25. Beatable Guards
Are you sick and tired of getting beat up by the city guards and losing all your hard earned coin? I know I am. Depending on which version you install, Beatable guards will scale down the Guard’s level(s).
Why ‘Beatable Guards ‘is fun:
- You’ll be able to get some well deserved payback on the fools who dared cross the Butcher of Blaviken.
- Anarchy and lawlessness is very cool these days.
- Reclaim your position as the alpha dog.
Get the mod here: https://www.nexusmods.com/witcher3/mods/1596
24. Deadly Guards
Do you like your video games to keep you on your toes? Well look no further. Losing a fight to the city guards will now result in Geralt’s death, so try not to take the combat too lightly.
Why ‘Deadly Guards’ is fun:
- Shenanigans inside city walls will feel more exhilarating.
- Nothing more honorable than a fight to the death.
Get the mod here: https://www.nexusmods.com/witcher3/mods/4828#
23. Wild Hunt - Not Magical Creatures
To look upon the riders of the Wild Hunt, is considered an omen of death. Fortunately for you, they’re now vulnerable to steel weapons, so how powerful can they really be?
Why ‘Wild Hunt - Not Magical Creatures’ is fun:
- You’ll have to switch between swords or rely on signs and bombs to fight their hounds. That should keep things interesting.
- Having trouble with some of the fights? Just apply some hanged man’s venom to your blade.
Get the mod here: https://www.nexusmods.com/witcher3/mods/6710
22. No NPC Dodge Invincibility
For those unaware, invincibility frames refer to the short amount of time during rolls, quicksteps and backsteps when your character won't take any damage. This mod takes those pesky frames away from your enemies, leaving them at your mercy.
Why ‘No NPC dodge invincibility’ is fun?
- If you time them right, your enemies will fail to avoid any of your attacks.
- Nekkers and drowners will become much less annoying.
Get the mod here: https://www.nexusmods.com/witcher3/mods/2197
21. You have lost more than coin
The next time you try to take on the city guards in your drunken stupor, you’ll wake up to find your equipped items gone forever. There's a lesson to be learned here somewhere.
Why ‘You have lost more than coin’ is fun:
- Pantless witcher.
- Looking to change up your look? Don't worry, the city guards will take care of your old ugly gear.
Get the mod here: https://www.nexusmods.com/witcher3/mods/426/?
20. Restored Content - Werewolf health regeneration
Created by the former CDRP developer Andrzej Kwiatkowski himself, this one restores a feature that was supposed to be in the original game but didn't make the cut. Werewolves can now heal themselves using monster essence.
Why ‘Restored Content - Werewolf health regeneration’ is fun:
- Self healing werewolf sounds pretty cool to me.
- More health means more play time for you.
Get the mod here: https://www.nexusmods.com/witcher3/mods/6818
19. No Coin Loss From Stealing
The rules of the game are simple; if you don't want your money stolen, dont get into stupid fights with city guards. That doesn't sound very fair to me, good thing I have this mod installed.
Why ‘No Coin Loss From Stealing’ is fun:
- You get to pick as many stupid fights as you want.
- All the money you save can be spent at the local brothel.
Get the mod here: https://www.nexusmods.com/witcher3/mods/491
18. Ancient leshen Holiday Mod
Frankly, Leshens scare the living bejeezus out of me. That ugly deer skull terrorizes my every waking moment. If only there was a mod to make them seem a little friendlier.
Why ‘Ancient leshen Holiday Mod’ is fun:
- The scariest monster in the game now has Christmas lights draped over its antlers.
- Fills the Christmas shaped hole in the Witcher universe.
Get the mod here: https://www.nexusmods.com/witcher3/mods/1094
17. Friendly Wolves
One would expect the White Wolf to get along fairly well with his namesakes. Yet whenever Geralt crosses paths with the spirited beasts, they never hesitate to attack. This mod opens the door for new friendships.
Why ‘Friendly Wolves’ is fun:
- The lone surviving member of the school of the wolf now has wolves as pets.
- They may be friendly towards you, not so much towards your opponents.
