So, you want to start playing The Witcher? I aim here to cover every scenario to help you decide how you should go about the introduction. Each section will briefly explain the situation in which it should be used, so feel free to use the contents to help find the one that fits best. There are 7 books and 3 games to get through, though it is in no way necessary to have them all to enjoy them.

Disclaimer: This guide is extremely long. Use the contents and don’t read more than you have to, unless you plan to spend the next few years reading.

• Brand New Players
  
  • Options
    
    • Option 1
      
    • Option 2
      
    • Option 3
      
    • Option 4
  • Catch-Up
    
    • Background
      
    • Books
      
    • The Witcher
      
    • The Witcher 2
  • Tips for starting each game
    
    • Witcher 1
      
    • Witcher 2
      
    • Witcher 3
  • Game Descriptions for the Uninitiated
    
    • Witcher 1
      
    • Witcher 2
      
    • Witcher 3
      
    • Witcher 3 having played Skyrim
  • Is the DLC worth it?
    
    • Hearts of Stone
      
    • Blood and Wine
• Book Readers
  
  • What to expect in the games
• Played Some of the Other Games
  
  • Witcher -> Witcher 2
    
  • Witcher 2 -> Witcher 3
• Interested in the Books
  
• TV Show
  
• Conclusion

Scenario: You have never read any/many Witcher books, and have never played any of the games much at all. You heard about the series and want to get into it for the first time

Now, from the start, I have made 4 different ways you could start off. Not every player is the same, so no scenario will fit all. Read the 4 scenarios below, and go to the one that seems the most appropriate:

• Option 1: You just want a fun game. It should be modern, have lots of gameplay and preferably a decent story. It doesn’t matter if some parts don’t make sense so long as the gameplay’s good. Open World would be great.
  
• Option 2: You want a fun game that’s modern. The gameplay should be decent, but the story should be very good and make sense. You want to understand what’s happening in the games, but hate old style games. Similar to Option 1, but more story and background.
  
• Option 3: The game should be fun, but story is most important. I want to understand everything as well as have an appreciation for the franchise, character and land. If I feel I’m not missing out on anything, I’ll be happy. Would like good gameplay, but story is by far the most important.
  
• Option 4: You want to get really immersed in the role, and become Geralt of Rivia for all intents and purposes. Every tiny reference must be understood, and experience the games as if you really were there. Similar to Option 3, but with extra details that might crop up and understanding of small bits that don’t make sense.

Scenario: You just want a fun game. It should be modern, have lots of gameplay and preferably a decent story. It doesn’t matter if some parts don’t make sense so long as the gameplay’s good. Open World would be great.

Included: The Witcher 3

This option is the simplest, and involves literally playing the Witcher 3. The characters and places won’t make sense at first, but you’ll understand more as you go along, and get pulled into the story. Any references to books or other games will not be understood, but are nowhere near crucial to play. You’ll get a great experience and story. If you feel you want to understand the story without playing others, there is a brief description of events to catch up at the bottom of this section named catch-up. Read all 4 parts.

Scenario: You want a fun game that’s modern. The gameplay should be decent, but the story should be very good and make sense. You want to understand what’s happening in the games, but hate old style games. Similar to Option 2, but more story and background.

Included: The Witcher 2 and the Witcher 3

Both the Witcher 2 and 3 are modern games with great gameplay and graphics. Witcher 2 is episodic, not open world and shorter, but anyone used to modern games will be fine with it. The option involves playing both the last 2 games. The Witcher 2 will give insight, and understanding of the world and the character leading up to the Witcher 3. If you want to get involved in the universe at all, but hate books and old games, this option is for you. Read the first 3 catch-up sections for insight into what you missed, but DON’T read the final passage. It will be labelled the Witcher 2.

Scenario: The game should be fun, but story is most important. I want to understand everything as well as have an appreciation for the franchise, character and land. If I feel I’m not missing out on anything, I’ll be happy. Would like good gameplay, but story is by far the most important.

Included: The Witcher, the Witcher 2, the Witcher 3

The first Witcher game has an excellent story, but the strange combat and early graphics put many people off. If you want to fully appreciate the games, you should start here – a game that is excellent in its own right. This option includes all 3 games, and will encompass all involving YOU playing as Geralt. As the games carry on, you can transfer saves over all 3 games to feel like one long one. Only the first 2 catch-up sections are needed, the 2 later sections involving spoilers for the first 2 games. If you like, feel free to also go blind – The first Witcher does a good job telling you what you don’t know.

Scenario: You want to get really immersed in the role, and become Geralt of Rivia for all intents and purposes. Every tiny reference must be understood, and experience the games as if you really were there. Similar to Option 3, but with extra details that might crop up and understanding of small bits that don’t make sense.

