The Witcher 3 Guide: Where to Start

The Witcher 3 guide most players actually need covers the handful of decisions that shape the whole playthrough, rather than repeating a build sheet you can find anywhere.

Pick your difficulty deliberately

Death March removes meditation-based healing outside of specific consumables and hits harder across the board. It is the intended "real" experience for returning players, but it punishes an unprepared first run — Blood and Bones or Story and Sword are fine choices while you learn the systems.

Do not rush past side quests

Side content here is not filler. Several of the best-written stories in the game — the Bloody Baron's arc especially — are technically optional, and skipping them for the main quest is the single most common regret players report.

Craft and sell as you go

Sell junk loot rather than hoarding it, and keep your gear upgraded through blacksmiths and armourers rather than waiting for "better" drops — armour and weapons here scale by crafting, not by chance.

Save the expansions for the right point

Both Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine gate their main quests behind a level requirement, and both read better once you already know the main cast.