30 Must-Have Mods for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

There are games that have permanently secured an honorable place in the industry. Fans return to them time and time again to experience the same emotions they felt during their first playthrough. One such project can definitely be called The Witcher 3 — a cult RPG from CD Projekt Red.

However, time passes, and the game becomes outdated. Not long ago, a Next-Gen version was released, but that’s still not enough. To refresh another playthrough, we have compiled the 30 best mods and will now introduce them to you.

The Witcher 3 Mod Manager

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Let's start with a tool essential for modding the game. Of course, you can use Nexus Mods Manager, but for more precise control over files and scripts, this mod is preferable. The program allows you to quickly enable and disable modifications and, most importantly, helps fix compatibility issues. After all, improvements here don’t go as smoothly as in Bethesda’s projects, so caution is needed.

Always Full Exp (Next-Gen)

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During a subsequent playthrough, some players want to make their journey easier, while others prefer to make it more challenging. It’s not just about the difficulty of battles with monsters but also about the experience points that determine leveling. Always Full Exp allows you to finely adjust the experience gain coefficient, which can fundamentally change the entire gameplay.

There are several settings available. Players can set to receive 100% experience regardless of difficulty, get a mixed coefficient, or add hardcore elements by reducing the total experience gained. A very cool mod.

The Witcher 3 HD Reworked Project

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Even with the release of the Next-Gen version, this comprehensive mod has not lost its relevance. If you don’t want to install the new version of the game, the Reworked Project will definitely come in handy. It’s an incredible work with the highest number of downloads.

What do we get after installation? Completely updated graphics! The developer has changed almost all textures without altering the original game style. Additionally, the polygon meshes of models have been modified so that hexagonal logs become round.

New shaders for more realistic lighting have also been added, and moreover, the mod is compatible with another lighting upgrade, which I will discuss below.

Super Turbo Lighting Mod

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When The Witcher 3 was released, many noticed that the game looked quite different from the E3 trailers. The problem was the lighting, which made the visuals equally bright in all locations. The very atmosphere that fans fell in love with while watching the trailer was lost.

Super Turbo Lighting Mod makes the visuals more diverse and lively. Realistic reflections, weather effects, and even rays of light have appeared. Now, each location has its specific lighting, adding depth to the immersion. The swamp of Velen, which is always gloomy and foggy, looks especially cool.

All Quest Objectives On Map

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It’s no surprise that this is one of the most downloaded files on NexusMods. During a subsequent playthrough, you no longer want to search for each quest. The mod’s working principle is very simple — it displays all active quests on the map, significantly speeding up the tenth playthrough.

What’s especially good is that even armor collection quests for different schools are highlighted, so you won’t have to peek under every bush to find a clue. Additionally, very convenient colored icons for various merchants have been added.

Indestructible Items

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This feature will definitely make your subsequent playthrough easier and save you from the headache of constantly breaking equipment. During the first immersion in the game, such a feature is even delightful because you have to take care of your armor and weapons, just like in the books or the series. However, you don’t want to go through this procedure for the hundredth time.

Indestructible Items makes all equipment 100% durable and disables wear and tear. Again, this is one of the most downloaded files.

Slots Slots SLOTS

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In my opinion, without this mod, a new playthrough is simply impossible, though it’s also worth installing for the first time. Why? Because Slots Slots SLOTS makes leveling up in The Witcher 3 as interesting and varied as possible. With this upgrade, the witcher gains more slots for skills and mutagens, significantly expanding the combat style.

The main thing is that the leveling system expansion can be finely tuned. Want to create the most dangerous monster killer? Then upgrade absolutely everything! Don’t want to destroy the game’s delicate balance — there’s an option for that with fine-tuning as well.

Increased Creature Loot

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Another must-install file is Increased Creature Loot, which fixes one of the most unfair mechanics in the game. Anyone who has played the original knows how hard it is to gather resources from monsters and animals, and it all seems very illogical. Killing 15 wolves for two hearts? That’s nonsense!

The mod corrects this unfairness, and now more resources drop from each creature. Don’t think this will significantly ease the playthrough, because in reality, you’ll be free from tedious grinding.