Included: The Witcher, the Witcher 2, the Witcher 3, the Witcher Book series (see ‘Interested in the Books’ for order)

Literally everything. This means you will know the entire series. My suggested approach is to play the first game, and after a few chapters, start reading the books in order – continuing the games, so you’re playing and reading at the same time (Not literally). This will simulate the experience of getting back your memories. You will start the game with no knowledge, and as you go through, you will find out the past through the books. I would also suggest you don’t start The Witcher 3 before you finish the short stories, but that is your choice.

Alternatively, you could just do it chronologically. This is slightly less fun, but means you’re not switching between 2 time periods, and references from the Witcher 1 will be immediately understood.

There is no reason to read any of the Catch-Up, but if you feel confused at any point, the first section contains no spoilers, and might give you background info that’s useful.

These will basically tell you what happens in the games you may be missing. Apart from the background, there are – obviously – spoilers for the first 2 games and books. Just read about the games you intend to skip.

All of this comes up a lot. You may want to try and remember some of this. Not necessarily all though – bits you forget may be remembers when they come up again

There are 6 countries in the world of the Witcher. Temeria, Redania, Kaedwin and Aedirn are the ‘Northern’ kingdoms – basically countries in the North. They often battle and are quite similar. Below them, in the south, lies Nilfguaard. Nilfguaard have tried to take over the North on 2 previous occasions, but always fail. They consider themselves more refined, and are ruled by a strong emperor. Essentially the whole north hates them. Finally, the Skellige Isles are essentially Viking Isles. You may want to remember these names.

Now, originally, the land was ruled by Gnomes. Then Elves came. Then Dwarves. They lived happily in this land. Then an event called the Conjunction of the Spheres happened, allowing people to travel between worlds for some time. During this, 3 significant events happened. Firstly, humans abandoned their destroyed world for this new one. Secondly, magic appeared. Finally, monsters appeared in this world.

Humans began to spread and replace the elves. The elves have never forgotten this. Eventually, they completely took over, leading to the 6 countries above. Magic led to mages, which both elves and humans harnessed. One who could access magic was called a source, becoming a sorcerer once learning to control the powers.

And finally, to combat the new monsters, Witchers were made. Humans taken from homes and subjected to trials and mutations became Witchers, though few made it through alive. They trained in great strongholds and went out, fighting monsters for gold. Their unmatched fighting skills, use of basic magic ‘signs’, ability to use potions and bombs all meant that they were perfect for fighting almost any monster, as well as most humans too. However, perhaps unexpectedly, they all had their own code. While shunned and hated by most, most would not kill sentient beings if possible. They don’t hunt dragons. They try to do what’s right. They also, sometimes, ask for a surprise instead of gold, such as ‘the thing you have but do not know’. If it turns out to be a child, they send them to become a Witcher. However, by this time in the books and games, the methods of creating Witchers genetically was lost making the seen Witchers some of the last generation. They’ve essentially stopped training them by this point. Witchers live much longer than humans.

That leads to the main character – Geralt of Rivia. Also known as The White Wolf, Geralt is a Witcher and the main character. He made himself known while doing his work after becoming friends with a poet called Dandelion. He speaks tales of the adventures with the Witcher, often accidentally taking them straight into danger. Geralt has made both friends and enemies aplenty, and is always very moral.

Now, in this world there are many humanoid races – humans, dwarves, elves, gnomes (rarely seen), Halflings chief among them. Humans began to hate other races, discriminating against them. Eventually, the other races decided enough was enough, and formed a resistance movement, called the Scoia’tael. They attack humans and recruit elves and dwarves in the name of nonhuman rights.

Finally, there are many religions in the world, but the most common is the Eternal Fire. People pray to it, and believe among other things that this fire keeps away monsters. Their army is the Order of White/Flaming Rose. They mainly are based in Temeria.

You need not remember all of this – just read it to get a feel of his relationship with Ciri. You only need to read before the Witcher 3, but feel free to do so earlier

Another important character is Ciri (Or Cirilla). On one of his contracts, Geralt saves the life of a man named Duny. In payment, Geralt asks for ‘What he already has but does not know’. As his new love is pregnant, it refers to the child – Ciri.

Geralt comes in 6 years to collect what he asked for, but doesn’t really intend to take anyone with him. He happily leaves alone.

Later, he agrees to go into a forest to talk to the Dryads there. On his journey, he meets Ciri. He eventually realises who she is, and sends her back to her home, albeit with Ciri going grudgingly. As Ciri grows up, she spends a lot of time in the Skellige Isles, as well as her home, Cintra.

