The highly anticipated GPS-based mobile game The Witcher: Monster Slayer was finally released to the public late in July and Witchers new and old are returning to the world of the beloved game series. The game takes inspiration from other GPS games like Pokemon GO but puts its own tactical and combat-oriented spin on it.
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Instead of tossing a Pokeball at a Squirtle or expanding one's collection, The Witcher Monster Slayer gives players the tools to take on monsters just like in the games. Oils, bombs, signs, potions, and gear are available in the game's light RPG system, earned through in-game combat, tracking, and of course real-world traveling.
10 Patience Is Everything In This Game
The number one thing to remember when it comes to combat in The Witcher Monster Slayer is patience. The time of day affects which monsters are likely to spawn, and therefore which tools the player will need to prepare to bring with them on their journey, and patience in combat leads to more victories.
It really comes down to knowing when to cease an attack and when to block, use a sign, or toss a bomb. Learn the signs of a monster's attack patterns and respond accordingly with your own – being patient is the key to maintaining critical levels and being able to take down two-skull enemies.
9 Learn How To Weave Attacks and Blocks…
There are two types of attacks in The Witcher: Monster Slayer: light attacks and heavy attacks. By going through the tutorial (or practice mode) one can learn the correct rhythm to these moves, but not necessarily how to respond to enemy attack patterns in kind.
Blocking is essential to success in the game and can be done by holding down on the screen when a red symbol appears above the monster's head. This reduces damage significantly, but it takes a second to activate – especially if the player has been rapidly attacking.
8 …And Practice Perfect Parries
A Perfect Parry is a block that was timed absolutely perfectly and completely negates damage. It's hard to pull off, though, as each monster has different attack speeds and motions.
Generally, it's a good idea to block when either a monster raises its hand to strike (at the apex) or when the monster lunges to attack (right as it connects). It takes a lot of practice, but mastering the Perfect Parry can make tougher enemies so much more manageable.
7 Study Monsters For Weaknesses, Plan Accordingly
In the Witcher's Bestiary, one can find listings for each monster encounterable in the game. It lists weaknesses, including potion, oil, weapon, and style of attack. It's important to understand which type of attack to use, for example, to build the Critical Meter.
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Going into a fight against a one-or-two skull monster without the assistance of the correct oil, bomb, potion, or weapon is a terrible idea. Unless you can Perfect Parry every single attack, not knowing your enemy's weakness is a death sentence.
6 Craft A Variety Of Bombs, Oils, and Potions, Not Just A Few
Some craftable items are far easier to create than others, like the Basic Bomb or Basic Oil. These items can come in handy when going up against monsters you're not fully prepared for thanks to their across-the-board bonuses.
However, having an inventory full of these items is not nearly as effective as crafting a few of each type of item. Save up resources, don't waste them on basic items, and patiently craft more specified items rather than generalized ones.
5 Most Quests Require Walking To A Location
Quests in The Witcher: Monster Slayer are surprisingly fun and engaging. The first quest pits the player against two enemies as part of their final Witcher test, which leads to a multitude of quests opening up including locating lost horses, gathering mushrooms, and hunting rare enemies.
The Witcher: Monster Slayer is a lot of things, but the one thing is not is an idle game. You will encounter some monsters and gather some resources around your home, but the majority of the game is found out and about.
4 Completing Daily Contracts Is Great For Gold…
Daily Contracts are daily special objectives that require the Witcher to use items, craft items, or hunt specific enemies, among other goals. There is one available every 20 hours, and they're typically super easy to get done quickly.
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Each Daily Contract itself yields 50 gold apiece, for a total of 350 for completing a week's worth. Gold is hard to come by in The Witcher: Monster Slayer, so be sure to keep up each day.
3 …After A Week Of Dailies, Another Reward Is Unlocked
After completing seven days of Daily Contracts in a row (and earning seven stamps, likewise) a special chest unlocks. This chest contains a good amount of gold, much better than the Daily Contract payout, as well as special items.
The game has barely been out for just over a week, now, so players are only just starting to unlock these rewards. There's plenty of time to catch up!
2 It's A Much More Fun Experience With Friends
One of the best things about the GPS mobile game formula is the ability to encounter like-minded people out in the field. When Pokemon GO was released the world saw an exodus of gamers from their homes and out into the streets, bringing together people from all over the world to experience the completely new idea.
The Witcher: Monster Slayer is no different, and encourages players to join forces by granting special packages to players that they can't themselves open. By sending one to a friend (real or online-only), they might send you back a package, making the whole crafting process a little more manageable.
1 Don't Use Any Items For "Easy" Monsters
The lowest tier of monster difficulty, "easy", is really quite mind-numbingly easy when compared to more difficult creatures. After getting in a little bit of combat experience and learning the flow of the game, virtually every single "easy" monster can be taken down without any external aid.
Though the game recommends buying oils, potions, and bombs for every possible encounter – save precious resources by opting to go against these monsters as bare-handed as possible, especially against monsters of a rare creature type.
NEXT: The Rarest Encounters In The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
