Gwent Deck Building Basics Before Songs of the Past: 5 Decks [2026]

By Indie Kings | September 30, 2026

Updated September 30, 2026: More Gwent is coming in 2027 with the Songs of the Past expansion that takes players to Letten, per IGN reporting on CDPR. Use the five starter directions below to build sound habits now so you enter that new Gwent content with confidence.

Image: Remastered announcement artwork. Credit: CD PROJEKT RED via thewitcher.com.

Why practice Gwent now

The Witcher 3 Remastered launched Sept 29 2026 and includes Hearts of Stone plus Blood and Wine, per IGN. That makes this a clean entry point for new players and for returning players who skipped Gwent the first time. You get the full base card game plus two expansions worth of quests and context in one install.

The longer reason to learn now is Songs of the Past. The expansion is due in 2027 and takes players to Letten and will contain more Gwent, per IGN reporting on CDPR. The wishlist is live now, per CDPR. If you learn core habits this autumn, you will arrive at that 2027 content ready to enjoy new opponents instead of relearning basic flow.

This guide frames five decks as suggested starter directions for week 1 players. This is opinion for learning, not tested meta. The goal is to teach faction identity, row control, card advantage habits, and when to pass. It does not promise tournament wins or optimal lists.

Gwent in The Witcher 3 is a best of three round card battle played across melee, ranged, and siege rows. Each player draws ten cards for the match and must manage that hand across up to three rounds. You can pass a round early to save cards for later. That pass mechanic shapes every decision in every deck below.

New players often treat each round as a separate fight for maximum points. Stronger play treats the match as one resource puzzle. Cards are your supply. Rounds are the clock. Passing is how you trade points now for cards later. Every starter direction below repeats that lesson in a different style.

Keep expectations grounded for week 1. Your collection starts thin and grows as you play matches and complete quests. Specific unlock and vendor progression varies by quest order and edition, so exact vendor inventories and unlock steps carry a [NEEDS VERIFICATION] tag in this guide. Focus on habits first and collection second. A thin deck played with good passing beats a thick deck played with panic.

The Remastered release also helps because more players are starting at the same time. Early opponents in the world scale well for learning when you seek them out in order. Play slowly, read every card tooltip, and track what each opponent uses against you. That scouting habit pays off when you build toward a preferred style.

Faction identity matters more than any single card in week 1. One faction rewards tight formation and support bonuses. Another rewards wide boards and pressure. Another rewards removal and disruption. Another rewards weather and row manipulation. Another rewards card draw and long round control. Learn which rhythm fits you, then deepen that collection.

Row control is the second core skill. Melee, ranged, and siege rows look simple, but placement decides how much you lose to weather, to row limited removal, and to your own support effects. Spread important strength across rows when you fear row punishment. Stack strength when you want to protect a support bonus. Watch what your opponent commits before you commit your best row.

Card advantage is the third core skill. Spy type effects that draw extra cards are powerful because they let you play more total cards across the match. Card draw does not win a round by itself. It wins matches by giving you options in round three while the opponent runs dry. Every deck below includes a plan for card flow, even if it is only disciplined passing.

Before the five directions, set one practice rule. Play every match to learn, not to protect a win rate. Try passing earlier than feels safe. Try playing one fewer card in a round you already lead. Try holding your strongest card for round three even when round one looks close. Those reps build judgment faster than any list.

Decks at a glance

The table below summarizes the five suggested starter directions in this guide. Each direction teaches a different habit that transfers to other decks later. Pick one that matches your temper, then rotate after several matches.

Balanced starter suits cautious players who want fewer moving parts. You learn round math, passing timing, and row placement without juggling complex triggers. This is the best first direction if you are still learning what each row does.

Swarm pressure suits aggressive players who like momentum. You learn when wide boards are safe and when they invite punishment. You also learn to read whether the opponent holds row punishment before you overcommit.

Control removal suits patient players who like answers. You learn to hold removal instead of spending it on the first target. You also learn to force short round threes where your few strong cards matter most.

Weather and row play suits planners who like board math. You learn to spread risk, to time weather after the opponent commits, and to keep clear weather answers in mind. This style punishes crowded single row strategies.

Spy and card advantage engine suits long game thinkers. You learn to accept a small early deficit in exchange for more cards later. You also learn to manage a larger hand without wasting cards to win a round you could pass.

None of these are tested meta claims. They are learning paths. A balanced starter will not beat every opponent. A swarm plan will sometimes collapse. A control plan will sometimes draw the wrong half of the deck. That variance is normal in week 1 and it is useful data if you review each loss.