Get the mod here: https://www.nexusmods.com/witcher3/mods/4498
16. Don't Mess With The Witcher
Geralt is the coolest guy I know, and I don't want you ruining his legacy by losing fistfights to some peasant. Take this mod, it’ll lower enemy health once you’re in combat.
Why ‘Don't Mess With The Witcher’ is fun:
- Discombobulate your opponents with your sledgehammer like fist.
- Make your enemies fear your presence.
Get the mod here: https://www.nexusmods.com/witcher3/mods/1861
15. One deadly hit - Dark difficulty
Do you hate the witcher 3’s combat system? Do you think the enemies are too easy? Well what if they could kill you in one hit? Does that get your motor running?
Why ‘One deadly hit - Dark difficulty’ is fun:
- Geralt will have to pull out all the stops if he wants to stay alive long enough to save ciri.
- Might as well go for a no hit playthrough. If dark souls players could do it, you can do it too.
Get the mod here: https://www.nexusmods.com/witcher3/mods/4932
14. Enemy Health Multiplier Increase
As you’ve already deduced from the name, this mod increases enemy health. Pick between x2, x3, or x5 and get ready for battle.
Why ‘Enemy Health Multiplier Increase’ is fun:
- Prolongs fights so you can keep beating your opponents till you’re satisfied.
- Sometimes you just need a punching bag to let out your anger.
Get the mod here: https://www.nexusmods.com/witcher3/mods/2476
13. Enemy Damage Multiplier Increase
A supplement to the previous mod. Works exactly the same, except here you get to control enemy damage output.
Why ‘Enemy Damage Multiplier Increase’ is fun:
- Makes combat more punishing but in a fun way.
- The thrill is correlated with the risk.
Get the mod here: https://www.nexusmods.com/witcher3/mods/2340
12. Enhanced Targeting
The witcher 3’s autolock feature leaves much to be desired, often hindering your attacks. The new system snaps onto targets in order of importance. Determined by closeness, positioning and camera angles.
Why ‘Enhanced Targeting’ is fun:
- Eliminates target jitter.
- Delivers a more consistent snap on.
Get the mod here: https://www.nexusmods.com/witcher3/mods/1432
11. Random Encounters
Random enemy encounters are non-existent in witcher 3. Most enemies just stake out specific locations, respawning after every couple days. This mod makes the witcher world much more daunting, with unknown enemies popping out everywhere.
Why ‘Random Encounters’ is fun:
- You’ll have no trouble finding enemies to rough up.
- Makes the world feel more dynamic.
Get the mod here: https://www.nexusmods.com/witcher3/mods/785
10. Enemy HUD 2.0
The overhauled HUD is customizable and very convenient for players. Works well with the friendly HUD mod.
Why ‘Enemy HUD 2.0’ is fun:
- Enable enemy stamina bar, enemy level and dodge feedback.
- Change enemy health bars to your favorite color.
Get the mod here: https://www.nexusmods.com/witcher3/mods/2079
9. MEID - Mortal Enemies Increased Difficulty
I’ve added a lot of combat overhaul mods to this list. What makes MEID stand out is the way it balances enemy difficulty. They might not be very resilient but even the smallest of enemies can drop Geralt on a whim.
Why ‘MEID - Mortal Enemies Increased Difficulty’ is fun:
- The combat feels a little more grounded.
- Grounded gameplay results in better immersion.
Get the mod here: https://www.nexusmods.com/witcher3/mods/3762
8. Skilled Humans
As usual, you'll stomp any group of humans with the right signs/build but now they'll at least look a bit less stupid in the process. It's weird though how the peasants have as good a chance as any knight to whoop your bottom.
Why ‘Skilled Humans’ is fun:
- Unlike you, enemy attacks don't consume stamina anymore, which means you’ll have to be ready for a barrage of back to back strikes.
- Perfect for if you like your opponents a little extra fiesty.
Get the mod here: https://www.nexusmods.com/witcher3/mods/1998
7. No instant kill on knockdown
Have you ever gone in search of a supposedly high tier monster that's scaring the pants off the village people, only to knock it down with Aard and kill it in one hit? Well, me too. This mod might be able to help curb your dissapointment.
