The Witcher 3 offers players an array of abilities to develop. Such a wide selection of perks may lead to regret for leveling up the wrong ones, especially if you prefer to play at a greater difficulty. Furthermore, players who blast through the main storyline, completely ignoring the immersive side quests of this game, sometimes find themselves very unprepared.
That’s why a smart leveling strategy is crucial in The Witcher 3. This guide explains how to level up early and quickly. We’ll also share tips on developing specific skills, weapons, and armor. Keep reading to discover how to gain an advantage in the game and make slaying monsters a breeze.
The Witcher 3 How to Level Up Early?
It’s important to start leveling up early in the game. This can be done by completing side quests before heading to the main missions and collecting Stones of Power. If you leave leveling up in The Witcher 3 for later and attempt to follow the main storyline unprepared, you’ll soon discover that was a wrong decision.
Stones of Power can be found in Places of Power scattered across the map. These relics left from the Conjunction of the Spheres have made magic possible in The Witcher’s world. At the start of the game, you only have access to Places of Power located in the White Orchard, the first playable area. It contains six Places of Power: The Cemetery, the Northern Woods, the Western Forest, Griffin’s Nest, the Abandoned Site, and the Battlefield. Visit them to collect the Stones and use them to develop the desired abilities.
White Orchard Side Quests
At first, you can only complete five side quests in the White Orchard area. Here’s all you need to know about White Orchard side quests:
- “A Frying Pan, Spick and Span” quest. Start by heading to the beach from the main town to Nifgaardian Garrison. Stop and talk to the lady when you see a house with an old lady yelling outside it. She will ask you to return a frying pan she has lent to a stranger.
- “Missing in Action” quest. Visit the Notice Board or talk to a man with a dog in the Ransacked Village. The man will ask you to help find his brother.
- “On Death’s Bed” quest. Help save the life of a young woman wounded by a Griffin by finding ingredients for a potion. Talk to Tomira, a local herbalist.
- “Precious Cargo” quest. Talk to a merchant on the way to Nilfgaardian Outpost. The merchant will ask you to help him find his horse.
- “The Twisted Firestarter “quest. Finding him is simple, as there is only one Dwarf in White Orchard. Talk to a Dwarf.
How to Level Up Fast in Witcher 3?
It’s worth knowing how to speed up the leveling process in The Witcher 3 if you wish to enjoy the storyline to the fullest. Here are some tips:
- Complete all side quests in the White Orchard area to level up early.
- Collect Stones of Power from all six Places in the White Orchard area: The Cemetery, the Northern Woods, the Western Forest, Griffin’s Nest, Abandoned Site, and the Battlefield.
- When killing monsters, don’t sell a trophy head right away. Instead, equip it to Roach’s saddle. After defeating any human NPCs, it will give you an extra 5% experience.
- Make sure to take on side quests proportionate to your current level. For instance, if you’re currently at Level 5, take quests Levels 4 to 6. Don’t leave them for later; they will seem dull if you’re too strong. And don’t take on overly challenging quests, as you likely won’t succeed in them. Being reasonable about your skills will ensure you accomplish every mission quickly and gain the desired experience points.
- Don’t decline money offers, even if they come from poor families who struggle to compensate for your Witcher’s work. Altruism is great, but money helps you get weapons, potions, and oils necessary to become stronger and level up quicker.
- Hunt Drowners, the greenish-blue monsters living in the water. Use your crossbow to do damage, and loot carcasses left from Drowners once you’re done. They will help level up your equipment.
- When you come across a ghost town, help free it from the monsters or bandits infesting it, bringing plenty of experience points and gratitude from town residents.
- Open the map and look for question marks and visit every location. Question marks indicate Places of Power or monster nests, which will help you boost your level.
The Witcher 3 How to Level Up Delusion?
The Delusion ability prevents the target from moving towards Geralt while he’s casting Axii and can increase Axii’s effectiveness in dialogues.
