You can never have enough decks of playing cards in The Witcher 3 The Witcher 3's hardest quest is probably Collect 'Em All, and it behoves us to include detailed instructions as part of our The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt guide and walkthrough This particular quest has you collecting every Gwent card available to you It's not that Gwent itself is particularly difficult (with our guide to how to win at Gwent it's that it's very hard to track what you have and haven't got or know in advance what needs to be done to avoid missing unique opportunities Most "answers" to this problem give you a list of every card in the game Reconciling these lists with your current Gwent deck is a pain thanks to how cards are sorted in the deck menu and there are so many missable cards that consulting this list at the end of the game can be heartbreaking Here's my proposed solution: a list of everything you need to do to collect every Gwent card you too can know the joy of seeing the Card Collector achievement notification here's where to get every Gwent card in The Witcher 3 and complete the Collect 'Em All quest There are three ways to acquire Gwent cards in The Witcher 3 in addition to those granted to you at the start of the game: purchase them from vendors Below we've embedded interactive maps showing the location of each Gwent Card and the players you need to win them from To complete your Gwent collection in The Witcher 3 you must purchase every card on sale in the Northern Realms This is the easiest way to collect cards and CD Projekt RED has helpfully patched out an issue with the innkeeper in White Orchard after many players found themselves unable to obtain the Gwent cards there Check out the merchants by the bridge in White Orchard if you miss the innkeeper make sure you exit the vendor's storefront and then pop back in; sometimes you can purchase duplicate cards this way Having multiple Decoy and Commander's Horn cards can make your life a lot easier when you go after rare cards Here's a list of all the vendors you need to visit to purchase every card If you trot round all of these as soon as you have access to each major area you'll have gathered a pretty varied deck with little to no effort - just a bit of galloping past high-level threats There are several Gwent quests where you'll face better than average opponents in The Witcher 3 which will reward you with Gwent cards you can't get anywhere else (even though random NPCs use them in their decks) It's possible to miss or fail these quests or just complete them without playing Gwent - but as of patch 1.05 and later fail-safes were added for most of the cards you could miss if a character became unavailable All you need to do to track down the NPC specific card is to select the Gwent quest and follow the waypoint to the card if your actions cause the Bloody Baron to leave Velen before you win a card from him you can miss Dandelion and a couple of other cards by failing to win a tournament during the quest A Matter of Life and Death You receive this quest after the tutorial match in White Orchard Battle Stepjan at the Alchemy Inn in Oxenfurt the unnamed Barkeep at the Inn at the Crossroads and Olivier at the Kingfisher Inn in Novigrad Complete this quest before secondary quest Now or Never but it does reward you with a card not found anywhere else Note that you can come back to the palace and beat him at any time; you don't need to do it on your first visit You receive this quest by checking the notice board in Crow's Perch and the prodigy Haddy at Midcopse; each of the players will point you to another one If you do not complete this quest before the conclusion of Family Matters search his rooms thoroughly after Return to Crookback Bog to find his card and a lead on the next player You receive this quest by playing Gwent with Vimme Vivaldi or by checking notice boards around Novigrad Battle Vimme Vivaldi at the bank in Novigrad Marquise Serenity at the Passiflora in Novigrad Sigismund Dijkstra in the Bathhouse in Novigrad and the Scoia'Tael Trader in the camp near Lucian's Windmill Complete this quest before Reason of State or risk missing out forever Receive this quest by challenging Zoltan Chivay or Vernon Roche Battle Zoltan Chivay at the Thyme and Rosemary in Novigrad any time after reporting back to him during Broken Flowers; Vernon Roche at the Temerian Partisan Camp outside Novigrad any time he is not absent due to quests such as A Deadly Plot and An Eye for an Eye (feel free to wander in as soon as you cross the Pontac); Lambert either in The Nowhere Inn during Pulling the Thread (you have to tell him you'll meet him at your next objective then talk to him as he walks out) or at Kaer Morhen; and Thaler either during A Deadly Plot or at the Seven Cats Inn thereafter Complete this quest before The Battle of Kaer Morhen and Reason of State or risk missing out forever Receive this quest by challenging Crach an Craite or Ermion Battle Crach an Craite at Kaer Trolde; Ermion at Kaer Trolde or Gedyneith; Sjusta the Tailor (barber) at Kaer Trolde Harbour; Germist the Druid at Gedyneith after completing the secondary quest Practicum in Advanced Alchemy; and "Madman" Lugos at Kaer Muire Complete this quest before Battle Preparations or miss out forever The