Welcome to The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, a game known for its sprawling story, deep systems, and sometimes punishing early-game experience. In this guide, we’re diving into a collection of practical tips and tricks I wish I had known when I first set foot in the Northern Kingdoms. These aren’t just beginner basics—they’re efficiency-boosting, life-saving insights that can shape your playthrough from the get-go.

Loot Everything (Unless a Guard is Watching)

One of the first hard-learned lessons: loot everything in sight. If it’s not nailed down and there’s no guard nearby, it’s fair game. Even mundane items can be useful later—either in crafting or trading. As a general rule, if you have more than ten of the same item, it’s time to start selling or dismantling it. Visiting a blacksmith lets you break down items for crafting materials, and you’d be surprised what rare ingredients you can recover this way.

Places of Power = Free Ability Points

Make it a priority to find Places of Power. Not only do they grant you a temporary sign buff, but more importantly, they each award a free ability point upon your first use. These early boosts can really open up your combat options. Some of these sites are guarded by dangerous foes, so approach with caution—but definitely visit them all. It’s free power, and in this game, you take every edge you can get.

Surviving Death March: Gourmet + Quen Combo

If you’re playing on harder difficulties like Death March, two things will be your best friends: the Gourmet skill and the Quen sign. Gourmet, available through the Blood and Wine DLC, allows food to regenerate vitality for a full 20 minutes. Pair that with the Quen sign’s protective shield, and you’ve got a combo that lets you safely whittle down even the toughest enemies. Activate Quen, take a hit, back off, reapply, and repeat. It’s slow but reliable, and it’s the core of many high-difficulty builds.

Weapon and Armor Maintenance

Always keep your gear in top shape. Before heading into a battle, hit a grindstone to boost weapon damage and an armorer’s table to enhance armor. These are temporary buffs, but they stack with everything else you’re using. Also, never let your gear hit the red durability zone—your weapon might as well be a stick at that point. Keep repair kits on hand, or make a stop at a blacksmith to repair your loadout. Preparation in this game goes a long way.

Upgrade Your Horse (Yes, Really)

Roach, your loyal steed, can be upgraded in several ways that actually impact your gameplay. Saddlebags increase your carrying capacity, letting you loot and keep more without slowing down. Blinders reduce fear, keeping Roach from panicking in tense situations. Saddles increase stamina, useful for travel and races. And monster trophies strapped to your saddle grant unique combat bonuses. Don’t sleep on these upgrades—they’re easy to overlook, but make a difference.

Study Your Bestiary

Knowledge is power. Your Bestiary provides key insights on monster weaknesses—specific potions, bombs, oils, and signs that can turn a brutal encounter into a manageable one. On harder difficulties, this preparation isn’t optional—it’s essential. Learning the right approach for each enemy type saves time, potions, and probably your life.

Meditation and Saving: The Two Lifelines

Meditation is more than just a lore-friendly way to pass time. It’s your supply reset button. As long as you have alcohol in your inventory, meditating will refill your potions, bombs, and decoctions. However, on higher difficulties, meditation does not restore health. This is where the Gourmet skill comes in again—combining food with meditation makes you far more sustainable in the field.

And for the love of Vesemir—save often. This game has a habit of punishing players for small mistakes. Fall off a ledge, run into an overleveled beast, or get caught stealing and lose hours of progress. Manual saves before major fights or long exploration sessions can spare you a lot of frustration.

Grab the Moonblade Early

Here’s a weapon tip not many new players know: you can get the Moonblade, a solid silver sword, extremely early in the game. After defeating the Griffin and arriving at the Hangman’s Tree fast travel post, head southwest to a nearby water area. Dive beneath the surface near a broken boat to find a key, then open the chest containing the Moonblade. This weapon has three rune slots and can be grabbed as early as level 3, though level 6–8 is the sweet spot to make the most of it. Just be cautious—hostile enemies often patrol this area, so make a save before diving in.

Fast Travel Shortcut at Map’s Edge

If you ever find yourself stranded far from a fast travel signpost, head to the edge of the map. Once you reach the boundary, a message pops up: “You’ve reached the world’s edge. None but devils play past here.” At this point, the game pulls up your world map and allows you to fast travel to any unlocked signpost. It’s a clever little trick for saving time when you’re deep in the wild.

Convert Your Currency in Novigrad

Crowning moment of economic clarity: there’s a bank in Novigrad where you can convert your foreign coin into crowns. This can be a lifesaver when you’re low on spendable cash. Just head to the banker NPC (easily found on the map), talk to him, and swap your orens and florens into the currency you can actually use.

Learn to Play Gwent (Seriously)

If you skip over Gwent thinking it’s just a side activity, you’re missing out. Not only is Gwent ridiculously fun, it’s also tied to some story missions—and if you don’t learn the rules, you’ll find yourself stuck. Start collecting cards, learn how to build a solid deck, and play matches whenever you can. It’s a great way to break up long combat sessions and engage with another rich layer of the game world.

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The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is a game that only gets better the more you understand its layers. These tips are the hard-earned lessons and hidden tricks that make the journey smoother, smarter, and ultimately more rewarding. If you’re just starting out, take these to heart—they’ll save you hours of trial and error. And if you’ve got your own advice, don’t hesitate to share it.

Happy hunting, and may your potions never run dry!