adaptation of the original novel series), The Witcher 3 offers new and old players alike many reasons to linger in its beautiful world.
While The Witcher 3 is heavy on the narrative, it also features robust game-play. The best part is that there are difficulty options for all kinds of players. There are four difficulties in total, ranging from Just the Story all the way up to Death March, which can be a punishing experience for even the most seasoned gamers. This guide will provide some tips, tricks, and strategies to survive in Death March.
What is Different in Death March in The Witcher 3
In combat
Enemies in Death March will hit much harder and have substantially more health (vitality, as it is called in the game) than they do in other difficulties. This causes more than just superficial changes to the combat-flow, though. Since enemies take more hits to kill, Geralt's weapons will wear down faster. The player will have to spend more money more often to keep their weapons functional, often making it harder to purchase new weapons and upgrades. That's if Geralt can even make it to town in one piece (pro tip: always stay on the road; there are some deadly wolves out there)!
Outside of combat
In Death March, meditation no longer heals Geralt automatically (the way it does on Easy and Normal difficulty). This means that the player will have to rely on other means to get health back. In addition, players will receive 20% less experience for everything they do across the board. This makes it very difficult to be over-leveled throughout the game and means the player will often have to grind side quests as they progress through the story. At least most of the side quests are excellent.
Strategies to Survive Death March in The Witcher 3
Regardless of the difficulty, The Witcher 3 is arguably best when taken at a slow pace. That said, the opening hours of Death March are going to be brutal and the best thing the player can do to get through it is to level up as efficiently as possible. Grinding experience by killing monsters (or people) is not the most efficient way to do this. Instead, focus on doing all the quests you come across and pay close attention to the recommended level for each quest.
The recommended level can be found in the Quest Menu. Quests for which the player is the appropriate level will be green, quests that are beyond the player's level will be red, and quests that are gray in color mean the player is over-leveled for that quest and will receive a drastically reduced amount of experience points for completing it. The best strategy to get on an even playing field with Geralt's foes is to get through those early levels as quickly as possible.
Stat investments
As the player levels up, they will have to be very aware of what kind of character build they are going for. Only one Skill Point is awarded for each level. The player can also get one Skill Point for each Place of Power that is found (these are the large stones with a hole towards the top that can be found throughout the Continent).
While any character-build is viable, Death March is a bit more manageable with hybrid builds that invest at least a bit in alchemy. Alchemy is almost irrelevant on lower difficulties, but having the right potion or oil when preparing for battle can be a lifesaver.
The single most important stat to upgrade as soon as possible (to make Geralt's life a little easier, at least) is the Quen sign. Casting Quen creates a shield around Geralt. This can allow for a margin of error when it comes to combat encounters and can be the difference between life and death.
Quen should be upgraded until the Active Shield ability is unlocked. This will allow the player to absorb damage and gain health. To use the active shield, the player must hold the designated sign button (R2 on PS4 and right trigger on Xbox One) in order to hold the shield up.
Managing health
Since meditation no longer restores health (vitality) on Death March, the player will have to make the most of their food and potions. Swallow is the main healing potion that the player will always want to have in an active slot. While meditation doesn't restore health, it will refill potions so long as the player has alcohol on hand.
Alcohol, food, and other consumables should always be picked up. Whenever the player is in a town or city, rummage through every chest, drawer, nook, and cranny. Taverns are especially good places to scavenge for some Dwarven Spirits lying around. Anything inedible that's nabbed can always be sold off for gold.
In a pinch, it's sometimes worth walking into an easy combat encounter, throwing up the Quen Active Shield, and restoring a bit of health that way.
Fighting the good fight
When it comes to actual combat, the player can opt for whatever play-style they feel most comfortable in, but the usefulness of side-stepping really cannot be understated. Rolling will often take Geralt too far away to successfully land a follow-up attack and it uses more stamina as well. Just sidestep and make Swiss cheese with your finest swords.
Speaking of swords, the Viper Steel and Silver Swords are the weapons Geralt will want in the early aughts of his epic quest. Schematics for both can be found in the opening area, White Orchard (in the Amavet Fortress Ruins and the White Orchard Cemetery, specifically). Pair those with the Temerian Armor Set (available as free DLC) and the player should be good as far as hardware goes for the first dozen or so hours of the game.
Death March can be quite the challenge, but it's worth noting there's no harm in hopping on Roach and hitting the road (always stay on the road!) when a situation is getting out of hand. Approach every combat encounter with caution and always do research when preparing to face a monster. The bestiary is a great asset to consult when a quest says what monster is coming up. Having the right oils on hand can make all the difference. Having patience is important, too.
Don't forget, the player can always adjust the difficulty up or down, so play at whatever level is most enjoyable. And if that's Death March, just : have patience and prepare and Geralt will prevail (and always stay on the road)!
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is available for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