One day, Geralt is taking yet another contract and helps a man against an onslaught of monsters. In return, the man will give ‘Whatever he finds at home’. When they finally, get home, he finds Ciri, having fled after a massacre in Cintra. Having run into Ciri so many times made him wonder if destiny is real, and keep Ciri on this time. From then on, she was his daughter, and he taught her to fight like a Witcher, while Geralt’s lover, Yennefer, taught her magic. It was later discovered that she had a gene called the Elder Blood giving certain powers, and also made her sought by many.

Eventually it was found that Duny – Ciri’s father - was, in fact, the emperor of Nilfguaard. Ciri left, and was not seen for many years.

Tl;dr: Ciri is Geralt’s adopted daughter

Again, just get an idea of what happened – don’t memorise

Geralt is found unconscious. He is brought back to the stronghold, Kaer Morhen with no memory of events (though still with memory relating to fighting monsters and who he is). They introduce themselves as fellow Witchers, and soon after, the stronghold is attacked. They put up a good fight, but secrets from the lab are stolen. Mutagenic secrets that could cause problems if in the wrong hands. They were stolen by Salamandra – an organisation led by Azar Javed – a powerful wizard.

The Witchers, including Geralt, go around the world looking to get them back. Geralt roams Temeria, meeting friends such as Zoltan, Shani, Triss and Dandelion as he goes. He first heads to the capital of Temeria (Vizima), but Azar flees. Along the way, he meets a boy named Alvin. Alvin is a powerful source (Magician who can’t control powers yet), and Triss tries to teach him. Eventually the king’s daughter shows herself to be helping Salamandra, and forces Geralt to flee. He flees to a lake to prepare, and is offered a sword by the Lady of the Lake. He spends a lot of time with Alvin there, but during a big fight between the Order of the Flaming Rose and the Scoia’tael, he vanishes. Geralt goes back to Vizima to find a massive offensive by the Scoia’tael. Geralt discovered Salamandra using the mutagens to make monsters, and that the leader of the Order was supporting Salamandra. He killed both Azar and the Orders leader, destroying Salamandra.

Tl;dr: Geralt loses his memory, fights an organization called Salamandra and destroys it.

At the end, Geralt saves the king of Temeria from an assassin.

Much shorter, and again, just get the general idea. Roche will come up again.

After saving the Kings life, he insisted Geralt should stay his bodyguard, and Geralt, despite hating politics, had no choice. Another Witcher then, having killed the king of Aedirn, comes to Foltest (King of Temeria) dressed as priest. As he talks to his children, Geralt steps back, allowing the Witcher to kill Foltest. Geralt, being the only one there, was implicated.

The head of the Temerian Special Forces – a man named Vernon Roche, believes Geralt is innocent, and they work together to find the real killer. Along the way, they help resolve the matter of succession in Aedirn, and it is discovered the Lodge of Sorceresses are responsible for hiring and assisting the assassination of the king of Aedirn, but knew nothing about him killing Foltest as well. It is, in fact, a Nilfguaardian plot, who hired the other Witcher to kill both in return for his Witcher school back. Geralt kills him, and goes on his way.

Tl;dr: The Temarian king is killed, and Geralt kills the assassin alongside Roche from the Temerian Secret Service

During the whole game, Geralt is in a relationship with Triss – the sorceress

An RPG, this game has a strange controls, and not much guidance. Here are some general tips:

• When you attack an opponent, you click on them and it attacks. DO NOT CLICK AGAIN until you see the flaming sword (Or orange trail on Hard). If you do, Geralt will stop attacking, start again and NOT GET A COMBO.
  
• Finish any quests before doing any seemingly ‘big’ events.
  
• Always have a swallow potion, and try to have as many other potions on hand as possible.
  
• Explore any new area. The whole area.
  
• Use all signs:
  
  • Igni against essentially any opponent, and alternate for long range.
    
  • Yrden to buy time to heal, and damage at the same time
    
  • Aard for single strong opponents
    
  • Axii for multiple opponents
    
  • Quen to buy time as well
• Books are useful
  
• Consider consequences of EVERYTHING
  
• When attacking opponents, read the bestiary entry – it can help
  
• If you can use Strong, use it. If they keep dodging, use fast. If there’s a group, go to the middle and use group. Remember signs, and which sword you’re using.
  
• Look for mutagenic potions – they can give you extra talents
  
• Control + Click for quick loot

And Specific:

• Get Igni in chapter 1
  
• If you can, get the Excellent Armor in Vizima.
  
• Choose a side before going to the swamp tower.
  
• Level up Igni – It becomes extremely powerful.
  
