Disclaimer: Some (including myself) may find some of these hints/exploits cheating. This guide is just for educational and fun purposes. Some of these hints/tips apply to Gothic 2 as well. I got the meat exploit from a guide somewhere on the internet I can't recall where, anyway kudos to that person. Some of the exploits I discovered myself.

Configuration

Widescreen resolution

Gothic supports widescreen resolutions with a small tweak, add the following text string as a command-line argument:

-zRes:1920,1200,32

This also works for Gothic 2. Here 1920 is the width, 1200 the height and 32 the bits per pixel, change this to your preferred resolution.

Fix crash with Steam version

Disable steam overlay. If that doesn't work rename GameOverlayRenderer.dll in your steam folder to _GameOverlayRenderer.dll. I strongly recommend to buy the better version from GOG.com. The GOG version has no DRM and allows easier modding, it also allows playing in most published languages: German, English, Polish, furthermore it has some original artwork and soundtrack included.

Upgrade Steam version to stand-alone version and remove Steam DRM (Gothic 1 and 2)

You can install the Gothic playerkit and patches to remove the Steam DRM.

WorldOfGothic playerkit patches:

• Gothic 1 (EN): https://www.worldofgothic.com/dl/?go=dlfile&fileid=28
• Gothic 1 (DE): https://www.worldofgothic.de/dl/download_34.htm
• Gothic 2 (EN/DE): https://www.worldofgothic.de/dl/download_168.htm

Play Gothic in a different language with English subtitles

If you're like me and have played the English version many times, but would like to hear the (original) German voice audio or if you would like to play with different audio than you're used to, then you can copy the speech.vdf file of your preferred version to your game files. Optionally turn on subtitles. I've used this to play the English version of Gothic with the original German voice audio and English subtitles. This works best with the version from GOG as it allows easier modding.

Easy money/weapons/armour/other items

Steal from Huno

At night attack Huno the smith in the Old Camp and steal all his steel. Then make some weapons and sell them with a merchant. When you ask Huno about blacksmith equipment it will respawn with 5 of each kind of steel. This is also a fairly good starting weapon (requires 20 strength). Also his chest located near the sharpening stone and fire contains some steel as well, lock-pick it. The combination is: RRLRLL. The chest contains at least 20 raw steel, forge it to get 20 crude swords which you can sell for 50 ore each to a merchant. This will generate some nice starting money (1000+ ore) :)

Steal weapons from the castle in the Old Camp

This tip is useful for getting pretty good starting weapons.

Before entering the castle itself drop your ore (Left control + down for me) in front of it. This will ensure when you get caught (and you probably will ;)) no ore will get stolen by the guards. Now use the "slip past guard" technique described below and you should be able to get into Gomez his castle. Run to the left where some weapons are stored. Now make sure you at least steal the best weapon (battle sword) and steal as much as you can until you get whacked. I usually stand in the corner since that's where the best weapons are (battle sword, judgement sword, etc). You'll now have some nice starting weapon(s) and the good thing is they require very little attributes (about 13 strength).

Location: screenshot

Free scraper armour the New Camp

In the New Camp go to the mine and talk to Swiney at the bottom of "The Hollow". Ask who he is and then ask to join the scrapers. He will give you a "Diggers dress" worth 250 ore. It has the following stats: + 10 against weapons. + 5 against fire. This will also give you free entrance to the bar in the New Camp.

Unlimited water bottles in the New Camp

In the quest from Lefty you will be assigned to get water bottles from the rice lord. He will give you infinite amounts of water bottles, in batches of 12.

Armour amulet and increase HP potion

In the Old Camp in the main castle there are at least 3 chests with valuable items that don't require a key:

• Middle right side (looking from the entrance), 1 chest:

  • lock combination: LLLLRLRL
  • loot:
    • +15 against weapons, +15 against arrows (amulet of stone skin) (worth: 1000 ore)
  • additionally there are 2 locked doors at the right side in this room. In the final room there are 3 floors with lots of chests.
    Video of the location

• Left side, 1 chest:

  • lock combination: RLLLLLRR
  • loot:
    • +8 mana amulet (worth: 600 ore)
    • 2 potions (+70 hp)
    • dreamcall (weed)
    • 120 coins (worth: nothing)

• Right side, 2 chests with:

  • lock combination: RLLLRLLR
  • loot:
    • armour amulets, +15 against weapons (worth: 600 ore)
    • maximum life potion, +10 maximum life (worth: 1000 ore)
    • speed potion (1 minute duration)
    • 4 potions (+70 hp)

Swamp/Sect Camp harvest twice

In the swamp-weed harvest quest you must get swamp-weed for a guru. After this quest you can get the harvest again, but you can keep the harvest without consequences.

Exploits

Slip past guards

This exploit is really simple, just draw your weapon before you're "targeted" by the guard and run past them, this bypasses the dialog sequence. When you're just out of their range holster your weapon again, so the people around won't get pissed off.

