If you have ever replayed The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, you already know the awkward early game feeling. Geralt is supposed to be a legendary monster slayer, yet a pack of wolves can suddenly humble you. Levelling quickly fixes that problem. More skills, better gear access, higher survivability, and far fewer reload screens.
This guide focuses on methods that still work in 2026 across next-gen editions and patched versions. No nonsense. No exploits that were quietly killed years ago. Just efficient progression that respects the game’s design while nudging it in your favour.
How XP Actually Works in The Witcher 3
Before rushing off to farm anything, it helps to understand how the game decides what is worth your time.
XP rewards are heavily weighted toward quests, not combat. Killing enemies gives almost nothing once you are past the intended level range. Quest level scaling matters more than difficulty.
Key mechanics to know:
- Main quests give the largest XP rewards by far
- Side quests give solid XP if completed close to their recommended level
- Over-levelling a quest sharply reduces its XP payout
- Enemy kills are mostly for loot, not progression
- Contracts scale well and stay useful longer than side quests
If you only remember one thing, remember this. Do quests when they are yellow or slightly red, not grey.
Prioritise Main Quests Early On
Main story quests are the fastest and most reliable way to gain levels, especially in the opening acts.
Early examples like Lilac and Gooseberries and Bloody Baron chapters dump XP at a rate no side activity can match. Rushing these does not lock you out of content and actually unlocks more profitable regions faster.
Why main quests matter:
- Massive XP rewards compared to time invested
- Unlock new areas with better contracts
- Improve dialogue and quest outcomes with higher levels
- Reduce early game difficulty spikes
A smart approach is to complete main quests until you are one or two levels above the local contract range, then branch out.
Witcher Contracts Are the Real Sweet Spot
Contracts are the most balanced XP source in the game. They scale better than side quests and remain relevant for longer stretches.
They also pay well, which matters when upgrading gear.
Tips for maximising contract XP:
- Accept contracts early but complete them near the suggested level
- Negotiate payment every time, there is no downside
- Investigate properly to avoid missing optional XP triggers
- Loot everything, especially mutagens and crafting diagrams
Some of the best early contracts are found in Velen and Novigrad, where monster density and quest chains overlap nicely.
Clear Side Quests Before They Go Grey
Side quests are easy to accidentally waste.
If you over-level them, the XP reward drops hard. This catches a lot of players who rush the story too aggressively.
To avoid that:
- Complete side quests as soon as they appear in your level range
- Focus on quest hubs like Crow’s Perch and Novigrad districts
- Avoid returning to White Orchard too late if you skipped content
Short dialogue-heavy quests often give more XP than long combat slogs, so do not judge value by length.
Do Not Grind Enemies, It Is a Trap
Enemy grinding feels natural if you come from other RPGs. In The Witcher 3, it is a waste of time.
Once enemies fall below your level range, XP drops to almost nothing. Even high-risk fights rarely pay off.
What enemy combat is good for:
- Looting crafting materials
- Completing Bestiary entries
- Farming specific mutagens
- Triggering quest progress
If your goal is levelling, move on. Geralt is not here to farm drowners all afternoon.
Explore Smart, Not Thorough
Exploration matters, but only if it leads to quests or gear progression.
Places of Power are the big exception. They grant free ability points, which are effectively levels without XP.
Exploration priorities:
- Activate every Place of Power you see
- Clear monster nests tied to contracts
- Skip random bandit camps unless tied to quests
- Ignore low-level question marks once over-levelled
Velen is full of distractions. Not all of them deserve your time.
Difficulty Settings and XP Myths
Raising difficulty does not increase XP gain.
This still trips people up in 2026.
Difficulty affects combat challenge, not progression speed. Play on the setting you enjoy. If that is Story and Sword, fine. If it is Death March, also fine. Your XP bar does not care.
The only indirect benefit of higher difficulty is better preparation habits, which can make contracts faster and cleaner.
Best Early Game Levelling Route
If you want a smooth opening without spikes, this path still works beautifully:
- Clear White Orchard fully before level 4
- Move to Velen and prioritise Bloody Baron main quest
- Pick up every contract but delay completion until yellow level
- Sweep nearby side quests before pushing Novigrad
- Use Places of Power to pad ability points early
This keeps Geralt strong enough to avoid frustration without trivialising fights.
Common Levelling Mistakes to Avoid
A few habits slow progression more than players realise:
- Hoarding quests until they go grey
- Over-exploring low-level regions too late
- Grinding enemies instead of progressing quests
- Ignoring contracts because they feel optional
- Skipping dialogue and missing XP triggers
The game rewards curiosity, but it punishes inefficiency.
Seven Swords Takeaway
Levelling fast in The Witcher 3 is less about tricks and more about timing. The game quietly nudges you toward efficient play, then shrugs when you ignore it.
If you follow quest levels, respect contracts, and stop trying to turn drowners into an XP farm, Geralt becomes powerful quickly and naturally. No immersion broken. No exploits abused. Just smart witchering.