• If you see a red plant in the swamp, run.
  
• Don’t use swallow near/at the end of a fight – it’s a waste.
  
• However many potions you think you need for Chapter V, get more.

This game has a bit of a learning curve, where combat gets significantly easier as you go on. For general tips:

• There are some BIG choices that can affect you later that you may not even know are choices. Be careful with what you choose
  
• Use Silver sword for monsters, Steel sword for humans (and beasts)
  
• Use signs
  
• Do side quests before finishing the main quests
  
• DON’T GET SURROUNDED
  
• Destroy all monster nests. Ever.
  
• If you want to do the side quests in Chapter 3, DO THEM IMMEDIATELY
  
• Read character pages as soon as you get them if you plan to at all. They quickly stack up.
  
• Use Cat in caves
  
• Plan your skills carefully

And specific:

• If you want to remove the tattoo – do it sooner rather than later: There’s a point it becomes permanent
  
• During the curse, ONLY destroy the Wraiths. Ignore other opponents until the owl returns.
  
• Against the Chapter 1 Kayran, listen to Síle. Use Quen and dodging to survive.

Finally, this one is odd at first on keyboard, but quickly makes more sense. If you know what you’re doing, you’ll do fine. For general tips:

• Look at Bestiary page. It tells you what to use.
  
• Brew potions as quick as possible. Get recipes from people with a potion on the map.
  
• Witcher Senses allow you to hear if there are enemies nearby.
  
• Use strong attacks when possible – Usually against big foes. They can double damage output.
  
• Fix up your gear whenever you see a blacksmith.
  
• Get any Gwent cards you see. Play any Gwent games you find. I don’t care if you can barely afford them. Get them or you’ll regret it later.
  
• USE your potions. If you get stuck, that should be the first place you look.
  
• If you haven’t applied an oil, apply an oil (Or use auto-oil mod on PC)
  
• Fiends Decoction is useful, but most others are awkward to use.
  
• DON’T use a decoction alongside any other potion whatsoever. Unless you plan to do a White Honey straight after
  
• After a hit with Aard, you can one-hit some enemies. Look for the ‘Finish-Off’ text.
  
• Don’t spam Quen for any but the biggest enemies.
  
• Choose your build beforehand and then get abilities. Be aware you get 1 ability point per level, and you usually are level 35 by the end of the main game.
  
• If you see a place of power, GO THERE IMMEDIATELY. New ones give you a free ability point.
  
• Got spare ability points with nothing to use them on? DON’T spend them. In the Blood and Wine DLC, there’s a way to get extra abilities, but cost a lot of points.
  
• You can buy point respec potions. For 1000 crowns.
  
• Go to Vivaldi’s bank if you ever run out of money or have loads of Orens/Florens. (1 Oren = 1 Crown. 1 Floren = 3 Crowns)
  
• Some choices you think don’t matter, do. Be careful what you choose.
  
• To fully experience a side-quest, do it the second you get it. Though if you leave it, you can catch up on the description
  
• Use crossbows when underwater for an almost always one-hit
  
• Get maps in Skellige
  
• Get treasure maps. All of them.
  
• Master Armourers and Blacksmiths are rich. Go to them with all your expensive but useless weaponry from enemies.
  
• You need more gold. Unless you’ve got 65,000 Crowns on you, or have Grandmaster and Runecrafted armour and weapons, you’ll need more. Stuff gets ridiculously expensive later on. 8000 Crowns just won’t be enough. (DLC only – Main Game stuff doesn’t get quite as expensive)
  
• Get DLC’s. They are amazing.
  
• Don’t do high level quests and don’t put off quests at or below your level (Aside from main quests)
  
• Be Geralt. Your responses are limited to those Geralt could realistically make. This isn’t a game where you play as yourself masquerading as an in-game character. You are, for all intents and purposes, Geralt.
  
• Get used to what you can do with each sign, and do it. They can change the tide of the battle.
  
• Against flying creatures, use the crossbow and Aard.
  
• Eat food whenever you’re on vaguely low health. In combat, out. Anytime.
  
• Learn to parry and counterattack. It helps a lot, especially against humans.
  
• Learn to dodge. It is impossible to win many fight without dodging. Attack, dodge, attack, dodge. Don’t roll when you don’t have to.
  
• Try to keep your armour the same type if possible. Using alongside Cat/Griffin/Bear school training gives a bonus.
  
• Doing all treasure hunts take FOREVER. It may be easier to focus on one school.
  
• Crafting full armour sets is expensive. It can cost 1000 crowns per craft/upgrade
  
• Don’t sell ALL runestones (Leave 5 or so of each). Hearts of Stone makes better use of some of them.
  
