10 Reasons Why You Should Be Playing Gwent In The Witcher 3

Because who doesn't love gambling while their loved ones are in danger?

1. It's Fun and Addictive

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The mark of a Gwent addict is finding yourself hunting down taverns and merchants in the quest for new cards.

You won't remember the last time you stabbed something, let alone bothered upgrading your gear. And the only interest you'll have in Ciri is how you can get your hands on her hero card.

Suffice to say that once Gamblor has it's neon claws hooked into you, it won't take long for, "a few cheeky rounds" to turn into a three hour binge.

2. It's Easy to Learn

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Like with any game, there is a bit of a learning curve when you first embark on your Gwent journey. Don't be discouraged if you lose you tutorial game in White Orchard, CD Projekt Red have released a handy video to help you on your way to total card shark domination.

3. It's Better Than Hearthstone and Magic: The Gathering

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Just hear me out!

Despite the long time endurance of MtG and Hearthstone, Gwent is far superior when it comes to balance. It's a game that works off a best-of-three model with a finite amount of resources, which is a marked difference to its spiritual predecessors.

Sure, strategy and skill are needed in all three games, but Gwent's format helps to eliminate the luck factor, which can be devastating in Hearthstone and MtG You can't just throw everything at your opponent in a race to see who can dominate faster. There's a lot more planning and forward thinking needed - what should you play and what should you keep? Should you throw this round in favour of winning overall? How can you best waste your opponent's resources? Strategy and rationing are key and there aren't any Dues Ex Machina cards (I'm looking at you, Flamestrike and Hellfire) that can reverse the course of a game in one foul swoop.

What is perhaps most telling is that when it comes to competition level MtG and Hearthstone, both subscribe to the three match format in order to level the playing field.

Lastly, and possibly my most favourite part about Gwent in comparison to similar games, there's no casting cost!

4. It Can Earn You Some Coin

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Initially, it may seem that you can only profit 10 gold at a time, and that's true for when you're starting out on merchants and tavern owners. But as you progress through the game, particularly once you grind out the Gwent: High Stakes quest, there is some serious cash to be made.

You can also clean up if you choose the gambling ring option in the Get Junior quest in Novigrad. You can smash out three high stakes games at the casino before you're escorted upstairs to be tortured. Good times!

5. It's a Break From the Grind

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Considering that The Witcher 3 is a 200+ hour game, sometimes you need a bit of a break. Sure, it's undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and satisfying games ever created, but the constant onslaught of monsters and tasks can take its toll. It's no Dragon Age: Inquisition, but even Geralt isn't immune to being sent on tiring fetch quests. I mean a stage play, really?

What better way to have a rest from the grind than indulging in a game that will stimulate a different part of your brain? Switch that, "bash, bash, igni" mentality to a more strategic one and make yourself some coin along the way.

6. It's a Safe Way to Gather XP

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It's a bit of a slow burn, but over time the XP you receive from Gwent missions definitely adds up.

One of the biggest problems of The Witcher 3 is how unbalanced XP for monster kills tends to be. With that in mind, why put yourself in danger for peanuts when you can level up from the comfort of a tavern stool...or brothel.

7. You Need it to 100% the Game

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If your a completionist who gets twitchy when you can't finish off everything in a game, you best be getting on the card train, stat. One of the longest non-storyline quests of The Witcher 3 centres around not being crap at Gwent. Buckle up, because you'll be scouring Velen, Novigrad and Skellige for a good long while before you can polish off the Gwent: High Stakes side quest.

You better start hitting those taverns.

8. It Can Lead to Sexy Times

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The Witcher 3 certainly isn't devoid of romance options, but hey, why not mix a little bit of business with pleasure?

Once completing the Gwent: High Stakes quest at the Passiflora brothel in Novigrad you have the option to get down with either Madame Sasha or Cantarella, after beating up some thugs of course.

9. You Can Get New Cards Now

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CD Projekt Red have released some free DLC that contains shiny new Gwent cards! It looks like that crippling addiction just got reinvigorated.

10. You Can Play Outside the Game!

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That's right, folks! Some hero has released a steam workshop mod for Tabletop Simulator. It's not perfect, but it's a good way to mainline a game or twelve without having all the pesky witching get in the way.

Fingers crossed that CD Projekt Red release their own standalone version in the near future.