The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt offers players a myriad of quests and activities, among which the card game Gwent is a standout feature. The “Old Pals” quest tasks players with challenging some of Geralt’s old allies to a game of Gwent, providing an engaging distraction from monster-slaying and narrative-driven ventures. This article provides a detailed walkthrough of the “Old Pals” quest, including strategies for winning against each opponent and the unique cards they offer.
The Challenge of Gwent: Old Pals
The “Old Pals” quest is one of several in The Witcher 3 centered around Gwent, a strategic card game integrated into the broader narrative of the game. In this quest, you must defeat four significant opponents: Zoltan Chivay, Vernon Roche, Lambert, and Thaler. Winning against each not only grants valuable cards for your Gwent deck but is also crucial for players aiming to complete the Card Collector achievement.
Walkthrough for “Old Pals”
The quest spans multiple regions and requires you to time your activities around main quests and character availability. Here is a detailed breakdown of the steps to complete the quest and strategies to secure victory against each opponent.
Initial Engagement: Zoltan Chivay
- Location: Novigrad, Rosemary and Thyme (also known as the Chameleon).
- Card Reward: Eithné card.
- Strategy: Since this is one of the earliest games, begin with strong Northern Realms or Nilfgaardian decks. Build card advantage using Spy cards to draw more cards into your hand. This ensures that you can outlast Zoltan, leveraging card advantage in subsequent rounds.
To initiate this quest, approach Zoltan at the Rosemary and Thyme during the “Broken Flowers” main quest and challenge him to a game of Gwent. Be mindful of the dialogue options; missing the opportunities to challenge him during “Broken Flowers” means you’ll have to wait until the “A Poet Under Pressure” quest.
Second Round: Vernon Roche
- Location: Temerian Partisan Hideout in Velen.
- Card Reward: Saesenthessis card.
- Strategy: Utilize the Spy card strategy effectively. Bringing along Decoy cards can help retrieve played Spies, making your deck more robust compared to Roche’s monster-heavy or Skellige decks.
Upon defeating Zoltan, you’ll be led to Vernon Roche. Access him through the “Velen Players” Gwent quest or meet him at the Partisan Hideout. Approach him to chat and challenge him to Gwent. Roche is tactically sound, often playing powerful Siege cards, so prepare accordingly.
Match with Lambert
- Location: Kaer Morhen or The Nowhere Inn, depending on your quest progression.
- Card Reward: Triss Merigold card.
- Strategy: Lambert’s strategy involves using Scorch and weather effects. Incorporate Clear Weather cards and prepare to sacrifice expendable units during the initial rounds to draw out his key cards.
If you are engaged in the secondary quest “Following the Thread,” Lambert will primarily be found at The Nowhere Inn. Otherwise, you can face him at Kaer Morhen. Timing is essential here, as missing encounters makes Lambert only available at later points in the narrative during major quests such as “Ugly Baby.” Ensuring a victory against him secures a precious card for your collection.
Confronting Thaler
- Location: Either the Seven Cats Inn or during the quest “A Deadly Plot.”
- Card Reward: Geralt of Rivia card.
- Strategy: Equip your deck with Hero cards, as Thaler employs a Northern Realms deck that relies on Muster and Spy mechanics. Heavy-hitting cards with minimal weaknesses, such as Hero cards, can guarantee effectiveness regardless of his play strategy.
Completion of “A Deadly Plot” makes Thaler available at the Seven Cats Inn. An important note is that if left until “Reason of State,” Thaler may become unavailable to play if certain actions in the questline are not fulfilled. Winning against Thaler grants the Geralt of Rivia card, a formidable tool in Gwent.
Grand Strategy Tips for Gwent
The “Old Pals” quest demands not just completion but mastery of Gwent strategies. Here are strategies tailored to aid in defeating any opponent:
- Spy Cards: Utilize Spy cards to gain card advantage. Playing them early optimizes the potential for drawing additional cards into subsequent rounds.
- Weather Control: Incorporate Clear Weather cards to mitigate the impact of opponents who lean heavily on weather manipulations.
- Deck Variation: Depending on your opponent’s faction, adjust your deck to counter their strengths. For instance, against Skellige, employ high-damage units that can withstand Muster strategies.
- Decoy Cards: Use Decoys strategically to recycle key cards, especially Spies, increasing your hand size and power.
Failsafe Conditions and Possible Quest Variants
Given the dynamic nature of The Witcher 3’s quest lines, several failsafe mechanisms exist within “Old Pals” to accommodate possible narrative outcomes:
- If you fail to defeat Roche before he potentially dies in “Reason of State,” you can find his card in the Temerian Partisan Hideout.
- Forget engaging Thaler in a timely manner, and seek his card at the Seven Cats Inn.
- Meet Lambert too late, and his card is recoverable at Kaer Morhen.
These variations ensure that a lost opportunity doesn’t entirely lock out players from completing the quest, though winning directly is the ideal scenario for experience and seamless progression.
Conclusion: The Value of Collecting Old Pals Cards
Gwent within The Witcher 3 is more than a minigame—it’s a cultural phenomenon echoed amongst players and NPCs alike. Completing the “Old Pals” quest not only awards powerful cards but invites players into the heart of this tradition, interacting with the game’s richly woven narrative tapestry.
Whether aspiring for completionism or sheer enjoyment, engaging in Gwent serves as both a challenging and rewarding endeavor, highlighting a different shade in the grayscale world of Geralt’s journey. The “Old Pals” Gwent quest, therefore, stands as an essential experience, elevating both deck and adventure in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.
