The Witcher 3: Leveling Guide

Leveling up in The Witcher 3 is an essential part of progressing through the game and becoming a formidable witcher. Gaining experience points and ability points allows Geralt to unlock new skills, enhance his abilities, and equip stronger gear like heavy armor. This comprehensive witcher 3 leveling guide will provide strategies and tips to level up fast and efficiently.

The guide covers a range of topics to help players at all stages, from beginners just starting out to advanced players looking to optimize their character build. It details how to maximize XP farming, shares effective combat tactics, and advises on the best skill builds and ability point allocation. Whether playing on Death March difficulty or taking a more leisurely approach, readers will learn how to level up quickly in The Witcher 3 and make Geralt a force to be reckoned with.

Starting Tips for Beginners

As a beginner in The Witcher 3, it's essential to make the most of your time in White Orchard, the game's starting area. This region may be small compared to the vast world that awaits, but it's packed with valuable resources and opportunities to level up quickly.

Drain White Orchard for All It's Worth

1. Loot everything: Geralt's witcher senses allow him to easily spot lootable containers and objects. Take advantage of this ability and grab everything you can, from herbs and crafting materials to weapons and armor.

2. Complete side quests and witcher contracts: White Orchard is filled with side quests and witcher contracts that not only provide interesting stories but also grant generous amounts of experience points. Completing these activities will help you level up faster and better prepare for the challenges ahead.

3. Sell unnecessary items: As you accumulate loot, your inventory will quickly fill up. Regularly visit merchants to sell items you don't need, which will not only free up space but also provide you with extra coin to purchase useful gear and supplies.

Leave No Stone Unturned

1. Explore every corner: White Orchard may seem small, but it's filled with hidden treasures and points of interest. Use your witcher senses to uncover hidden loot, and don't hesitate to venture off the beaten path to discover hidden locations and valuable resources.

2. Discover Places of Power: These ancient sites grant Geralt ability points, which are crucial for unlocking new skills and abilities. Make sure to find and draw from every Place of Power in White Orchard to give yourself an early advantage in character development.

By thoroughly exploring White Orchard and taking advantage of every opportunity to gain experience points and resources, you'll be well-prepared to tackle the challenges that await in the rest of The Witcher 3's expansive world.

Maximizing Experience Points

To level up quickly in The Witcher 3, it's essential to make the most of every opportunity to gain experience points. Here are some strategies to help you maximize your XP gains:

Proper Preparation

Before embarking on quests or exploring new areas, ensure that Geralt is well-equipped and prepared. This includes:

1. Crafting and upgrading potions, oils, and bombs to tackle various enemies effectively
2. Investing in the best available armor and weapons to increase combat efficiency
3. Allocating ability points wisely to enhance Geralt's skills and capabilities

By being properly prepared, you'll be able to complete quests and defeat enemies more efficiently, leading to faster XP gains.

Use Witcher Gear

Witcher gear, identifiable by its green text, offers unique bonuses that can significantly boost your XP gains. These bonuses include:

Seek out and equip Witcher gear whenever possible to take advantage of these experience-boosting benefits.

Equip Trophies on Roach

Trophies obtained from defeating major monsters and bosses can be equipped on Roach's saddle for various bonuses, including increased XP gains. Some notable trophies include:

1. Devil by the Well trophy (White Orchard): Obtained early in the game, offering bonus XP
2. Noonwraith trophy: Increases XP gained from humans and non-humans
3. Wyvern trophy: Boosts XP gained from monsters

Equip these trophies on Roach to further enhance your experience gains throughout your journey.

Prioritize Witcher Contracts and Side Quests

While the main story quests provide a substantial amount of XP, Witcher contracts and side quests are crucial for leveling up quickly. Here's how to approach them:

1. Check notice boards in every new location for available contracts and quests
2. Aim to complete at least two major side quests or contracts for every main story mission
3. Avoid quests that are significantly below your current level, as they offer diminishing XP rewards

By focusing on Witcher contracts and side quests that are close to your level, you'll maximize your XP gains and level up faster.

Remember, the key to leveling up quickly in The Witcher 3 is to take advantage of every opportunity to gain experience points. By preparing properly, using Witcher gear, equipping trophies on Roach, and prioritizing contracts and side quests, you'll be able to level up efficiently and tackle the game's challenges with ease.

Effective Combat Strategies

Mastering combat in The Witcher 3 is crucial for leveling up quickly and efficiently. Geralt has a wide array of weapons, abilities, and techniques at his disposal to take down even the toughest foes. By utilizing these tools effectively, players can minimize damage taken and maximize their offensive capabilities, allowing them to gain experience points and level up faster.

Use Available Weapons

While Geralt primarily relies on his witcher swords, he can also equip axes and clubs for close-quarters combat. These weapons may not have the same reach as swords, but they can be effective in certain situations. Additionally, the crossbow serves as a valuable tool for dealing with flying or underwater enemies, as it deals significant damage to these foes.

