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Summary

  • Following a specific quest order in The Witcher 3 allows for a more satisfying narrative experience.
  • The four chapters of the game each have a recommended order of quests to follow.
  • After completing the main story in The Witcher 3, players can start the DLCs.

While it does boast an open world, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt has an optimal order in which players should consider completing all main story and side quests. CD Projekt RED's The Witcher 3 features dozens of different mainline and side quests to complete, and each one will offer more lore about the world and its residents. Completing these activities will reward players with extra gear and items. But even beyond that, there's a narrative to consider. While its sidequests fit in almost anywhere, playing The Witcher 3 in a certain order creates a more satisfying experience.

The story for The Witcher 3 is broken into four different sections: Prologue, Act 1, Act 2, and Act 3. While there is a definitive mission to close out each act, completing quests in a specific order is the best way to experience the story. This is because the narrative is a major part of the game's experience. Completing Witcher 3 missions in order will make it easier to keep track of all the game's story content and avoid spoilers. To give the story the proper pace it deserves, the Witcher 3 quest order below should be followed.

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The Best Quest Order For Witcher 3: Prologue

Kaer Morhen in Witcher 3

After completing the introductory tutorial quest, "Kaer Morhen," players can access a much larger, open section of The Witcher 3's map, and begin completing quests in any order they like. There are also a few side quests scattered throughout, which players should complete early to gain a little more knowledge of the game's mechanics and the world it's set in. The rewards can't hurt, either.

  • "Kaer Morhen"
  • "Lilac and Gooseberries"
  • "A Frying Pan, Spick and Span"
  • "Missing in Action"
  • "On Death's Bed"
  • "Precious Cargo"
  • "Twisted Firestarter"
  • "The Beast of White Orchard"
  • "Incident at White Orchard"
  • "Imperial Audience"

There are a few Treasure Hunts, Scavenger Hunts, and Contracts scattered throughout the Prologue as well, but these aren't missable and, at least in the case of one Contract, are best attempted later. While players can complete these now, it's best to be done with the Prologue as quickly as possible for the pacing's sake. Once the player completes "Imperial Audience," they'll be thrust into Act One, revealing a larger portion of the map and the general direction of the game's story.

The Best Quest Order For Witcher 3: Act One

A warrior in the Nilfgaardian Connection in Witcher 3

In Act One, Geralt finally catches up with Ciri's trail, and begins pursuing her through Novigrad, Velen, and Skellige. This is where the game really takes off, with the main plot beginning to come together, decisions impacting the story, and the first of The Witcher 3's romance options opening up. This is also the first time the player will be able to control Ciri in a series of spin-off quests centered on Geralt's ward.

Which sidequests are available depends partially on certain decisions that players may have made earlier - either in Act One or in previous Witcher games. If one of the quests below isn't available, it's likely locked out due to a story choice.

  • "The Nilfgaardian Connection"
  • "Bloody Baron"
  • "Ciri's Story: The King of the Wolves"
  • "Ciri's Room"
  • "Family Matters"
  • "A Princess in Distress"
  • "Ciri's Story: The Race"
  • "Ciri's Story: Out of the Shadows"
  • "Hunting a Witch"
  • "Wandering in the Dark"
  • "Magic Lamp"
  • "A Dog's Life"
  • "A Greedy God"
  • "The Fall of the House of Reardon"
  • "Wild at Heart"
  • "Love's Cruel Snares"
  • "Defender of the Faith"
  • "Funeral Pyres"
  • "Forefather's Eve"
  • "Ghosts of the Past"
  • "An Invitation from Keira Metz"
  • "A Towerful of Mice"
  • "A Favor for a Friend"
  • "For the Advancement of Learning"
  • "Ladies of the Wood"
  • "The Whispering Hillock"
  • "Ciri's Story: Fleeing the Bog"
  • "Return to Crookback Bog"
  • "Pyres of Novigrad"
  • "Novigrad Dreaming"
  • "Broken Flowers"
  • "Get Junior"
  • "An Eye for an Eye"
  • "Ciri's Story: Visiting Junior"
  • "Flesh for Sale"
  • "Following the Thread"
  • "Count Reuven's Treasure"
  • "A Favor for Radovid"
  • "Redania's Most Wanted"
  • "A Matter of Life and Death"
  • "Now or Never"
  • "A Deadly Plot"
  • "The Play's the Thing"
  • "A Poet Under Pressure"
  • "Ciri's Story: Breakneck Speed"
  • "A Dangerous Game"
  • "Cabaret"
  • "Carnal Sins"
  • "Destination"
  • "The King is Dead"
  • "The Lord of Undvik"
  • "Possession"
  • "King's Gambit"
  • "Coronation"
  • "Echoes of the Past"
  • "Missing Persons"
  • "Nameless"
  • "The Calm Before the Storm"
  • "The Last Wish"

