WayoftheWitcher Top 3 Cards

Triangle within Triangle: This card is from my point of view one of the most flexible and generically valid card, it could go in any type of deck and in any type of situation in game.
Saying even more, it could very well take the place of Bekker’s Rockslide or Korathi Heatwave.

Erland of Larvik: This card could give real support (in terms of points and carry-over points) and win condition to Northern Realms.
Plus, from my personal point of view, flexibility, that comes from the fact that Erland is consistent both in the short and long round, offers several tactical choices.

Finally I can add that upgrading all NR units by 1 point automatically sets a whole pool of cards such as Anseis, Anna Strenger, Arch Griffin and all the engines that entering the field already with a boost become very difficult to target and destroy.

Salamandra Hideout: Offering a tall removal to Syndicate, as well as Moorelse, gives one plus important strategic choice to the gameplay of this faction.

Ivar Evil-Eye: It’s an undoubtedly strong card but, rather than its potential in making points, I think that it’s the card that basically helps the whole faction because we will not have too many second-thoughts about investing it to abuse the coin and above all, it becomes huge if we are pushed in round 2.

Arch Griffin: Even if it is Korathi magnet (Defender, Anna, Vysigota say thanks), if you can make it big enough it will make Erland giant in round 3.
I really like the idea of having a carry-over in NR, for detachment I find it the strongest beast of the expansion.

Idr: It’s a huge body and it’s not in target of almost all removals. Its ability that makes it immune is broken, impossible to find any negative spots, probably the most interesting Monster card of the expansion.

Gezras of Leyda: Despite being an “easy” card to remove, it can also be an easy card to defend. Its potential in many decks is enormous both on an offensive and defensive level.
It can set clear row traps or unmanageable mass buffs that would be envious even for a Vysogota..
Although be aware of the fact that the theoretical potential is very different from the practical potential this card will bring, for that reason it is the card that intrigued me the most.

Viper Witcher Alchemist: A very slow but lethal card. In combination with the new faction cards and some of our old acquaintances cards, can give life to a full control archetype for Nilfgaard. It would be so annoying that the Mill will look like a deck for philanthropists.

Koshchey: It’s a terrible card (in a positive sense). The potential of this card in a 10-card round is unchallenged. Maybe it’s second only to the Kikimora Queen. Unlike her, this does not need any support or themed deck, it literally does all the big work itself.
Incredible card and definitely meta definer for Monsters.

Salamander: It’s not a very strong card, it’s definitely not a safe card to play either and it’s definitely not a tournament card.
So why is it in the first place of the cards that I liked the most?
The reason is that this card is, in my opinion, the most particular card out of the entire expansion.
Designing a deck in order to use this card, particularly inserting Renew to be able to use it twice and literally see the whole board die, has to be one of the best feelings ever. I can’t wait to steal Iamud‘s job and create a nice oncology deck.

Erland of Larvik: This card is perfect for the faction to which it belongs, not for its strength as a finisher, but rather for its ability to boost all cards in the deck by 1 and, in particular, duelists and engines.
Having already boosted engines that arrive into the field is a real godsend.
It also has a surplus for the possibility of using it as a finisher too, even if it is clearly that this is not its primary purpose.
I would give it a minus for the fact that it can only be tutored with Oneiromancy, thus preventing you from playing Devotion.

Ivar Evil-Eye: This card was given an absurd reach, especially in this meta. (I don’t know what meta will arrive in the post-expansion yet, so I’m based on that).
Used on Yghern, or on Amadriade or something huge, it generates a great amount of points that can switch the situation.
It is not a round 3 card, as it cannot be used as a finisher, but it is used either to win round 1 or to resist a push in round 2.
Although it’s really a shame that it costs so much.

Ivar Evil-Eye: In my opinion this is the strongest card out of all the expansion. In addition to being a Round 1 tempo-play that Nilfgaard has never had, makes a huge amount of point-swing for a 10 provision. Also it’s very difficult to play around with, basically a too op/wrong designed card on so many levels.

Erland of Larvik: It’s probably one of the most flexible and strong cards at the same time in the history of Northern Realms. It can act as a mass buff in Round 1, or as a finisher even in a short round 3, self-protected by immunity. Played smartly, it can also make coffee for you while you are playing it, devastating.

Warrit the All-Seeing: Another Nilfgaard card that gives sense to the entire gameplan of the new expansion. It can ruin entire strategies and allow very wicked plays with Cantarella and Viper Witcher Mentor (very reminiscent of Lockdown as a card). It’s an oppressive and a very toxic card, which could force you to play specific techs just in order to counter it, that’s also wrong on so many levels.

Erland of Larvik: First of all, how wrong is this card? 

You will have to play without Devotion to be able to use Oneiromancy on him, but it’s worth it. Played in Round 1 on Red puts the opponent in a stalemate never seen before. In fact, if the opponent passes, we have the possibility to play something else and win by having the carry-over, otherwise if the opponent continues to play, we use the order and we will always win at even.
In addition, it’s not even bad if it gets removed, because now we still have the carry-over.
It’s not bad at Round 3 either also considering the worst case scenario, as we still have 8-9 units in the deck.
Not to mention the overwhelming power of having engines which normally are at 4 that go to 5, and engines at 5 that go to 6, becoming almost impossible to remove.
This card is shameful.

Idr: Exceptional card, great stats, a very useful passive power both in terms of points and in terms of synergies. The ability to clear a row and becoming immune by freeing up space for other units is very useful too.
It is a perfect card for its archetype that gives a huge boost to the whole pack of it.
Synergies and points, what else?

Kolgrim: This was a bit of a surprise card for many of us I guess, but it is literally a card that gives meaning to an archetype.
It is the perfect finisher for the Nilfgaard deck you are creating, and while it may not seem like it, it can cause a lot of damage doing a abnormally wrong amount of points if not contested.
If this card didn’t exist it would be like playing a Gord deck without Gord, too important for the genesis of the deck.

Idr: It’s a devastating card that I am taking in the first place because, in my opinion it is one of the most synergistic and versatile cards presented in this expansion. It’s a good card both with Overwhelming Hunger and with Arachas Swarm, and very synergistic with both leader skills, along with Koshchey constitutes a duo of meta defining cards that could make Geralt: Yrden enter the meta too.

Gaetan: It’s a card that seemed to me broken right from the start, unlike my teammates. It can play a maximum of 13 plus possibly with “Dol Blathanna: defense” another 8 points. It is clear that theory and practice are two very different things, but a 7 with such high potential had never been seen on Gwent.

Bear Witcher Mentor: It’s a card that surely goes into my personally top 3. I really like the concept of having bronze and gold finishers that involve more on being engine/pointslam. In fact this, in my opinion, is the strongest bronze of the set! This card alone is enough for the new Skellige to be more illegal than ever on a long round. Even on a short round it will not be underestimated, so this card seems very dangerous to me.