If you come from other card games, resist importing complex habits too fast. Gwent in The Witcher 3 rewards passing more than most games reward conceding a turn. Rounds are short, hands are fixed, and one extra card in round three often beats ten extra points in round one. Let that soak in before you chase combos.

Five starter directions for week 1

Use this ordered list as your practice menu. Each entry explains the idea in plain words, the habit to learn, and the mistake to avoid. No invented card names, stats, or patch values appear below. Faction labels stay high level on purpose so the advice survives collection gaps and balance context.

1. 1. Balanced starter. Idea in plain words: play fair strength across melee, ranged, and siege rows, match the opponent without overcommitting, and win with simple value trades. This direction uses the starter faction most players learn first and focuses on fundamentals over tricks. Habit to learn: count cards every turn and pass as soon as you hold a safe lead in a round you do not need. Ask who wins if both players pass now, then act on that answer. Mistake to avoid: spending your strongest card to grow a lead you already hold. Extra points in a won round do not carry forward, but saved cards do.
   
   Practice this by playing short sessions against early world opponents and forcing yourself to pass one turn earlier than instinct says. Watch how often the opponent also passes and how often they waste another card. That feedback teaches round control faster than any guide paragraph. Keep notes on which rows felt safe and which rows drew punishment, then adjust placement next match. This is opinion for week 1 learning, not a tested meta list.
   
   
2. 2. Swarm pressure. Idea in plain words: put many units into play quickly, build a wide total that forces the opponent to answer, and keep pressure across at least two rows. This direction teaches board presence and tempo using a swarm style faction identity built around numbers over single giants. Habit to learn: wait for information before you go wide. Play a medium threat, see if removal appears, then decide whether to flood or hold. Mistake to avoid: filling one row with everything on turn one. Crowded single rows invite the worst punishment and can turn a strong start into an instant loss.
   
   Swarm looks easy because points appear fast, but good swarm is patient. Use early rounds to test answers. If the opponent shows no board punishment, increase pressure. If the opponent shows punishment, shift to a thinner line and save units for later rounds. Track how many cards the opponent spends to stabilize, because that spend is your real profit. This is a suggested learning direction, not a proven ladder list.
   
   
3. 3. Control removal. Idea in plain words: answer the best enemy units with removal, keep your own board compact, and steer the match toward a short final round where fewer cards favor you. This direction teaches target selection and patience using a control style identity. Habit to learn: hold removal for high value moments. Let small threats live while you develop strength, then remove the one card that changes round math. Mistake to avoid: removing the first unit you see. Early removal on low value targets leaves you exposed when the real threat lands and you have no answer left.
   
   Control rewards calm counting. Ask how many cards each player has left, not only who leads on points. A five point lead with one extra card in hand is often stronger than a fifteen point lead with equal cards. Practice passing aggressively once removal has secured a round, even if your board looks modest. Compact wins count the same as flashy wins and save resources. This reflects opinion on learning order, not tested competitive results.
   
   
4. 4. Weather and row play. Idea in plain words: shift row math with weather and row limited effects, punish opponents who stack one row, and keep your own strength spread so you suffer less. This direction teaches placement discipline and timing using weather and row manipulation as tools, not as a lottery. Habit to learn: spread strength across rows before you apply weather, then apply weather after the opponent commits to the affected row. Mistake to avoid: playing weather on turn one into an empty board. Early weather with no commitment wastes the effect and gives the opponent free information about your plan.
   
   Weather play is about patience and observation. Place flexible strength, watch where the opponent invests, then punish the crowded row. Keep a plan to clear or play around weather yourself, because mirrors and answers exist. Note which opponents play around weather by spreading out and which opponents ignore it and stack anyway. That read tells you when this direction is strong and when to switch plans. Treat this as a practice style for week 1, not a meta verdict.
   
   
5. 5. Spy and card advantage engine. Idea in plain words: use spy type effects that give the opponent small points but draw you extra cards, accept a slower start, and win with deeper options in round two and round three. This direction teaches the most important Gwent skill in The Witcher 3, which is converting early investment into late control. Habit to learn: invest draw effects early even if you lose round one on purpose. A one card advantage in the final round often outweighs a round one win bought with three extra cards. Mistake to avoid: drawing cards and then wasting the advantage by refusing to pass. Extra cards only help if you protect them with disciplined passing.
   
   Play this direction slowly. Count hands constantly. If you hold more cards than the opponent after round one, you control the match even if the scoreboard says you lost the round. Use round two to bleed the opponent or to secure a safe two to zero win when they run short. Do not chase huge round one totals just because you can. This starter direction is suggested for learning card advantage, not presented as a tested optimal build.
   
