The Witcher 3 is an expansive open-world RPG with many different mechanics for players to master. This includes weapon degradation playing a part throughout the main game. Over time weapons and armor will lose durability from receiving and giving damage. If gear isn't repaired it will eventually break resulting in significant stat reductions. While this may seem like a headache at first, it doesn't have to be as long as Geralt's Witcher gear is regularly maintained. For players just starting their adventure here are the ways to stay on top of gear durability and stay prepared in the violent world of The Witcher 3.
Visit a Blacksmith/Armorer
When players see the dreaded red damage graphic on their HUD, this means their weapon has fallen to around 50% of its durability. It's time to visit a blacksmith/armorer as they are vital to maintaining Geralt's gear. In the early stages of the game players can find many blacksmiths and armorers around Velen. The most useful is the armorer located at Crow's Perch. This area acts as a central hub to the main quest line in Velen and features a handy fast travel sign along with a nearby stash to store items.
Pay for Repairs
When Geralt is chatting with a blacksmith he can ask for weapons to be crafted. This brings players to the crafting menu screen. From here simply shift tabs to the repair screen to see all of Geralt's damaged equipment. Take note of the number in red indicating how much of a reduction in stats the gear is receiving due to lowered durability. Players can press a button to repair all or choose which item to repair individually. Keep in mind that the lower the durability is on the damaged item the more the repairs will cost. This is why it is a good idea to regularly visit blacksmiths to keep costs low while staying prepared for monster slaying.
Use a Repair Kit
Repair Kits are a usable item that can be purchased at every Blacksmith or Armorer. These kits are useful for when Geralt is out in the field in the middle of a battle. Simply use the item in the inventory then apply it to the item that needs repairing. There are two separate types of repair kits for use with armor and weapons respectively. There are also three separate tiers of repair kits that differ in how much durability they repair.
Repair Kit Tiers | Repair Percentages |
|---|---|
Amateur Repair Kit | 15% |
Journeyman Repair Kit | 40% |
Master Repair Kit | 90% |
Crafting Repair Kits
Geralt can also craft repair kits, but needs the pre-requisite diagrams to do so. These diagrams can be purchased at most blacksmiths as well. Unfortunately the items needed for the crafting recipes can be rare and crafting requires a Smith anyway, so players should stick with buying them when they have the chance.
The Witcher 3 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.