To further enhance combat effectiveness, players should:

1. Regularly repair and upgrade weapons at blacksmiths or armorers
2. Apply the appropriate blade oils to increase damage against specific enemy types
3. Utilize bombs and grenades to control crowds or deal extra damage

Mastering Combat Techniques

Geralt's combat prowess relies on a combination of fast attacks, strong attacks, dodging, and parrying. Mastering these techniques is essential for success in battle:

By combining these techniques and adapting to the enemy's attack patterns, players can effectively dispatch foes while minimizing damage taken.

Utilize Abilities and Mutagens

Investing in the right abilities and mutagens can significantly enhance Geralt's combat effectiveness. Some key abilities to consider include:

1. Muscle Memory: Increases fast attack damage, allowing for quicker kills
2. Crushing Blows: Boosts strong attack damage, making it easier to break through enemy defenses
3. Arrow Deflection: Enables Geralt to deflect arrows with his sword, reducing ranged damage taken
4. Counterattack: Increases the damage dealt by counterattacks after a successful parry

Mutagens, when matched with the appropriate color-coded abilities, provide substantial bonuses to Geralt's combat stats. For example, placing a red mutagen in a slot surrounded by red combat abilities will significantly increase attack power, making Geralt a more formidable force on the battlefield.

By effectively using available weapons, mastering combat techniques, and leveraging abilities and mutagens, players can optimize Geralt's performance in battle. This, in turn, leads to faster leveling and a more enjoyable experience as players progress through the vast world of The Witcher 3.

Advanced Leveling Tips

Kill Drowners for XP

Killing Drowners is an effective way to level up quickly in The Witcher 3. While it can be a tedious process, it offers a reliable method for gaining experience points. To make the most of this strategy, equip Geralt with a crossbow, which can be acquired after completing the Beast of White Orchard mission. Follow these steps to farm Drowners for XP:

1. Visit the Question Mark northwest of Hangman's Alley in Velen, No Man's Land.
2. Upon reaching the small patch of land facing an abandoned ship, jump into the water.
3. Kill the Drowners, then turn back to their point of origin.
4. Kill the two Drowners that spawn.
5. Repeat this process to gain levels quickly.

Farm Near Monster Nests

Farming near monster nests for XP follows a similar principle to farming Drowners. Locate a monster nest and kill the monsters that spawn from it, but refrain from destroying the nest itself. After defeating the monsters, meditate for a short period until they respawn. Continuously repeat this process to farm monsters near nests and level up rapidly.

Enable Enemy Upscaling

Players seeking a more challenging experience in The Witcher 3 should consider enabling enemy upscaling. This option ensures that every enemy encountered is at the same level as Geralt, including those in low-level side quests and areas. Enabling enemy upscaling not only increases the difficulty but also rewards players with more experience points for their efforts.

To enable enemy upscaling, follow these steps:

1. Access the Options menu
2. Navigate to the Gameplay section
3. Locate the Enemy Upscaling option
4. Toggle Enemy Upscaling to "On"

Complete Difficult Missions and Side Quests using the Gourmet Ability

The Witcher 3 rewards players for attempting higher-level missions and side quests. To tackle these challenges more effectively, players should acquire the Gourmet ability as early as possible. This ability, available with the Blood and Wine expansion, allows Geralt to regenerate health for 20 minutes after consuming food.

With the Gourmet ability, players can confidently take on even the most daunting challenges, as the risk of death is significantly reduced. Completing these higher-level missions and optional side quests will grant bonus XP, enabling players to level up faster than ever before.

By employing these advanced leveling tips, such as farming Drowners, utilizing monster nests, enabling enemy upscaling, and leveraging the Gourmet ability, players can optimize their experience gains and level up Geralt efficiently in The Witcher 3.

Optimal Use of Skills and Abilities

To maximize Geralt's potential and efficiently level up in The Witcher 3, it's crucial to allocate ability points wisely and employ a combination of combat, sign, and alchemy skills. By focusing on key abilities that suit your playstyle, you can create a powerful character build that excels in various situations.

Focus on Combat Skills

Investing in combat skills is essential for dealing high damage and surviving intense battles. Consider the following:

1. Muscle Memory: Increases fast attack damage, allowing for quicker kills.
2. Crushing Blows: Boosts strong attack damage, making it easier to break through enemy defenses.
3. Arrow Deflection: Enables Geralt to deflect arrows with his sword, reducing ranged damage taken.
4. Counterattack: Increases the damage dealt by counterattacks after a successful parry.

Utilize Sign Abilities

Sign abilities offer versatility and can significantly enhance Geralt's combat effectiveness. Key sign abilities include:

1. Delusion (Axii): Increases the effectiveness of Axii in dialogues, opening up alternative solutions to quests.
2. Melt Armor (Igni): Permanently weakens enemy armor, making them more vulnerable to attacks.
3. Active Shield (Quen): Creates a protective shield that absorbs damage and restores Geralt's health.
4. Magic Trap (Yrden): Damages and slows enemies within its radius, while also destroying projectiles.

