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Everything we’ve learned about the coming Nilfgaard Patch

The official CD Projekt Red live stream on 1st February revealed the new playable Faction Nilfgaard. The 2 hosts also explained most of the major changes to gameplay and mechanics. Below you will find my notes from the event.

Full recording of the live stream is attached at the end of this article.

Changes

Weather changes

units will remember only the buff value for when the weather effect is cleared.

Clear Skies is not global effect any more. Now it clears only ONE row, chosen by the player.

Every buff counts while the cards are under effect of weather and is applied on top of their base strength after the weather is cleared off.

All units that can force a card draw are now imunned to weather – global, not specific to one of the 3.

Changes to existing cards

Monster Nest will spawn 3 copies of a Breedable Unit.

will spawn 3 copies of a Breedable Unit. King Bran ‘s ability has changed. Now it discards 2 cards, add 2 base strength to them and shuffles the deck.

‘s ability has changed. Now it discards 2 cards, add 2 base strength to them and shuffles the deck. Vran has changed a lot. Has 5 str, at the end of your turn, destroy the weakest non-Gold unit on the row, except self and absorb its strength. Happens every 2nd turn.

has changed a lot. Has 5 str, at the end of your turn, destroy the weakest non-Gold unit on the row, except self and absorb its strength. Happens every 2nd turn. Aeromancy Spawns one of the 3 weather effect, then banish the Aeromancy card. The spawned weather card isn’t banished.

Spawns one of the 3 weather effect, then banish the Aeromancy card. The spawned weather card isn’t banished. Decoy Returns a non-Gold unit, but doesn’t return that card unit to your hand. It forces you to play that card right away. Change was made to prevent working towards card advantage and lessen the demand for Decoy to be an automatic inclusion in absolutely every deck.

Returns a non-Gold unit, but doesn’t return that card unit to your hand. It forces you to play that card right away. Change was made to prevent working towards card advantage and lessen the demand for Decoy to be an automatic inclusion in absolutely every deck. Geralt Aard moves 3 non-Gold units on the opposite row one row back, Remova 1 str from all moved units. Quite a nerf as it used to move ALL units on that row and take 1 str from them.

moves 3 non-Gold units on the opposite row one row back, Remova 1 str from all moved units. Quite a nerf as it used to move ALL units on that row and take 1 str from them. Monster Faction Ability now leaves the last played non-Gold unit on the battlefield for the next round. It’s not a random one any more. If last one is destroyed in the same round, the one played before it counts as last and remains on the field.

now leaves the last played non-Gold unit on the battlefield for the next round. It’s not a random one any more. If last one is destroyed in the same round, the one played before it counts as last and remains on the field. Eredin is now 11 strength. May still undergo changes until release. Was 12 in an earlier build.

is now 11 strength. May still undergo changes until release. Was 12 in an earlier build. Mardroeme now removes or adds 3 str points instead of 4.

now removes or adds 3 str points instead of 4. Keira Metz will apply the shield every 2 turns.

will apply the shield every 2 turns. Bloody Baron ‘s Lubberkin has change. Adds 3 str to a random other non-Gold unit on your side at the start of your turn.

‘s Lubberkin has change. Adds 3 str to a random other non-Gold unit on your side at the start of your turn. Poor Infantry has 2 str points now, it spawns 2 base copies of this unit on the same row. Only the base copy, not transferring buff effects.

has 2 str points now, it spawns 2 base copies of this unit on the same row. Only the base copy, not transferring buff effects. Elven Mercenary can now only be played on the Melee row.

can now only be played on the Melee row. Schirru will still trigger by a special card on both sides, now it destroys the strongest opposing non-Gold unit on the board.

Gallery

New Cards

Notes

Blizzard Potion: Special, Bronze, Neutral. Toggle the Weather Immunity of all instances of a non-Gold unit on its side.

Special, Bronze, Neutral. Toggle the Weather Immunity of all instances of a non-Gold unit on its side. Cleaver: 5 str, Melee, Silver, Neutral. Lock a non-Gold unit on the battlefield. A locked unit loses all tokens (reselience, quen etc) and its ability does not trigger while it remains on the battlefield. If the locked card is decoyed, it regains its effects as it’s no longer on the board.

5 str, Melee, Silver, Neutral. Lock a non-Gold unit on the battlefield. A locked unit loses all tokens (reselience, quen etc) and its ability does not trigger while it remains on the battlefield. If the locked card is decoyed, it regains its effects as it’s no longer on the board. Ciprian Wiley : 3 str, Siege, Neutral. Remove 2 base str from all opposing non-Gold units. When removed, add 2 str to all non-Gold units on the battlefield.

