The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt is a fascinating RPG that presents the player with a number of interesting and difficult choices to make throughout the course of the story. Some choices will be minor, affecting the level of reward or difficulty of the quest, but others can alter characters' lives and shape the political landscape.
Out of all the choices players must make, there are fourteen that stand out as being particularly important either to Geralt, those closest to him, or to the citizens and leaders of nations. Be warned, not all choices have a clear-cut good or bad decision to be made, and a few will be very trying regardless of which direction you choose.
Updated August 20, 2022, by Talha Bin Rizwan: The Witcher 3 is well known for its story-driven and choice-centric gameplay where players' decisions shape the world around them. They are asked to make several choices throughout their experience from mundane to decisions that will shape the fate of the entire Witcher world. With such an abundance of choices to make, players often get confused and make the wrong decisions that they later regret. A choice that may seem trivial at the time can have lasting consequences throughout the game. It is therefore important to recognize which decisions are the important ones and which decisions are trivial.
22 What Geralt Did Before The Events Of The Game
Players loading up a fresh copy of The Witcher 3 without having played the previous games won't really feel like they're missing out on the full experience this game can provide. After all, one need only answer a few questions near the start of the game to determine the decisions they made in the second game — or wanted to make, at the very least.
This makes these actions canon in the events of The Witcher 3. Everything from the person who Geralt sided with in The Witcher 2 to the fate of Letho are all dictated by the answers given by the player here. It's a deceptively important set of questions indeed.
21 Dealing With The Spirit Of Anabelle
The quest "A Towerful of Mice" is easily one of the best side stories in the entirety of The Witcher 3, and showcases just why the game was lauded by fans and critics alike. During this quest, Geralt ends up encountering the spirit of Anabelle. This tragic figure was eaten alive by mice after a spell that was meant to paralyze her ended up being way too effective.
Anabelle asks Geralt to take her bones to her lover Graham. This turns out to have dire consequences when the spirit — a plague maiden — ends Graham's life and decides to spread her disease to the countryside. However, if the player is diligent, they can refuse this request, fight the plague maiden, and ultimately allow her to die in her lover's arms by bringing Graham over to the tower instead.
20 Helping Or Evicting Sarah
During his quest to find Ciri, Geralt stumbles upon an Oneiromancer called Corinne who could help him locate his long-lost adopted child. However, there's a slight issue. The Oneiromancer was being plagued by nightmares as a result of the godling, Sarah — an innocent mistake, once players understand the full picture.
After this reveal and freeing Corinne from her nightmare, Geralt can either let Sarah stay or evict the godling. The former decision leads to said godling forming a friendship with the Oneiromancer, while the latter causes her to bunk with Johnny instead.
19 Pretending To Capture Triss & Interrogating Menge
This ploy involves interrogating Menge in order to get useful information on Dandelion's capture, and also learn the location of Djikstra's treasure. It's rather hair-raising, mainly due to the fact that Geralt needs to pretend that he captured Triss in order to secure this information. This leads to Triss being tortured while Geralt is talking to Menge, which might compel most players to stop this plan in its tracks and attack the witch hunters.
However, players should ask about the treasure first before going through this course of action, unless they don't wish for Djikstra's support at Kaer Morhen. Of course, truly monstrous players can let Triss be tortured to get all the information they need. In this situation, Triss will end up killing the torturers and kills Menge in a fit of rage as well.
18 Whether Or Not To Kill The Cursed Baby
In the quest "Family Matters," the player discoves the Baron’s family is being hunted by a Botchling. This once-human baby, through improper burial, became a ravenous creature out for vengeance. The events leading up to the Botchling's creation is tragic, but the choice the player has to make to handle the problem is equally disturbing.
There are two ways to deal with this creature: kill the Botchling or turn it into a Luberkin. Either will benefit the player equally. The choice lies in whether the player wishes to slay this tragic creature, or turn it into a ghost-like being that will benevolently haunt the house for eternity.
17 Fate Of The Mages
In the quest "Now or Never" Triss comes to Geralt for help in freeing the mages of Novigrad who are being hunted and slaughtered. Geralt has the option of coming to their aid and helping them escape.
It seems pretty cut and dry, but the dilemma is what happens after. If Geralt helps the mages escape, the city will direct its wrath on the local non-humans (Elves, Dwarves, etc.). If he refuses to assist, the mages will be cut down as they try to escape on their own. Basically, the player can either save a group of mages from execution, or spare the nonhuman population temporarily from violence and discrimination.
16 Fate Of Keira
Keira is a sorceress caught up in the crusade by King Radovid seeking to exterminate all mages and sorceresses in the area. She also is key to finding Ciri. The player has a number of choices that can lead to her survival, death by Geralt's hands, or her being burned at the stake.
