Remember kids, in this game, “early and easy” is actually “getting circle beat by wolves and knackers in the desert while an assortment of field bosses guard the path, with every inch of progress contested by enemies who do more damage than you thought possible for mobs, and do not forget to activate the static portcrystal of Vermund and carry a ferrystone to get the fuck out of there when you’re done”

You forgot to mention the billion enemies than can one shot the player

A guard in Rest Point Town will mention how he's seen a Dwarf and an Elf walking hand in hand, and figured he must have been seeing things. That's really cool that they're characters!

Getting this vocation was such an adventure for me. Accidentally brine’d myself and my fighter pawn followed (I was a thief). So then, ran with a 3 man party not knowing there’s a riftstone in front of their house. Recruited a random archer pawn but got destroyed by Hobgoblins, got the husband killed. Revived him with a wakestone (I always carry one with me) and just picked him up and booked it the rest of the way. I jumped for joy seeing that encampment. It’s the most fun I’ve had with games in a long while 😂

You have the best guides here tbh no skipping over stuff, no unnecessary extra dialogue, and you show the damn map

WARNING! This is a treacherous journey early game. I'm a little more farmed up then simply following the steps in the video and still struggled. You will fight many mini-bosses. There will be much harder enemies. There's a Griffin, armored ogres, stronger goblins, ghouls, skeletons, trolls... My entire party died a little bit before entering the cave due to a miniboss followed by two armored ogers. Entering the cave, you will fight slimes for the first time! If you don't have any party members left, BEWARE! They can end the journey by grabbing onto you. Without a pawn to help, you will get suffocated to death, losing progress. There's going to be campsites, utilize them before making the final stretch into the cave. EDIT: Just finished this method. It gets harder after exiting the cave. There are two difficult unskippable fights when escorting the old man. One fight is against a goblin camp. They are heavily armored, and there are at least 10+ of them. They can all agro at once which makes the fight lost if you don't clear them fast enough. Because of the armor this makes it very hard. If you make it past the goblins there's a mini boss. A rock golem that is difficult to take on early in the game. Because the old man is so slow, and doesn't like you pushing too far ahead of him these fights aren't skippable. After those last challenges it's fairly easy to escort the old man. It's do-able but hard. Good luck!

Just a tip, I run to the town first killing all the goblins, golem, minotaur etc, came back for the dwarf and is was more easy that way 👌🏽

It wouldn't be prudent for me to not share what I've learned from this treacherous journey as a very early game mage. 1) Have many curatives or be a mage to heal yourself along the way 2) Just run past all the enemies, always 3) Yes, itll be annoying to spam TO ME so your pawns will run with you, but they'll serve as body shields. 4) Don't bother reviving unless it's absolutely safe. Like, absolutely. 5) Always save when you can to cement your progress, sometimes you have to run, hide, and wait for enemy aggression to fade so you can save. Very important 6) Don't even bother setting up camp, unless you it's at a convenient spot where you can de-aggro and its been really far since you've saved 7) Crossing the border into Battahl, you might have to wait for the oxcarriage to spawn in front of the bridge that is at the entrance of the checkpoint town. 8) Bring a ferrystone and MAKE SURE YOU ACTIVATE A PORT CRYSTAL before crossing the Battahl border. Or else you'll have to run all the way back AND have to take an alternate route back to Vermund. 9) Go to Bakbattahl first so you can do an inn save. It's gonna cost you 10K. Important so you can reset to morning. 11) IMPORTANT, do not load last save whenever you die. You will reload with the penalty of LESSER HEALTH. Exit to title screen first and reload from there. 12) DO NOT LOAD FROM LAST INN. I lost 2-3hrs of running across Battahl since this overwrites your saves. This is why going to Bakbattahl is a good idea. 13) Right before you enter the southernmost cave to exit Battahl, set up camp at that convenient fireplace beside the ogre. You can camp even being aggrod. Just go to sleep to deaggro so you can save before going inside the cave. It's dark and dangerous. 14) At the end of the cave, you have to pick up a boulder to throw at a bunch of rocks to cause an overflow of water so it opens the way out of the cave. This will also take care of the several saurians at the bottom of the room. 10) Just carry the old dude to the springs and make sure you have pawns to be your body shields. 15) REST AT THE INN at the volcano town to save and reset to morning. 16) Stick to the paths and do not go offroading back home. Use way points so you're direct. 17) Harpies and wolves killed me the most. The trick is to always be ready to jump or quickly turn right before they hit you. 18) Magick Archery is worth it!

