Google Drive has a pre-installed archive of just the mod files from the list below as of 2023-08-23. Install over a clean copy of the Classic edition of the game, v1.32.
This list of mods is built around the excellent Ghost Mode overhaul mod. It targets play on the Steam Deck and so does not contain many texture, graphical or look and feel changes, but rather focuses on gameplay, mechanics, bug fixes, quality of life and similar changes.
It assumes you are using Classic Witcher 3, version 1.32, not the Next Gen version of the game.
For other sources of mod ideas, here's WGhost81's own excellent list of mods to use with Ghost Mode: The Witcher 3: Ghost Mode Mod List. Yet Another The Witcher 3 ModList is another excellent source of ideas for mods to use with Ghost Mode.
Mods marked with an X
are not currently in use, usually because they're graphically intensive or unnecessary on the Steam Deck.
This entire guide assumes you're using the Classic version, not the Next Gen version. Use DX11, not DX12. See below for how to do this easily.
The Witcher 3 Modding Guide for Steam Deck (Linux) is an excellent guide to getting The Witcher 2 Mod Manager and Script Merger working on the Deck.
If you're using any mods that need the ASI Loader, you'll have to install its dinput8.dll file into bin\x64. To get Steam and Proton to use this file, right click on The Witcher 3 in your Steam Library and select Properties. You should be at the General tab. On the bottom right should be Launch Options, into which put the following string as is: WINEDLLOVERRIDES=dinput8=n,b %command% --launcher-skip -force-d3d11
Script Merger will sometimes freeze if you reinstall the same mod. Don't do that. Remove the original copy of the mod before reinstalling it.
Other than that, everything should work just like in Windows.
In terms of configuring the Deck itself for the game, use a 40Hz screen refresh rate and cap fps at that limit. It'll have the lowest latency as well as looking very smooth - you will save some power too as a bonus. Enable Screen Tearing for this game.
Highly recommend using 1280x720 as your resolution instead of 1280x800. While you will get black bars at the top and bottom, the game will display a much wider horizontal field of view for a 16:9 aspect ratio than a 16:10. For games like the Witcher 3 or CP 2077 or any game that has the wide vistas and beautiful landscapes of these games, you should always check out 720p resolutions instead of the Deck's native 800p. It'll give you a small fps boost as a pure bonus.
These next few mods change how the witcher3.exe file works though edits or ASI Loading.
X
21:9 Cutscene Fix- ASI Loader - x64 version, dinput8.dll.
- Steam Deck/Linux:
WINEDLLOVERRIDES=dinput8=n,b %command% --launcher-skip -force-d3d11
- Steam Deck/Linux:
- Mod Limit Adjuster - Requires ASI Loader.
X
Or Mod Limit Fix patcherX
Or Edit binary
- Crashinfo Debloater - Requires ASI Loader.
- Community Patch - Base - Install manually.
- Community Patch - Shared Imports - Ghost Mode needs it.
- Community Patch - Menu Strings
- Community Patch - Besserwisser's Fix Collection (Including Nitpickers Patch) - Remove scripts, since GM. Move bundle to content.
- Ghost Mode
- Preparations
- Friendly Meditation
- Combat Stance
- Enhanced Targeting
- E3 Improved Combat Animations - Original mod was deleted.
- Manual Bomb Aiming
- TW3 Gameplay Tweaks
- Galloping In Settlements
- Igni Destroys Monster Nests
- Jump And Sprint When You Need It
- No Auto Sword Sheathing/Switching
- No Forced Alternative Movement
- No Slow Motion On Kill
X
No Startup Movies - Use Fast Launch instead, includes save load narration skip- No Zoom In When Using Witcher Senses (also in Immersive Cam, do not use together)
X
Slower Gametime - 10 minute version.- Unseen Monsters
- Witcher Lore Collection - Use Ghost Mode version, give WLC priority.