Better Trophies

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Remember the first griffin you killed? Yes, it was a great battle, and now a severed monster head hangs in the Pontva, showing everyone who the real witcher is. However, there is one huge downside — boring bonuses with small stats. You defeated one of the scariest monsters, and as a reward, you get this?! Horrible.

Better Trophies changes the bonuses from collected trophies, making them more valuable and unique. Now, every hunt for a legendary monster becomes a truly useful activity, not just another quest for advancing the storyline.

Geralt Cloak

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The E3 trailer was memorable not only for its graphics but also for Geralt’s appearance. There, he was shown in his dusty cloak, which protects against rain and dust. It looked amazing, but in the game, we never saw this main attribute. It’s disappointing, but mod creators came to the rescue with Geralt Cloak.

Now, the cool cloak will always be worn by the hero, and there is even a separate slot in the inventory for it. Yes, you won’t have to switch a cool armor for a fabric cape, and you can enjoy the view of a rugged monster hunter.

Lore-friendly Witchers

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Since we paid attention to the lore-friendly appearance of Geralt, it’s worth changing another aspect missed in the original game. Surely, you’ve noticed that passersby say, "You’re pale as death! Are you sick?". Yes, the books clearly describe that a witcher has very pale skin and bright cat-like eyes. Unfortunately, on the screen, we don’t see this, and Geralt looks quite healthy.

This mod makes the skin tone lighter, adds dark circles under the eyes, and makes the eyes brighter. It may seem like a small detail, but such a feature deepens the immersion into the unfolding events.

4KRW - 4K Reworked Women Mod

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We’ve changed the main character, but what about our beautiful sorceresses and Ciri? Let’s make them even more beautiful with the 4KRW mod. The game’s engine isn’t the newest, so even the main characters sometimes don’t look very attractive. It’s especially disappointing when it comes to close characters like Yennefer, Triss, and Ciri.

Now, they will have 2K and 4K textures, noticeably improving the visuals. Moreover, a denser polygon mesh has been added, but that’s not all. Along with the graphics update, we also get new eyes, eyelashes, and hairstyles, making the trio the most beautiful characters in The Witcher 3!

Humans of the Continent 4K-2K Textures

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Let’s not stop there and upgrade absolutely all NPCs in the game! Yes, the mod will require good performance, but if your PC can handle it, it’s definitely worth trying. The problem remains the same — the characters look poor, and when it comes to ordinary residents of this world, they’re downright unpleasant to look at. They all seem to be molded from a piece of soap and constantly shine as if they’re wet.

Now, each NPC will have a high-resolution skin texture, and even a poor peasant afflicted with the plague will look better! Of course, the changes will also affect the main characters, so it’s not compatible with the previous mod.

Hoods

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Let’s return to the cool cloak for Geralt. The model from the E3 trailer is awesome, but that’s far from the limit. Fans’ creativity is much broader, and there is an opportunity to dress the monster hunter not only in a dusty cape but also in something better. This is where Hoods comes in.

There is something for every player’s taste. Various hats, masks, and cloaks not only highlight Geralt’s character but also match certain atmospheres. For example, on the islands of Skellige, you can wear a cool wolf pelt cloak, just like a Viking.

The Gwent Card Dealer

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Do you think I forgot about Gwent? No, the coolest thing I left for last is the card dealer that will appear in the game. Yes, searching for cards gives a certain purpose to travels, but you really want to build a strong deck, especially during a subsequent playthrough. Now, this is possible.

You’ll find the merchant fairly quickly, as he is located in Crow’s Perch — the baron’s headquarters. He will sell 99% of the cards available in the game, but obtaining them is not easy. You’ll have to spend quite a bit of gold, but it’s definitely worth it.

Blood and Steel

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Blood and Steel is a mod that goes far beyond ordinary cosmetic combat enhancements. It completely overhauls Geralt’s behavior by adding new attack, dodge, and block animations. Instead of the acrobatic flips from the original, you’ll get more restrained but powerful and weighty movements, like those of a well-trained fighter.

