Hey guys, I'm relatively new to the game (first play through, level 16), but totally drawn in so far.
A couple things I've found so far:
- I pick up and hoard everything, like most do in these games. Seems I can craft just about everything 5x over at this point.
This is fine. Though lower level crafted items are made from common parts, higher level stuff uses much more rare pieces and can be harder to find.
But regardless a true competitionist will have no problems crafting most anything.
- I never really use potions, or any alchemy really, outside of creating bombs to destroy monster nests or using potions when they're required by the story. I've used oils once in a blue moon, but I don't really bother. Am I missing out?
If you're playing on Death March I find oils helpful to kill HP spongey enemies faster which is nice.
Bombs mostly aren't good though you can get some abilities that let you have bunches of them which makes them a little better.
Potions are just a style choice, though obviously it's handy to have healing on occasion. Later you can leverage an alchemy build into attack damage as well which is how I play. It can be quite powerful but so can just straight red/attack builds too.
- I don't use runestones or mutagens. I'm kinda clueless on what they're for and what they do. Again, am I missing out?
Runestones go into upgrade sockets on weapons, glphys go in armor. Mutagens go in special slots on your character sheet which gives you synergy bonuses. Blue Mutagen by itself might give you 15% bonus on sign intensity. A Blue Mutagen + 3 sign abilities on the same branch will give you 45% or something if it's a greater mutagen. Those are made up numbers btw but it's along those lines.
Witcher 3's character system is pretty weak. So if you aren't playing on Death March you may never feel you need the extra attack power, intensity, and whatever other bonuses you might get out of a truly optimized character. It's mostly flavor choice based on play style. Me, I like utility so I go heavy into potions and signs. If you don't want to mess with fiddly stuff, attack power and those 1 level unlock special abilities are a way to go.
- I haven't really been buying gear, as I am constantly leveling up and stuff I find seems to keep me alive just fine. I'll occasionally have something made when it's my max level, but I never buy stuff. As a result, I have a pretty serious chunk of change accumulating in my wallet. Anything in particular I should be using it for?
You'll have things to spend money on later and higher end crafted gear costs good money. Buying gear is almost never necessary, though sometimes it's much easier to buy missing crafting ingredients at higher levels than go looking for them.
- I don't play Gwent unless the story requires me to, and in those cases I wing it. I have no interest in it otherwise. Am I missing out on story, loot, etc by skipping this part of the game?
No, but if you don't practice a bit some of the story based Gwent quests might be a little hard. Some cards you get from playing others so you might miss out on those. Also buy every Gwent card you see in shops. If you skipped all Gwent stuff entirely you won't be lacking for experience or anything serious either way.
- Any other general tips for a first time play through?
My #1 tip for Witcher 3, is don't spend a decent length playsession without doing at least one part of a main quest. Witcher 3's pacing is downright awful and if you spend a lot of time picking flowers you can get completely disconnected from it for days at a time.
