You don’t need to spend a single piece of ore to be well-armed in your first hours of Gothic 1 Remake — the Colony is full of strong free weapons if you know where to look. Grab these, then pour your ore into trainers instead.
Don’t buy what you can find. The priority is skill training over weapon purchases — most of the weapons below are free.
Best early melee
Old Sword — your first real blade
The single most important early pickup. Follow Diego from the start toward the Old Camp; after the first gate, take the path under the wooden bridge and continue straight. You reach an area with a large dead tree and a hanged man’s body, where Diego stops to deal with two Juvenile Scavengers. Once they’re down, look at the base of the dead tree — the Old Sword is stuck in the ground.
- ~12 damage, only 8 Strength required. Easy to miss if you follow Diego without looking around — don’t skip it.
Shortsword — the no-requirement backup
Inside the Old Camp, find the ladders near the shacks against the southern wall. Climb to the ramparts and continue up to the bridge above the south gate, where there’s a lit torch and crates. The Shortsword leans against the left crate.
- Lower Strength requirement than the Old Sword — if you’re not at 8 Strength yet, this is your best immediate melee option.
Withered Axe — best free two-handed
The strongest free two-handed weapon this early. Talk to Sly and pick up the Missing Warder quest. Head to the South Gate (opposite the main entrance) and follow the road until you see three Molerats guarding a cave on the right. Inside, find Nek’s body and loot it — the Withered Axe is on the ground to his right.
Best early ranged
Shortbow — free starter bow
Two easy routes:
- Drax’s reward: pick up the Hunter’s Knife in Drax’s area, give it to him, and he rewards you with a Shortbow.
- The Exchange Zone steal: back in the first area, wait until the guard with the parchment starts his inventory, open the gate, and grab a free Shortbow and arrows — within the first ten minutes.
Rider’s Bow — stronger, needs planning
A noticeably stronger bow found in a cave not far from the starting area near the Old Camp. It hits harder but expects you to invest in Dexterity to use it well — see the Best Builds guide for bow breakpoints.
Early weapon priority
| Weapon | Type | Where | Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old Sword | 1H melee | Dead tree on Diego’s route | ~8 STR |
| Shortsword | 1H melee | Old Camp ramparts (south gate) | Low |
| Withered Axe | 2H melee | Nek’s cave (Missing Warder quest) | Higher STR |
| Shortbow | Bow | Drax / Exchange Zone | Low DEX |
| Rider’s Bow | Bow | Cave near the start | Higher DEX |
What to do with them
- Grab the Old Sword or Shortsword first so you’re never stuck with the starter blade.
- Train mastery, not just stats — a free weapon plus One-Handed Tier 1 from Scatty outperforms an expensive blade you can’t use well.
- Save ore for trainers and potions, per the Ore Economy guide.
Armed for free and trained on plan, you’ll clear the brutal early game far faster — see How to Level Up Fast next.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best first weapon in Gothic 1 Remake?
The Old Sword is the best free early melee pickup — it deals around 12 damage and only needs 8 Strength. It's stuck in the ground at the base of a dead tree on Diego's route to the Old Camp. The Shortsword (on the Old Camp ramparts) is a lower-requirement backup.
Should I buy weapons early in Gothic 1 Remake?
No — most strong early weapons are free if you know where to look. Save your ore for trainers and consumables rather than spending it on a Shortbow you can grab for nothing.