Can You Remove Runestones? A Witcher 3 Deep Dive

Yes, you can remove runestones and glyphs from your equipment in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, but there’s a crucial catch: you can’t have your cake and eat it too. The game forces you to make a choice between keeping the item and keeping the runestone/glyph. Let’s delve into the details and explore the options you have as Geralt of Rivia.

The Dismantle vs. Remove Upgrade Dilemma

The core of the runestone removal question lies in two primary options available at blacksmiths and armorers throughout the game: Dismantle and Remove Upgrades. Understanding the difference between these is paramount to making informed decisions about your gear.

Dismantling: Preserve the Rune, Sacrifice the Item

Choosing to dismantle an item essentially breaks it down into its component parts. This option is for players who value the runestones or glyphs attached to the item more than the item itself. When you dismantle, you will recover the runestones and any other components used in crafting or upgrading the item. However, the item itself is destroyed in the process.

This is particularly useful if you’ve found a piece of gear with exceptional runestones but the item itself is under-leveled or you’ve found a superior replacement. It also comes in handy if you’ve crafted a weapon or armor and later decide you want to reuse the runestones in a better piece of equipment.

Removing Upgrades: Keep the Item, Lose the Rune

The Remove Upgrades option is the opposite. This method allows you to keep the base item – your sword, armor, or crossbow – but at the cost of destroying the runestones or glyphs currently applied to it. The game doesn’t offer a way to delicately extract these enchantments; they are simply annihilated during the removal process.

This is the ideal option when you’ve found a powerful piece of gear that you want to continue using, but you either want to replace the existing runestones/glyphs with better ones or you simply want to remove them to experiment with different builds.

Strategic Considerations: When to Dismantle, When to Remove Upgrades

Choosing between these options requires strategic thinking. Consider these factors:

• The Rarity of the Runestone: Are you dealing with common runestones that can be easily acquired or crafted, or rare and powerful ones that are difficult to come by? If it’s the latter, dismantling is likely the better choice.
• The Quality of the Item: Is the item a unique Witcher gear piece or a common sword you found in a bandit camp? Witcher gear is often worth preserving, even if it means sacrificing a runestone. Common items, on the other hand, are easily replaceable.
• Your Crafting Resources: Do you have the materials to easily recraft the item if you dismantle it? If you do, dismantling becomes a less risky proposition.
• Your Current Build: Are you experimenting with different playstyles and needing to swap out runestones frequently? The “Remove Upgrades” option will then prove to be most useful.
• Cost: Each action carries a cost in Crowns. Dismantling may seem to cost more at first glance but could be far more beneficial in the long run.

The Runewright: A Game Changer

The Hearts of Stone expansion introduces the Runewright, a master craftsman who can imbue your weapons and armor with powerful enchantments. While the Runewright primarily adds enhancements, understanding his role is crucial in the context of runestone management. Because these enhancements are often very strong, you must consider the long-term implications of your choices.

The Runewright requires a significant financial investment to unlock his full potential. It’s therefore essential to plan your upgrades carefully and avoid wasting valuable resources on enchantments you might later want to change.

Alternative Strategies and Considerations

Beyond the core dismantle vs. remove upgrades decision, a few other factors and strategies come into play:

• Early Game vs. Late Game: Early in the game, when resources are scarce, dismantling for crafting components is generally more valuable. Later, as you amass wealth and resources, selling unwanted items becomes more efficient.
• Junk Management: Don’t underestimate the value of junk. Dismantling junk items can yield valuable crafting materials, including rare metals needed for high-level gear.
• Merchant Selection: Not all merchants are created equal. Some offer better prices for weapons and armor, while others are more generous when dismantling items. Experiment to find the best merchants for your needs. The Novigrad Armorer and Hattori are consistently good options.
• Money Making Strategies: Consider using in-game exploits like the pearl exploit in Novigrad for unlimited money.
• The Games Learning Society supports innovative research on games and education, highlighting the importance of strategic decision-making found in games like The Witcher 3. Visit GamesLearningSociety.org to learn more.

FAQs: Runestone Removal in The Witcher 3

Here are some frequently asked questions to further clarify the nuances of removing runestones and glyphs:

1. Can you remove runes without destroying them in Witcher 3?

No. If you choose to remove the upgrade, the runes will be destroyed. The only way to keep the rune is to dismantle the whole item.

2. Are runestones reusable in Witcher 3?

No. Once a runestone is used in a weapon or armor, it cannot be removed without either destroying the item or the rune.

3. Can you remove upgrades without destroying them in Witcher 3?

No. Upgrades cannot be removed without destroying either the item or upgrade.

4. What happens if you remove upgrades in Witcher 3?

If you choose to remove the upgrades, they are destroyed.

5. Does upgrading gear destroy runes in Witcher 3?

No, upgrading gear does not destroy runes or glyphs.

6. What are runestones used for in The Witcher 3?

Runestones and glyphs are magical items that enhance the gear they are applied to. In the world of The Witcher, runestones are small stones that are applied to weapons, while glyphs are enchanted swaths of fabric applied to armor or clothing.

7. Is it better to dismantle or sell weapons and armor in Witcher 3?

Generally, selling is usually the way to go because you much more gold which you can end up spending to buy items anyway. From my experience none of the weapons/armor you dismantle give you any good materials for witcher gear or any good gear you would want to craft. So I would recommend just selling them. On the other hand, dismantling junk items is often more valuable.

8. Is any junk worth keeping in Witcher 3?

Most junk provides you with crafting tools you’ll need later on. Some of it is just useless bulls*** to take up space in your inventory and you should sell it for extra coin.

9. Who is the best merchant to dismantle in The Witcher 3?

The Novigrad Armorer is located inside of a store on the western side of the market, and he is considerably easy to find compared to some of the other Armorers in the game, which is one of the main reasons that he is considered to be one of the best Armorers for dismantling gear and purchasing new armor.

10. Who is the best person to sell weapons to in The Witcher 3?

Main game, sell weapons to Hattori (Master Blacksmith in Novigrad), sell armor to the Armorer in Hierarch Square. DO NOT sell anything to Yoanna (Master Armorer in Crow’s Perch), but dismantle any items with her as she gives the lowest price for both.

11. What materials are worth dismantling in Witcher 3?

Any type of gem dust is worth dismantling an item for. Emerald dust, sapphire dust, diamond dust, ruby dust, amber dust, etc… that stuff can be worth more than the weapon itself and it’s usually used for crafting late weapons. Also look out for any type rare metals.

12. Can you craft runestones in Witcher 3?

Yes, crafting runestones and glyphs is the best way to acquire the exact items Geralt is looking for.

13. Does removing runes destroy them in Witcher 3?

Yes, simply removing it destroys the rune.

14. Can you put runes on Aerondight in Witcher 3?

Aerondight can have sockets added to it by the runewright in HoS.

15. Are books worth keeping in Witcher 3?

I would keep them if I were you, read them and then sell them if you are really desperate for money however. This game supplies all loot pretty easily, if you want Witcher gear its easy and getting relics ain’t too hard. i read them and then sell them off once i get too many in inventory.

Ultimately, the decision of whether to dismantle or remove upgrades depends on your individual circumstances and playstyle. By carefully considering the factors outlined above, you can make informed decisions that optimize your gear and enhance your Witcher 3 experience. The skills needed to master the game are indicative of what you can learn from games, as highlighted by the research at the Games Learning Society website. Good luck on the path, Witcher!