• Innkeeps sell Gwent cards and play it.
  
• As Ciri, you are restricted. You can teleport where you usually dodge, but no potions, oils, signs, bombs or anything. You’ll have to rely on your sword skills
  
• Some fights have infinite enemies, and instead rely on you reaching a certain location. Check before you spend 15 minutes fighting enemies.
  
• Only main story or DLC main story quests ever increase your XP by any reasonable amount
  
• If you see a ‘!’ on the map, go to it. Or you’ll forget about it.

And specific:

• White Orchard is a learning area. I suggest you complete all side-quests there before leaving. You’ll likely never come back.
  
• Get Swallow. Soon.
  
• For the more advanced potions, you’ll need Cherry Cordial and Mandrake Cordial. I suggest going to Harviken in Skellige for it.
  
• Don’t do High Stakes until you’ve completed every Gwent quest you can find.
  
• The alternate Quen is OP. It will give you protection and heath AND knock back enemies when upgraded right.
  
• On keyboard, middle click for crossbow/pocket/bombs
  
• Roach is always closer than you think… (Or at least if you call him)
  
• If you can’t do something you usually can, like opening a chest or sprinting, try saving and reloading. It could be a bug.
  
• If you get bored looking for Dandelion, don’t worry, it gets much better.

The first Witcher game is a strange game in this day and age. Instead of looking at an opponent and attacking, you move the onscreen mouse to an opponent, and click. This initiates an auto-attack, and requires clicking at precise times for combos. The game is so well levelled, it never gets any easier (Or too much harder).

The game is split into chapters that are separate from each other. Once you complete a Chapter, you can’t go back to it (With one exception). This may seem odd as few games do this, but it allows you to get a feel and a love for the place before moving on.

The signs are an extremely important part of the game, and makes many fights much easier. Though even more important are potions. Most games have some form of alchemy that allows the creation of potions, but such a limited range that most completely ignore the feature. This is not possible in the Witcher. Potions last for many hours in-game, and are extremely powerful, to the point that an impossible fight becomes almost easy with them. You must create a new potion for every use, so you should be careful not to overuse them. Also, to prevent you using too many, enough of them causes a toxicity overload, killing you. The game also makes use of oils and bombs, but are much less necessary as potions to complete the game.

There is little focus on gear, and while you can improve gear, it doesn’t affect the game largely.

The weaker graphics is enough to put many off the game, but is sufficient to play the game happily.

Overall, the oldness of the game puts many off, as well as the awkward combat, though for many, the thinking over use of signs and potions to use, along with the story and choices makes it well worth playing.

The second Witcher game has Graphics worthy of even some modern games, making it enjoyable for a wider range of people. Also in a chapter based format, this game continues a bit after the first left, not needing the first to be played to understand.

The attacking mechanism is much more modern, and has the usual attack and parry expected. The levelling is a bit off such that it gets much easier over time – Prologue is much harder than Chapter 2.

The Chapters are all completely isolated, so once you complete one, you never go back to it. This can seem odd to those used to open world games or with fixed levels. It allows you to truly learn and love a location with the detail it offers, before moving on. The game has a few significant choices, but these massively alter the outcome of the game.

Signs and potions are extremely important to the game, but to the point where it’s possible, albeit hard, without them. Potions only last a few minutes, while signs can become very powerful. There are not a lot of useful potions, but those that are useful are good to use often as they can help greatly. As potions must be used before a fight and they are made for a single use, you must be careful which to use for which fight. The game also has oils and bombs as well as new traps and throwing knives which can be useful for certain types of players.

Gear is more important to keep up, and you are encouraged to get better gear throughout the game to improve damage and armour.

Overall, the graphics and modern combat makes this a realistic choice for a lot of people, though the shortness of the game may put some off. The combat relies on use of a plethora of different combat techniques and devices with can suit some more than others. The story is excellent and most people who have time to play it probably should.

The final Witcher game has some of the best graphics recently. The greyish coating of the scene makes it feel rustic and immerses you in the atmosphere. The game exists in a semi-open world, open in certain areas which the player can travel between at will. The game does a good job creating the atmosphere with excellent placement of towns, villages and the best video-game city I’ve seen – especially for an open world game.

The attacking mechanism is natural for most movements, though takes a little learning for strong attacks and dodging. Once gotten used to, combat is more than fun. The levelling has been fixed to certain levels, so you know if the enemy is too hard for you or a walk in the park. The combat encourages you to make use of all possible movements, including quick/strong attacks, signs, parry, counterattack and above all, dodge.