Why ‘No instant kill on knockdown’ is fun:
- No easy death for your enemies.
- You get to finish the fight like real men.
Get the mod here: https://www.nexusmods.com/witcher3/mods/1451/
6. SCBA - Smart Combat Balance Adjustment
This mod imposes minimum and maximum damage thresholds for enemy strikes. This means that while higher level enemies are less dangerous, lesser opponents deal greater damage. Perfectly balanced, as all things should be.
Why ‘SCBA - Smart Combat Balance Adjustment’ is fun:
- Prevents late game combat from becoming trivial.
- Levels the playing field for every human and creature in the game. Let the hunt begin.
Get the mod here: https://www.nexusmods.com/witcher3/mods/2928
5. Ultra Gore 2 - A Dismemberment Mod
Not for the faint hearted, this mod forces Geralt to dismember every enemy he can. Be warned, it doesn't make Geralt any stronger or the fights any easier. No blood, no guts, no glory!
Why ‘Ultra Gore 2 - A Dismemberment Mod’ is fun:
- Bask in the visceral shock and excitement as your enemies get cut to pieces.
- A more realistic depiction of sword use makes you understand why they were every soldier's favorite weapon.
Get the mod here: https://www.nexusmods.com/witcher3/mods/519
4. VGX Eredin Appearance
Returns eredin to his former glorious self. A terrifying, blood curdling figure who we got to witness at the VGX 2013, and 2014 Sword of Destiny trailers.
Why ‘VGX Eredin Appearance’ is fun:
- The Witcher 3’s main antagonist finally gets shrouded in the spine chilling aura he deserves.
- Takes you all the way back to the good old days of the first witcher game.
Get the mod here: https://www.nexusmods.com/witcher3/mods/6358
3. Enemy Scaling Overhaul and Level Cap Increase
The mod allows you to alter how enemies' level scaling works using. You can also modify enemy health, damage, and resistances. Granting you godlike control over almost everyone you fight.
Why ‘Enemy Scaling Overhaul and Level Cap Increase’ is fun:
- No battle will feel like a chore again. Enemy too hard? Just cut his damage in half.
- You get to create your own boss battles.
Get the mod here: https://www.nexusmods.com/witcher3/mods/3039
2. Enemies of Rivia
Here the default combat animations have been replaced with a simple combat rework that focuses on enhancing and refining the AI of NPCs. This includes improved enemy aggression, stamina management, and countering mechanics.
Why ‘Enemies of Rivia’ is fun:
- Lights a fire under the witcher’s lackluster combat.
- Adapt quickly and keep crushing your enemies or perish like the witchers before you.
Get the mod here: https://www.nexusmods.com/witcher3/mods/2655
1. Shades of Iron
By far my favorite mod on this list. An essential for everyone’s playthrough, Shades of Iron serves as a massive expansion pack. Play around with 542 brand new, fully functional items and start getting ready to face almost 125 new foes.
Why ‘Shades of Iron’ is fun:
- The added items include 18 brand new exotic armor sets for Geralt, which come with new mechanics to customize your character.
- Along with about 20 otherworldly swords, 3 fast and unforgiving daggers have been added to the game. Use them as you wish. Three unique brutal daggers
Get the mod here: https://github.com/Amasiuncula/Shades-of-Iron/releases/tag/v1.0
You may also be interested in:
15 Best Witcher 3 Mods and Why You Need Them https://www.gamersdecide.com/pc-game-news/15-best-witcher-3-mods-and-why-you-need-them
The Witcher 3 Immensely successful: Cyberpunk 2077, The Witcher Role-Playing Game Next for CD Projekt Red https://www.gamersdecide.com/pc-game-news/witcher-3-immensely-successful-cyberpunk-2077-witcher-role-playing-game-next-cd-projekt
15 Best Witcher 3 Weapons and How to Get Them https://www.gamersdecide.com/pc-game-news/15-best-witcher-3-weapons-and-how-get-them