In Gothic 1 Remake, you arrive with empty pockets. In this guide, I’ll show you how to quickly get your hands on ore, the game’s key currency.
In Gothic 1 Remake, ore is far more than just money — it determines how quickly you become stronger, get better gear, and improve your skills. The remake sticks to the classic Gothic principle: There is no instant cash button. Instead, you build your wealth from several different sources. But there is one trick that lets you fill your war chest early in the game.
The Best Trick for Fast Ore in Gothic 1 Remake
Before I explain the trading system and the usual ways to earn ore, let’s start right away with the best trick for farming a lot of ore early.
Once you have gained some combat experience, have a solid weapon, and have invested a few skill points in Strength, head to the black goblins’ cave. Countless goblins are waiting in front of and inside the cave, and you can take them all down one after another.
- Important: Make sure to visit the goblin cave before you are sent there to retrieve the Almanac in Chapter 2 — I’ll explain why further down.
Careful: The little beasts are more dangerous than they look, and their throwing attacks in particular can get very annoying. So you should have a good handle on dodging.
The reward: Each of these whiny little bruisers drops a morning star. That weapon sells for more than 50 ore. So if you knock out 20 goblins, you’ll have weapons worth 1,000 ore in your backpack.
And the best part: You can repeat the whole thing. Once you clear out the goblin cave, the beasts normally do not return. But if you clean the place out before the main quest sends you there in Chapter 2 — “The Almanac”, the cave fills up with life again for the quest, and you get to wipe it out a second time for profit.
How to Earn Ore in Gothic 1 Remake
Besides the goblin trick, there are plenty of other “legitimate” ways to get ore in Gothic 1 Remake.
The Old Mine: Doing the Mining Yourself
If you are looking for a reliable source of ore, there is no way around the Old Mine. Here, you will find several ore veins that you can mine with a pickaxe.
- Tip: In our map guide for Gothic 1 Remake, we show you the most important locations on the map — including the Old Mine.
The process is simple: Work your way through the mine systematically, mine every reachable vein, and collect everything. One full run can net you more than 90 ore, which is a lot in the early game. Mining, however, is very tedious and time-consuming.
Escort Quests: Let Others Do the Dirty Work
If you want to get ore quickly, you should not focus only on mines. Escort quests are among the most effective methods in the early game.
You accompany NPCs through dangerous areas while they take down many enemies themselves. You still get the experience points and can loot the dead enemies. That lets you build up a solid ore cushion very early without taking every risk yourself.
From the Old Camp, there are two NPCs who can accompany you on a short trip. You can find out where to locate them in our beginner’s guide for Gothic 1 Remake.
Sell Weapons Instead of Hoarding Them
Humanoid enemies such as bandits or orcs regularly drop usable gear. You can trade it to merchants for ore. Later in the game, this becomes one of your most important sources of income.
Weapons are usually worth much more than basic loot items or plants. So if you have just survived a larger battle, it is almost always worth heading back to camp.
Lockpicking and Stealing
Once you have learned lockpicking (guide), you should open every chest you can find. Camps and buildings in particular often hide valuable items or ore directly.
Pickpocketing can also be worthwhile, especially at night or in quiet areas. It will not make you rich instantly, but it creates a steady flow of money that makes you more independent.
Hunting and Trophies
If you invest in hunting skills early, you can generate additional income. Animals provide materials that can be sold and help supplement your earnings. In our mount guide, you can find out where to locate Aiden, who teaches you how to harvest animals.
This is especially useful when you are already out exploring and fighting enemies anyway. You gain experience points and resources you can sell without having to invest extra time.
Selling Goods: How the Trading System Works in Gothic 1 Remake
The economy in Gothic 1 Remake is dynamic. That means: The price of an item drops if you sell large quantities at once, and merchants’ cash reserves change depending on your progress, the time of day, and trading activity.
So if you go to a merchant and sell 20 identical items at the same time, you will get significantly less ore than if you offer them in smaller quantities. The first club might still get you 50 ore, the third 48, and eventually you will be down to a measly 5 ore.
That is why you should always sell your items in small batches and spread your sales across several merchants instead of dumping everything on one person at once. Large bulk sales to a single merchant will cost you a lot of ore in the long run and should absolutely be avoided.
This method gets much more out of your loot runs. Also keep in mind that not every merchant pays the same prices. Some pay more for weapons, while others offer better prices for magical items or resources.
Which Items You Should Keep
Not everything belongs in a merchant’s inventory. Some materials become extremely important later, especially for alchemy. These include rare plants such as goblin berries or dragon roots, golem drops such as crystal shards, and special alchemy ingredients.
These items are hard to obtain and are needed for powerful potions that help you far more in the long run than a quick sale to a merchant. So be careful what you cash in.
More Guides for Gothic 1 Remake
- Gothic 1 Remake Guide Hub: Maps, Quests, Bosses, and Essential Tips
- Gothic 1 Remake Fast Travel: How to Cross the Valley of Mines Faster
- Gothic 1 Remake Walkthrough Chapter 1: How to Join the Old Camp – All Quests and Decisions
- Gothic 1 Remake: The Cult’s Recipe Walkthrough – How to Open Cor Kalom’s Lab Chests
- Gothic 1 Remake Chapter 2 Walkthrough: The Minecrawler’s Nest