Act One is the longest segment of the game, and features many sidequests that players may choose either to undertake or ignore. Many Velen side quests exist as little more than distractions from the main story, and can seriously slow down the pacing. It's also a good idea to unlock Novigrad as soon as possible, since there are many additional vendors and sidequests available there. Therefore, those who don't care about missing quests may want to skip brief, unrewarding quests like "A Dog's Life" and "Forefather's Eve," as those quests available between the two are fully optional.

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The Best Quest Order For Witcher 3: Act Two

A conversation in the To Bait a Forktail mission in Witcher 3

Act Two is the shortest of all, with a strong focus on the main story. It revolves around Geralt's return to Kaer Morhen, and sets the stage for the final act.

  • "Ugly Baby"
  • "Disturbance"
  • "To Bait a Forktail..."
  • "The Final Trial"
  • "No Place Like Home"
  • "Va Fail, Elaine"
  • "Berengar's Blade"
  • "The Isle of Mists"
  • "Brothers in Arms: Nilfgaard"
  • "Greenhouse Effect"
  • "Brothers in Arms: Novigrad"
  • "Monster Slayer"
  • "Brothers in Arms: Skellige"
  • "The Witcher's Forge"
  • "Brothers in Arms: Velen"
  • "The Battle of Kaer Morhen"
  • "Blood on the Battlefield"

The main sidequest chain in Act Two is the "Brothers in Arms" series, which sees Geralt gathering his allies ahead of "The Battle of Kaer Morhen." These quests require a lot of travel, and can be somewhat repetitive, so it's best to pace them out with some Kaer Morhen side quests so they don't feel like a chore.

The Best Quest Order For Witcher 3: Act Three

Act Three is the final chapter, in which all the events of The Witcher 3 come to a head. All the main storylines are put to rest, and depending on certain choices made, different sidequests will be available.

  • "Bald Mountain"
  • "Final Preparations"
  • "Blindingly Obvious"
  • "Reason of State"
  • "The Great Escape"
  • "Payback"
  • "Through Time and Space"
  • "Battle Preparations"
  • "A Final Kindness"
  • "On Thin Ice"
  • "It Takes Three To Tango"
  • "Reason of State"
  • "The Sunstone"
  • "Veni Vidi Vigo"
  • "Child of the Elder Blood"
  • "Skjall's Grave"
  • "Tedd Deireadh, The Final Age"
  • "Something Ends, Something Begins"

"Something Ends, Something Begins" is technically the epilogue. This is where the main story is wrapped up, and when players will see which of The Witcher 3's main endings they achieved. However, it's still possible to play The Witcher 3 after the credits roll. There may yet be sidequests to complete, and of course, there are now two DLCs for players to take on as well. Some sidequests may automatically fail upon completing the final mission, though, so it's best to do as much as possible prior to the final curtain.

The Best Quest Order For Witcher 3: DLC

Hearts Of Stone & Blood And Wine

Geralt wearing his witcher armor with the vibrant land of Toussaint in the background.

After completing the main story, players can also begin The Witcher 3's Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine DLCs. These DLC also have a proper mission order in Witcher 3, and players should fully complete Hearts of Stone before moving on to the quests in Blood and Wine.

This quest order may provide a useful way to navigate the sprawling story of The Witcher 3, ensuring that information is revealed at a reasonable pace and little, if any, content is missed. However, there's truly no prescribed order in which to complete quests. If a player is interested in a particular storyline, they should follow it to the end; if they're not, they can feel free to leave it be. The true joy of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is in the freedom of exploration and the variety of activities available.

The Witcher Wild Hunt Poster

Franchise
The Witcher
Platform(s)
PlayStation 4 , PlayStation 5 , Xbox One , Xbox Series X/S , Nintendo Switch , Microsoft Windows , Steam , Epic Games Store
Released
May 19, 2015
Developer(s)
CD Projekt Red
Publisher(s)
CD Projekt
Genre(s)
Action RPG , Open-World
Engine
REDEngine 3
ESRB
M