The Witcher 3 is considered by many to be one of the greatest role-playing titles of all time, and it's easy to see why this is the case. After all, the fact of the matter is that CD Projekt Red's magnum opus is a must-play for anyone into action-adventure titles, with the story of Geralt of Rivia being one of the most encapsulating tales ever told in a video game.
So, it's only a given that more and more people would want to get into this masterpiece sooner rather than later, which makes it the need of the hour to ensure that little to no problems come in the way of people enjoying this game while playing it for the very first time. To make one's first experience with the game one without any frustrations, here are ten of the biggest mistakes that newcomers make — and should ideally be avoided — while playing The Witcher 3.
10 Attempting Quests With A Very High Recommended Level
The one thing to keep in mind about The Witcher 3 is that Geralt will get absolutely wrecked by enemies who are above his level — especially in the early going when the game can prove to be incredibly challenging at times.
Thus, it becomes all the more important to ensure that the player meets the recommended levels of most quests so that they don't face any issues when it comes to tackling some of the more imposing foes in the game.
9 Forgetting To Use Signs In Combat
While it might be somewhat jarring to integrate Signs in combat to get an edge of sorts, the player will have to adapt... lest they wish to be frustrated by each and every encounter in the game.
Signs like Quen and Axii can very much turn the tide of battle in the player's favor instantly, making most combat encounters manageable as a result — something that is very much required in a game where death can be quite frustrating indeed.
8 Using Silver On Humans And Steel On Monsters
The golden rule that one should follow when it comes to combat in The Witcher 3 is that steel should always be reserved for humans, while monsters will be absolutely decimated with the use of a silver sword.
Using the wrong sword in combat will lead to a situation where the player will be doing barely any damage, unnecessarily lengthening any encounter by quite a bit and damaging the sword for no reason as well.
7 Ignoring The Helpful Effects Of Oils And Potions
While the Swallow and Cat potion might become go-to concoctions for the player, the same can't be said for most of the other potions and any of the oils in the game as well.
This is a bad mistake to make in the game — getting used to applying oils and drinking potions is a necessity, especially in the higher difficulties when enemies become particularly challenging to deal with.
6 Rushing Through The Game World As Opposed To Taking One's Time
The Witcher 3's world is definitely pretty, but there's more to be seen than what appears on the surface — something that players who are rushing through the game's story won't be able to appreciate.
While it might be well and good to abuse the fast travel system, the real joy of The Witcher 3 is exploring the world of the game and uncovering the huge wealth of secrets and encounters that can be accessed only if the player is curious enough to explore the map on their own two feet.
5 Forgetting To Buy A Saddlebag To Improve Overall Inventory Size
Getting encumbered in any video game is not an exciting prospect in the slightest, and The Witcher 3 is definitely no exception to this. This can prove to be quite irritating, especially in situations where the player needs to loot a ton of bodies only to get encumbered midway through this ordeal.
Getting a saddlebag for Roach can mitigate this problem quite a bit, since doing so will help ensure that the player can just move some particularly heavy items in this saddlebag that can be sold later on.
4 Attacking The Cows In White Orchard To Earn A Quick Buck
There are many ways to make money in The Witcher 3, but one has to admit that Geralt is quite penniless during the start. However, the quickest way to earn some coin during this initial phase is to kill the cows in the village, sell their meat, and then meditate for a while to respawn said cattle — something that is not recommended due to the repercussions that can be incurred from the same.
CD Projekt Red was well aware of this exploit in White Orchard, and decided to teach a lesson to players by unleashing a horrible beast upon them for abusing this system. This level 27 chort is easily an enemy that will absolutely decimate the player at the start of the game and teach them a harsh lesson on cheating the systems of a video game.
3 Ignoring The Rich Side Content Of The Game
The side content of The Witcher 3 is easily one of its crowning jewels, and any player that chooses to ignore these side quests in order to power through the main story can only blame themselves for ruining their enjoyment with the game.
There's a reason why most people stand by the fact that the side quests of The Witcher 3 are arguably better than the main story in terms of writing quality — it's in the small stories told in The Witcher 3 where the game's writing truly shines its brightest.
2 Trying To Romance Both Yennefer And Triss At The Same Time
The two romance options in The Witcher 3 are easily the best characters in the game, and a player can definitely not be faulted for having a hard time picking one of these two women to be Geralt's love interest for the rest of the game.
However, what the player should definitely be punished for is if they try and manipulate both these women into being with him — something that the game does by showing exactly what the repercussions of such a heinous act really are.
1 Being Too Strict And Unreasonable With Ciri
The worst mistake that players can make in The Witcher 3 is something that will definitely cost them the best endings in the game — being rude and dismissive when it comes to guiding Ciri after rescuing her.
While it's true that some players might have their heart in the right place, showing absolutely no compassion to your surrogate daughter years after meeting her is something that is bound to affect her... and the player's ending too, as a result.