- Grammar of the Path
- DLC Names from the Path
- Names from the Path - Ghost Mode - Compatibility Patch
- "Need higher priority over BiA, GM, NftP and BiA & GM patch"
- Names from the Path - Ghost Mode - Compatibility Patch
- DLC - Events - Use BIA version.
- Subtitles for Foreign Languages - Updated version
- Trollonly Subtitles - Updated version
These 4 mods go well together: More Quick Slots, Sort Everything, Unread Descriptions, & Minor Tweaks.
The Unread Descriptions - Sort Everything minor tweaks mod contains both Sort Everything & Unread Descriptions along with improvments to them, so those two mods are not required to be installed.
Files needed:
- More Quick Slots
- Get the UPatch version from Old Files.
- Unread Descriptions - Sort Everything minor tweaks
- Get Combined mod 1.4 from old files. This contains both SE & UD, don't install them separately.
- Sort Everything
- Get the
Sort Everything for More Quick Slots
file from Optional Files.
- Get the
Unpack the Combined mod file. We'll be copying a number of files into this mod before we install it.
- For More Quick Slots support, author says "Just copy the blob0.bundle and metadata.store files from the
Sort Everything for More Quick Slots
file, paste and overwrite into the same place in my combined mod. And give my mod higher priority than mod More Quick Slots (by rename my mod)."
Installing the mods. Priorities here are suggestive - I use 100 as my default priority in Mod Manager for mods that otherwise don't care what their priority is.
- Install the UPatch version of More Quick Slots. Priority = 100.
- Install the Combined mod we merged the other folders into. Rename it to
Unread Descriptions - Sort Everything minor tweaks Combined mod 1.4
. Priority = 95.
Run Script Merger and merge the scripts.
- Friendly Stash
- Friendly HUD
- All Quest Objectives On Map
- Colored Map Markers
- No Herbs and Enemy Dots on Minimap
- Torch Hold to Interact - Simple input.settings tweak.
- Or a mod that does this in an immersive way: Alternate Lightsources Interaction
- Friendly Controls and Friendly Camera
- Delete
modFriendlyControls/content/scripts/game/vehicles/horse/states/exploration.ws
to use other or vanilla horse controls. X
Or Immersive Cam - not a trivial merge, needs programming knowledge.X
Remove Camera Shake and Bobbing effect while running or sprinting - not needed.
- Delete
- Changed Horse Controls - Update input.settings by hand.
- If using with the Thoughtful Roach mod, delete these two script files before installing the mod as Thoughtful Roach already has the functionality.
modHorseDustAndControls\content\scripts\game\behavior_tree\tasks\horse\btHorse.ws
modHorseDustAndControls\content\scripts\game\vehicles\horse\horseManager.ws
- Do not merge these scripts in blindly, the scripts will not compile!
- If using with the Thoughtful Roach mod, delete these two script files before installing the mod as Thoughtful Roach already has the functionality.
- Thoughtful Roach - Merged with StashFriendly Roach
- See note on Changed Horse Controls mod if using both.
- No More Rolling Down The Stairs
- Additional Stash Locations
X
Fast Travel Points Pack or DLC - Fast Travel Pack- Hide Sound Effects Subtitles
- Component Part Stock on Dismantle Screen
- Item Stock on Crafting Screen
- Live Bestiary (3D Models in the Bestiary)
- Quicksave Menu
- Abandoned Sites Time Lapse
- Ladders camera fix
- No Indignant NPCs
- Player Interior No Run Lock
- Quest level on NoticeBoard - Use updated version.
- Disable Loot Popup for Herbs
- Instant Place Of Power
- Fast Launch (Skip Startup and Narrated Loading Recap Intro Videos)
- Copy bin/ files by hand or edit engine.ini yourself.
- Intuitive Fast Travel (Seamless Signpost Interaction)
- Loot Popup Plus
- Faction Appearance Project
- Warmly Dressed Skelligers - Get Ghost Mode version. Set priority.
- Lip Movement and HiRes Shadows (and High Quality Heads)
- All NPC Scabbards
- Brothers In Arms - Needs compatibility patches! Stick low in load order.