Works really well on the guards in front of the Old camp's castle, Y'Berrion templars and New Camp mercenaries near the Water magicians, just to name a few.

Video

Meat duplication

Go to a pan and focus / target it so it says "frying pan" or similar. Now open your inventory and select the meat. Now cook the meat (for me Left Control + Arrow up). The inventory should remain open. You'll now have twice as much meat as you had before. Do this a few times and you'll have a lot of meat, easy for trading with ore/other items as well. This exploit does not work with the community patch applied.

Glitch through (locked) doors and walls

You can glitch through walls by strafing into them. Then when the player is partially collided into a door or wall you can jump forward to glitch through it.

Video

Fall from great heights

When you fall or jump from where you usually get fall damage you can do the following trick: slightly before the ground use left or right strafe. This works because it resets the falling animation. There are also other ways to achieve the same thing cancelling the falling animation, such as attacking with a weapon in the air.

Video

Experience / level up tips

Test of faith (extra exp)

You get an additional 750 exp (from Lares) when you forge the letter in the new camp and then give it to Diego. You can still join both camps after this.

Fighting skeleton mages and their skeletons

An easy way to get more experience is to let the skeleton mages summon as much skeletons as they can, instead of rushing to kill the summoner immediately. After you have defeated all of them: kill the skeleton mage.

Permanent str/dex/mana/hp potions/items and teachers

When you want to get the maximum power at the end of the game you should save up the items that give you a permanent boost. Teachers of strength, dexterity and mana won't train over 100 of each skill. However using potions and quest rewards you can increase this over 100.

You should also look out for the following:

• Learn to get extra force into your punch from Horatio (strength +5, this can't be done after level 100 strength). Talking to Jeremiah in the New Camp bar unlocks the dialog option to train strength at Horatio.

• Smoke the strongest non-quest joint (+2 mana).

Permanent potions in Sleeper temple

This one is really obvious, but I would like to point out the mummy's on each side where Xardas is located have lots and I mean lots of permanent potions. This will give you a nice boost before the end battle.

Location, left and right corridor in the Sleeper temple: screenshot
Mummies, you can loot them: screenshot

Permanent potions as reward in quests

Always pick the permanent potion as a reward for quests when you can, for example the quest for delivering the message to the High Fire magicians (mana potion) or the one for fetching the almanac for the Sect Camp. Don't forget to pick up the potions from Riordian the water magician when you're doing the focus stones quest, it contains a strength and dexterity potion (+3).

Improve ancient ore armour further

In the last chapters the blacksmith Stone from the Old Camp is captured If you save him from the prison cell in the Old Camp the reward will have a few options. One of the options is improving the Ancient Ore armour.

Good early game weapons available in chapter 1

Orc hammer

Location: in a cave near bloodhounds near the mountain fort.
It can be reached from a path from the swamp camp up to the mountain. Watch out for the bloodhounds. They can instantly kill you in the early game.

Location: screenshot
Stats: screenshot

Stats:

• Type: one-handed
• Damage: 50
• Required strength: 22
• Worth: 1000 ore

It has very low stat requirements and has high damage for the early game chapters. A downside is the lower weapon swing range.

Old battle axe

Location: near Xardas his tower.
Watch out for a group of Biters lurking there.

Location: screenshot
Stats: screenshot

Stats:

• Type: two-handed
• Damage: 67
• Required strength: 36
• Worth: 1800 ore

It has a relatively low stat requirements and is available in game chapter 1 or could be sold for a decent amount otherwise.

Random/beginner tips

• If you want to talk to a NPC, but some animation of them takes too long (like eating, drinking, smoking) you can sometimes force them out of it by quickly unsheathing/sheathing your weapon.

• When in the Old Camp: Baal Parvez can take you to the Sect Camp, he can be found near the campfire near Fisk and Dexter. Mordrag can take you to the New Camp, he can be found near the south gate, slightly after the campfire near Baal Parvez.

  When you follow them and when they kill monsters then you also get the experience.

• The NPC Wolf in the New Camp sells "The Bloodflies" book for 150 ore. When you read this book you learn how to remove bloodflies parts (without having to spend learning points). After you read the book and learned its skill then you can sell the book back for 75 ore. This investment quickly pays back: Per bloodfly: sting: 25 ore (unsold value), 2x wings (15 ore each unsold value).

• The templar Gor Na Drak (usually near the old mine and walks around with another templar): talking to him teaches you how to learn to get secretion from minecrawlers for free.

• The spell scroll "Transform into bloodfly" is very useful:

  • A bloodfly is very fast.
  • Can also fly over water.
  • The scroll costs 100 ore. Its the same price as a potion of speed, but it has no duration (just until you transform back).
  • You have no fall damage.
  • You can climb some steep mountains this way.
  • Some monsters won't attack you, but some NPCs will attack you.
  • Your attribute stats will temporary change.
  • It requires 10 mana to cast (low requirement).

