The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is CD Projekt Red's acclaimed open-world RPG where you play as Geralt of Rivia, a professional monster slayer searching for his adopted daughter Ciri. The game received a complete visual overhaul with the Next-Gen Update adding ray tracing, improved textures, and new content. With two massive expansions — Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine — the complete package offers 200+ hours of storytelling that's widely considered among the best in gaming.
Resource management and crafting determine how quickly your power scales. This guide covers what to prioritize, where to farm, and how to avoid wasting resources on the wrong upgrades.
Crafting Priority List
The order you should invest resources:
| Priority | Target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Primary equipment | Biggest damage increase per resource spent |
| 2 | Core build gear | Enables your build's key synergies |
| 3 | Defensive upgrades | Survivability for boss fights |
| 4 | Secondary equipment | Situational options for specific content |
| 5 | Consumables | Temporary boosts for hard content |
Resource Farming by Area
White Orchard
Key resources: Viper School Swords, 6 Places of Power, Griffin Trophy, first Gwent cards Farming efficiency: Low value per run, but safe and consistent
Focus on gathering materials for Toussaint Knight's Steel Sword upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Velen
Key resources: Bloody Baron quest rewards, Witcher gear diagrams, multiple contract trophies Farming efficiency: Good early-game farming spot
Focus on gathering materials for Toussaint Knight's Steel Sword upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Novigrad
Key resources: Triss romance questline, best vendors, Hattori the swordsmith, Gwent tournament cards Farming efficiency: Best mid-game farming, worth revisiting
Focus on gathering materials for Toussaint Knight's Steel Sword upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Skellige
Key resources: Yennefer romance questline, Skellige deck Gwent cards, Cat School gear diagrams, Hjalmar quests Farming efficiency: High-value materials for late-game upgrades
This is where you farm materials for Aerondight max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Toussaint
Key resources: Grandmaster witcher gear sets, Aerondight, Corvo Bianco upgrades, Mutation system, Euphoria Farming efficiency: Best resources in the game, requires strong build
This is where you farm materials for Aerondight max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Upgrade Path
Early Game (White Orchard — Velen)
- Upgrade your starting equipment to functional level
- Craft basic defensive gear
- Save specialty materials — you'll need them later
- Focus on Toussaint Knight's Steel Sword once accessible
Mid Game (Novigrad)
- Push Toussaint Knight's Steel Sword to mid-level upgrades
- Start collecting materials for Aerondight
- Craft situational consumables for boss fights
- Upgrade build-specific gear pieces
Late Game (Skellige — Toussaint)
- Max out Aerondight — this is your top priority
- Complete your build's core gear set
- Craft endgame consumables
- Optional: upgrade secondary equipment for variety
Crafting Mistakes to Avoid
- Spreading upgrades across multiple equipment — Focus one weapon to max before diversifying.
- Hoarding materials — Use them. The game provides enough if you farm efficiently.
- Upgrading the wrong gear — Check our builds guide before investing.
- Ignoring Novigrad farming — This area has the best resource-to-time ratio in mid-game.
- Crafting consumables too early — Save specialty materials for late-game recipes.
Resource Efficiency Tips
- Apply the correct oil before every fight — Specter Oil for wraiths, Necrophage Oil for ghouls, etc. At higher alchemy levels, oils give 50% bonus damage, which is enormous.
- Farm Novigrad during mid-game for the best return on time
- Check the walkthrough to know when each resource becomes available
- Match your farming route to your build — some classes farm faster in certain areas
More The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Guides
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Overview
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Best Builds
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Tier List
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Walkthrough
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Beginner's Guide
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Tips & Tricks
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Weapons Guide
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Combat Guide
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Boss Guide
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Maps & Locations
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Classes & Characters
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