8 Ways To Make A Playthrough As Hard As Possible

Summary

• Turn off the mini-map to increase the difficulty of exploration
• Stick to base gear for a greater challenge in battles and progress
• Avoid using potions and signs for a heightened level of difficulty

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is one of the greatest games of the last 10 years, as it offers players an incredibly enticing narrative, great side and main quests, and likable characters that complement the story greatly. The game also features many armor sets with incredible designs and powerful weapons for players to use.

Some missions are designed to be unmissable and challenging, whereas others are very well hidden throughout The Continent. Players who have already completed this masterpiece and are looking for a challenge might want to up the ante with a few adjustments. Here are some ways to make The Witcher 3 playthrough as hard as possible.

8

Turn Off The Mini-map

Losing Sense Of Direction Is Tough

• No visual aid to guide players as they explore
• The odds of walking into a deadly trap are greater

The Continent is extremely vast, so navigating it can be really tough, especially for players who don’t know the map by heart or where the key locations are. By removing the mini-map, players will have to find their own way without any kind of visual aid, which makes the experience much more fun, but also more challenging.

Wandering aimlessly will mean that players will often encounter obstacles that are beyond their current level, so ensuring to have the most useful skills and abilities at the ready will be key.

7

Stick To The Base Gear

No New Swords Or Armor Sets

• Using the starting gear to face enemies makes everything much harder
• Geralt’s starting armor is one of the best-looking in the game

Many players agree that the starting armor in The Witcher 3 looks great, which is why the much more advanced Viper armor is very popular, as it offers superior protection but still looks like the original Kaer Morhen attire. By foregoing any kind of new armor sets and silver or steel swords, the challenge is elevated greatly and players get to keep Geralt’s neat-looking initial equipment.

As the story progresses, enemies grow stronger, so facing them with the base equipment becomes extremely challenging. If players want a balance between a challenge and fairness, using a few of the best decoctions isn’t a terrible idea.

6

Don’t Use Potions, Oils, Or Bombs

Stick To Signs And Swords

• Potions, oils and bombs can make the game easier
• Foregoing potions as basic as Swallow will force players to be more careful as they explore

Many newcomers to The Witcher franchise underestimate the power of potions, oils and bombs. When used properly, they can turn the tides of almost any battle and give Geralt a solid advantage over even the toughest enemy. There are many morally gray decisions players can make in The Witcher 3, but using potions to gain an edge isn’t one of them.

That said, if players want to make their playthrough as challenging as possible, leaving potions, oils and bombs outside their inventory can be a great way to achieve this.

5

Use Signs As A Last Resort

• Witcher Signs are often an advantage
• Avoiding the use of Signs like Quen prevents additional protection

One of the greatest advantages that Geralt has against his enemies are the Witcher Signs he can use. Whether it is the fiery Igni, the propelling Aard or the defensive Quen, there are many situations where each one will come in handy.

By sticking to simple sword fighting and forgoing the use of Signs, players will have a much tougher time surviving difficult battles and dealing with the various enemies that want to kill them. This makes things especially tough when additional offensive or defensive maneuvers are required.

4

Don’t Fast Travel

Explore Every Corner Of The Continent On Horseback

• Removing fast travel will boost play time significantly
• Players can run into numerous threats by walking throughout The Continent

With a map as vast as the one in The Witcher 3, the possibility of fast travel is not a commodity, but a necessity to keep the game interesting and fun. By removing this option, players will be forced to explore every corner of The Continent on horseback or foot, which honestly doesn’t sound too exciting, but will greatly increase the level of difficulty.

The more players walk, the more enemies they’ll find, and many might be at higher levels than them. This potential element of surprise makes things exciting and adds a layer of difficulty to the experience.

3

Try Contracts While Being Underleveled

Four Or Five Levels Should Be More Than Enough

• Fighting monsters while underleveled is challenging, but rewarding
• Squeezing farmers after a contract is completed might be frowned upon, but it’s well-deserved

It’s no secret that witchers make their living by taking on contracts posted by villagers or government agencies and hunting down the monsters that are causing trouble. Typically, there are certain level recommendations whenever players take on a contract. And while normally it’s a good idea to review them carefully, ignoring them can increase the difficulty considerably.

By taking on a contract while being as little as five levels below the recommendation, players will be able to experience the true challenge of facing a vicious monster and have lots of fun in the process. Although squeezing farmers for higher rewards after a contract is completed is one of the most evil things players can do as Geralt, it might be justified after such a Herculean task.

2

Use Enemy Upscaling

Let Monsters And Men Grow Stronger Alongside You

• Enemy upscaling ensures the experience is always challenging
• Higher-level enemies yield more XP when defeated

Under normal circumstances, enemies remain at the same predetermined level as players progress through the story, which eventually leads to Geralt being able to take on previously formidable enemies without breaking a sweat. However, the option for enemy upscaling is there for those who want to use it.

This feature allows every enemy that Geralt faces to grow with him in power, ensuring that the experience is always challenging and foes rarely ever feel like pushovers. The option to toggle this on or off is great, as it lets players enjoy the game in the way they prefer.

1

Use Mods

If All Else Fails, Turn To External Resources

• Mods can help make the game more challenging
• There are also non-difficulty-related mods that are very fun

If all the options mentioned on this list are still not enough for some players, and they’re still looking for an additional challenge, using mods might be the way to go. Mods allow players to modify different aspects of the game, including alternative looks for Geralt and other characters, enemy attack speed, and more.

Although the base game already has many options for players to make their playthrough very challenging, using mods can allow those who want to take the next step to feel satisfied with the experience.