   

After you try each direction for a few matches, rank them by comfort, not by win rate. Comfort predicts which style you will practice enough to improve. A style that feels natural will get more reps, cleaner notes, and better passing instincts. Switch only after you can state the core habit of your current direction in one sentence without checking notes.

Collection growth will shape which direction becomes your main. Early on you may lack the depth to support heavy control or heavy draw plans. That is normal. Start balanced, borrow swarm or weather ideas as your pool grows, and revisit spy based play once your supply feels stable. Exact shop stock and quest reward order is [NEEDS VERIFICATION] for Remastered, so treat vendor tips from older guides with care.

Keep card evaluation simple in week 1. Ask three questions about every new card. Does it add strength without help. Does it remove strength or disrupt rows. Does it draw cards or protect future rounds. Cards that do none of those jobs need a clear reason to stay. Cards that do two jobs are usually worth keeping while your pool is thin.

Practice checklist

Use structured practice so week 1 reps compound. The table below gives a simple loop for where to play early and what to track. Specific innkeepers, merchants, and quest gated opponents vary by route, so named vendor steps are [NEEDS VERIFICATION] for your current build. The tracking habit matters more than the exact stop order.

Play in short blocks with a review pause between matches. After each match, write three lines. What won the deciding round. When the pass should have happened. What one card you would cut or keep. That tiny log beats long theory reading because it ties advice to hands you actually held.

Early progression advice from older editions needs care in Remastered. Quest order, merchant stock, and reward pools may differ, so treat any named vendor route as [NEEDS VERIFICATION] until confirmed in your game. Prefer principles that survive those details. Play weaker opponents first, track removal and weather exposure, and expand the collection before chasing strong city players.

For deck building reps, change only three to five cards at a time. Large rebuilds hide what helped and what hurt. Swap a small package, play three matches, then judge. If round three feels thin, add card flow or cheaper strength. If round one feels forced, cut top heavy cards that demand too much support. If one row keeps collapsing, spread strength or add row answers.

Track mulligan and redraw habits if your version supports them [NEEDS VERIFICATION]. A simple rule works for week 1. Keep a playable mix of strength across rows, send back duplicates that need support you do not hold, and keep at least one answer for removal or weather. Do not chase a perfect hand. Chase a playable hand with a clear round one plan.

Time your sessions around quests, not only around card farming. Gwent opponents appear along natural travel routes, and quest rewards can deepen your pool faster than grinding one tavern. When a match feels too hard, leave it, progress the story, improve the deck, and return later. The game rewards patience more than stubborn rematches.

Because Songs of the Past is due in 2027 with more Gwent in Letten, per IGN reporting on CDPR, treat this checklist as preseason training. You are not racing to master every matchup this week. You are building passing reflexes, row discipline, and card counting habits that will make new 2027 opponents fun instead of stressful. Small daily reps beat one long cram session.

Passing and round control

Passing is the core button in Gwent. When you pass, you stop playing cards for that round and lock in your current total. If you lead, the opponent must beat you with cards in hand or surrender the round. If you trail, passing concedes the round and saves cards. Both uses are correct in different spots.

A simple passing framework works for all five starter directions. Win round one cheaply if you can do it with equal or fewer cards than the opponent. Pass the moment extra cards would only add wasted points. Lose round one deliberately if winning would cost two or more extra cards. Cards saved are stronger than points wasted.

Round two control follows from round one. If you won round one, you can pressure the opponent in round two by playing just enough to force cards out. If the opponent passes early, take the round cheaply and carry advantage to round three. If you lost round one, avoid panic spending in round two unless you have a clear path to a two to one comeback. Sometimes the right move is to trade round two quickly and fight a fair round three.

Round three is about precision. Count cards first, points second. If you hold an extra card, you can answer the last threat. If cards are equal, play for maximum strength with row safety in mind. If you are down a card, look for a high swing play or accept that passing earlier would have changed the math. Review that choice after the match instead of blaming draw luck.

Spy type effects bend these rules by design. When you gain extra cards through draw, you can afford to invest more in round one because you will refill. The key is to convert that refill into a real edge. Do not draw two cards and then donate them back by chasing a lost round. Draw, then pass with discipline and punish the short handed opponent later.

Weather and removal also bend passing math. If you hold a strong answer, you can stay in a round longer because one card can swing many points. If the opponent likely holds the answer, pass earlier and force them to waste it for fewer points. Information matters. The longer a round goes, the more both hands reveal. Pass before your plan becomes obvious when you hold the advantage.