Enemy AI is also strengthened: foes become more aggressive and tactically flexible. The mod pairs especially well with realistic difficulty settings—then every fight feels like a duel for survival. Perfect for fans of the Dark Souls series.

Brutal Blood

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With this mod, you’ll rightly earn the title “Butcher of Blaviken.” It makes every battle more intense, bloody, and realistic, emphasizing the brutality of the Witcher world.

The mod increases the number of dismemberment animations and adds richer, more realistic blood effects. Brutal Blood also works great with other combat and visual enhancement mods like Critical Slow Motion Combat REDUX and HD Monsters Reworked. It’s ideal for those who want to inject more cinematic flair into the game.

Critical Slow Motion Combat REDUX

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Landed a critical hit? Then savor it in all its glory! This mod adds a slow-motion effect at the moments when Geralt delivers critical strikes. Imagine you deftly parry an enemy’s blow, spin around, thrust—then time slows down, letting you enjoy the full cinematic choreography.

The slow-motion effect never feels intrusive—it only activates at key moments and is thoughtfully integrated into the combat system. The mod helps you feel each successful hit more keenly, adding drama and style.

Friendly Meditation (Next Gen Edition)

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Replaces the traditional menu-loading meditation with a live, continuous animation. Now Geralt simply sits in a lotus position, closes his eyes, and time rolls forward right before your eyes. Shadows lengthen, the sun sets, NPCs go about their business—all in real time.

This creates an incredibly immersive sensation: you feel the world living its own life, even when the Witcher rests.

During meditation you can witness sunsets and sunrises, the onset of storms, and other weather phenomena in all their beauty. The mod retains functionality: you can still restore health, potions, bomb and oil charges.

Over 9000 – Weight Limit Mod

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Over 9000 isn’t about realism; it’s about convenience. No more loot choices, no more inventory headaches! This mod removes the carry weight limit, letting you vacuum up everything you see. The longer your quest, the more you’ll appreciate Over 9000!

This mod doesn’t break the game; it simply removes one of the routine barriers. But if you feel guilty about cheating—you can treat it like a bag of holding for a rainy day!

Auto Apply Oils

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Geralt is a professional monster hunter, not an oil-maker. In the original game, every monster fight starts with the same tedious procedure: open the menu, find the right oil, select the sword… and let’s be honest—you often skipped the oils and used them at best only against bosses. Auto Apply Oils fully automates that process. The mod detects who you’re fighting and applies the appropriate oil to your weapon before battle.

It’s not only convenient but perfectly logical—Geralt is a Witcher, a true professional, not a rookie. He knows his prey and his combat prep is second nature. Settings let you enable or disable automatic application if you want more control. In any case, the mod strikes a great balance between convenience and preserving the atmosphere.

Improved Horse Controls – Next Gen

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Now Roach will get smarter and stop crashing into trees on every turn! If you were annoyed by Geralt’s horse smashing into fences, trees, or suddenly refusing to go where you wanted—that’s all fixed.

The file rewrites Roach’s behavior, making her movements smooth and responsive.

Riding truly becomes enjoyable. The mod is especially useful in tight villages and forest paths, where you used to fight the controls more than the monsters.

Additionally, animations are improved: Roach no longer looks like a doll stuck in the textures. She’s alive—and you’ll feel it from the first second. A simple but crucial mod for anyone who spends a lot of time on horseback.

HD Monsters Reworked (HDMR)

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Monsters are no longer a bunch of grunting pixels—they’re now a visual masterpiece! The mod elevates the appearance of every creature in the game to a new level. HDMR replaces the original creature textures with high-detail versions, without changing their original design. Werewolves look like real beasts, drowners are covered in sinister slime, and elementals shimmer and pulsate with energy.

It’s important to note that the mod author preserves the game’s style, without overdoing it or adding alien elements. It’s still The Witcher, but each encounter has far greater visual impact. Be careful, though—monsters become so beautiful you might stare and miss a fatal strike.

