The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is well known for its expansive side quests, in which players use their investigative skills and discover often times that not everything at face value appears to be so, and many monster contracts prove to present moral dilemmas. However, for those that wish to get a head start in the early game and are after a particular perk, obtaining it earlier in the game is often the best route, and thankfully, many of these side quests in Witcher 3 are among the quickest and most simple in comparison to the more deeply involved investigative contracts.
The Witcher 3's monster contracts provide much of the same perks in terms of the Witcher 3 monster trophies they provide, and it can be a wise choice for players to set out on the contract that provides the perks they are looking for at the earliest convenience in the game, especially ones that grant bonus experience.
Most of the Witcher 3 monster trophies provide all the necessary perks which can be obtained early in the game if the contracts below are sought in the right order, given that they require relatively low levels to complete. For example, most common trophy perk in the game is the 5% bonus experience for killing humans and non-humans, which many monster trophies provide.
But knowing which one is available at the earliest convenience and lowest level can make a big difference, and, thankfully, it can be obtained at the start of the game if one chooses to pick these contracts from the best of the best in a particular order. Conveniently, none of these contracts are among the hardest boss fights in The Witcher 3.
Shrieker - 10% chance to dismember enemies
For those that enjoy dismembering enemies, the "Shrieker" is a great contract which can be obtained well before hitting level 10, possibly even lower than level 8 for a skilled player. This contract provides the Cockatrice trophy which gives players a 10% chance at ripping through enemies and dismembering them.
This is a fairly straight forward quest without any moral dilemmas for Geralt and can be obtained from the Crow's Merch's notice board. An unknown beast has been tormenting the area, and it turns out to be Witcher 3's cockatrice monster, which is dwelling in the nearby shrieker's cave.
Devil by the Well - 5% bonus experience for killing humans/non-humans
"Devil by the Well" is truly a treat, because not only will it provide a trophy which gives a 5% bonus experience for killing humans and non-humans almost at the start of the game, but it is also one of the most interesting among Witcher 3's story-driven quests. The quest pits Geralt against a noonwraith, which was brought into fruition at the hands of the brutal death of an innocent victim.
The quest involves Geralt conducting a murder investigation and uncovering the events which transpired and turned this victim into a vicious spirit. Devil by the Well is a unique quest in that as frightening as noonwraith is, one can not help but feel some pity and empathy for it. During the final showdown with the noonwraith in the abandoned Hovel village, the fight can be made easier by weakening it with Dimeritum Bombs and applying Specter Oil. It is also especially vulnerable to the Yrden sign.
Strange Beast - 5% chance to find additional herbs
"Strange Beast" is generally reserved for higher levels during the mid-game, and level 16 is the recommended starting point for completing this contract. Unfortunately, there is no earlier contract which can provide a 5% chance to find additional herbs trophy. The quest can be obtained on Larvik's notice board, or talking directly to Thorleif, the village elder in Larvik. Much like "Shrieker", this is a fairly straight forward quest in order to kill the nekker warrior, which has made other nekkers more aggressive towards nearby locals.
One of the easiest ways to defeat the nekker warrior known as Hagubman is by unleashing Northern Wind Bombs on it. This enemy is also vulnerable to all of Geralt's Signs, so players can be fairly versatile in utilizing their favorite strategies against it.
Patrol Gone Missing - 5% experience from killing monsters
"Patrol Gone Missing" can be completed early in the game and is one of the quickest contracts, at roughly level 7 and possibly level 4 or 5 for particularly skilled players. This contract is given by Quartermaster Tavar Eggebracht in the Nilfgaardian Army Group 'Center' Camp in southeast Velen, or it can also be found on the notice board in this area.
This contract eventually leads to a fight against a wyvern, granting its trophy early in the game in order to gain 5% experience from killing monsters. An easy way to defeat the wyvern is to utilize the Aard Sign. Also, preparing for this fight by having a Golden Oriole potion on hand and some Dracanoid Oil for one's blade also goes a long way. The wyvern is also vulnerable to Grapeshot Bombs, though the former two items should suffice for most.
Swamp Thing - 5% bonus gold
"Swamp Thing" provides the 5% bonus gold perk fairly early in the game, around levels 10 to 12. To gain this perk, the player needs to obtain the Foglet trophy by defeating Ignis Fatuus, located in a cave near the swamps of Velen. A particularly easy way to defeat Witcher 3's foglet boss is by utilizing Moon Dust bombs, which it is particularly vulnerable to. While regular versions should suffice, if one can get their hands on Enhanced Moon Dust or Superior Moon Dust, it will certainly make the fight easier.
The contract can be obtained on the Downwarren's notice board. While the contract is fairly straight forward, it requires some interesting tracking and investigative initiatives that take advantage of Witcher Senses. Inside the cave, players can also obtain the Ursine Superior Silver Sword diagram in one of the containers inside, which should provide a head start early in the game before moving on to obtaining the best silver swords in Witcher 3 later on.
Other important contracts in the game are mutagens, much of which accumulate, giving the player more powerful perks as they progress through the game. But given the way Trophies work, they should be among the first perks the player obtains in order to accumulate the bonus experience type they are desiring for the duration of the game, which will come in handy during Witcher 3's main quests as well. By completing the above contracts, the player should secure all the perks gained from Trophies early on in the game, and can turn in and sell the rest of the Trophies they gain later on, since they provide the same bonuses.
The Witcher 3 is available now for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.