As you progress through the game, some things change and some quests are locked off, though most are available throughout. As you keep revisiting certain locations, they become familiar over time, though the world is so big you never learn to truly call a location home. Most choices have little impact, but a few, especially in the main story, can change the outcome of the entire game.

Signs and potions are necessary, and it would be extremely difficult to do some fights without them. All the signs have unlockable ‘Alternate modes’ for sign based builds, and potions regenerate after meditating, meaning you don’t need to worry about saving them for later. This decreases the strength and importance of potions, lasing only a minute or two, but also makes them more valid to use in every fight you encounter. Oils and bombs are also available and can be easily used, but are less useful than signs and potions.

The game also adds a crossbow. This allows some creatures to stay in flight most of the time, and widens the variety of combat.

Gear is particularly important, and you need to upgrade and maintain often to keep a threat to most enemies. The game offers both sets of amour and weapons in the form of Witchers gear, or simply mix and mash.

Overall, the game is an almost perfect RPG. The Combat, Gameplay and Story are all excellent such that anyone in this series should play this game.

The graphics is an improvement over Skyrim’s, but not so much to be easily noticeable.

The game starts in a tutorial area, rather than throwing you straight into the main world. This prevents you making big mistakes (such as killing chickens) before you completely understand the gameplay. While Skyrim limits all opponents to a similar level to your own, the Witcher 3 instead tells you the opponent’s level, and restricts the location to which the opponent appears. For example, in Riverwood you might find level 2 bandits, but in Solitude there may be level 15 bandits. This means you would only go there once level 15, despite the ability to from the start.

Instead of creating a character from the start, you immediately begin as Geralt. The game is about him, and you can’t change to another character except in a few quests or with console (and both to 1 unchangeable alternative). On the down side you can’t customise your player, but on the other hand, you get to fit into a perfect existing player. Due to this, your character also speaks and is limited to what he is. He is not a master thief. He is not a mage. He is not the leader of a band of fighters. He is not a blacksmith. He is a Witcher. A monster hunter. Nothing you do will make him anything else.

Like monsters, Quests are levelled, and you only really level up after main quests. The main story is long and takes you around many places, but unlike Skyrim, as you are an existing character, you get to make real relationships with people. You care about the characters and get close to them as you progress, unlike Skyrim where you talk for a minute and move on. This means when a character dies or something happens to one, you actually care about it. Feel remorse, or responsibility for their death, to an extent. The story goes much deeper than the destiny to kill a single dragon.

Combat is more and less varied than Skyrim. As a Witcher, you don’t use every weapon on the planet. You use a steel sword for humans, a silver sword for monsters and a crossbow for flying. That’s it. If you find a weapon, it will always fit into one of those 3 categories. This means there’s less variety for type of combat, but with those weapons, combat is more advanced. While in Skyrim you either destroy with magic, bash a few times with a weapon, or shoot a snipe with a bow, The Witcher makes you think more about how you use what you have than what you use. Fights are harder, so a fire sign might only do a little damage, and from close range. If you try hitting repeatedly, you’ll find yourself dying. If you shoot a normal enemy with a crossbow, it’ll do so little damage you’ll wonder the point. Instead, combat is more like getting close, attacking, parrying, dodging back, using Aard (Like Fus Ro Dah) to knock them down, strong attack, counterattack, finishing blow. It comes back to being a single character. You can’t change who Geralt is. That is how a fight for him works.

Signs are a type of magic Witchers can use. While they can’t use magic like mages do, these things called signs allow them to cast small simple spells that change the tide of a battle. There are 5, and while you can get alternate versions of them, you can’t have more or less than those 5 at any point in the game. They use up stamina to stop you using them too much, a bit like spells in Skyrim. All in all, they’re sort of a mix of Skyrim magic and shouts

• Aard (Like Fus Ro Dah) – A sudden burst of force towards an opponent
  
• Aard [Alternate] - Same as above, but all around, like an expanding sphere
  
• Igni (Like fire shout) – A sudden burst of fire toward an opponent
  
• Igni [Alternate] (Like continuous fire spell) – Fires a continuous stream of fire
  
• Yrden – A trap that slows anything in it (Except you)
  
• Yrden [Alternate] – A trap that hurts anything near it (Except you)
  
• Quen (Like Become Ethereal) – A shield that protects you. Can attack with it, and breaks with enough force
  
• Quen [Alternate] (Like Ward) – A shield that surrounds you. More powerful and heals when hit.
  
• Axii – Paralyzes opponent
  
• Axii [Alternate] (Like mind spells) – Makes opponent temporarily fight for you

Potions are infinitely more important in The Witcher 3 than Skyrim. Unlike in Skyrim, more than simply the Heath potions can be useful. Each is able to boost an aspect such as sight, attack, signs ect. Once created, they also regenerate after meditation. They are the difference between a difficult and normal battle.