I have to say it was quiet challenging to get this Vocation with my level being only at 13 at the point where I went ventured out of Rest Town but still managed to get it with some time and effort. So you can do it at a low level but it is really hard especially as archer when you are not dealing any damage against the Rattler without some enchantments from your mages. But I think it is quit a doable challange.

Your pawn looks like Deanerys Targaryen and I love it. But also appreciate it. Very clear and concise and you don't assume some noob like me actually has any clue what I am doing. Appreciate you.

I followed this guide as a lvl 20 thief with my main pawn lvl 20 and the other two at 25. Some of the monsters were rough and yeah I wiped a couple of times but it wasn’t too bad…and magic archer is definitely worth that grind

zThanks man!

I actually used Mystic Spearhand to get across the bridge !!

I really wish my pawn could adopt this class

Started this "fast and early" guide at level 29. got magick archer at level 39 because I really like getting lost in the game. A few or more gasps, laugh-cry, "return to last save", and hairs plucked out. Still had fun. good luck to those who will try. Thanks Arekkz and Paradise.

after hours & hours of tries i finally managed to get it all thanks bcs Mystic Spearhand's shield ability, i really recommend getting Mystic Spearhand first & grind a little until you get the shield ability. once you unlock it you will have 0 problems getting through all the enemies. me & my pawns literally take 0 damage bcs i spam the shield ability XD

Doing this now, I don't wanna wait until endgame to get it

Just got it thnx to your guide 😄 but i gotta say it was a real struggle. That area is really unforgiving 😢

holy crap arekkz, havent seen you since MH:W launched!!!

For anyone who wants to go back to Vermont but you didn't activate the ferry stone before hand. There is a mountain path near the checkpoint gate bathal side. Check ur map for a small road, its still darkened since you havent gone through there yet. But eventually you will find your self back to the checkpoint town. You will come out of a cave by a river I suggest just run pass all the monster in this path so it wouldn't take too long

This was reeeeally pretty hard when I started at level 14, but somehow I’ve managed to get through it and done it at level 18, so it’s not impossible, but stressful and long, fingers crossed it’s worth it.. not looking forward to the long walk back home haha

Can confirm I read these comments and had to try for myself, it’s doable, 100% if you are competent. I am a thief, level 20 and equipped the shadow cloak. Tried to fight any mini-boss, if they one shot my teammates I would run, make whoever was alive wait and then use my cloak to go back in and res and high tail it out. Killed the rock troll, a few Minotaurs / ogres. Only think that killed me was an oversized wolf that met and once you get to the Grabnir cave or w/e you are pretty set. I’m now level 25, just rested by the guys crib and then went ahead and took out some of the rock lizards and there’s an another big beast that’s not too difficult. It’s scary for sure, but like I said. Very doable for level 20. Time consuming mostly if you are exploring along the way tbh, but this is me telling you to just go do it if you want it lol.

Should note that the dwarf will take any of the common flowers you pick up along the way the term wildflowers doesn't necessarily mean anything specifically hell take pitywort or any of the other basic medicinal flowers for crafting

If you’re having trouble getting through the desert, just jump out of the oxcart when you get to the otherside of the gate and let the guards apprehend you. You will end up in bakbattahl and it’s easier to get to the island from there without having to go through the desert.

The dwarf doesnt appear, even if i triggered his wife. Any suggestions ? I did my way at lvl 22 downwards through Bakbatthal and to the dwarf location. Waited a few days but nothing. Theres a griffon near by, do you need to kill it first ? Any suggestions ? Thanks for the help

MA has made the game an absolute joke. Its so powerful and does insane DPS. I actually stopped playing it and went back to Archer because I felt like I was cheating 😅

Finished it got back to the castle gate and can’t get back in I don’t know if I have to wait for the carriage or something

Can you still get the vocation if you don’t understand the Language?

I actually ended up stumbling upon the checkpoint town just exploring the mountains lol

Thx

I love this game. Decided to get this vocation at lvl 50. Breezed thru caves. But yeah, waited till 50.

