Traversing the world of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt solely on foot would be unwise. The Northern Realms are vast – the map is among the biggest we’ve ever seen, and there are quests that will require you to travel a lot.
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That’s where Roach comes in – Geralt’s trusty steed will serve as a means of transportation and extended inventory for players. In this guide, we’re going to tell you everything you need to know about the Witcher 3 Horse – how to control it and what you can do with it.
The horse has four inventory slots, marked Trophy, Saddlebags, Saddle and Horse Blinders. We’ve already covered monster trophies. Saddlebags are inventory extenders – they add more space, but require you to visit the horse in order to use it. Different saddles give different bonuses to the horse and rider – some are suitable for racing, others for combat. Horse blinders are a lot like the saddles – items that give stat bonuses upon equipping, like making the horse more resistant to fear.
Saddles
Saddle – Gives the horse +20 Stamina
Enhanced Saddle – Gives the horse +25 Stamina
Superior Saddle – Gives the horse +30 Stamina
Mastercrafted Saddle – Gives the horse +35 Stamina
Racing Saddle – Gives the horse +40 Stamina
Enhanced Riding Saddle – Gives the horse +45 Stamina
Superior Riding Saddle – Gives the horse +50 Stamina
Mastercrafted Racing Saddle – Gives the horse +55 Stamina
Cavalry Saddle – Gives the horse +60 Stamina
Enhanced Cavalry Saddle – Gives the horse +65 Stamina
Superior Cavalry Saddle – Gives the horse +70 Stamina
Mastercrafted Cavalry Saddle – Gives the horse +75 Stamina
Zerrikaninan Saddle – Gives the horse +80 Stamina
Saddles
Saddlebags
Saddlebags – Allow you to carry more weight. +30 maximum inventory weight.
The shopkeeper
Shop location
Rugged Saddlebags – Allow you to carry more weight. +70 maximum inventory weight.
The shop
The location of the shop
Zerrikanian Saddlebags – Allow you to carry more weight. +100 maximum inventory weight.
The shop’s location
Horse Blinders
Horse Blinders – Grants the horse +20 Fear Level
Racing Horse Blinders – Grants the horse +40 Fear Level
Zerrikaninan Blinders – Grants the horse +60 Fear Level
Tips
You can Axii your horse to reduce its fear level
If you make the horse gallop, it will follow the road automatically.
You’ll do more damage while on a horse, but you need to keep an eye on its fear level.
Holding down attack on horseback while looking at an enemy you’re attacking will make the camera in slow motion, allowing you to hit your target easier
Horse colors
You will be able to ride other people’s horses (steal is closer to the truth), but you won’t be able to take possession of them. Roach will be the only horse you can call yours, and the only one you can equip with items which improve his performance. The game will also feature wild horses, which you’ll be able to tame using the Axii sign.
Horse Stamina Level & Fear Level
You’re going to be using the horse as a means of transportation, first and foremost. Even while cantering, the horse is much faster than Geralt. You can make him gallop for a while, but you should keep on eye on the Horse Stamina Level – if it runs out, he’ll have to trot for a while until he regains some. Another thing to watch out for is the Horse Fear Level – it will start filling up when you approach enemies. We still have no info on what happens when it fills up, but we expect you’d end up getting thrown off the horse. This doesn’t mean you’ll have to run away at the first sign of trouble. You can jump off while the horse is moving, staying behind him to deal with the enemies.
Mounted combat
You can engage in mounted combat. You should carefully choose who you fight while on a horse, keeping in mind that horses move much faster than people. Because of this, mounted combat can often turn hectic, especially if your opponents are on horseback as well. When approaching a group for the first time, you’ll get a brief period of slow motion that will allow you to line up an opening attack, one that should disable a single opponent for good.
Horse Races
If you get bored of killing monsters, you’ll be able to engage in horse races. Races will be available all over the map, and are a great way to earn extra orens while having fun. They boil down to stamina management – you have to have it at all times, while also being in front of your opponents. It will be tricky, but doable – yet another system to master in The Witcher 3.