Meditation is essentially the same as waiting. Geralt doesn’t need sleep, but occasionally meditates, which (on easy) regenerates his heath, as well as any potions used. In addition, any potion effects wear off. It’s a quick way to get back to normal heath, potions and toxicity.

Blacksmiths work slightly differently. If you want armour, you give them the design and THEY make it. Without design, gold or materials, you won’t get any armour. The armour you can make depends on the blacksmith or armourer level, and you’ll need to repair it every so often.

The Skill tree is both simpler and more complex. Instead of 6 perk trees for every 3 sections, it has just 3 main sections – Signs, Potions and Combat. From there, you unlock abilities and move them into the active abilities area. To get new abilities, you may need a certain number of points spent in that section, as well as a certain level. In addition, you can add mutagens for extra boosts. But like Skyrim, you get 1 point per level (Plus any from Places of Power)

The side quests of Skyrim are usually simple, short and ignored for ages. The Witcher side quest are level based (encouraging to do soon) and are often complex and have consequences that tie into the main story. The world is dynamic and choices you make may come back to bite you, with extra gold, or with an attempted assassination. Few are as simple as ‘Collect 20 Nirnroot’ are usually more like ‘Investigate the house using your Witcher Senses’

Skyrim is Open World. You can walk from one side to another easily, except for Solstheim etc. where you must fast travel. The Witcher is a little like that, but more based around the second part. There are around 5 certain locations you can go. Each location is isolated from the others (you can’t walk between them), but within one location, you can walk anywhere. The main section is smaller than Skyrim, but the rest are bigger and more numerous than in Skyrim. You generally can go to more sections as you level up. In addition, the scale is much bigger. As it’s not fully open world, you’re not traversing the entire world in 10 minutes, but simply a section. As well as this, cites are bigger. Much bigger. Comparing Witcher cities to Solitude, Solitude looks like a tiny village.

Finally, if you’ve played Skyrim, you know by the end you’re essentially god. Nobody can go near you without dying if you want them to. In the Witcher, due to who you are, you don’t upgrade literally everything. You don’t have impenetrable armour. You don’t have a one-hit sword for all enemies. You’re not the head of 5 guilds. You are still a Witcher. A more powerful one perhaps, but still a Witcher. And from this, you’re still Geralt throughout. You don’t often feel like anyone else.

Cheaper than Blood and Wine and subsequently adds less content, but still a reasonable amount. There are runes which are incredibly expensive, but some can give you that extra edge in battle, and a story that takes you across the whole new region, integrated into the main Velan/Novigrad world.

The story was a relatively moderate length - longer than most but shorter than Blood and Wine and Main Story. It's definately a little fun before you start Blood and Wine, and provokes your thoughts. Who I saw as the enemy took a 180 degree turn from start to end.

Overall while it's not the biggest addition, it adds high quality content and an engaging story - if you can afford it it's definately worth getting

Absolutely. The DLC is a whole main quest line based around a contract Geralt gets. It adds a new whole area to the game, along with all the quests and locations that come with it, amazingly done, along with the hardest boss battle I’ve done in this game to date. In addition, it adds extra mechanisms for getting more mutagens, getting extra abilities, extra ability slots, better armour and a new Gwent deck. The end of the DLC gives a finality to Geralt’s story, making it better to do second (advice I did not heed, but wish I had). If you want another story before you stop playing, this is definitely worth getting.

Scenario: You have read all of the Witcher Books and want to know more about them and how they compare
(Warning - There are spoilers for the books in this section)

The games are NOT a depiction of the stories of the books, but instead happen AFTER the books, so think of playing them as finding out what happens next. As you know, Geralt dies at the end of the last book. Basically, he comes back to life. It IS explained in the second game, so just accept it until it is.
Unlike the books, Geralt makes a much better use of signs and potions, relying slightly less on just sword work. Lots of characters and references from the books appear in the games – ESPECIALLY the ones from the short stories, if you want to go over again. I’m not going to put much else here to avoid spoiling anything.
For more info on the games, essentially all of ‘Brand New Players’ is relevant except Option 4 and the books catch-up. That may help deciding which to play. Lore-wise, The Witcher is set in Temeria, having a bit of everything; The Witcher 2 in Temeria and Aedirn, being more political; and The Witcher 3 in Temaria, Redania, Skellige and Nilfguaard, having detailed quests and cultures.

Scenario: You have played at least one of the other games a reasonable amount through before, and want to find out how different games compare.