Practice one passing drill per session. In three matches, force yourself to pass while leading in round one even if you could safely add more points. Note how many times the opponent wastes a card after your pass. In the next three matches, practice losing round one on purpose after gaining card flow, then winning rounds two and three. Those six matches teach more than ten wins earned by spending everything early.

Row control supports passing because safe placement reduces the need for rescue cards. When strength sits across two or three rows, one weather card or one row effect cannot erase your whole round. That safety lets you pass earlier with confidence. When strength stacks in one row, you must keep extra answers in hand, which delays your pass and costs flexibility. Spread first, commit later.

Mistakes to avoid

The most common week 1 mistake is winning round one at any cost. Players spend four cards to win a round worth one point in match score, then enter round two short handed. The fix is blunt. If round one costs more than the opponent spends by two cards, pass and accept the round loss. Future rounds repay that discipline.

The second mistake is stacking one row by default. It feels tidy to group strength, but tidy boards are fragile to weather and row effects. Place strength with a purpose. Split key totals, keep support near the units it helps, and leave room to respond. Review every loss where one enemy card erased half your board and treat it as a placement lesson.

The third mistake is spending removal too fast. New control players answer the first threat they see and feel productive. Stronger control waits. Let small units live, develop your own points, and remove the card that actually decides the round. One well timed answer beats three hasty ones.

The fourth mistake is misusing weather. Weather played into an empty board tells a story for no gain. Weather played after the opponent commits tells a better story and earns more points. Hold weather until the affected row holds enough enemy strength to matter, and keep your own exposure low by spreading out first.

The fifth mistake is wasting card advantage. Players work hard to draw extra cards, then refuse to pass and donate the edge back. If you gain cards, protect them. Pass losing rounds early, force the opponent to spend, and enter the final round with options. Card advantage only converts when passing discipline follows.

The sixth mistake is rebuilding the whole deck after every loss. One loss rarely proves a direction is wrong. It often proves a habit slipped. Check the pass timing, the row placement, and the removal target before you cut cards. Change a small package, test again, and only then judge the build. Week 1 data is noisy, so give each direction several matches.

The final mistake is ignoring scouting. Every opponent teaches something about the local meta of the world. Note which rows they punish, when they pass, and which answers they hold for round three. That notebook becomes your sideboard brain. When Songs of the Past arrives in 2027 with new Gwent in Letten, per IGN reporting on CDPR, scouting habits will matter even more because fresh opponents bring fresh patterns.

FAQ

Why learn Gwent before Songs of the Past?
Because the expansion is due in 2027 and will contain more Gwent in Letten, per IGN reporting on CDPR, so core habits like passing, row control, and card counting will carry directly into the new content.

What does Remastered include for a new Gwent player?
The Witcher 3 Remastered launched Sept 29 2026 and includes Hearts of Stone plus Blood and Wine, per IGN, which gives new players the full base game plus expansion context in one package.

Which starter direction is easiest for week 1?
The balanced starter direction is easiest because it uses fair strength and simple trades, and this is opinion for learning rather than a tested meta ranking.

When should I pass in Gwent?
Pass as soon as you hold a safe lead in a round you do not need to extend, and accept a round loss when winning would cost clearly more cards than the opponent spends.

How do spy effects help beginners?
Spy type effects trade small immediate points for extra cards, which teaches card advantage and gives more options in round three when managed with disciplined passing.

Where do I find more Gwent news for 2027?
Follow official CDPR channels and the wishlist page for Songs of the Past, per CDPR, plus IGN reporting on the expansion for broader context.

Bottom Line

Songs of the Past is due in 2027 with more Gwent in Letten, per IGN reporting on CDPR, and the wishlist is live now, per CDPR. Remastered launched Sept 29 2026 with Hearts of Stone plus Blood and Wine, per IGN, so now is the ideal window to practice.

Treat the five options above as suggested starter directions for week 1, offered as opinion rather than tested meta. Learn balanced trades first, then test swarm pressure, control removal, weather and row play, and spy based card advantage at your own pace. Exact vendor and unlock steps are [NEEDS VERIFICATION] in Remastered, so prioritize habits that survive those details.

Count cards, spread rows, save answers, and pass with purpose. Those four habits beat any single card in week 1 and they will still matter when new opponents arrive in 2027. Play a few matches, log what decided each final round, and adjust in small steps.

Sources

IGN reporting on CDPR for Songs of the Past expansion timing, Letten setting, and additional Gwent content. IGN reporting for The Witcher 3 Remastered launch on Sept 29 2026 including Hearts of Stone plus Blood and Wine. Official expansion and wishlist information via CDPR and thewitcher.com. Broader release context via IGN.