Endgame (and sex) with Shani, Syanna, Ciri ménage à trois and more

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With this mod, the game becomes 18+ not only for bloody spectacles but also for intimate play. It turns The Witcher 3’s ending into a true adult fanfic, with thoughtful implementation and attention to detail. It adds the possibility of relationships with characters who in the original game remained only potential.

The mod integrates smoothly into the story, offering post-game developments where Geralt can step away from Witcher duties and finally relax. Technically, everything is implemented cleanly: new scenes are scripted into the game rather than merely replacing old ones. Ideal for those who’ve seen every canon ending and want “something new” without descending into trash.

Darker Nights

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Pray to the Light, for the night is dark and full of terrors! Well… that may be from another show, but it captures the essence!

In the original, nights are often too bright—you always see what’s happening around you, even without a light source. Darker Nights fixes this, making night pitch-black… and terrifying. Now every snap in the forest will trigger the creepiest associations and give you chills!

The mod doesn’t just darken the visuals—it intelligently adjusts light levels based on weather and terrain. That means on a clear moonlit night you’ll still see something, but on a cloudy one you’ll be groping your way forward.

Bonus: you’ll have to use torches, Cat potion, and other light sources as intended. It brings back the sense of danger at night and makes exploring more tense and realistic.

The Conjunction of the Seasons

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The Conjunction of the Seasons is one of the most atmospheric mods, adding seasonal changes to The Witcher 3’s world. Each season—spring, summer, autumn, and winter—has its own textures, palette, vegetation, and even weather effects. The file implements season changes through separate presets, which you can install manually or by mood.

The mod is compatible with HD textures and Reshade, and when combined with Realistic Weather it creates a visually rich, living, and ever-changing world so beautiful you might just skip quests and enjoy wandering—equally rewarding!

Fast Travel from Anywhere

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The essence of this mod is already in its name, and there’s little to add—but we’ll try. The main advantage is saving your time. No longer do you need to return to the nearest signpost to jump to another region—you can do it immediately.

The mod doesn’t break immersion—you can’t teleport during combat or directly from caves. You still must be in a safe zone. That makes the mod balanced and logical. Combined with Eternal Hunt, it turns the game into a full open-world hunting simulator where you choose your own route.

Ultimate Nude Mod - Next-Gen Update

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This mod adds full nudity to all key female and male characters, including realistic skin textures, anatomically correct details, and adaptation to the new engine’s lighting. It’s carefully integrated into cutscenes and doesn’t break staging: nothing flickers, pops out, or conflicts. All models look as if CD Projekt themselves made them for an 18+ version. Some armors are even supported—characters look significantly less armored when wearing them.

It works especially well with graphics and lighting enhancement mods—then intimate scenes and even everyday moments (like bathing or morning routines) look not vulgar but like part of an adult, beautiful world. Perfect for those who want maximum visual realism and aren’t afraid to make the game more explicit.

Realistic Weather

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This mod enhances rain, storm, snow, and wind effects, adds more transitional states, and increases contrast between clear and overcast weather.

With this mod, you’ll feel storms approaching—the wind picks up, the sky darkens, sounds change. The swamps become wet and misty, Toussaint feels stifling and hot, and Skellige truly feels northern. All this is as beautiful and realistic as possible.

The mod meshes especially well with Darker Nights and Conjunction of the Seasons, creating the sense of a fully living world where nature is not on your side.

Eternal Hunt

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Thanks to Eternal Hunt, Geralt won’t be out of work even after the final credits roll. The mod adds a new post-main-story hunting system. It includes new contracts, random monster encounters, target generation across the map, and a tracking system. In short—it’s not just a mod but an entire expansion crafted by a single skilled author.

The mod gives you motivation to keep playing, exploring the world, using alchemy, sharpening swords, and hacking down everyone you dislike. Thus Eternal Hunt boosts not only replayability but playability itself! Unlike simply replaying the game, this is a true continuation, where you can complete all side quests without being pulled back into the main storyline.

In total, 30 mods for The Witcher 3 can significantly refresh the game, and this is just the basic collection. There are many more interesting additions on NexusMods, so this game won’t lose its relevance anytime soon.

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