Am sooooooo soon as we got to the door of the before entering, My pawns killed the old man which was very strange, I think it was a glitch in the game, But I still carried him to the Hot springs but was not able to finish because he was dead so his wife never came

The longest journey, and when I actually made it. I CAN'T GO BACK bricked up my game

I'm at the door and the ox cart isn't appearing. Is there anything I can do?

I cant find my way through the stupid cave I killed everything but end up at a wall with a ladder dangling above that I cant reach? Did I go the wrong way?

Literally was trying to complete this but got impatient bc I was doing the regalia sword quest and so I left him behind when I was escorting him looks like I’ll be going back to him I didn’t know I’d get the vocation from him 💀

Do you have to be an archer to become a magic archer? Or can you switch the vocations?

The cart stops everytime I get on without paying. Also the last few oxcarts don't have the awning, mine are all open.

Ummm i cant even get there. Im level 16 and i got halfway down to where you said to go and i lost all my pawns and then got over run. Ill just do it naturally bc thats just insane

If you low level, bring the old man to vocanic spring is the pain in the ass

I can’t get through the cave, there is a releasable ladder in there but I have no way to access it???? Help???

yea except my oxcart to that rest point city was destroyed by a minotaur and so i ran ahead. then to be low on health and for some reason all the random guard patrols attack me, stone goblins, hobgoblins surround every campfire. 2 dragons and a hioppgyph. thanks to this guide i am completely stuck and just have to delete my save and start over

Do this as a thief and use the formless feint skill with stamina consumables to keep the skill going all the way through. Enemies are no longer a threat. You're welcome.

Now how do i return to a safe zone im lvl 14 and tried this and i cant fast travel help pls

Any tips for waiting for the ox cart that you sneak through the gate on? I’m not seeing one after waiting for 30+ min..

What if by chance I "accidentally" threw the dwarf off a edge since he kept groaning in my ear when I was trying to kill a boss

is it too early to go there at lvl 16? are there any bosses which could insta kill u in that area? thank you anyway!

I got this somewhere around level 15 and let me say good luck. You better git gud because the journey is a nightmare. That's not the end of the magic archer unlocking. What you need to do is go unlock warfarer after that since you will go right to the guy that unlocks it to finish the quest (bring 3 newt liquor on the journey and a port crystal if you have one) and then use a magic bow, daggers, and a staff. That's the real magic archer and it's a pale imitation of the god-like power it used to be. They nerfed it into the ground and it's still really strong with avalanche so now I just need to find my magic rebalancer 😏

so, a dwarf has back pains, I carry grandpa to the thermals and her spying wife just skidaddle out of a corner and hands out the vocation to me, with the maisters ultimate skill, OK makes sense.

so what if he died when i try bringing him to the camp?

what spear is that bro and where u get it?

This took me hours of dying but I eventually got it

1-2 minutes ?! Ive been waiting for toooooo dang long

Do any of these steps interfere with the progression of any quests?

and how do we get back to the first town after we did all these? just do a reverse route? how about the closed gate with the permit?

haven’t played it yet but dang reading all the comments maybe this was a bad idea? lol seems like a hard adventure game

I lost the dwarf and I think he’s dead, no one else has had this guy problem, how do I fix it, I really need this sorted

I tried taking this route yesterday thru the cave and the cutscene triggers anyway. Now now you're REALLY far away from the guardian and have no way of catching up

I lost the old dwarf man he’s not back at his house what do I do??my quest changed must’ve reset because it says to bring him the wildflowers again but he’s not there either! 🤦🏻‍♂️

So you are Geralt and your pawn is Kahleesi? Noice

Does this affect the main quest progression?

He died. I cant find him. Where is his body. Can i reset the quest somehow. Does he go to a morgue. Wtf is going on. I need a nap.

Him calling it Ver-Month was very frustrating. Lol

Most helpful guide I have found. Appreciate it!

Hey if you're at the checkpoint instead of trying to go through their get arrested. The literally for bring you into the dungeon. Air Force skipping a huge amount of journey

So I got jumped by a Griffin when guiding the Dwarf and I think it kidnapped him?! He flew away and he was gone... what do I do now?

