You really can play the game however you want. There are a bunch of monster contracts you can do if all you want to do is fight monsters, and a bunch of side quests involve fighting more monsters along the way. And some of the story show you some of the worst monsters are actually humans. The durability is a pain, but once you build up some cash, you can buy repair kits that make long travels easier. Otherwise, repair every time you are in a town/city. The game has a lot to it and starts kind of slow but once you get into it (about Crows Perch and the Baron storyline), it’s a ton of fun.
This might be one of my favorite games. So much replay value if you don’t look up spoilers. If you didn’t get heart of stone or blood and wine, you REALLY need to. They are like entire games themselves.
I saw a great quote,
“It’s not pirating if buying it isn’t owning it”.