This is the result of the decision to try and appease the King for her safety, or convince her to seek refuge in Kaer Morhen and live while letting her fellow magic-users suffer. Ultimately, protecting her is better for everyone, but it's the player's choice.
15 Punishing Junior
Whoreson Junior is one of the four major crime bosses in Novigrad, and scum of humanity. When you finally track him down, he’s surrounded by the mutilated bodies of young women.
Geralt has the option of killing the man outright for his crimes. Doing so will allow the Doppler Dudu to take over, scrap the illegal enterprises and run a number of legitimate businesses. However, letting Junior live causes him to lose his power anyway. He becomes a beggar on the streets tormented by children. The former benefits the town and the latter is a more fitting punishment.
14 Free Or Kill The Tree Spirit
Part of a series of quests, The Whispering Hillock puts the player in a terrible situation. Destroying the Ghost in the Tree allows Anna to survive her captivity. However, she is driven insane as the orphans in the village are sacrificed to the Crones.
Letting the Ghost in the Tree live, on the other hand, will result in the destruction of Downwarren and the death of Anna. This causes the Baron to commit suicide, but the orphans will live. To make it even more difficult, the Ghost in the Tree might be the soul of an innocent woman trapped there for eternity.
13 The Fate Of Skellige
In the quest, "King’s Gambit," the player has the option of deciding who will control the region of Skellige. If they back Hjalmar, they will find the Druid responsible for cursing the Vildkaarl. However, Hjalmar becomes a bloodthirsty king intent on conquering his neighbors, and the traitor gets away.
Backing Cerys will result in the discovery of the traitor. She’ll lead the kingdom to prosperity and peace, but fail to find the Druid. Alternatively, the player could ignore the quest entirely. This leads to Skellige coming under the thumb of Svanrige. who rules brutally. Both the traitor and the Druid get away.
12 Who Rules The North
In the quest "Reason of State," Geralt can decide the fate of the Novigrad region and who rules it. If the player ignores the quest, then Radovid takes control of Novigrad and Velen, and continues his campaign of prejudice against the mages and non-humans.
Siding with Dijkstra leads to him ruling the area with an iron fist, but the region prospers from the increased industry. Finally, siding with Vernon Roche and Ves sees everything bow to the Nilfgaardian Empire. While there is peace, the people have limited freedoms. The right answer becomes a matter of the player's own political opinions and needs within the game.
11 Which Soul Mate
Throughout the game, Geralt has the option of romancing Triss, Yennefer, or both. If he chooses both, he deservedly gets rejected. Picking Yennefer feels like a canonical choice. They share a complicated past and they’re a bad fit, but she is seen as Ciri’s mother and shares a childhood with Geralt. Together they live a peaceful, happily-ever-after kind of life.
Triss, on the other hand, is a starting-over point for Geralt without any previous emotional baggage or regrets to muddy the relationship. She pursues a career in politics with Geralt living life in luxury, albeit without purpose. There’s no right or wrong answer. Ultimately, it’s down to the player's preferences and what they envision as an ideal ending for Geralt.
10 Matters Of State
Throughout the story, the player's actions and decisions in various quests will lead to the rise of Temeria, Redania, or Nilfgaard as the dominant power in the region. It's up to the player who should gain the most influence.
Temeria is a pious nation with lots of wealth, but a distrust and prejudice towards the Elder Races. Redania has strong agriculture and a powerful cavalry, but suffers from severe classism with the nobility reigning over impoverished peasants with an iron fist. Niflgaard has a thriving economy and a strong military, but are conquerors and provide limited freedoms to those that surrender to their rule, destroying everyone else.
9 How To Raise Ciri
Perhaps the most important decisions the player must make are in regards to Geralt's daughter, Ciri. There are a number of pivotal moments when he has options in how you respond to things she’s done. The player can also influence her decisions. These choices can result in one of three fates/endings for the game — she becomes a Witcher, she becomes empress of Nilfgaaard, or she dies.
If the player wants her to be a happy and healthy Witcher, then approach each choice regarding her as a father would. Help her, guide her, keep her safe. If Geralt does so, his daughter will live a mostly happy and healthy life.
8 Ciri's Fate
The whole crux of Geralt's quest throughout the game is to find Ciri and save her from The Wild Hunt. Of course, he manages to do so but then has to make certain decisions that can affect her fate at the end of the game. Ciri's fate is also linked with the fate of the whole Continent as she is the biological daughter of the Nilfgaardian Emperor Emhyr var Emreis and his possible successor.
