On Foot
Geralt can walk, run, or sprint through the world (the latter of these costs Stamina). You can combine different speeds of movement with your ability to jump to climb ledges or vault over large gaps.
Geralt can scale uneven terrain, but if a mountain or hillside is too steep, he is unable to maintain his footing and begins sliding. You can control his sliding descents, which does make this a quick way to descend from a location after a long climb. It’s also quite dangerous, though, as you may find yourself sliding off a cliff to your doom.
Movement during combat is handled using the same controls, but Geralt himself moves differently. He naturally points himself at the nearest enemy that he’s in range of striking, or has been attacked by, in an attempt to prevent back attacks. You can also lock your camera on to enemies, which then focuses Geralt’s movements entirely around them. This is especially useful during one-on-one encounters, as all of Geralt’s movements, evasions, and attacks will be aimed at that target. In encounters where Geralt faces many foes, it’s important to be more flexible about how Geralt moves through the battle.
Sliding
Geralt starts to slide down a hill if it’s too steep to traverse. You can control his slides downhill to a limited degree, speeding him up and slowing down as needed, and you can steer him. If you’re willing to risk serious injury or death, this is one of the fastest ways down a mountain, short of taking leaps off of sheer cliffs to certain death.
Climbing and Jumping
Geralt can jump over small obstacles, clamber over fences and onto crates, climb ladders, or jump up to reach climbable ledges. Combined with Sprinting, you can make some impressive long jumps into otherwise isolated areas. You can also catch ledges as Geralt is falling, so if you’re just short of making a jump, you can still grab the far ledge. Hold down the Jump button as you’re in mid-air to make Geralt grab ledges he’s leaping towards, or press the jump button just as you reach it.
Swimming
Geralt is a powerful swimmer, able to ‘sprint’ using the same controls as you would on land. You can also dive underwater to explore areas and seek treasure, just be aware Geralt can’t stay underwater forever. If he runs out of breath, he loses Vitality over time until he either dies or gets air in his lungs. Geralt’s ability to fight underwater is limited entirely to his crossbow, so try to avoid underwater combat unless absolutely necessary.
On Horseback
Geralt’s trusty steed, Roach, handles similarly to Geralt himself. Roach is a constant companion and is yours from the start of the game. If you ever get separated from your horse, just whistle for him. If you need to make a quick escape, mount Roach while he or Geralt is moving.
Roach obviously cannot climb up sheer cliffs, but he can make even longer jumps than Geralt if you have enough speed. Roach naturally proceeds at a slow trot, which you can easily navigate through a village without causing a disturbance by running into people. You can also hold down the Sprint button to canter, while a double tap before holding the button down spurs Roach into a full gallop. You can maintain the gallop only for as long as Roach has Stamina.
For all the loyalty, Roach is just a horse, and there are things he simply does not like to deal with. On this list is just about anything that possesses killing intent toward Roach or Geralt. If you’re on horseback and enemies draw close, Roach will begin to panic. When the Horse Fear Meter fills up, Roach bucks Geralt off, causing damage and stunning the witcher and leaving him vulnerable to foes. Either ride past the enemy at a gallop, or dismount and fight. You can battle on horseback, but it’s a risky proposition when you consider Roach’s skittishness.
RIDING THE ROAD (AUTOMATICALLY)
As long as the sprint button (and only the sprint button) is held, then any horse that is being ridden will automatically follow the road. Horse Stamina is not depleted while automatically riding on roads. Manually control your steed to change the horse’s heading during turns or if you wish to head off the road. When you’re back on the road, simply press the sprint button again to automatically engage your gallop. This ability isn’t available during horse races, or when a horse must be ridden quickly during certain quests.
By Boat
The islands of Skellige seem like an obvious place for sailing, but even in Velen’s No Man’s Land there are rivers and lakes that are more easily crossed by boat—places Roach cannot reach. You can use the crossbow if necessary. However, avoiding combat altogether is a better choice if possible. The small sailboats Geralt can commandeer aren’t the most durable craft and can be sunk by persistent threats, leaving the witcher stranded in hostile waters.
Boats can sink if they take too much damage, and their health is indicated by an on-screen display that appears when traveling by boat. Enemies will try to attack while you’re sailing, and they can rip apart a boat quickly. Running aground rocks or beaches can also damage a boat, so careful navigation is required.
