Witcher 3 Side Quests More Fun Than The Main Story

The main plot of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, as well as the supporting DLCs Blood & Wine and Hearts of Stone, are masterfully written, but there are side quests and subplots from each of the three parts of the game that rival the main story. These side quests are a mixture of great storytelling, entertaining and varied gameplay, and impressive visuals that make them highlights of The Witcher 3. While none of them are required of players to complete, it is still worth going out of the way to find and experience them.

What makes a side quest enjoyable varies greatly from player to player, so these will focus on the overall quality and enjoyability versus whether or not it contains heavy amounts of combat or roleplay. These side quests can be found in both the main Witcher game as well as the supplemental DLCs.

Players should often note that there are prerequisites to beginning or being granted access to most of these side quests, such as with “Ghosts of the Past” and Letho’s fate from The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings. Others cannot be completed within the same playthrough as is the case with “The Last Wish” and “Now or Never,” lest players want to end up with the quest “It Takes Three to Tango” when one attempts to romance both Triss and Yennefer.

The Witcher 3’s “Ghosts Of The Past” Calls Back To The Witcher 2

In order to activate “Ghosts of the Past,” players will have had to make a few carefully cultivated choices early on in the game. This particular side quest involves Letho, a fellow Witcher from the School of the Viper that appeared in The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings. If players choose to have saved him when Geralt is being interrogated by Emhyr Var Emreis then they can embark on this explosion-filled manhunt. Players will assist their fellow Witcher in hunting down a traitorous comrade, blowing up a barn to flush out enemies, and pulling a ruse to successfully fake Letho’s death. This quest’s charm lies not only in the exciting and fast-paced gameplay but also in the chance at getting to work with a Witcher from another school and all of the dialogue that comes with it.

“The Cave Of Dreams” Side Quest In The Witcher Is Visually Stunning

Players should note that “The Cave of Dreams” needs to be completed after finishing The Witcher 3 main story quests “The King is Dead,” “Long Live the King,” and before “The King’s Gambit.” This Witcher 3 side quest takes place when Geralt teams up with Blueboy Lugos and his band of men to explore and essentially conquer the Cave of Dreams. The location has a notoriously habit of being infested with monsters and overflowing with hallucinogenic herbs that will show adventurers their worst nightmares.

Not only is this side quest a riveting dungeon-crawl, but also one of the most visually stunning quests in The Witcher 3. Players will be greeted with visions of spectral, floating aquatic life, as well as each party member’s worst fears, which include sirens, parental trauma, past grievances, and the King of the Wild Hunt.

Geralt & Yennefer’s Romance In The Witcher 3’s “The Last Wish”

Monster slaying and treasure hunting aside, one of the great appeals of The Witcher 3 is Geralt’s tumultuous love life with the sorceresses Triss Merigold and Yennefer of Vengerberg. The latter’s romantic storyline is explored in the side quest “The Last Wish,” where Yennefer drags Geralt out to Ard Skellige under intentionally vague circumstances, putting him in danger over and over again. It is revealed that Yennefer intends to find a djinn to break the bond between her and Geralt to see if the romantic feelings between them are real, or simply the byproduct of a magical wish gone wrong.

This Witcher 3 quest is part scavenger hunt, part hack and slash, and part dating simulator, as players’ choices will affect how the sorceress feels about Geralt. Depending on which of Geralt’s two love interests players decide to pursue romantic relations with, “The Last Wish” ends on a very tender and sweet note with both Geralt and Yennefer realizing their feelings for one another were genuine the whole time.

Players Can Romance The Witcher 3’s Triss Merigold In “Now Or Never”

While “The Last Wish” focuses on Geralt’s relationship with Yennefer, “Now or Never” is where players can choose to pursue a romance with Triss Merigold instead. This quest begins with Triss stuck in a rather difficult place, being surrounded by witch hunters and trapped in her temporary safe house with demanding landlords. It is a race against time and opposing forces to get Triss safely out of the city with the other fleeing mages. Although there were plentiful opportunities with Triss in other quests, this is the moment where Geralt can confess his feelings to her after sneaking her to the city. Players can choose how to proceed with the two’s relationship, but continuing forward with it will land Geralt a comfortable and stable future.

The Witcher 3 Turns Into A Murder Mystery In “Carnal Sins” Side Quest

Carnal Sins is one of The Witcher 3’s darker storylines, following Geralt as he partakes in a murder-mystery clue hunt. The quest begins after Priscilla was savagely attacked, leaving her in critical condition, but thankfully not dead. At the behest of Dandelion and others, Geralt will begin to follow the sparse breadcrumb trail that a serial killer has left scattered all over Novigrad. This quest takes players to a hospital, into the sewers, a morgue, a brothel, and to the wealthy side of the city all while being pressed for time as another could soon fall victim to this mystery killer. Geralt will find several false leads, suspecting one person of being the murderer only to be proved wrong and pointed in another direction. “Carnal Sins” is dark, gruesome, exciting, and in the end, is also a nice revelation in Dandelion and Priscilla’s relationship.

As wonderful and as masterfully done as these Witcher 3 side quests are, it is not to say that the game’s main story is sub-par in any way. These side quests exemplify some of the many things that players love about The Witcher games, including complex character development, beautiful visuals, dry humor, and well-balanced gameplay that both challenge and excite players.

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