On the lower levels in The Witcher 3 it can be tricky taking on large groups of men. Especially on some of the early Persons In Distress missions.
If you encounter a group of men with red skulls above their heads, then you’d be well advised to back off. That said: with skill and understanding of the game, it is sometimes possible to take out a large group of men who are much higher level than you.
Our tips for fighting large groups of men in the Witcher 3:
For starters, when you encounter a group of men, assess the area around you and have some escape routes to roll away to, just in case.
If you can get the men bunched together at the start, give them a burst of Igni to set as many of them alight as you can. Then take a few quick swings with your sword, then dodge backwards and keep facing the group.
Next you should work out who’s firing at you with bow and arrows and run to them and attack them. Try to kill them before the main part of the group of men catch up with you. If they do, run away.
There’s usually more than one archer, so repeat the above until you’ve just got only non archers left. If you’re an advanced player, and have the skill activated, you can also rebound arrows away with your sword, which can be useful.
If you’re low on health, run away and circle them at a distance and eat some food or take some Swallow.
Then re-engage and take the rest out with a combination of quick attacks, dodge, and Igni. Use parry when you can to give you an advantage during duels.
For more advanced players, the Hanse encampments of Blood and Wine are the “ultimate” in terms of combat against men in The Witcher 3.
Actually, there is one moment in the base game that may cause some concern: if you go to Skellige early – the Pirate attack on the boat on the way there will challenge you to a fight against at least six armed pirates and it can be tricky because there’s nowhere to hide, although you do have other people helping you with the fight.
Just remember to parry and dodge against humans. Counterattack if you’re good enough. Use exploding barrels and bee hives if they are nearby. Human to human combat, with swords, is different to fighting with monsters, but it’s a great deal of fun when you master the art of Witcher 3 combat.
The Witcher 3 Guide 