I was delightfully surprised by the number of new players who are jumping in to play Witcher 3 for the first time.
SteamCharts show that the game has over 20k daily active players. Not bad for a game released in 2015.
So whether you’re new to the game or starting a new playthrough for the fifth time, this quick guide will help you level up much faster in the game so you can beat those monsters without dying every ten seconds.
Witcher 3 is a great game that should be experienced at least once in your gaming lifetime. Having said that, the leveling system in the game is brutal.
The XP rewards are so low for even beating high-level enemies so you have to constantly grind for XP to level up so you can equip better gear and beat high-level monsters.
Of course, that’s all part of the fun of playing the game. With these tricks, it’ll get even more enjoyable.
Note: This guide is updated to reflect the changes made in the new-gen update of Witcher 3
1. Equip The Noonwraith Trophy
Every tiny bit of XP boost you can get goes a long way to help level up in Witcher 3. And the Noonwraith trophy is one that will definitely come in handy in your journey.
When equipped for Roach, this trophy grants you 5% XP from humans and monsters. It may sound so little but it’s a huge boost when grinding for XP.
The Noonwraith trophy can be acquired by completing the Witcher contract Devil By The Well, which is available at a very early stage in the game.
2. Explore The Map
Main missions and side quests in Witcher 3 rewards very small amounts of XP and it takes a long time to complete them as well. It’s not the best way to farm XP.
A good method you can use is to explore the map. Go to those areas on the map masked with a question mark (?) and oftentimes they will reveal great rewards, enemy camps, and treasures.
3. Turn On Enemy Upscaling
If you’re finding Witcher 3 not challenging enough or doing side-quests from lower levels, you can use this option to get better rewards.
With enemy upscaling, the enemies you meet will be matched to your current character level.
Even if you visit a lower-level area or doing a low-level side-quest, you will meet enemies that match your character level. This, of course, means you earn more XP.
To turn on this option, go to the main menu. Then go to Options >> Gameplay. Look for the Enemy Upscaling option and turn it On.
You can toggle this option whenever you need it. So if you find a particular boss or monster too hard to beat, feel free to turn it off.
4. Do The Side Missions
After enabling the enemy level scaling, go back to all the areas that you already explored and do every side-mission you come across.
These side missions not only give you good amounts of XP but they also have very interesting stories and monsters to deal with. Not to mention some great loot too.
Use this interactive map to find interesting locations, caves, loot, and quests that you may have missed in your journey.
5. Farm Monster Nests
If you prefer to grind XP without doing side-missions, give this method a try.
Simply find a monster nest anywhere on the map. The marked spot near Downwarren in Velen is great since there are 3 nests in the area.
Go there, kill all monsters. But don’t destroy the nests.
Now meditate for a bit and the monsters will spawn again. Take them down.
Continue the process for as long as you like to gain XP.
Just Enjoy the Game
After the recent new-gen update, most of the XP farming exploits were patched. Now, the only way to level up is to play the game as it was intended to be played.
In conclusion, try not to worry too much about level grinding. If you work on a good skill build, you can take on high-level enemies without having to level up your character.
Try to enjoy the game and its story. It’s the best part of the playing game.
Awesome guide. I also found this one and you should consider adding this one too, as it is really fast. https://youtu.be/EZDVpBfR6r0