The Witcher is now a hit TV show on Netflix. However, there are The Witcher novels, comic books, and video games as well. And in this article we list the essential The Witcher 3 tips.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is a great entry point for fans of the TV show. So, for new players unfamiliar with the game, here are the essential The Witcher 3 tips to guide you on your journey.

1. Stay Close to Roads

staying on the road witcher 3

There are two main reasons you'll want to consider staying close to the road. The first reason is that you have a better chance of avoiding higher level enemies if you stay on it. While adapting to the world and initially leveling up Geralt, this can serve as an early safety net.

The second reason pertains to traveling with Roach (your horse). Typically, utilizing Roach requires stamina. However, Roach will auto-follow a road without losing any stamina if you hold down the canter key and don't steer.

While auto-following the road, you can also gallop down it by pressing its respective key twice. Keep in mind, you'll still have to slightly adjust Roach to stay on the right path.

2. Pick Up Side Quests Often

witcher 3's notice board offering quests

At the start of the game, Geralt is pretty vulnerable. Completing quests early on will give you both valuable experience points as well as teach you the game early on. Whenever you visit a village, town, or city you should be checking notice boards to unlock new side quests.

Also, take side quests just so you can experience more of The Witcher 3's world. To bring their narratives to life, many side quests have their own cutscenes and voice work. As the story progresses, you can also lose access to side quests, so try to complete them when they first appear.

3. Loot Everything

witcher 3 dismantling loot

When it comes to items, grab everything in sight. If you have too many of one item, sell it or dismantle it. If you dismantle an item at a blacksmith, there's the possibility you'll get rare materials for future crafting.

The Witcher 3's alchemy system also features a huge list of harvestable components. So, if you have an option to lift an item from anything in the world, do it. You'll want to stay on top of acquiring items to help you complete the game's various diagrams and recipes.

4. Utilize the Quen Sign and the Gourmet Skill

witcher 3 gourmet skill for use with quen

If you want to try harder difficulties such as Death March, try using the gourmet skill and Quen sign. If you have the Blood and Wine DLC and the gourmet skill, eating food regenerates health rapidly for 20 minutes. When you combine this with Quen's protecting shield, it'll give you a moment to breathe during combat.

It's a pretty simple-yet-effective strategy. Simply dip in and out of combat utilizing the shield and regeneration to keep yourself healthy. You'll eventually win against your enemies in a battle of attrition.

5. Use Your Bestiary

witcher 3 bestiary entry

While it might seem like common sense, it helps to know your enemy's weaknesses. After encountering an enemy in The Witcher 3, you're able to look up their weaknesses in the bestiary. Use this knowledge and get an edge against your enemy.

If you feel stuck, don't underestimate its usefulness.

6. Save Your Game Often

witcher 3 save menu

Like the bestiary, it seems like it should be second nature to save your game often. The Witcher 3 does save your progress automatically under certain conditions (i.e. after completing an objective). However, you shouldn't rely on that during your playthrough.

Unpredictable deaths can occur whether it's an ambush or an accidental fall to your doom. If you hate backtracking, make it a habit to manually save your game.

NB: If you worry about losing your game saves, here's how to protect your game saves on any system.

7. Upgrade Roach (Your Horse)

witcher 3 horse equipment

For Roach, there are four pieces of equipment: trophies, saddles, saddlebags, and horse blinders. Trophies provide unique bonuses and offer some added personalization. Horse blinders prevent Roach from panicking as often, so Roach won't throw you off as easily.

Saddles increase Roach's stamina, so they're great for traveling offroad or for horse races. Saddlebags provide a nice touch because they increase your max inventory weight. With as many items as there are to collect, you'll definitely want to improve your saddlebags most of all.

8. Weigh Up Your Decisions

witcher 3 dialogue consequences

Remember that Geralt's world is built on interactions. While you might not see the immediate consequences of your in-game choices, they do have an impact. Quest rewards are usually similar regardless of the outcome, so choices won't put you at a gameplay disadvantage.

However, your choices will have narrative consequences. They'll range from the death of others, easier passage through an area, to an impact on the game's ending. It's not all seriousness, but it's important to not regret your decisions.

9. Utilize the Axii Sign

witcher 3 axii sign

Axii can open up a lot of alternative routes for players. Use it to influence the actions of others in order to avoid fighting or to pay off certain people. It can make it easy to kill non-threat creatures such as deer for crafting materials and money early on.

You can also use Axii to reduce Roach's fear level or charm enemies into attacking other enemies. Axii's versatility makes it a great sign to invest in.

10. Make Good Use of Fast Travel

witcher 3 boat for fast travel

In The Witcher 3, fast travel works conditionally. On land, you fast travel between signposts within the world. These appear as green signposts on your world map, and they'll appear around most locations.

witcher 3 fast travel map

After boarding a boat, you can also initiate fast travel between different harbors by having Geralt interact with the rudder. Once you interact with the rudder, open up your world map. You can then fast travel to different harbors by selecting their anchor icon.

If you go too fast and don't let Geralt finish his animation, the harbors won't appear---so be patient.

Use These The Witcher 3 Tips to Tame the Game

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is an amazing game. The vast openness and diversity of Geralt's world form a living and breathing medieval sandbox for you to explore. And these The Witcher 3 tips should help you tame the game, especially if it's your first time playing.

Once you have finished The Witcher 3, you'll probably want another vast, sandbox game to explore. With that in mind, here are the essential Red Dead Redemption 2 tips to help you get started.