Queries on Gwent: Solo Mode Set-up and Gameplay

When you play a game of Gwent Solo (our nickname for solo mode in Gwent: The Legendary Card Game), you will face an old enemy. Your old opponent from The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, computer AI, is transformed into an unpredictable foe that plays by its own rules. Playing this card game solo on tabletop will require a few changes in the rules and set-up of a classic game of Gwent, but it’s guaranteed to create a battle that keeps you on your toes!

If you have any queries, post it in the comments below and we'll answer in our next blog post with the help of Martin Montreuil, creator of Gwent Solo!

SOLO MODE SET-UP

To set up a game for Gwent solo, choose one faction for yourself and one faction as an opponent. Unlike other game modes, you will use the whole faction deck for you and your opponent, with some exceptions like Bovine defence force and Skellige’s side deck. From your deck, remove all Weather Cards except the Clear Weather cards.

Place the enemy faction deck on the other side of the battlefield and your deck next to you. Choose your leader and for the enemy faction, shuffle the enemy leaders and form a leader pile face down, next to their deck.

Note: you can also play this mode with standard Gwent deck building rules, but Weather cards still cannot be part of your deck.

Refer to board layout.

 

SOLO MODE GAMEPLAY

For solo gameplay, you will respect all standard rules for yourself. However, your opponent will sometimes deviate from these rules (more on that below).

The game will start as normal: start by drawing 10 cards. You can choose to discard up to 2 cards and replace them, one card at a time. Reshuffle the discarded cards in your deck.

Your opponent will always take the first turn of a round and always take a turn after you. Your opponent will play the top card of its deck for each of its turns and there is no limit to the number of cards your opponent can play in a turn. If they play a Weather Card, they apply the effect and immediately play another turn. Every time your opponent plays a card, make sure they play it in the most effective way.

If you decide to pass, your opponent will take one final turn to end the round. Once you have passed and your opponent has taken their last turn, calculate the scores.

Leader Variant

At the end of a round, if your total Strength beats the opponent, reveal the Leader at the top of your opponent’s Leader Card pile and apply its effect in the most effective way possible. If your total Strength still beats your opponent, you win the round!

 

ABILITY CLARIFICATIONS FOR OPPONENT’S LEADERS

Monsters

Eredin Destroyer of Worlds: The opponent draws a card and plays it immediately

Eredin King of the Wild Hunt: Find the first Weather card in the opponent’s deck and play it immediately. Shuffle the deck afterwards.

Eredin Bringer of Death: Find the card in the opponent’s discard pile that would give it the greatest advantage and play it immediately. This cannot include Hero Cards.

Nilfgaard

Emhyr var Emreis Invader of the North: Pick a Unit Card (excludes Heroes) from the opponent’s discard pile at random and play it immediately.

Emhyr var Emreis the Emperor of Nilfgaard: Choose a card from your hand to discard.

Emhyr var Emreis the Relentless: Choose a card from your discard pile that gives the opponent the greatest advantage and play it immediately to the opponent’s side of the board.

Emhyr var Emreis the White Flame: You have no Leader ability for the rest of the game.

Scoia’tael

Francesca Findabair Daisy of the Valley: The opponent draws a card and plays it immediately.

Francesca Findabair Hope of the Aen Seidhe: Every “Agile” Unit Card the opponent controls gains one Strength.

Skellige

Arnjolf The Patricide: Find in the opponent’s deck the “Tight Bond” Unit Card that gives the greatest Strength boost to the opponent. Play it, then shuffle the deck.

Harald an Craite the Cripple: Find in the opponent’s deck a Mardroeme and play it immediately on the row which would grant the greatest Strength increase.

King Bran: The opponent’s Unit Cards lose only half their Strength from Weather card effects.

 

ABILITY CLARIFICATIONS FOR OPPONENT’S CARDS (Solo Mode Only)

Commander’s Horn: Place on the most optimal row. In case of a tie, place to the row with the most cards.

Scorch: Applies only on the player’s side of the battlefield.

Muster: Search for the first specified card in the deck, play it, and shuffle the deck.

Spy: Place the card on the player’s side as normal. The opponent draws and plays two cards immediately.

Agile: Can move as a free, additional action during the opponent’s turn if a card effect (e.g. Weather card or Commander’s Horn) makes a different position more optimal.

Medic: Select in the discard pile the Unit Card that will add the most Strength.

Decoy: It will not replace a card. Instead, without looking at it, place the top card of the opponent’s deck under the Decoy. This card and any abilities it has will come into effect when the round ends.

 

Do you have any questions about Gwent Solo? For our next blog post, we're going to be interview the person who helped us create this game mode, Martin Montreuil. Your question could be featured in the next blog!