Gothic

• Gothic ½ — SystemPack is recommended for improved compatibility, resolution support and framerate in addition to providing more intuitive controls and other various fixes. For Steam, an all-in-one package can be found here (scroll down for the international version)

• If you're stuck with the original controls, Ctrl+Up (or W) is the default action key used to talk, fight, and pick up items.

• Save often and in multiple slots as the game is fairly buggy, plus it's just a good practice in general.

• You can only damage the currently highlighted target in melee combat, even if another enemy is in front of them.

• The various plants you find are only good as consumables, there's no alchemy or crafting.

• With SystemPack revamped controls, the Alt key moves 10 items at a time and holding Shift moves 100 at a time.

• When transformed by a spell, the Enter key returns you to your original form.

Early Game

• You're extremely weak at the start of the game and armor is rare, so don't get too bold. Do quests for level ups, boost your stats, look for better weapons and take advantage of quests that pair you up with an NPC capable of fighting for you, such as the early escort quests in the Old Camp.

• Standing still and swinging left to right while the enemy keeps running into your blade is the easiest way to get through the majority of early-game fights without injury.

• The fastest way to move up in the world is to beat up NPCs in melee combat. This won't kill or even permanently anger them, but you'll get EXP and can loot all their possessions, including the entire stock of merchants. Start from weaklings and move your way up! Just watch out for guards and always save first.

• Note though that unlike melee attacks, arrows and spells will always kill NPCs permanently without requiring you to finish them off while they're down.

• Doing as many of each Camp's prerequisite quests as possible before joining one is a valuable source of early experience.

• There's one major caveat to choosing a Camp: Members of the Sect Camp cannot learn 5th or 6th Circle spells which is not critical for most characters but fully dedicated spellcasters should pick one of the other two.

• Exploration gets faster as the game progresses as you'll find speed boosting potions and gain the ability to teleport to key locations.

Training

• Sneaking can be learned from a hunter west of the Old Camp, Acrobatics from a man in the upper tier in the New Camp. The former also sells bows which can be handy against weak enemies early on.

• Pickpocketing can be safely ignored. Lockpicking can be savescummed if you feel so inclined, but you'll still probably want to train it once to save you some frustration.

• Magic and two-handed weapons can't be trained until after you've joined a Camp.

• Strength and Dexterity can only be trained up to 100, permanent increases past that requires stat-boosting potions.