Welcome to The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – one of the most critically acclaimed RPGs ever made. Whether you're playing for the first time or returning with the next-gen update, this guide will help you survive, thrive, and get the most out of your journey as Geralt of Rivia.

This guide includes:
-Beginner tips
-Combat and skill advice
-Best quest order
-Gwent basics
-Looting and crafting tips
-Alchemy explained

2025 next-gen and mod recommendations

Getting Started – Essential Tips
Loot everything – Plants, chests, sacks, bodies. You’ll need crafting materials and money early on.
Use Witcher Senses – Hold the right mouse button (or trigger) to highlight interactive objects.
Meditate to heal – On lower difficulties, meditation will fully restore your health (with alcohol in your inventory).
Use signs wisely – Quen protects, Igni burns, Axii controls. Learn which ones work best for each enemy.
Save often – The game can be unforgiving, and manual saves will save your sanity.

Combat and Skills
Combat can be deadly if you rush in. Be patient, dodge, and pick your skills wisely.

Skill Categories:
Combat: Start with "Muscle Memory" to boost light attacks.
Signs: Quen is essential. Later, invest in Igni's “Melt Armor.”
Alchemy: Get "Swallow" (healing), "Thunderbolt" (damage), and bombs like "Grapeshot."
General: "Gourmet" (from Hearts of Stone) makes food effects last 20 minutes – extremely useful.
Pro Tip: Dodge is usually better than parry, especially against monsters.

Best Quest Progression (No Spoilers)
Here’s the ideal order to follow for the main story and major zones:

White Orchard (Tutorial)
Velen / No Man’s Land (Start exploring and side quests)
Novigrad (After level 10–12)
Skellige (After level 16–18)
Hearts of Stone DLC (Level 30+)
Blood and Wine DLC (Level 35+)

Must-play Side Quests:
The Bloody Baron
A Towerful of Mice
Ghosts of the Past
Carnal Sins
Skellige’s Most Wanted

Gwent – The Card Game Within a Game
You’ll either love it or ignore it, but Gwent is surprisingly deep and addictive.

Beginner Tips:
Northern Realms is a good starting deck.
Always check merchants and innkeepers for new cards.
Spy cards give you massive card advantage.
Beat key NPCs for unique "Hero" cards.

Alchemy, Looting & Crafting

Alchemy:
Swallow – Restores vitality over time.
Thunderbolt – Increases attack power.
Cat – See in the dark (great for caves).
Tawny Owl – Stamina regen for Signs.

Looting:
Be careful when looting near guards – they will attack if they see you stealing.
Use Witcher Senses to spot containers and herbs.
Sell swords and armor to blacksmiths and armorers for better prices.

Crafting:
Use diagrams to craft better gear (especially Witcher sets).
Keep some repair kits handy for traveling.
Don’t carry everything – manage your weight limit to avoid slowing down.

2025: Next-Gen Updates & Best Mods
With the next-gen update, Witcher 3 now includes:

Ray tracing support
Improved textures and lighting
New camera modes and dynamic HUD
Integrated mod support (PC only)
Top Recommended Mods (for PC):
HD Reworked Project – Visual overhaul
Friendly HUD – Cleaner, smarter interfac
Fast Travel from Anywhere
AutoLoot – Automatically picks up items
Gwent Redux – Enhances the card game system

(Mods are available via Nexus Mods or Steam Workshop.)

Pro Tips for New Witchers
Use Axii in dialogues to unlock alternate outcomes.
Read bestiary entries to learn monster weaknesses.
Do Witcher contracts to earn gold and experience.
Try to find and upgrade Witcher gear sets (like Griffin, Cat, Bear).
Don’t hoard – sell junk regularly to free up space.

Conclusion
The Witcher 3 is a massive, beautiful, and emotionally rich game. Don’t rush it. Explore, make choices, read the lore, and enjoy the world.

With this guide, you’ll be better prepared for monsters, politics, and love stories alike. Good luck, Witcher!