In order for Ciri to become Empress, Geralt needs to follow Emperor Emhyr's instructions and take her to visit him at the earliest possible opportunity. Emhyr then offers payment to Geralt for completing his job and then has a few words with Ciri in private. Players can refuse or accept this payment if they choose, however, taking the money disappoints Ciri who thinks you've sold her out, and can result in a bad ending. Players then play the rest of the game normally and when the game ends, Ciri then takes the throne and rules of Nilfgaard and the North, as Emhyr waged war and conquered the northern kingdoms. Compared to Emhyr, Ciri seems to be the type to be a kind and just ruler rather than a tyrant which bodes well for the Continent, but Ciri seems a bit unhappy with the idea.
If players do not take Ciri to the Emperor, then she can possibly become a Witcher herself after the ending, without undergoing the mutations of course. To do so, Geralt would need to treat Ciri like an independent woman and trust her to make her decisions. He must be the supporting father to Ciri and if everything is done correctly, then he will gift Ciri a silver sword after the game ends and the two go on the Path together as father and adopted daughter. Emhyr will not meet Ciri in this case and will rule Nilfgaard and the conquered North himself with an iron fist. He eliminates any opposition to him and rules the entire Continent as the Emperor. The game doesn't elaborate further, but it is implied that his rule may be a tough one for those who do not fancy him as their ruler. Ciri on the other hand is much happier to have chosen her own fate and Geralt enjoys having his adopted daughter safe and sound with him.
7 Accepting Or Rejecting Payment From Emperor Emhyr When Ciri Meets Him
After Geralt meets Ciri, and they face off against the Wild Hunt at Kaer Morhen, players will be faced with the choice to take her to see Emperor Emhyr. Doing so will unlock the Empress ending where Ciri becomes the Empress of Nilfgaard and not doing so will have Ciri become a Witcher alongside Geralt, sans mutations.
Provided players pick the former and take Ciri to see the Emperor, they will be faced with another choice. Emhyr will be pleased that Geralt brought Ciri to him and will offer payment for doing so. If players accept, then Ciri becomes disappointed and feels as if Geralt has sold her out. This can possibly lead to the bad ending where she dies. There are more decisions to be made where players can salvage their game and ensure Ciri's survival, however, they will need to make a perfect choice every time. But if Geralt refuses payment then Ciri appears to be happy that Geralt had her best interests at heart. Provided players make the correct choices afterwards as well, Ciri survives the ending and then becomes the Empress of Nilfgaard.
6 Visiting Professor Shakeslock During The Hearts Of Stone DLC
During the main questline for the Heart of Stone DLC, players are given the optional objective to visit Professor Shakeslock. Shani tells Geralt that the professor is an expert on black magic and may be able to help him deal with the Gaunter O'Dimm. While technically an optional objective, completing this task will give players vital knowledge on how to challenge and defeat Gaunter O'Dimm at his own game.
Whether to save Olgeird or not is one of the important choices players will make in the Witcher 3. In order to do so, players must visit the professor at his residence in Oxenfurt and talk to him about Gaunter O'Dimm. The professor will be guarded by some witch hunters who decided his talents will be more useful to their cause, so players will have to use an alternate way to get inside.
5 Beating Gaunter O'Dimm
Hearts of Stone is centered around Geralt helping Gaunter O'Dimm fulfill a deal he made with Olgeird von Everec. Olgeird gives Geralt a set of tasks, after which he will surrender his soul to Gaunter. Over the course of the DLC, players will learn the tragic set of circumstances that led Olgeird to make a deal with Gaunter in the first place, and depending on their choices, may be able to challenge Gaunter O'Dimm.
Doing so will require a timely dialogue interrupt as Gaunter comes to collect Olgeird's soul. Gaunter will then give Geralt a riddle he'd have to solve, and afterward will be beaten at his own game and will be banished, leaving Olgeird and his heart free.
4 Reading The Journals In The Playroom
In the Blood and Wine DLC, players will be sent to Toussaint where they will be contracted by Duchess Anna Henrietta to get rid of a serial killer known as the "Beast of Beauclair." During the course of the main quest, players will come across the playroom that was once used by the Duchess and her sister Syanna as children.
Scattered across the room are journal entries that players can read. Doing so is one of the requirements to achieve the best ending to the DLC. Players need to read at least two journal entries for the requirements to be fulfilled.
3 Retrieving Syanna's Ribbon
During the quest Beyond Hill and Dale, Geralt will enter the fairy tale land described in the magical books that feature characters and locations from various childrens' stories. Here, Geralt will find a little girl selling flint who will have a special ribbon that once belonged to Syanna.
Players can get the ribbon through several ways from the girl, and doing so will ensure that Syanna lives when she meets the vampire Dettlaff. The higher vampire will attempt to kill Syanna in revenge, but the ribbon's power will teleport her out from the location and keep her from harm.