GWENT: Rogue Mage

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Editions & platforms

A run: deck, energy and boss

Start with the available deck and read its key card. Bulwark is the initial starting point; experience opens more decks and options. Choose a route that improves your deck without exhausting every energy reserve before the boss.

Alzur’s spells consume energy. Use them to stop dangerous enemy cards or secure your own plan; they are not unlimited witcher Signs. Review card choices and the route after each encounter. Defeats provide experience for later attempts.

Standalone and playable offline

Rogue Mage does not require the multiplayer client or a continuous internet connection for single-player runs. Despite being called an expansion, it launches separately. Purchases on different platforms are separate.

All four decks: actual unlock requirements

Laboratory: where to find improvements

Check experience and upcoming rewards on the notice board; inspect cards and treasures in the chest. A locked card’s details show its required level. The Grimoire contains 24 spells across six pages; the alchemy station displays potions. Unlocking a card makes it eligible for offers rather than automatically adding it to your starting deck.

Start through the tabletop map: deck → key card → spells → potion. Use the portal to resume an active run; starting anew through the map replaces that attempt.

Route choices: symbol, action and result

A battle: drawing, engines and final scoring

Begin with five random cards and two mulligans. Play one hand card per turn, use manual Orders separately, then end the turn with the coin. The draw allowance is limited: bloated decks find their combinations less reliably.

Battles use a single round. The higher final score wins; a narrow lead before the opponent’s last action is insufficient. Without additional draw effects, the opponent acts last. Establish recurring engines early and save direct damage or boosts for suitable targets.

Changing or evolving a key card

Choose your key card before the run; you cannot replace it mid-run. Events and Places of Power do not modify it. Winning an elite battle offers key-card evolution or a treasure. Evolution is therefore a route objective rather than an experience reward.

Read the evolved text before choosing your remaining route. Another elite is worthwhile only when the additional stage meaningfully helps with the battles ahead.

Improving a deck deliberately

Ordinary victories supply cards, chests supply treasures, blue Places of Power duplicate, and events can offer further changes. Choose for synergy and draw consistency rather than rarity alone. An extra mediocre card may reduce your chance of drawing the key combination.

Before a blue Place of Power, identify a consistently useful duplicate. Before a red one, identify your weakest or disruptive card. Approaching the boss, secure a working small deck instead of collecting unrelated effects.

Bulwark: a practical opening plan

Three bosses: concrete counterplay

Counting story progress and difficulty correctly

Late unlocks that can change last action

Resuming and changing platforms

Single-player works offline. Use the same GOG account for cross-platform cloud saves; each platform requires a separate purchase. Cards unlocked during runs do not grant matching multiplayer GWENT rewards. Separate Deluxe bonuses are a different entitlement.