Things the Witcher 3 Doesn't Tell You - The Witcher 3 Guide - IGN (2024)

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is one of the most critically acclaimed RPGs to release in the last several years. And with the new Next-Gen Updates, there’s never been a better time to jump in. Whether this is your first time with the tale of Geralt of Rivia, or you’re just looking for a refresher to hone your Witcher-ing ways, here are things you should know that The Witcher 3 doesn’t tell you.

White Orchard Is Tiny

By any metric, The Witcher 3 is a massive game, even before considering the lengthy expansions. You’ll first be dropped in White Orchard, which is only a fraction of the size of the full map. There are tons to do there, but the game is much bigger than that, so try not to get stuck and burn out. If you feel bored, advance the main quest to open a wide new world. Keep in mind that some sidequests need to be finished before leaving, and you’ll get a popup saying that you failed if this is the case.

Potions Aren’t Essential, But They Are Fun

Even if you made it through the early hours of The Wild Hunt without needing to become a master alchemist, potions, oils, and (eventually) decoctions are a hugely useful part of a Witcher’s toolkit. Even if you spec most of your skill points into Combat and Magic, you absolutely shouldn’t write off alchemy unworthy of your time. Some are especially useful in combat. The Black Blood potion, which you can find for free in Drahim Castle near Novigrad, returns damage from Vampires and Necrophages who hit Geralt, and the upgraded version adds a nasty knockback effect. Whether you want to brew complex potions like that or just whip up some health juice, we’ve got a full guide to the Witcher 3’s alchemy system.

You Can Respec Your Abilities

Speaking of potions and where you put your skill points, if you find that Geralt isn’t leveling up quite the way you would like, there is an item called the Potion of Clearance that you can consume to reclaim all of your skill points and rebuild your character. This potion can be purchased from a few different vendors, including the merchant in Novigrad, the merchant in Skellige, and sorceress Keira Metz.

The Price is Right

If you’re more a trader than a craftsman, be sure you’re selling your goods to the right vendor. Certain merchants will pay more for items they can resell themselves. Armorers have better prices on armor and clothing, blacksmiths pay more for weapons, food has a higher value with inkeeps and taverns, and so on and so forth.

The Crossbow Is More Lethal Underwater

The crossbow is often lamented as one of Geralt’s weaker tools, but other than being a good way to hit flying enemies, it’s literally your only line of defense underwater and can even insta-kill certain creatures that will take quite a few hits while on land.

Don’t Get Greedy With Combos

Geralt is nimble and powerful, but if you try to strike one too many times in a row, the enemy will just block and counterattack. Your best bet is to hack away a few times before backing off and letting them swing at the air.

Choose Dodge or Roll Carefully

Rolling covers a vast distance in The Witcher 3 and can get you out of danger quickly, but time your dodges right, and invulnerability frames will allow Geralt to pass through enemy attacks without taking damage and keep the distance close for a counterattack. Roll when you need to clear some space or cast some defensive signs, but stick with dodge to keep up the melee pressure.

Combat Signs

You get a brief tutorial on how to use signs in combat early on, but there’s a lot more nuance to it than you might expect. Quen, for instance, might be “the Witcher’s Shield,” but it can also be used to cleanse certain status effects. Anything that deals Geralt damage over time, poison, bleeding, burning, etc., all those effects can be removed by casting Quen. Also, if you like to use Igni a lot, be careful when you use the Aard sign, it can extinguish flames, so avoid using it if you’ve just set a group of unfortunate bandits alight. Fire Elementals, though, are a different story altogether…

The Horse From A Pocket Dimension

Fun fact: Geralt names all of his horses Roach. Roach will often spawn right next to or behind you when you call him if he’s out of your line of sight, but if you call him when you can see him, he’ll have to walk all the way to you manually, so don’t be afraid to turn your back on him.

Horsin’ Around

While Witcher 3 does tell you that you can hold the canter button to keep your horse trotting along a mapped road or path, what it leaves out is that you can also do this while galloping, and it won’t drain any of your horse’s stamina. You’ll still have to manage it while galloping over open fields or uneven terrain, but once you get onto a road you’re on easy street.

The Mind of Roach

If you’re in mounted combat or riding through the woods and attacked by monsters, Roach might start to get a little panicky. Thankfully, you can use the Axii sign to calm your steed so you don’t get tossed from the saddle.

If, on the other hand, you’re not mounted, and your enemies are, you can use Axii on their mount to knock them off their high horse and onto even footing.

Be Careful Who You Romance

Geralt faces death every day, so he often likes to keep his romantic trysts casual. But sometimes, this can backfire if you romance too many ladies in the same playthrough. If you want to be doubly sure you’re not crossing the wrong woman, be sure to check out our Romance guide.

Same With New Game+

While New Game+ usually starts from a completed game save, there’s a bit of a workaround here right from the get-go. If you start one of the pre-made saves for the expansions from the Main Menu, you’ll get a prompt telling you that New Game+ has been unlocked. No completing the game needed!