Disclaimer: I’m only going forwards in increments, so if you want to go back, consider comparing the ‘Game Descriptions for the Uninitiated’ in the Brand New Players section. This is because I want to keep this section as concise as possible, and the two given are the most likely to be useful.

The second Witcher game is quite different to the first. To start with, it’s set a month after the end scene in The Witcher, where Geralt stops the assassination attempt. The graphics and gameplay are much advanced in comparison. You can meditate anywhere, extra traps and throwing daggers, and you can only use potions before a fight. Be aware of this, as it’s easy to dive in and suddenly realise you can’t use Swallow and will die.

The combat is much more modern than you’re used to, and is more just clicking to attack, rather than timing. As well as this, contracts are much harder, needing you to go and destroy nests rather than just killing a few for more to return. From the start, signs are also less powerful, but still handy in a fight.

When you start a new game, you can port your old save over, passing decisions, gold, and items over to the new save. However, whatever you chose before, you will be with Triss by the start of the game. A lot can happen in a month.

It’s a big change, but most makes it a more fun game for most people. However, in return, the game is also much shorter – comparing the time it took for Chapter 2 in the original, I could probably do Chapter 2, 3 and prologue in the same time.

Have fun!

The third Witcher game isn’t massively different from the second on the surface, but is very different when you get in. It’s set a while after the previous game. Geralt has just recovered his memory and is off in search of Yennefer – his lover before he got amnesia. He soon also goes off in search of Ciri, his adopted daughter (More info in Brand New Players/Catch-Up/Book details). Both new characters are important, and have never been seen in-game before.

The combat and signs aren’t much different, but the main big difference is the world. Instead of Chapters, there’s a main quest, and other quests. This makes it feel like Geralt isn’t in a stuck story, but can interact with any place he likes at most any point. Contracts are much more advanced. Instead of going and destroying nests, you get a specific contract. Someone was attacked. We don’t know who did it, but it has to be stopped. YOU have to work out what you’re dealing with. Rarely do others actually know what they’re even called.

Decisions seem to have less impact, and rather than changing the story to a whole new location, they may just adjust text or add an encounter. Most are never seen again – you have to just believe you did the right thing, without consequence. However, there are a few big choices you didn’t even know at the time.

Choices also get carried on from the last game, so there are a few things you might notice. However, choices from the first Witcher are NOT ported. So if you played that first, you may notice a few odd occurrences.

Overall, the next game has much more depth, though less meaningful choices as a consequence. However despite this, it works splendidly as a game, and gives you the feeling of choice and superb gameplay.

Scenario: You haven’t read the books, but want to find out about what they’re like and in what order to read them
The Books are made up of 2 short story collections, and 5 other books. They take place before the games, and while the short stories tell of Geralt in the average day of a Witcher, the 5 books make up one large story, taking place over that time. I think the short stories are excellent, and the other story, while being slow at times, is really immersive and interesting. Most references can be understood from the short story collections, as they take place over much time and many places, but I recommend the main story as well.

For the ‘Interested in the Books’ section, I used this [scifi.stackexchange.com]as source for some details.

There are two short story collections. Chronologically, they should be read:

• The Last Wish
  
• Sword of Destiny

The short stories are all closed, but many tie into one another. I recommend you read all the stories in a row, as some can serve to explain later ones.
The end of Sword of Destiny also marks the start of the main book series with a few essential events.

The main series is made up of 5 books:

• Blood of Elves
  
• Time of Contempt
  
• Baptism of Fire
  
• The Swallow’s Tower
  
• Lady of the Lake

Each takes place after the last, essentially making one very big story. It leads on from the short stories, but doesn’t rely on them, so you can read separate if you really want to.
The Lady of the Lake marks the end of the series, so that would be the time to play the games if you intend to (Unless reading alongside the games)

One final book has been released after the Main Series, Season of Storms, which is set within The Last Wish events. It has some characters from other books, but can be read either after The Last Wish or after you finish the main story. Really, if you know who everyone is, you can read whenever.

Recently also, a new Netflix show was released based on the Witcher. It seems to take place during and often telling the stories of some of the books - specifically the short stories. As it's been released after all the other media, there won't be anything unique there you'll miss out on by not watching it, but it's a good watch, and if you don't like reading watching it instead could be a potential alternative for getting to know the characters and some events.

This is it. Hopefully it should have enough detail to help you whatever situation you’re in – I know I’d have liked it before I started. The details should all be accurate, but if you notice anything wrong or missing, please tell me. In addition, having not played it yet, I can’t include info on Hearts of Stone, though I hear it’s very good.

I hope this guide helped you and that you enjoy the books and games as much as I did. Have fun!

- Black-Photon