• Almost all mummies that are lootable in the game (Orc temple and The Sleeper temple) have really good loot: permanent and regular potions and amulets and rings.
  

• Skill investments:

  • For melee skills:
    • Strength
    • One-handed weapons have a bit lower weapon damage but are less clunky and faster. You can also interrupt enemy attacks.
    • Two-handed weapons have the highest damage, but are slower.
    • Get at least the first tier of one-handed or two-handed training. It will change the combat animations and make combat less slow and clunky.
  • For ranged skills:
    • Dexterity
    • Cross-bows have high damage and are very good.
      • Cross-bow: the path for cross-bow training is easier in the old camp. When you become a guard Scorpio can train you. Otherwise he trains everyone in chapter 4 (later game).
  • For mage characters:
    • Investing a little bit into strength, lets say 30 STR is OK.
    • Magic skills are powerful but are a bit clunky and slow.
    • Joining the Old Camp (fire mage) or New Camp (water mage) for the magician path is probably easier.
  • Harvest animals:
    • Early investments of a few points into getting skins, teeth and claws from animals is OK (it is easy to get a lot of ore if you loot everything though).
  • Lockpicking: training in lockpicking only reduces the chance to break locks when you fail the combination. Investing in it is OK but not necessary. A small cheat: the lock pick combination stays the same, you can save and reload the game to avoid losing lockpicks.
  • Bad skill investments to avoid:
    • Sneak and pickpocket are nearly useless.

Overall recommendation: I'd recommend a hybrid of melee/magic or melee/range. Early game for melee: get max strength to 100 and get at least the first tier of one-handed training.
In the later game focus more on ranged combat or the magic circles.

Side-quest Chromanin / The Stranger

This describes an interesting side quest in the Gothic 1 game, which is not too obvious to find and may be overlooked.

The first Chromanin book is found by defeating the skeleton mage in the Fog Tower. On its bones you can find the Chromanin book. Reading the book starts the Chromanin / The Stranger quest. The books contain some typos, being demonicly possesed could be an excuse for that :)

Note that the Old books only spawn in a specific order after reading each found book. So they have to be done in this specific order.

Fog tower mage
Location
Map

Text:

"He who is willing to
renounce all depravity
and wanders on the path
of righteousness, shall
know where the source
of my power lies
hidden. So that he might
use it to break the chains
of this world and prove
worthy to receive Chromanin."

"The Wise One sees to
having a general overview before he
dedicates himself to his
next mission."

Chromanin

The clue is in the words "general overview" on the second page. One of the highest points on the map is the tower where you find and free the orc Ur-Shak from being attacked by other orcs.

The Wise One sees to having a general overview before he dedicates himself to his next mission".
Location: on top of the tower near where the orc Ur-Shak was.
Item: Old Book.

Item
Location
Map

Chromanin 2

Text:

"Carried from the tides
of time, Chromanin's
visions have opened my
eyes. No price could be
high enough to ever
renounce my faith in
them, for it touched my
heart too insensely."

"What is devided will be
reunited, after being
massively separated for
a short time."

Clue: "What is devided (sic) will be reunited, after being massively separated for a short time". Location: small island near the (divided) river near the Old Camp.

Item
Location
Map

Chromanin 3

Text:

"Oh, Ancient Gods. How
can it be that a man like
me, simple and unworthy,
may receive such great a
legacy. I feel great
fear to lose all of it
again by a slight
faltering in word or
deed."

"The wise fisherman
occasionally tries to get
lucky on the other side
of the lake."

Clue: a fisherman lake and (partially sunken hut) can be found close the the entrance of the New Camp. At the other side is the Old Book.

Item
Location
Map

Chromanin 4

Text:

"I dare not to be in
the presence of
Chromanin one day. Gone
are the days of wasting
and wailing. So easy it
will be to acheive
absolute perfection. I'm
not far from it!"

"Long forgotten are the
deeds of those who once
were aboard."

Clue: "Long forgotten are the deeds of those who once were aboard." A broken ship can be found near the beach at the entrance of the Fog Tower.

Item
Location
Map

Chromanin 5

Text:

"But I shall not walk this
path alone. This honor is
mine. I must accept to
share the power within
myself with the worthy
ones who are to come and
find me. I hope they're
coming soon..."

"You will find me where it all began."

Clue: "You will find me where it all began." Very obvious it is the same location as were the first book was found.

Item
Location
Map

Chromanin 6

Text:

"Empty pages"

Item

On the corpse is the last chromanin book. When reading this last book the book is empty. Then there is evil laugh and 2 skeleton mages and skeleton minions will spawn.

Chromanin quest log

Here are the texts in the quest log:

Quest log part 1
Quest log part 2

The End

When you use the tips described above Gothic should be an easier game and you should be able to get at a high(er) level with lots of mana/strength/hp.

Have fun!