The free miners on the lake
Gothic 1 Remake New Camp: Should You Join the Water Mages?
Most New Camp pages only teach you how to get in. This Gothic 1 Remake New Camp guide answers the question that comes first — should you join the New Camp at all? Its real hook is freedom: the Gothic 1 Remake New Camp lets you climb the mercenary ranks and study under the Water Mages at the same time, so you never have to lock yourself into one path the way the other camps demand.
The 30-second verdict
Is the New Camp the right Gothic 1 Remake camp for you?
Join the Gothic 1 Remake New Camp if you want to play loose — range over melee, magic on your own schedule, and the option to do both. Here is the fast read.
Faction file
Who the New Camp are in the Gothic 1 Remake
Behind the New Camp's easy-going reputation is the most ambitious plan in the colony — and the reason it exists at all.
The Gothic 1 Remake New Camp is a hidden settlement of free miners, mercenaries and water magic, tucked into the hills on the western shore of the valley lake. Where the Old Camp trades ore to the outside for comfort, the New Camp hoards it in secret — every haul feeds one goal.
That goal is escape. Led by Lee and the Water Mage Saturas, the New Camp mines ore to build a weapon powerful enough to shatter the magic Barrier that seals the colony. It is the colony’s great gamble, and joining the New Camp means signing on to the breakout.
- Ruled by
- Lee and the Water Mages, under Saturas
- The plan
- Mine ore in secret to build a weapon that breaks the Barrier
- Where it hides
- The hills on the western shore of the valley lake, out the Old Camp's south gate
- Signature
- Dexterity bows and crossbows, and the only road to the Water Mage path
What it unlocks
The New Camp build: mercenary and Water Mage at once
This is the New Camp's real advantage. The other camps make you pick a lane. The New Camp lets a mercenary rank and a Water Mage apprenticeship advance side by side.
Mercenary
Strength / DexterityThe camp's fighters — the muscle that guards the free miners and the ore convoys. The natural home for a dexterity archer or an agile melee build.
- Dexterity bows and crossbows — the New Camp's signature weapons
- Mercenary armour is reported to unlock earlier than the Old Camp's guard track
- Rank up under Lee through the camp's mercenary line
Water Mage
ManaThe Circle of Water under Saturas — the New Camp is the only faction that opens this magic path. A slow burn that pays off in the back half of the game.
- Ice and support magic — Ice Bolt, Ice Block, Ice Wave and Heal
- The only route to the Water Mage path in the whole game
- Apprenticeship runs in parallel with your mercenary rank — no need to choose
For a build, the Gothic 1 Remake New Camp is the home of the dexterity archer. Bows and crossbows are the camp’s signature, and good spacing lets you whittle down the colony’s deadly wildlife before it reaches you. See the Gothic 1 Remake build guide for how the ranger archetype scales.
The Water Mage path is the slow-burn reward. Under Saturas you learn ice and healing magic, and water magic is reported to come online later in the run than the Old Camp’s fire path. That makes the New Camp a back-loaded power pick — patient, but flexible once both halves land.
Admission
How to join the New Camp in the Gothic 1 Remake
The New Camp has the longest admission questline of the three camps — a slow burn, but a clean one. Here is the route stripped to its essentials.
- 1
Trigger Out of Sight
Talk to Thorus in the Old Camp until he hands you Out of Sight — the task to get rid of the New Camp messenger, Mordrag.
- 2
Escort Mordrag west
Choose to escort Mordrag willingly. He leads you over the hills to the New Camp on the western shore of the valley lake.
- 3
Run jobs for Lares
Take on the camp's odd jobs for Lares — complete at least three and reach Level 5 to prove you are worth taking in.
- 4
Get inducted by Lares
Return to Lares once you qualify. He welcomes you into the New Camp with the Bandit's armour and the rank of Bandit.
A Piece of the Pie
Help Baal Kagan shift his swampweed supply at the lake tavern.
A Few Drops Too Much
Deal with the drunkard Rayk at the tavern for the Rice Lord at the gate.
Up to His Neck
Track down the Rice Lord's missing foreman, Bran.
The Raid
Take an assignment from Lares and meet Wedge's raiders on the road by the Old Mine.
Complete at least three of the New Camp’s odd jobs and reach Level 5; the exact task list is still settling so soon after release.
The choice
New Camp vs the Old Camp and Swamp Camp
Your camp is permanent, so weigh it before you swear in. Here is how the New Camp stacks up against the faction it competes with most.
| Camp | Playstyle | Magic path | Join difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old Camp | Players who want structure, melee fighters and a clear ladder to climb. | Heavy plate armour and one- or two-handed melee; the Old Camp is also the route to the Fire Mage path. | Beginner-friendly — the cleanest first-run route. |
| New Campyou are here | Players drawn to freedom, ranged play and the road to magic. | Dexterity with bows and crossbows; the only route to the Water Mage path under Saturas. | Longest faction questline — the slow burn. |
| Swamp Camp | Players who want lore, faith and the mystic path. | The Templar — two-handed swords paired with crowd-control magic (Sleep, Charm, Fist of Wind); the most unique class in the game. | Moderate — win over the Gurus. |
If you want heavy plate, a clear rank ladder and the cleanest admission, the Old Camp is the safer pick. If you want the mystic, two-handed Templar, only the Swamp Camp can make one. The New Camp wins on freedom and resources — and it is the only camp that refuses to make you choose a single lane.
Quick answers
Gothic 1 Remake New Camp FAQ
How do you join the New Camp in the Gothic 1 Remake?
Talk to Thorus in the Old Camp until he gives you Out of Sight, then escort Mordrag west to the New Camp. Run at least three odd jobs for Lares, reach Level 5, and he inducts you with the Bandit's armour. It is the longest of the three Gothic 1 Remake camp questlines, so expect a slow burn.
Where is the New Camp in the Gothic 1 Remake?
The New Camp is hidden in the hills on the western shore of the valley lake. Head out the Old Camp's south gate toward the water, or let Mordrag escort you there after the Out of Sight task.
Should you pick Mercenary or Water Mage in the New Camp?
You do not have to choose — in the New Camp the mercenary rank and the Water Mage apprenticeship run in parallel. Lean mercenary if you want a dexterity archer or agile fighter who is strong early; lean Water Mage if you want the long magic game. That freedom is the New Camp's signature.
Is the New Camp good for a mage build in the Gothic 1 Remake?
Yes — the New Camp is the only camp that opens the Water Mage path under Saturas, with ice and healing spells like Ice Bolt and Heal. Water magic comes online later in the game (early guides put it around Chapter 4), so it is a back-loaded payoff rather than early power.
Is the New Camp better than the Old Camp?
Neither Gothic 1 Remake camp is best. The New Camp rewards freedom, archery and water magic and is said to win the resource game, while the Old Camp offers heavy plate, the Fire Mage path and the cleanest admission. Pick the camp that unlocks the build you actually want to play.
What do you get for joining the New Camp?
Joining the New Camp grants the Bandit's armour, the rank of Bandit and access to both the mercenary track and the Circle of Water. Early guides cite an experience reward of around 1,500 XP for being inducted, though exact figures are still settling so soon after release.
Keep exploring
More Gothic 1 Remake guides
Gothic 1 Remake Guide
Ready to join the New Camp?
Plan the build the New Camp unlocks, save before you swear in, and keep this Gothic 1 Remake New Camp guide open as you climb the ranks on the lake.