The Witcher gameplay strategy

This page contains general tips for gameplay.
== Make a shopping list ==
Or just use ours (now available in pdf format! 241 KB), and consult it frequently. It goes without saying that being prepared makes any quest far more enjoyable. There is nothing worse than arriving at a destination (especially if it was a hard fight to get there), only to realize that you have not brought the very item you need.
== Inventory Management ==
Remember that inventory space is at a premium so stock up on items that stack preferentially. Keep anything you do not need immediately at your local inn (Dandelion provides this service in the epilogue, but only at the very beginning, once part way through and then at the very end of the Chapter. You can not just go see him to get stuff). Try to keep your inventory to a minimum. This is not always easy, but there are some steps you can take to make life easier.
* Do use the storage available at the local Inns (or with Dandelion, in Chapter V).
* Anything you do not need immediately should be stored at an Inn.
* If you are nearing the end of a chapter (and so the beginning of a new one) make sure you have lots of empty inventory slots. Almost invariably, you will have to pick up a lot of items at the end or beginning of a chapter.
* Sell items you do not need, especially potion ingredients. You more than likely will never need more than 50 of anything, if that many.
* Try to keep one slot free at all times (this can be challenging, I rarely manage it, but constantly wish I did).
== Brewing Potions during meditation ==
While it is not catastrophic, if you do not have any empty inventory slots when you are brewing new potions, they will be dropped on the ground or floor wherever you happen to be meditating. Just remember to pick them up as they will disappear if you walk too far away and come back (loadscreen). Keeping at least one slot empty prior to meditation completely avoids this potential nuisance.
== Fighting Groups ==
When fighting a group of opponents, first decide if you can relatively easily "take" an individual of the same kind of opponent. If not, run away as it is not a great idea to get yourself surrounded by difficult opponents. If so, then it is game on! 
* Draw your sword and switch to Group combat mode.
* Head for the middle of the group, as dead center as you can get.
* Once there, select the weakest opponent adjacent to you and make them your primary target.
* Swing away!
Tip: This exploits the fact that your chances of hitting multiple opponents is based on your chance of hitting your primary target.
== Raiding multiple bodies after a battle ==
It can sometimes get confusing when you are raiding the bodies of a large number of dead opponents (or even a not-so-large stack of bodies). Trying to distinguish which "remains" you have searched and which you have not can cause you to check the same body multiple times, which is a waste of time.
One trick (especially when it comes to daggers and swords) is to drop the items you have in the weapon slots in order to fill the slots with the weapons found on the remains. This way, you "empty" each corpse and it is no longer "click-able" and you will not end up searching it twice (though you will lose potential coin).
The same can be said for keeping at least one slot in your inventory empty. As you raid a corpse, instead of using the "transfer all" icon, double-click on each individual item to pick it up, but not close the inventory screen. Then, drop each one you do not want to keep, and pick up the next item. Repeat until the corpse is "empty."
== Fistfighting made easy ==
Depending on the amount of previous gaming experience one has, fist-fighting might seem daunting. (I can only speak for myself, but I completely avoided fist fights the first time I played this game.) The good news is that as it turns out, fist-fighting is a breeze. Simply follow these three easy steps:
* Hit: initiate the fight, do not wait for your opponent to start.
* Duck: and stay that way until your opponent has delivered their blow.
* Repeat: start again as soon as your opponent has completed their blow, but not gotten back into a ready stance.
Voilà! You can win every single fist-fight this way and take very little, if any, damage. You do not need any of the fist-fighting-related talents. However, you might want to keep an eye on your Endurance, as every duck drains it. Once you run out, you can not duck.
Tip: If you feel like cheating, grab a Tawny Owl before the fight.
It is also possible to win every fight easily without blocking at all. Just hit your opponent in the exact moment he winds up to hit you. This will not only damage him but also interrupt his hit (you'll stay unharmed). Just repeat this until the match is over.
== Drinking contests made easy ==
Drinking contests may be new to you. They were to me. Do not despair, they are even easier than fistfights. Use beer, the cheapest beer you can find. That is it! Nothing more complicated. You can try to be the "big man" and use Temerian rye or something stronger, but why?
== General ==
Check out the The Witcher Cheapskate's Guide.
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