realms Special Power: Can turn into any card already on the board
Dudu is a scheming doppler who we first meet in the books as he constantly torments and outsmarts a fellow merchant. Then he appears in The Witcher 3, when Geralt drags him out of hiding with a play. Being a Doppler means Dudu can take on the shape of any person he has an image of in his head. So while Dudu won't be able to do much damage on his own, he'll be able to take the form, and thus the attack points, of any card on the opponent's side of the board.
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