How to Use Blade Oils in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

In The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, check the enemy's Bestiary entry and use the blade oil listed for its category. Craft the oil through Alchemy if you haven't made it, then apply it to the sword you intend to use. Updated versions also offer an automatic oil option. Check the coating before a tough fight so you know whether Geralt has the matching oil available.

Identify and apply the right oil

1. Open the Bestiary and find the enemy or creature type you're preparing to fight.
2. Check its listed weaknesses and note the matching oil. Use the creature's category rather than guessing from its appearance.
3. Open Alchemy and check whether you know the recipe. Craft the oil with the required ingredients if it isn't already in your inventory.
4. Open the oil in your inventory and apply it to the intended sword using the displayed interaction.
5. Inspect the weapon or active effect to confirm the coating. Prepare the rest of the encounter before attacking.

The bestiary helps when two enemies look similar but belong to different groups. Read the actual entry. If you haven't identified the target yet, don't commit to a long fight based on the first name you see. Check the clues, then choose the oil that matches the enemy the game identifies.

Craft an oil before you need it. If the recipe is missing or calls for an ingredient you don't have, check what the Alchemy menu is asking for. You can still prepare with other tools while you gather it. An unavailable oil doesn't prevent you from choosing a suitable sword, using signs, or learning the enemy's attacks.

Decide between manual and automatic application

Manual application gives you a moment to verify the category and the weapon. It works well when preparing for a specific contract. Find the oil, apply it, and inspect the coating before approaching the target. If you move from one enemy category to another, check whether a different oil would be useful.

CD Projekt Red added an option to apply oils automatically in patch 4.03. In an updated game, look for Automatically Apply Oils in Gameplay settings. Enable it if you want the game to handle eligible coatings from the oils you have made. Test it in a familiar encounter and check the result rather than assuming it will supply an oil you haven't crafted.

Automatic application is convenient when you're moving through areas with several kinds of enemies. Manual preparation can still help you see which oil you are relying on before an encounter starts. Use the setting that fits your version and the amount of control you want.

Use the coating as part of the fight

For example, if a contract's bestiary entry recommends an oil, prepare it before the fight and keep the intended sword selected. Decide what sign or bomb you want to use, then learn when the enemy gives you a safe opening. An oil improves relevant hits. It doesn't create an opening when the enemy is already attacking.

If an enemy moves out of reach or uses a dangerous attack, reposition first. Don't trade blows simply because you applied the recommended oil. Hit when the target is available, and use the rest of the bestiary advice where it fits your build.

Recheck the coating if you swap swords or move on to a different enemy group. You can usually identify the mismatch without rebuilding your whole equipment set. Verify the sword and target before changing anything else.

Fix a coating that doesn't appear to work

Check that the oil is crafted, the weapon is the one you intended, and the target belongs to the matching category. If automatic application is enabled and you see no effect, test a known eligible creature and confirm that you own the correct oil. On an older build without the setting, use manual application.

If you still can't see the benefit, read the bestiary entry and the oil description together. Compare the names and category. Test the same sword against the same kind of target with a clear opening so you can focus on the hit rather than another part of the encounter.

Before the next contract, run through three checks: identify the enemy, verify the oil is available, and confirm the sword you will use. That prepares the coating without distracting you from the fight itself.