: 3 str, Siege, Neutral. Remove 2 base str from all opposing non-Gold units. When removed, add 2 str to all non-Gold units on the battlefield. Harpy : 3 str, Ranged, Monsters. Spawn 2 harpy eggs. When this unit’s strength is absorbed, add an additional 6 str to the absorbing unit.

: 3 str, Ranged, Monsters. Spawn 2 harpy eggs. When this unit’s strength is absorbed, add an additional 6 str to the absorbing unit. Celaeno Harpy : 3 str Ranged, Bronze, Monsters. Transform all non-Gold Harpy Eggs on your side into Harpies and add 2 str to their strength. Gain 1 str for each Harpy Egg this unit transforms.

: 3 str Ranged, Bronze, Monsters. Transform all non-Gold Harpy Eggs on your side into Harpies and add 2 str to their strength. Gain 1 str for each Harpy Egg this unit transforms. Old Speartip: Asleep 4 str, Any Row, Silver, Monsters. Add 2 str to all other non-Gold units on the row. Whenever there are 4 or more units on the opposite row at the end of a turn, transform into Old Speartip: Awake. The Awaken form removes 2 str from all non-Gold units on the opposite row. Whenever there are 3 or tfewer units on the opposite row, go back to Sleep.

4 str, Any Row, Silver, Monsters. Add 2 str to all other non-Gold units on the row. Whenever there are 4 or more units on the opposite row at the end of a turn, transform into Old Speartip: Awake. The Awaken form removes 2 str from all non-Gold units on the opposite row. Whenever there are 3 or tfewer units on the opposite row, go back to Sleep. Succubus: 10 str, Any Row, Disloyal, Gold, Monsters. After 2 turns move the strongest other non-Gold unit on the row to the other side (ties are resolved randomly).

10 str, Any Row, Disloyal, Gold, Monsters. After 2 turns move the strongest other non-Gold unit on the row to the other side (ties are resolved randomly). Dethmold : 9 str Siege Silver. Banish a non-Gold card in the opposing graveyard.

: 9 str Siege Silver. Banish a non-Gold card in the opposing graveyard. Kaedweni Siege Expert : 5 str Ranged Silver, NR. Lose 1str whenever a non-Gold Machine is played on your side. Then add 3 str to that unit’s str.

: 5 str Ranged Silver, NR. Lose 1str whenever a non-Gold Machine is played on your side. Then add 3 str to that unit’s str. Temerian Foor Soldier : new simple unit.

: new simple unit. Triss: Butterfly Spell : 4 str, Ranged, Gold, NR, Add 4 str to all non-Gold units in your hand. When removed, remove 4 from all non-Gold units in your hand with strength greater than base.

: 4 str, Ranged, Gold, NR, Add 4 str to all non-Gold units in your hand. When removed, remove 4 from all non-Gold units in your hand with strength greater than base. Dennis Cranmer : 4 str, Any Row, Loyal and Disloyal, Scoia’tael: At the end of each turn, reset all non-Gold units on the row to base str.

: 4 str, Any Row, Loyal and Disloyal, Scoia’tael: At the end of each turn, reset all non-Gold units on the row to base str. Dol Blathanna Marksman : 7 str, Any Row, Loyal, Bronze, Scoia’tael: Remove 4 str from an opposing non-Gold unit with str of 10 or more.

: 7 str, Any Row, Loyal, Bronze, Scoia’tael: Remove 4 str from an opposing non-Gold unit with str of 10 or more. Hawker Smuggler: 5 str, Any Row, Bronze, Scoia’tael: Gain 1 str whenever a revealed unit appears on the opposing side. Strong opposition to swarming deck strategies

5 str, Any Row, Bronze, Scoia’tael: Gain 1 str whenever a revealed unit appears on the opposing side. Strong opposition to swarming deck strategies Ithlinne : 6 str, Any Row, Gold, Scoia’taet: After 1 turn, lock all non-Gold units on the row and the opposite row. A locked unit loses all tokens.

: 6 str, Any Row, Gold, Scoia’taet: After 1 turn, lock all non-Gold units on the row and the opposite row. A locked unit loses all tokens. Djenge Frett: 6 str, Seige, Silver, Skellige. Discard a non-Gold unit from your deck, then shuffle your deck.

6 str, Seige, Silver, Skellige. Discard a non-Gold unit from your deck, then shuffle your deck. Clann Drommond Shieldmaiden : 5 str, Ranged, Bronze: whenever this unit is weakened, but not destroyed, play an instance of it from your deck.

: 5 str, Ranged, Bronze: whenever this unit is weakened, but not destroyed, play an instance of it from your deck. Clan Tordarroch Armorsmith : 6 str, Any Row, Silver, Skellige: Immune to Weather. Reset all weakened non-Gold units on the row to base str.

