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The Witcher 3: How to farm Red Mutagen

Red Mutagen is one of Wild Hunt's most valuable resources. Here's where to find them.

Joel Franey avatar
Guide by Joel Franey Contributor
Published on

The Red Mutagen in The Witcher 3 is one of the most potent items that lets you power up Geralt.

Mutagens allow you to massively enhance your own combat-focused abilities in the skill tree, including ones powered up by Adrenaline Points, so they're a valuable resource. Like other valuable resources, Red Mutagen isn't the easiest to find.

We'll show you where to farm red mutagens in The Witcher 3 as efficiently as possible, including how to craft them.

Where to get Red Mutagens in The Witcher 3

Unfortunately there are no enemies who can be guaranteed to drop these mutagens, but some are more prone to doing so than others. Bosses in particular tend to drop them when killed, but they almost never respawn, and therefore farming them isn't really an option after that first kill. We found that Dead Drowned and Arachas were slightly more prevalent than most and that Nekkers were a close second.

You also have a chance at finding Red Mutagen and its more advanced varieties as loot from any encounter with enemies in the Blood and Wine expansion. You might want to spend some time in Touissant to see if you have better luck there. The centipede nests have been reported by players as a popular spot to go and farm red mutagens.

How to farm Red Mutagens in The Witcher 3

Two known farming methods for red mutagens have arisen since The Witcher 3 was released, one involving killing a Fiend in Crookback Bog, and the other involving hunting Drowned Dead along the coasts of Skellige.

Prowling up the coast from Skellige's Whale Graveyard is the most efficient way to get red mutagens.

However, the Fiend has since been patched out of the game, meaning that players who wish to farm should use the Drowned Dead method. To do so, fast travel to the Whale Graveyard in Skellige, across the island from Kaer Trolde.

Once there, you'll immediately be attacked by Drowned Dead, essentially just more powerful versions of Drowners. Use Igni to hold them back and put Necrophage Oil on your sword for added damage. There are two groups, one by the Signpost and another some way up the coast by the broken wreck of a boat.

Kill all of them and loot their bodies. They drop all kinds of lesser mutagens, including red ones. It's not guaranteed, but we found you could get one or two lesser red mutagens each time. Once they're all dead, find a place some way off to meditate and skip time forward for at least two days, or fast travel to a different region and back. The Drowned Dead should've respawned, allowing you to farm them all over again.

How to craft Red Mutagens in The Witcher 3

The alternative is to craft your own mutagens in the alchemy menu, though you can only do this with the Blood and Wine DLC. The merchant in Hauteville, Toussaint, sells formulas that show how to turn other green and blue mutagens into red ones. These both require the Rubedo ingredient as well as Winter Cherries, but even knowing what's needed, you'll still have to buy the formula to be able to make them.

There's a chance that every Drowned Dead might drop a lesser red mutagen. By combining them in the alchemy menu you can turn them into bigger ones.

Whether you're just starting The Witcher 3 for the first time or need a refresh after a long time out of the saddle, check out our Witcher 3 walkthrough for all the essential info, including how to get the best ending and which quests you should actually do in the wide, open world.

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