14 Gothic Remake Mistakes You Should Avoid Early

1. Killing Everything in the Starter Area Too Soon

It is tempting to kill every animal and enemy you see near the beginning of the game. The experience looks useful, and the loot can seem worth it.

But early on, this can actually hurt you.

You will waste arrows, snacks, healing items, and other resources that are much harder to replace during the first few hours. Some early quests and NPC interactions can help you deal with enemies around the starter area more efficiently, letting you still earn rewards without burning through everything yourself.

Before clearing the whole area, explore first. Talk to NPCs, pick up quests, and see what options the game gives you.

2. Hunting Animals Before Learning Trophy Skills

Do not rush into killing every animal before learning hunting skills.

Hunting lessons let you collect extra materials from animals, including claws, teeth, fur, and other trophies. These items can become a strong money source, especially when sold to the right vendor.

Drax, found north of the Old Camp, is one of the first characters who introduces you to hunting. Other hunters can also teach you more ways to collect animal byproducts, so it is worth learning these skills before clearing too much wildlife.

Some players avoid hunting skills because they think they are too expensive early on, but not every upgrade costs money. Some hunting upgrades can be learned for free if you find the right item and return it to the right person.

If you kill too many animals before learning these skills, you are basically leaving money on the ground..

3. Spending Learning Points on the Wrong Skills Early

Learning points are extremely valuable in Gothic Remake, especially at the beginning.

Inscription may sound useful because it lets you craft magic scrolls, but you do not need to rush it early. Scrolls can be bought from vendors, and once you understand how to make money, buying them becomes much easier.

Climbing can also wait. It helps you reach some interesting places, but certain scrolls can also get you into areas that might seem locked behind climbing.

Early learning points are usually better spent on combat, stats, lockpicking, or other upgrades that immediately help you survive.

4. Skipping Diving and Underwater Treasure

Diving is easy to overlook, but it can be very useful.

Some valuable treasure and hidden loot can be found underwater. If you skip diving completely, you may miss items that can help your early progression or give you more money.

It is not the flashiest skill, but for exploration, diving is better than it first appears.

5. Staying on Basic Lockpicking Too Long

Basic lockpicking is rough in Gothic Remake.

Every mistake can break a lockpick, which makes chest hunting annoying and expensive. Since many valuable items are locked away, poor lockpicking can slow down your money and gear progression.

Level two lockpicking is a great early sweet spot. It makes the mini-game much easier without forcing you to overinvest too early.

If you want to loot properly and avoid wasting lockpicks, upgrade lockpicking early.

6. Not Training One-Handed Combat and Bow Early

Combat feels much better once you invest in the right weapon skills.

One-handed training helps melee combat feel more manageable, while bow training can make ranged combat much stronger. Bow level two is especially useful because it lets you draw and fire much faster.

If you want a safer first playthrough, having a strong bow setup can make a massive difference. You can deal with enemies from a distance instead of getting destroyed up close.

7. Ignoring Strength and Dexterity Requirements

Finding a strong weapon does not matter if you cannot equip it.

Strength and dexterity are important because they unlock better melee weapons and bows. If your stats are too low, you may find powerful gear early but be unable to use it.

Putting points into strength and dexterity early can make the whole game feel smoother, especially if you want to explore tougher areas ahead of schedule.

Better stats mean better weapons, and better weapons make early progression much easier.

8. Exploring Too Little After Getting Better Gear

Once you have stronger weapons, better stats, upgraded combat skills, and enough supplies, you can start exploring tougher areas earlier than expected.

This can be risky, but it can also be very rewarding.

Harder areas often contain better loot, valuable treasure, and weapons you would normally find much later. Even if the gear does not fit your build, you can often sell it for good money.

This is where early preparation starts to snowball. Better skills lead to better fights, better fights lead to better loot, and better loot leads to faster progression.

9. Joining a Camp Before Visiting All Three

Do not join a camp too quickly.

Each camp has its own quests, trainers, vendors, rewards, and progression path. If you commit too early, you can lock yourself out of useful questlines and miss rewards from the other camps.

Before choosing a side, visit every camp. Talk to everyone. Exhaust dialogue options. Complete as many available quests as possible.

Your camp choice should come after you understand what each camp offers.

10. Choosing a Camp Without Thinking About Your Build

Each camp supports different playstyles.

The Old Camp is a strong choice if you want a more direct melee or magic-focused route. It works well for players who want solid combat progression and reliable upgrades.

The New Camp is better if you like ranged combat, stealth, mercenary-style gameplay, and hybrid builds. It also gives access to strong water magic options.

The Swamp Camp has the most unique progression path, with the Templar route, Sleeper magic, two-handed specialization, and spellcasting options.

Your camp choice affects more than the story. It can shape your entire build.

11. Not Making a Backup Save Before Committing

Before you officially join a camp, make a separate backup save.

This is one of the smartest things you can do. If you have already completed early quests, collected good loot, unlocked useful maps, and prepared your character properly, that save becomes a perfect starting point for another playthrough.

Later, you can return to that save and choose a different camp without replaying the slow early section again.

Gothic Remake is built around choices, so backup saves are worth using.

12. Not Saving Before Dialogue and Quest Choices

Saving often is not just about avoiding death.

Some quests have dialogue options that can affect rewards. Sometimes bringing a specific item can unlock a better outcome. Other times, handing in the wrong item too early can make you miss a stronger reward.

Save before major conversations, before turning in quest items, before entering dangerous areas, and before making decisions that feel permanent.

Gothic Remake is designed to punish careless choices, so use the save system constantly.

13. Selling Items Without Checking Vendor Value

Selling items too quickly can cost you a lot of money.

Before dumping multiple items into a trade, test the value with one item first. In some cases, the value of extra copies can drop, meaning you may earn less than expected.

You should also avoid selling everything to the same vendor. Different vendors value different items. Arms dealers are better for weapons. Magic vendors are usually better for scrolls, rings, and magical items. General goods vendors are better for plants and basic materials.

For the best profit, spread your sales between different merchants and match each item type to the right buyer.

14. Running Out of Arrows, Bolts, Food, and Mana Recovery

Bad preparation can ruin an entire trip.

If you are using a bow or crossbow, keep buying arrows and bolts whenever you return to camp. If you are using magic, make sure you have mana recovery items. If you are exploring dangerous areas, bring enough food and healing supplies.

Dreamcall-style items can also help with mana recovery, which is useful if you rely on healing or utility magic.

Do not wait until you are far from camp with low health, no arrows, and no food.