: 6 str, Any Row, Silver, Skellige: Immune to Weather. Reset all weakened non-Gold units on the row to base str. Cerys : now has 12 base strength.

: now has 12 base strength. Wild Boar of the Sea: 8 str, Siege, Gold, Skellige. Immune to Weather. When on a row affected by Weather at the start of your turn, create a Clan Dimun Pirate on the bottom of your deck. Very useful for Discard decks and works well with wounding from Discarding.

Gallery

A lot more cards were shown with their current and updated for this build stats. I have them all in the gallery below.

Nilfgaard

The Faction ability is to redwar 1 card every round. The event happens AFTER you have received the 2 or 2 new cards for the next round, so you have a better choice.

Not all Cards were highlighted. I managed to screenshot quite a few more than what they showed and talked about during the preview. Check the gallery below.

Leaders

Emhir var Emreis : Reveal 2 random cards in the opposing hand.

: Reveal 2 random cards in the opposing hand. John Calveit : Move 3 opposing Spying non-Gold units to your side of the battlefield. This may change.

: Move 3 opposing Spying non-Gold units to your side of the battlefield. This may change. Morvran Voorhis: Play a disloyal unit from your deck.

Cards

Vilgefortz : 6 str, Siege, Gold. Destroy a non-Gold unit. If it was on the opposing side, your opponent draws a card and reveals it. if it was on your side, draw and play a card. If your opponent has passed, you may only target a unit on your side.

: 6 str, Siege, Gold. Destroy a non-Gold unit. If it was on the opposing side, your opponent draws a card and reveals it. if it was on your side, draw and play a card. If your opponent has passed, you may only target a unit on your side. Letho of Gulet : 1 str, Any Row, Loyal and Disloyal, Gold. Banish 3 non-Gold units on the row and add their strength to this unit’s base strength. When removed, set base strength to 1.

: 1 str, Any Row, Loyal and Disloyal, Gold. Banish 3 non-Gold units on the row and add their strength to this unit’s base strength. When removed, set base strength to 1. Vattier de Rideaux : 7 str, Ranged, Gold. Reveal up to 2 cards in your hand. For each card thus revealed, reveal 1 random card in your opponent’s hand.

: 7 str, Ranged, Gold. Reveal up to 2 cards in your hand. For each card thus revealed, reveal 1 random card in your opponent’s hand. Treason : Silver. Move an opposing Spying non-Gold unit to your side and add 4 to its strength.

: Silver. Move an opposing Spying non-Gold unit to your side and add 4 to its strength. Cantarella : 8 str, Ranged, Disloyal, Silver. Immune to Weather. Look at the to card in your deck. You may place it at the bottom of your deck. Draw a Card. Works in the order described.

: 8 str, Ranged, Disloyal, Silver. Immune to Weather. Look at the to card in your deck. You may place it at the bottom of your deck. Draw a Card. Works in the order described. Albrich : 8 str, Siege, Silver. If possible, draw a card, then your opponent draws a card and reveals it.

: 8 str, Siege, Silver. If possible, draw a card, then your opponent draws a card and reveals it. Fake Ciri : 3 str, Siege, Disloyal, Silver. Gain 1 str at the start of each turn, while Spying. If spying when its owner passes, move to the opposing side.

: 3 str, Siege, Disloyal, Silver. Gain 1 str at the start of each turn, while Spying. If spying when its owner passes, move to the opposing side. Mangonel: 4 str, Siege, Bronze. Remove 2 str from a random unit

Gallery

Misc

Random and not related to the other topics news and announces that the hosts shared during the event.

No Gwent special t-shirts are available for purchase yet, but due to a very high demand, they may be releasing some soon.

Officially no word on wipe at the end of the beta. When CDPR decide to do one, they will officially make a press release and announce it on their official channels.

Kegs purchased with InGame currency will not be returned after the wipe and the beta is over. Any kegs you have purchased with real money will be given back to you when the game launches officially. You are safe to purchase kegs with money.

Invites are being send all the time. CDPR wants to invite absolutely everyone who has signed up.

There will be rewards for beta testers. No further information on what and when.

I made a ton of screenshots. Did my best not to repeat a new card, but if a mirror card screenshots have slipped in, please, excuse me :)))

Board UI Changes

Nothing too significant has changed in terms of the board. The strength numbers are thicker now and stand out more against the background. The Spying effect is marked on top of the card with a nicely animated eye. Cards that have been revealed are marked with a magnifying glass. The backside of the cards is slightly changed too.

Here’s a screenshot from one of the games they played for us on the stream:

Full Video Recording

That is all I managed to extract as useful and interesting information from the live stream. If you spot anything wrong or missing, let me know.

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