Despite being released more than five years ago now, The Witcher 3 remains incredibly popular. It continues to average more than 25,000 daily players on Steam and, thanks to the hugely popular Netflix adaptation, has seen a big increase in new players over the last year. This longevity is aided by the sheer volume of content that's crammed into the game and its two sizeable expansion packs.
Unfortunately, however, there will come a point when players have experienced all that the game has to offer and must find their own ways to keep things feeling fresh. Sure, new game plus is great and there's also the incredibly challenging Death March difficulty setting, but these can only take a player so far. Many players instead turn to the many great mods available for the game, while others take on challenge runs in order to add another layer of difficulty to the experience.
The Casual Friday Run
The Witcher 3 can at times be quite an intense game, so what better way to ease the pressure and improve morale than with a casual Friday? Geralt can still wear Witcher boots and chest armor, but his trousers must be common and he can't equip any gauntlets.
This is definitely one of the easier challenge runs, but it does give the game a slightly different feel. Anybody looking for a slightly more challenging equipment based run could instead try the Starter Equipment run. As the name suggests, it simply requires players to stick with the starter gear for the entirety of the run.
The Alchemist Run
How a player chooses to spend their Witcher points can have a big impact on a playthrough. The Alchemist run forbids spending them on anything other than the Alchemy skill tree. The use of potions, bombs and decorations is okay, but players should refrain from attacking with swords or crossbows whenever possible.
In some ways, placing such a heavy emphasis on alchemy can actually make the game a little easier. It forces players out of their comfort zones though and, in many cases, will likely provide them with a much deeper understanding of the game's alchemy mechanics.
The Weary Traveler Run
The Witcher 3's world might not be as large as the ones found in some of the other open-world games that are out there, but it's still big enough for fast travel to be an absolute godsend. While it certainly helps to speed things up though, it can also really be incredibly immersion breaking. In the Weary Traveler run, fast traveling is forbidden unless absolutely required for story progression.
This means riding Roach everywhere or traveling on foot or by boat. When fast travel is essential, players should head to the point on the map that's closest to where they're teleporting to before doing so. The run may take longer, but, on the plus side, it gives players more time to take in some of the game's stunning scenery.
The Trust Your Gut Run
It might not seem like it, but having stats and health bars visible on-screen can have a big impact on how a person plays the game. It really is one of those things that players take for granted, only to miss it dearly once it's gone. The Trust Your Gut run calls for just that.
Players need to turn off all of the on-screen settings, which means no critical hit or effect text, no control hints, no displaying current buffs. Basically, no everything. PC players are at an advantage here as they can simply turn off the HUD using the home key. Console players, on the other hand, will have to manually disable everything in the settings menu instead.
The Mere Mortal Run
Geralt is perfectly equipped for the harsh world of The Witcher 3, but what if he wasn't? In the Mere Mortal run, all of his abilities are off-limits whenever possible. This means no alchemy, no potions, no Witcher gear and, most importantly, no Witcher senses.
There are a few points in the game when using Witcher senses is integral to trigger story progression, but otherwise, players must instead rely only on their eyes and ears. The blood trails might not always be easy to spot, but that's all part of the challenge.
The Moral Fiber Run
Morality can sometimes be a bit of a grey area in The Witcher 3, with players for the most part able to get away with their indiscretions with complete impunity. The Moral Fiber run looks to fix this by imposing the laws of man and basic etiquette on everybody's favorite Witcher.
This means no looting from peoples' homes regardless of whether or not they're there to see it, not killing humans when possible and making sure to mind one's P's and Q's when faced with dialogue options. Geralt may possess supernatural powers, but that doesn't mean that he can't also have good manners to go along with them.
The Foot In Mouth Run
From one extreme to the other. One of the things that makes The Witcher 3 such an incredible game is the player's ability to directly impact the story through their decisions. The Foot in Mouth run requires players to go against their better intuitions and instead choose what they believe to be the very worst possible dialogue options.
Not only will this lead to the deaths of a few beloved characters, but it will also severely limit the opportunities that present themselves to Geralt when it comes to side quests and rewards. It can certainly feel a little strange to knowingly making a bad decision, but it definitely adds to the challenge.
The Pack Horse Run
Anybody who's ever picked up one too many items will know just how annoying it can be when Geralt is over-encumbered. Now imagine having to contend with this throughout an entire playthrough. With the Pack Horse run, no imagination is required as players will get to experience each agonizing moment first-hand.
Not only does this make getting around a lot more challenging, but also tracking and combat too. This challenge run will considerably extend playtime though, so anybody thinking about taking it on should make sure that they have plenty of time to commit.
The Boy Scout Run
The Boy Scout run aims to put players' survival instincts to the test. Players need to turn off the mini-map and can only open up the world map at fast travel points. Additionally, players must forage for herbs and ingredients and craft everything they use rather than purchasing it from merchants or blacksmiths.
When it comes to appearance, Witcher gear is completely off-limits. Instead, players can equip only Tracker's armor, although any level is fine. In keeping with the outdoorsy theme, players can only meditate at outdoor campfires.
The Post Shower Run
For those who are really looking to put their skills to the limit, the Post Shower run should be right up their street. It entails equipping Geralt with only the bath towel and, for those who are strong enough, only attacking with fists.
The fists-only requirement will likely prove to be a bridge too far for most players, especially when up against some of the game's toughest enemies. The lack of decent armor should prove challenging enough for most though or the Small Blackjack and Wooden Sword might make for a decent middle ground.