While Kaer Morhen provided Geralt with a firm footing, he will need to continue honing his skills to take on the many perils awaiting him throughout The Witcher 3.
There are many ways to accrue experience outside of battle, from Gwent matches to horse racing and fistfights. But a witcher's time for leisurely activities is limited, leaving them with little choice but to sharpen their skills and gain experience along the path.
Updated on May 23, 2022, by Kim Dailey: Given the nature of their training, Witchers are constantly adapting to learn new and better ways to hone their skills. We thought it was about time to also tune our recommendations with some more tactics we've been employing in our latest playthroughs.
Starting Tips - Question Marks And Exploration
Drain White Orchard For All It's Worth
Use witcher senses everywhere, take all the quests, and hit all the checks- in this case, question marks. There are six Places of Power surrounding the village of White Orchard, which are well worth the time and effort as each one grants an additional skill point. By exhausting all opportunities in White Orchard, a witcher will be more than prepared for the dangers ahead in Velen and Novigrad.
Leave No Stone Unturned
Continue the habits from White Orchard, using witcher senses to explore every corner. Take some time and ride out to uncover question marks and destroy any monster nests and bandit camps along the way. Be sure to check the World Map often for any new points of interest that might've popped up in the vicinity.
Proper Preparation
There is always work to be had in times of war, but monsters will have their way with ill-equipped witchers. This is why it's crucial for Geralt always to have up-to-date gear and upgrade Roach's equipment as well.
Witcher Gear
Better gear means Geralt can hold up better against adversaries and take on tougher ones for maximum experience. Weapons highlighted in green are proper "Witcher Gear" and may significantly increase the experience gained from various kills while equipping complete sets of Witcher gear provides additional bonuses.
Roach Is Here To Help
Better gear for Roach means higher efficiency. Top-notch saddlebags carry more loot, and top-of-the-line saddles make for a faster journey, meaning more loot, jobs, and overall experience. The various trophies that can be attached to Roach's saddle may also provide a boost. For example, the trophy earned from the quest "Devil by the Well" in White Orchard grants a five percent bonus experience for human and non-human kills.
On The Job Training
It's expected that while on the hunt for Ciri, Geralt is also taking care of witcher business, such as fulfilling Contracts and liberating oppression. This means the experience provided by main quests alone won't be sufficient to keep Geralt in tip-top shape.
Take All Witcher Contracts
The notice boards in every area post up Witcher Contracts of varying levels, and Geralt should take on all that fall within his level range as Contracts are a witcher's livelihood. The contract level is essential to note because when Geralt is out leveled (about five levels over the suggested level) for a quest or Contract, the experience earned is dismal.
Liberation Is A Witcher's Salvation
Liberating areas earn the most experience outside of quests and Contracts. Witchers will be paid for this service, along with gaining access to vendors in the newly liberated area. Finding areas of oppression isn't hard across the war-torn Continent when a Witcher makes a point to investigate undiscovered locations (aka question marks).
Enemy Upscaling
Enemy upscaling is an easy hack to take your experience grind to the next level. It can be toggled on in the gameplay options to raise lower-level enemies to that of Geralt's, granting him increased experience for each kill. Enemy upscaling also makes it more advantageous to return to lower level areas for completionist tasks in order to scrape up every last experience point to be had.
Fun And Games
Practicing Skills Through Extra-Curricular Activities
Even a witcher with such advanced mutations as Geralt needs some time off once in a while to enjoy more leisurely activities, but that doesn't mean they can afford to forego their training entirely. A witcher must always keep his senses sharp, but if he needs a break from the path, partaking in horse races and fistfights are good alternatives for earning XP while keeping his skill in tip-top shape. Geralt should definitely step into the ring to test his metal in the Fists of Fury competition if he hasn't yet.
How About A Round Of Gwent?
Geralt can even gain a bit of extra experience when he's kicking back with a round of Gwent, but not all matches will help him level up. Only Gwent matches tied to quests will award experience, such as playing innkeepers, taking on the regional champs, or competing in the High Stakes Gwent tournament at The Passiflora.
Witchers must become staunchly equipped opportunists if they want to make it in their grizzly world. Their heightened senses and keen battle skills make them the perfect adventurer so long as they continue honing their abilities. A well-adapted witcher who doesn't shirk his day-to-day training will be more than capable when the time of ax and sword draws nigh.