Employ Alchemy Skills

Alchemy skills can provide powerful buffs and increase Geralt's survivability. Important alchemy skills to consider are:

1. Heightened Tolerance: Increases maximum toxicity, allowing for more potion consumption.
2. Refreshment: Restores health upon drinking potions, making them even more valuable.
3. Protective Coating: Enhances the protective effects of oils, further reducing damage taken.
4. Synergy: Increases mutagen bonuses, providing substantial stat boosts when matching mutagens with skills.

By focusing on a combination of combat, sign, and alchemy skills that complement your preferred playstyle, you can create a well-rounded and powerful character build. Experiment with different skill combinations and find the setup that works best for you, whether you prefer a more aggressive combat approach, a sign-focused build, or a toxicity-driven alchemy build.

Maintaining Gear and Inventory

As Geralt progresses through The Witcher 3, he will accumulate a vast array of weapons, armor, and other items. Properly managing and maintaining this gear is crucial for success in the game, especially when it comes to leveling up efficiently.

Upgrade Weapons and Armor

Upgrading Geralt's weapons and armor is essential for keeping pace with the increasing difficulty of enemies encountered throughout the game. To upgrade gear, players must:

1. Acquire diagrams for the desired equipment, which can be found in fixed locations such as guarded treasures and monster nests, or received as quest rewards.
2. Ensure that the blacksmith or armorer meets the required craftsmanship level to create the item.
3. Gather the necessary crafting materials, which can be obtained by looting, dismantling items, or purchasing from vendors.
4. Pay the crafting price, which varies depending on the rarity of the item and the blacksmith or armorer's rates.

Investing in witcher gear is particularly worthwhile, as these sets offer unique bonuses and can be upgraded through a series of scavenger hunt quests. However, players should be mindful of the cost associated with crafting high-rarity items and consider selling unused equipment to fund these upgrades.

Use Accessories and Consumables

In addition to weapons and armor, Geralt can equip various accessories and use consumables to enhance his performance in combat and while exploring the world of The Witcher 3. Some key items to consider include:

1. Runestones and Glyphs: These can be socketed into weapons and armor, respectively, to provide additional damage or sign intensity bonuses.
2. Potions, Oils, and Bombs: Crafting and using these consumables can significantly increase Geralt's effectiveness against specific enemy types and in various combat situations.
3. Food and Drink: Consuming food and drink items restores Geralt's health and can provide temporary buffs, making them valuable resources during lengthy battles or explorations.

To maximize the benefits of these items, players should regularly:

• Dismantle unused equipment to obtain crafting components
• Visit merchants to sell unwanted items and purchase necessary materials
• Craft and upgrade consumables using acquired formulae and ingredients

By carefully managing Geralt's inventory, upgrading his gear, and utilizing accessories and consumables effectively, players can ensure that the witcher is always prepared for the challenges that lie ahead. This, in turn, will make the process of leveling up in The Witcher 3 a more efficient and enjoyable experience.

Conclusion

The Witcher 3 offers a vast and immersive world filled with countless opportunities for Geralt to grow and develop as a witcher. By following the strategies and tips outlined in this comprehensive leveling guide, players can efficiently navigate the game's challenges and maximize their experience gains. From thoroughly exploring White Orchard to mastering combat techniques and investing in key skills and abilities, every decision made contributes to Geralt's progression and success.

As players embark on their journey through The Witcher 3, they should remember to maintain their gear, utilize accessories and consumables, and adapt their playstyle to suit the various situations they encounter. With dedication and a strategic approach, players will find themselves leveling up quickly, becoming increasingly powerful, and fully immersing themselves in the rich and captivating world of The Witcher 3.

FAQs

What's the Quickest Method to Level Up in The Witcher 3?

To rapidly gain experience points (XP) in The Witcher 3, engage in a variety of activities including completing both main and side quests, defeating enemies, winning at Gwent, and participating in horse races. Essentially, any main story or side quest activity contributes to leveling up.

Which Skills Should I Enhance First in The Witcher 3?

Choosing which skills to enhance first in The Witcher 3 largely depends on your preferred playstyle. A common strategy involves investing in the 'Sun and Stars' skill for health regeneration during the day and stamina recovery at night, followed by enhancing the Quen sign for improved defense, and focusing on fast attack skills for offensive capabilities.

Is It Advisable to Activate Level Scaling in The Witcher 3?

Activating level scaling, or upscaling, in The Witcher 3 adjusts the experience points (XP) and item rewards Geralt receives to be appropriate for his level, even in previously explored regions. It also increases the level of bosses, making for a more balanced and challenging gameplay experience.

Can You Farm Levels in The Witcher 3?

Yes, it's possible to farm levels in The Witcher 3 by targeting monster nests. After defeating the monsters, refrain from destroying the nest and meditate for a period to allow the monsters to respawn. Repeating this process enables you to farm monsters near nests for quick leveling.