What lvl do you suggest doing this I just tried and got my ass handed to me at lvl 15 now I’m stuck behind the gate lol

important tip. incanting rings dont work with magic archer

How long does it take for the cart to arrive? Been standing here for about 20 mins now..? Also found a bench and dozed off and still nothing?

Which cave?

How did you get there though… I keep dying on my way but want to play this on my playthrough. Plz help!!

I jumped over to the girl's side at the hot spring, and to my shock, I was not judged. Absolutely nothing was said about it. The ladies just acted naturally. I forgot to mention something that will undoubtedly help those of you who saved the gifted wine bottle from the Vern area. If you combine it with a saurian tail you get the newt liquor! I didn't have to run to batahl for it.

how do i get back past the gate one ive got the magik archer??

The old man died on me but the marker still shows where to go. Sucks but o well

I didn get a skill martyr bolt from master, where can i get it.

Another thing about jumping to all these classes fast and early into the game and skipping all of it is not recommended. Because then your game gets kind of messy. Then you get stuck on that side of the map. You're overleveled, you can't do your story mode because you're stuck so far away. Now I have to restart the game. And nobody has those things to tell a poor back so that's a long walk

took hours but I finally got it! had to cheese a lot of the mini-bosses such as fighting them near the water so the brine killed them lol WARNING: way harder than it looks - at the very last part before you actually find the dwarf you'll need to go through a huge cave with tons of goblins

When you are fighting a dragon or any large enemy and you knock it to the ground, how do you do the critical hit to the head with the archer? With other classes it is with the triangle on the console and you stick the sword in its head, but with the bow, what button do you press there?

I can’t get the cart to spawn

Well, my level 17 ass got killed for more than a hour non stop, all pawns died and i am stuck

Has this been patched no oxcart comes up to the big gate for me

Since he didnt mention it. Look out to the sheer amount of difficult abd mini boss enemies. Its absurd

Why tf wouldn’t you mention the shit in the cave 😑 smh

Think it’s been fixed. Waited at the rest town gate for 45min with no cart traveling 😢

These fools on the other side broke the bridge…. How do I get there now?!

The cow cart never showed up

I'm standing there a lot of time and went for a nap and no cart is coming through that big gate. Edit: it came after like 10 min. Meanwhile this is probably the first guide that is very badly made from you Fex.. you don't say a word about that the road after getting through that gate is almost impossible to beat. You are dying by 1 hit from enemies.

So I didn't know about the cart, I instead took the path with the rock lizards and boss rush fighting a cyclops, minotaur and chimera before finally getting to the canyon/desert. My pawns fell off a cliff and a drake landed immediately right ontop of the rift stone. Not even ten steps away there was a griffin. I escaped both with just my main pawn. Fuck sake, I only just got to Drabnir's Grotto after fighting tooth a nail. I started at lv 24 and am almost 30. This SUCKS.

Even at level 30 this is a difficult trip…definitely doable but you will die a lot.

WARNING!!!! DO NOT TRY THIS EARLY GAME!!! You have a possibility to soft lock your game. The area is a late game area and the enimes are not easy to run away from. Just wait to unlock it naturally. I might have to delete my save and start over because of this....

My dwarf if die... and now idk where is so... what i doing now xd? Anybody know where is my dwarf

Annoyingly i walked over to that side of the map give him the flowers and never went to his house, im now back at capital and no portcrystal down that side of the map

I started this journey around level 15..im 24 now just from the journey. Being an archer helps so much. But a good mage and tank equals "chefs kiss"

This quest is BUGGED! I died while traveling with him and it reset me back at his place while he is still following me BUT it’s still giving me the deliver flowers to him quest! I tried talking to him but he acts like he doesn’t know me now!! WHILE FOLLOWING ME! I had to reset back to my inn save which was like 15hrs of gameplay! I’m beyond done with this game bro. Went from lvl 28 back to level 20 at starting city. Now ima have to redo all the battahl storyline. F this game bro

I finally got there and the guy died...I restarted from last inn thinking camp-site counted...fml 😅

Is this even worth it?

The dwarf died and can't bring him to hot springs cause can't carry up ladder

It was hard to get through that fucking cave

Anyone on xbox i can add to use your pawns?

amazing guide yet failed to mention, you are fucked nine ways to hell by the amount of mobs on the way to the area