Cheap Sword List (spoilers)

[Kamiyama]

Why spend money on reforging swords when you can get nice ones for free? In an attempt to acquire the cheapest, easiest swords while pinching orens, I have put together this short little guide.

First since we don't want to spend money reforging swords sell off any meteorite ores you find.This gives you extra money early game and also saves you the cost of reforging steel swords. You can get some NICE free steel swords in the game - you don't have to pay a single oren for them. (Dark Mode has better swords that need meteorite ore, but this guide is just about cheap and free swords so I won't be mentioning those)

Second, If you want a nice silver sword in Chapter 3, you will need to find and hold on to 3 runes from Chapters 2 and 3. Whether or not you splurge on this rune sword is optional - you can get a free NICE silver sword in Chapter 4. But having something better than the normal witcher's silver sword for use in Chapter 3 may be worth a little money.

Free Steel Swords
Chapter 1 - Witcher's Steel Sword (best you can get for Chapter 1)
Chapter 2 - Harvall (found on a corpse in the swamp, surrounded by wyverns)
Chapter 5 - G'Valchir (start the "Won't Hurt a Bit" quest from the Dentist. While it can be started in Chapter 3 you won't get all the teeth until Chapter 5)

There are many other free steel swords you can get, but none as good as these at that point in the game. If you plan on only using free steel swords you will be using Harvall most of the game. Incidentally the Harvall isn't just the best free steel sword in Chapter 2, it's THE best steel sword in Chapter 2! It has both the red meteorite damage bonus and the blue meteorite critical effects bonus.

Cheap and Free Silver Swords
Chapter 2 - Witcher's Silver Sword (best you can get for Chapter 2)
Chapter 3 - Two Earth, One Sun Rune Silver Sword (forged by blacksmith - costs 1000 orens)
Chapter 4 - Aerondight (quest reward from Lady of the Lake - arguably the best silver sword)
Chapter 5 - Moonblade (turn in all trophies to the Royal Huntsman - Aerondight is arguably better since that sword has more critical effects)

To obtain the Two Earth, One Sun Rune Silver Sword in Chapter 3 you must do the following:
Obtain an Earth Rune from Zoltan for doing a quest in Chapter 2
Obtain a Sun Rune from Thaler's store in Chapter 2 (300 orens)
Obtain an Earth Rune from Andrew Gablodda for winning a fistfight in Chapter 3

The Two Earth, One Sun Rune Silver Sword will cost you 1300 orens in total. Remember this is optional, but having a better silver sword for Chapter 3 may make it worth the cost.

Furthermore, when it comes to your alternate weapons I recommend a Torch for your lightweight weapon since it's good against Echinops early in the game and also acts as a free light source, which is useful at any point in the game. You can find a free torch in one of the peasant houses in Chapter 1. There is little need for heavy weapons except selling them - you can get anywhere from 50 to 200 orens depending on what type of heavy weapon it is.

Hopefully this will help anyone who is a miser (like me) and wants the best weapon for the most affordable price. I wish I had followed this guide from the start, myself. I would have more orens to spend right now. Happy Hunting!