Starting a run in Gwent: Rogue Mage can be challenging for both newer fans and experienced Gwent players alike. The game drops players into the deep end, with a relatively basic, bare-bones deck to take on the hordes of enemies that stand in their way as they traverse the map to defeat the final boss.
Players have limited control over what cards they start with. They have access to only one deck at the beginning, although they will eventually be able to pick from several different decks, each with its own choice of three ‘key’ cards to shape their strategy around. As such, players will want to know how to acquire some new and improved cards and maximize their chances of making it to the final boss. Fortunately, there are loads of opportunities for players to mix up their starting decks throughout the course of a run.
Managing Reinforcements
Battles are the bread and butter of Gwent: Rogue Mage. Every time the player manages to defeat their opponent, they are given a chance to make additions or cuts from their deck. They simply need to choose whether to add or remove a card from their roster, and are then presented with three possible options.
If opting to acquire a new card, the best pick is generally the most powerful of the three, although synergy is important. If a card doesn’t fit within the deck, it’s usually best to pick something else. Alternatively, if they choose to remove a card, players will be wise to cut the least powerful card, usually a bronze, to keep their deck consistently strong.
Opening Treasure Chests
Treasure Chest nodes are scattered across the map. Once opened, they will give the player a choice of three different treasures to supplement their deck. Treasures are unique additions to the deck that cannot be acquired any other way, and are often more powerful than standard cards. Some treasures start on the battlefield every game, whereas others give buffs to the player’s entire deck.
There’s a lot of RNG involved in getting treasure, and finding the right card can have a massive impact on the run. If unlucky enough to miss the best cards, players will have to choose their options wisely and work with what they get to emerge victorious.
Chance Events
Similar to treasure chests, Event nodes are a common sight on the map, often breaking up the many battles that dot the path of a run. Events are one-off scenarios that usually require the player to make a choice, and can influence a variety of different factors.
Players can gain new cards, lose existing cards, or even gamble and transform a card in their deck into something else entirely. Again, RNG is heavily involved, but even so, Events add another avenue to take for players looking to shake up their deck and find that all-important card.
The more battles and runs completed, the faster players will level up, and the more cards they will unlock to add to the pool of reinforcements and treasure available to them. In essence, as the player progresses, more and more cards can be found in the world. These include some seriously powerful cards that can dramatically improve (or sink) the player’s fortunes. Armed with these cards and a bit of luck, players will be well on their way to taking down the final boss.
Gwent: Rogue Mage is available on PC, Android, and iOS.