- Brothers In Arms - Ghost Mode - Compatibility Patch
- Brothers In Arms - No Indignant NPCs Compatibility Patch
- Overwrite Brothers In Arms by hand, mod manager will choke.
- Brothers In Arms - Faction Appearance Project Compatibility Patch
- Have to unpack by hand then drag to W3MM.
- Brothers In Arms - Warmly Dressed Skelligers - Compatibility Patch
- Brothers In Arms - Additional Stash Locations - Compatibility Patch
- Non-NG version from Old Files. High Priority.
- Immersive Realtime Cutscenes
- Aard Piercing Cold Sound Fix
- White Orchard Midnight Lighting Fix
- Olgierd Mansion Shading Fix
- Harbor Names Restored
- Novigrad Crest in Journal Restored
- World Map Fixes
- DUI Crossbow Fix
- E3 Geralt Hair Physics 60FPS FIX
- NPC Physics 60FPS FIX
- Hide Cursor after Dialogue Choice times out
- Item Selection Grid Fix
- Fast Stash Menu
- When merging with Friendly Stash copy the whole function from Fast Stash Menu where the conflict occurs. Do this by hand, overriding changes from Friendly Stash to the function.
- Cutscenes Lighting Fix
- Fix Stuck Quest Items
- Use Ghost Mode version. Single file that needs to be copied over modGhostMode itself.
- Skellige Winter Weather System
- Better Torches - Fixed version
- Natural Torchlight
- Smart Magic Lamp
- Lamp on Player's boat
- Fix Rain.
- Type "rain" in console to fix vanilla bug where rain is only visible from some angles. Immersive Lighting has more rain and tends to trigger this bug a lot.
- Dynamic Wet Face - move mod
content
into new folder and repack for TW3MM usage. - Pesky sword trails begone - use Moahofer30's no arrow trails version.
- No More Glowing - use Disable Monsters Glow For GM Fixed from Gudmods.
X
Screen FX Removal
- Better Icons 2020 v2.0 - English Edition
- Use TIERS (DINPro Bold). Copy GM patch over this mod before install. Merge 4 xml files with Ghost Mode as on mod page.
- Or
X
Better Icons - English
- Runestone Icons
- Immersive Sound - bug fixes only version.
- Music Tweak (Combat) - Fixes combat music.
- Leave Roach Alone - No More Horse Voice Commands
- Less Is More - Balanced_4on_6off preset.
- Silent UI - Standard.
X
Immersive LightingX
True Fires - get part 2 from New Fires + HDR compatability patch.X
ProShadows
X
HD Reworked Project - just the textures.X
HDMR - HD Monsters Reworked - plus Trophies.X
Elysium - Gudmods #downloads.- Or
X
Meadows v2 - WIP mod from Gudmods.
- Or
X
HD Blood and Wine Dry Grass - less saturated.X
Simple NPC SwordsX
No Save Indicator IconX
Toxicity - Clean Face and ScreenX
Aerondight Replacer - W3.X
Geralt Head TweakX
The Berserker - Unofficial Concept Art Ursine ArmourX
Griffin Armour (On The Path) Update - use fully merged versionX
High Quality Textures for Feline ArmoursX
HD Tree LOD Billboards - base and Toussaint.X
Witcher's Knife - hunter knife.X
Brutal Blood - use banemenot's fixed Lite version.X
Cat Potion No Enemy GlowX
Lightsource Yrden And IgniX
ZZFX - can use both this and ZZFX2.X
ZZFX2 with Aard/Igni from IPSX
Or use base ZZFX2
X
Ultimate Water - "HD Water Mod Without Buggy Waterfalls + Water From PLM Ultimate 7 Beta 2 Mod + Up-scaled Water Textures To 4K"X
Ultimate Clouds - "Ultimate Clouds 4K - MonarchX Clouds + Vanilla Storms + Up-scaled Blood And Wine Clouds + FXs"