Best Beginner Steel Swords Early game - Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Here is a list of beginner steel swords that I recommend getting early in the game. They will greatly improve your damage and will make fighting humans much easier in Witcher 3.

Viper Steel Sword

The Viper steel sword is an excellent weapon to fight against humans:

• Requires Level 1
• +15% Chance to poison
• +5% Bonus experience from humans and nonhumans
• One rune slot

Make your way around the Ransacked Village in White Orchard, you must head to the elevated area through the red bridge located at the western portion of the area, where he then has to fight a pack of bandit archers and mercenaries.  

Tir Torchair

This is an extremely strong sword:

• Requires Level 2+
• 50% Critical hit damage bonus
• +5% Critical hit chance
• +35% Chance to cause bleeding

The location that I was able to find was Queen Zuleyka's Treasure.

To reach it you will have to fight about 10-15 pirates. If you are low-level, definitely use your horse Roach and pick enemies one by one

Headhunter

A well-worthwhile weapon, which will require you to take some risks to get it:

• Requires Level 2+
• +11-45 Armor piercing
• +26-60% Critical hit damage bonus
• +5-6% Critical hit chance
• +1-2% Chance to dismember
• Three Rune Slots

You will need to pass multiple monsters as you go. The area will be filled with multiple drowners, however, they are low-level.

As you can see it is close to Oxenfurt. Have in mind that you can use Roach to easily run around the enemies and pick them one by one.

Griffin Steel Sword

• Requires Level 11
• +5% Sign intensity
• +5% Bonus experience from humans and nonhumans
• One Rune slot

The diagram for the Griffin Steel Sword is found in the abandoned watchtower of Hindhold. You can pass the Endregas on the ground and go to the top of the tower. There you will encounter Harpies. Once you kill them go through the doors where you will find a skeleton.

The sword has+5% Sign intensity and+5% Bonus experience from humans and nonhumans effects. The Griffin Witcher Gear set in general is balanced between swords and sign build