The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is a popular open world RPG for good reason. With a rich story behind it, characters you’ll love, a great combat system with magic, and some amazing story elements, it has something for everyone. However, it can be a bit tricky to get a hang of the game in some aspects and especially if you want to play on a harder mode. If you read these tips and follow them, we promise, you’ll find that the game is a little easier than stumbling in blind. Even if you’ve already started the game or want to replay, these may actually still help you.
10 It’s A Marathon, Not A Sprint When It Comes To The Bosses
The main bosses Geralt will face-off against include the Wild Hunt, Dettlaff, and a bunch of other difficult enemies. Some of them may seem impossible. You’re above the recommended level for the quest and that health bar is so long that it seems as if it’ll never get down. Even the strong attacks, when you manage to land one, do the barest sliver of damage. So how are you supposed to beat them?
The truth is, the bosses are a marathon more than a sprint. Sit down and prepare yourself for each boss to take up to thirty minutes. Hit, dodge, dodge, dodge, hit, repeat. Getting impatient is what will make these bosses suck more. If you have the patience to take your time, they’re actually not too difficult at all.
9 Learn Which Signs Are Effective For Which Enemy
It’s also worth learning which signs are effective on which enemy. There are some enemies Yrden will do very little to, and some bosses that’ll be extremely effective. You can either test out the signs on an enemy and see which seem to make the most difference or if you want to cheat (we won’t judge), google the most effective strategy against the enemy beforehand. Every one of them is different in this game.
8 Your Choices Really Matter
The choices you make, even in side quests, will truly affect the rest of the game. If you choose not to take up a side quest, it may have an effect later, so try to bear that in mind when playing. The best strategy is to be patient and explore as many of the side quests as possible on your way through the main story, so you find each option available to you and can make your decisions accordingly.
7 Find The Best Armor, Weapons, & Items
Geralt has armor, a steel sword, and a silver sword, and although you may stumble across more in the game accidentally, it’s worth finding out where the best are and seeking them out. It won’t be easy — they’ll be hidden away — but if you explore the land thoroughly and, as always, take your time with the game, you’ll come across armor and weapons that will make your life so much easier.
Not only that there are oils that are effective against certain enemies, potions, etc., to be found.
6 And Make Sure You Repair Them!
If a red symbol flashes and shows you that your armor or sword is worn down, it might be tempting to ignore it since you may not notice for a while that it’s affecting Geralt — until you come up against a harder boss. There, you might see that Geralt is taking more damage than usual, or isn’t doing as much damage. Make sure to always visit the blacksmiths dotted around the Witcher world and ensure that your swords and armor are in tip-top condition, especially before you face off a boss.
5 The Witcher Contracts Are There To Help You Level Up
It’s easy to forget about the Witcher contracts pinned up around the areas, but it’s best to check them out because by the time you traipse after an enemy and take them down, you’ll level up further and further. Leveling up is, of course, what makes the main story so much easier.
Has anyone else noticed that so much of this game is about patience? It’s the key to everything.
4 Don’t Try To Romance Both Triss & Yennefer
Geralt has many, many romance options in the game — lucky guy — but the two who will pop up again and again are Yennefer and Triss. While he can have many flings without the two main ladies finding out, you can only choose one of these. Try to be romantic with both, and you’ll end up with none of them as they’ll team up and abandon you. If you don’t want Geralt to finish the game alone, pick one of them and stick to it. Be loyal!
3 Be Empathetic With Characters
More than one character’s survival simply depends on Geralt being empathetic and there for them. If someone is talking, try to relate to them and be understanding. Sure, you can play Geralt as a complete a-hole, but why would you when it’s risking character death? It’s hard to say any more without being far too spoilery, but anyone who’s played through the whole game will be able to think of more than one example.
2 If You Can Have An Ally For A Fight, Do
Sometimes, Geralt can have an ally for a fight, such as Vesemir, Keira Metz, Shani — or even Ciri! This ally generally won’t do much damage to the enemy, but they will often serve as a distraction so Geralt can strike. In a game where the boss fights usually require a lot of patience because it’s hard to land a strike, this is a huge advantage to have even though it might be frustrating to see them not dealing very much damage at all.
1 Be Conscious Of Who’s Around You
If someone is fighting for you, look out for them if your goal is to avoid character death. There are multiple characters who will potentially die because Geralt wasn’t looking out for them enough during the fights, so don’t get so lost in trying to take down the enemy that the safety of Geralt’s companions falls to the wayside.
NEXT: The Witcher 3: Most Difficult Boss Fights, Ranked