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Delusion is a must-have skill for any Witcher player because it lets you gain experience without fighting or spending coins. If you’re willing to develop this ability, you must first earn some skill points. They can be obtained by collecting Stones of Power and leveling up.
Once you have free skill points to invest in Delusion, follow the steps below:
- Head to the Skill Tree by clicking the shield button at the bottom of your screen.
- Navigate to the Sign category by clicking the eye icon with a blue rhombus.
- Move the Delusion skill into one of the free character slots.
The Witcher 3 How to Level Up Fast in White Orchard?
The White Orchard is the first playable area in the game. It involves two main storyline missions, “Lilac and Gooseberries” and “The Beast of White Orchard.” In the latter, you must kill a Griffin, which requires skill. To level up before you face the Griffin, follow the tips below:
- Visit all six Places of Power in the area before you go on any quests. Collect the Stones of Power and use them to level up your abilities.
- Complete all five side quests in the area.
- Take on a Witcher Contract by visiting a notice board in the town and setting your mission marker for “Devil by the Well.” You’ll receive plenty of experience points along with money or Amethyst.
- Kill Wraiths at the Cemetery close to Nilfgaardian Garrison.
- Once you’ve completed all side quests and collected all Stones of Power in the area, complete the main story quests.
The Witcher 3 How to Level Up Aerondight?
Most weapons in The Witcher 3 can be upgraded at a Blacksmith’s, but Aerondight is no ordinary weapon. Since this sword has no slots, there is no way to upgrade Aerondight by inserting Runewords into the weapon slots.
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Instead, you can increase Aerondight’s damage by 10% while fighting because of its ability to generate charges with each blow you land. The damage increases permanently with every foe you kill; its cap depends on your character level.
The Witcher 3 How to Level Up Weapons?
Most weapons in The Witcher 3 can be upgraded, except for a few special ones, like the Aerondight. You can bring your weapon to a craftsman to upgrade it. Before you can level up your equipment in the game, you need to meet specific requirements:
- Find crafting diagrams for your weapons. They can be rewarded for completing side quests or found in certain locations, such as Guarded Treasures or Monster Nests. Upgrade options won’t appear on your Crafting screen without the diagrams.
- Each craftsman has a different skill level. Ensure the chosen Blacksmith meets the “Craftsman Requirement” indicated for a specific item. Typically, the higher an item’s rarity, the higher the Blacksmith’s skill needed. A Master Blacksmith can be found in Novigrad, near the docks.
- Collect all the required ingredients. They can be obtained by looting chests, dismantling items, or defeating monsters. Some can be purchased from the Blacksmith.
- Each weapon has a different upgrade price. Typically, the rarer the weapon is, the more its upgrade costs.
The Witcher 3 How to Level Up Armor?
Just like you can upgrade weapons in The Witcher 3, you can also upgrade your armor by visiting an Armorer. But before you do, make sure you meet the following requirements:
- Find suitable diagrams that will help you understand which crafting materials are needed. Diagrams are also necessary for the Armorer. If you don’t have a diagram, upgrade options will not appear on your Crafting screen.
- Each Armorer has a different skill level. The higher the armor upgrade level is, the higher Armorer’s skill level should be. The most skilled Armorer can be found in Crow’s Perch in Velen. Before using his services, you’ll need to complete the “Fergus Graem” quest.
- Collect the necessary crafting materials. You can find out the materials needed on the corresponding diagram.
- Be prepared to pay a hefty fee for an upgrade. You can find an upgrade’s price at the bottom of the Crafting screen.
Toss a Coin to Your Witcher
Hopefully, our guide will help you progress in the game and develop the necessary abilities quickly. As a rule of thumb, never neglect side quests and Witcher Contracts. They are a great way to level up before you head on the main quests and an immersive addition to the storyline.
Which build did you choose in The Witcher 3, and why? Share in the comments section below.
