There are a number of really great quests in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt that weave a dark and twisting tale for the player to experience. Even many of the side quests are notable for the depth they add to the story and for interesting battles.
But it’s the main quests that are most meaningful in terms of character growth and importance. Through these quests, the player comes to understand Geralt and his companions better, makes some hard choices, and lives with the consequences. Though there are many great quests during the main story, these could be considered the best.
10 The Final Trial
Lambert isn’t the most likable of characters, but as one of the last witchers ever created and forced to live out a meager existence, fans can empathize. He’s also a formidable ally when someone he cares about or respects is placed in harm’s way which is why Geralt assists him in The Final Trial.
It’s a great quest that gives insight into Geralt and Lambert’s rivalry, and Lambert’s tragic past. It also has some fun combat as the player must take down a nest of drowners, a water hag, packs of foglets, and potentially the cyclops Old Speartip.
9 Bald Mountain
After the tragic death of Vesemir, Ciri is intent on obtaining revenge and goes hunting for Imlerith, a general of the Wild Hunt who will be attending a witch’s sabbath carried out on Bald Mountain by the three Crones.
It’s a dark questline involving a boss fight against the devil Fugas, slaying two of the Crones, and seeing Ciri’s dark side come out in full force. There are also few moments as terrifying or disturbing as seeing the three Crones in their young women forms stirring a bloody soup filled with corpses.
8 Ciri’s Story: King Of Wolves
This quest was notable for being the first time you play as Ciri in the game. It’s certainly a change of pace as you do not have Geralt's sign abilities or his arsenal of tools. But Ciri’s agility and speed makes up for it.
In King Of Wolves, you find a lost girl, track down a werewolf and do a mini-quest for crafting a potion that will make the final fight harder or easier. It’s an interesting story that gives some insight into Ciri’s capabilities and the struggles she faced in her younger years.
7 Princess In Distress
This quest is great for just how absurd it is and how much you’ll laugh out loud trying to complete it. In an attempt to find out more about the Baron’s family for Family Matters you’ll obtain the aid of a pellar by locating his pet goat named Princess.
What follows is the hilarious and incredibly tedious task of locating Princess and coaxing her back to the pellar all while fighting off beasts and dragging her away from strawberries. Seeing Geralt hunting for a goat with a little bell makes for a great change of pace in an otherwise serious and grim game.
6 The Whispering Hillock
This is one of those quests that has an impact on the rest of the story and is much more interesting if completed during the main quest and not performed as a side quest. The Ancient Oak houses a hostile spirit who’s ferociously defending itself at all costs and gives some great insight into the sinister Crones.
You are then presented with an interesting moral dilemma; free the poor soul trapped in the Ancient Oak or see justice done for the helpless villagers slaughtered in her zeal to preserve herself. There’s no right answer and both have long term effects on the game that come with dire consequences.
5 Ladies Of The Wood
This quest is interesting as it has Geralt playing hide and seek with children one moment and slaughtering monsters in the swamp the next. It’s an example of great pacing as Geralt bonds with some of the children before slowly discovering the horrible fate that awaits them.
It also introduces the Crones, three mad women of great power who have been living in the area for centuries, convincing the local residents to barter with them either through severed ears, years of servitude, or offering their own children up as sacrifices.
4 Family Matters
In Family Matters, Geralt seeks to locate the missing members of the Baron’s family. It involves a chain of quests that shows the lengths people will go for love. There are many dark secrets and strange twists in this haunting story of secrecy and tainted love.
Geralt uncovers the existence of a Botchling, the Baron’s violent side, the horrific deal the wife made with the Crones, and learns that the young daughter Amara understandably does not wish to return to this nightmare. At least the Baron gets to live with his unborn child now turned into a Lubberkin.
3 Through Time And Space
In this interesting quest, the player gets a taste of the incredible interdimensional powers some mages in this world have. It turns out that interdimensional travel is a fickle magic, one that even a powerful sage like Avallac’h can’t fully control.
This results in an interesting exploration of other worlds as the player finds the portals to hop to the next location in an effort to rejoin Avallac’h. The Second World is a particularly interesting location to explore and the concept of a sentient living sea in Diddiwedht Desert sounds incredible.
2 Battle Of Kaer Morhen
The quest Battle Of Kaer Morhen is one of the better fights in the entire game. Geralt has allied with a number of other individuals to defend Ciri from the Wild Hunt. The player’s role in the battle is to quickly seal the portals giving the Wild Hunt warriors access and defend the keep at all costs.
It’s an epic battle that can be made easier depending on how many Brothers In Arms quests you completed. In the end, it’s a hopeless battle and you as Geralt fight seemingly to the bitter end until Ciri’s powers manifest just in time.
1 On Thin Ice
Where Battle Of Kaer Morhen had the best battle, On Thin Ice has easily the best Boss fights. After preparing a solid plan to assault the Wild Hunt everything goes haywire and the plans largely go out the window.
It ended up being a three-way battle between Geralt and his allies, the Wild Hunt, and the Skelligers. Fighting both Caranthir and Eredin were interesting combat moments that required the player to call upon every skill and trick they’d learned in the game. This quest also had a great twist at the end that few fans saw coming.