only way to get the Dandelion card, plus some other cards depending on which DLC you have installed, is to be victorious at the three-game tournament optionally playable during secondary quest A Matter of Life and Death Complete this side quest for Zoltan Chivay to receive three cards not available anywhere else you can elect to keep the cards or take the money This secondary quest is available as soon as you arrive in Novigrad but you need 1,000 crowns to enter and a tournament-ready deck as you'll need the best cards you can find; it's not easy The rest of the Gwent cards in the Witcher 3 are won by winning matches against opponents There are a few things to bear in mind here: There are opponents to be found in almost every town - check innkeepers Just ensure you've completed each of the steps and quests above and that elusive Gwent Collect 'Em All trophy will be yours You can also check out our The Witcher 3 main quest guide, as well as our Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine guides if you want to jump straight into the DLC No part of this website or its content may be reproduced without the copyright owner's permission VG247 is a registered trademark of Gamer Network Limited This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors Penelope and Colin’s ‘Bridgerton’ romance has sparked toxic fatphobic commentary online. But the double standards show it’s always been about sexism as much as sizeism, writes Helen Coffey I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Are We Still Not Ready For A Mixed-Weight Romance On Screen?” This headline, referring to season three of the Netflix sensation Bridgerton triggered a wave of fury and disbelief across the internet “‘Mixed-weight relationships’ I hate it here,” tweeted one observer “Can you please stick ‘mixed-weight romance’ highlighting that some commenters online had branded the romance “unrealistic” – because Colin is thin that Coughlan “is not hot” and that the idea of a “fat girl who wins the prince” wasn’t “remotely plausible” the inherent arrogance of presuming that any individual’s narrow idea of “hotness” should somehow be the benchmark beggars belief But what really irritates me about this tired viewpoint aside from the staggering idea that anyone who doesn’t meet conventional Hollywood beauty standards couldn’t possibly be considered attractive enough to play a leading lady While the Forbes article itself was in fact nuanced – it argued that thin people “desire love and marry people who are larger than they are all of the time” – the headline was missing one vital element “Are We Still Not Ready For A Mixed-Weight Romance On Screen Where the Woman is Fat?” Because here’s the rub: no one seems to have a problem when it’s the man who’s not rocking a six-pack I grew up watching numerous shows in which the central couple or characters had a significant “weight discrepancy” But it only ever went one way: Homer and Marge Simpson on The Simpsons; Doug and Carrie Heffernen (Kevin James and Leah Remini) on The King of Queens; Peter and Lois Griffin on Family Guy; Tony and Carmela Soprano (James Gandolfini and Edie Falco) on The Sopranos; George Costa (Jason Alexander) and every single woman he dated on Seinfeld… it was seen as nothing but totally reasonable that larger-than-life John Candy would fall in love with a slender Ally Sheedy in Only the Lonely untoned dad bod in comedies that saw him bed some of the world’s most beautiful women (Nicole Kidman a portly young Jonah Hill wasn’t spurned in his insulting and clumsy advances towards Emma Stone’s slim it’s part of a wider trope that sees distinctly average-looking men paired with Hollywood sirens – this being “realistic” while the reverse is “implausible” Think Jason Segel films in which no suspension of disbelief is required to accept that Mila Kunis Cameron Diaz and Katherine Heigl would be his romantic equal; think Jack Black bagging Shannyn Sossamon and Kate Winslet in The Holiday I’m not taking aim at these casting decisions – why shouldn’t the regular Joe get the girl once in a while – but I am pointing the finger at the flagrant hypocrisy whenever the tables are turned Netflix’s superb recent adaptation of the David Nicholls bestseller One Day with the lead characters of Emma and Dexter beautifully brought to life by Ambika Mod and Leo Woodall There was a disturbing amount of chatter at the time concerning the story not feeling “realistic” because how could an audience be expected to believe that perfect pretty-boy Dex would fancy smart but plain Em – even though this conceit is central to the original book Here’s how: love stories – the good ones anyway – aren’t some kind of endless an unknowable alchemy of pheromones and magic Looks are the very least of what makes a romantic tale interesting In the latest series of Bridgerton, Penelope and Colin’s spark is palpable; it leaps off the screen, electricity fizzing between gazes that linger just a little too long, hands grazing hands and sending shivers down spines. Who cares what dress size Coughlan, an undeniably skilled actor (and in my book pretty damn hot), is wearing upon her exquisitely heaving bosom as she gets expertly ravished in the back of a carriage Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies {"adUnitPath":"71347885/_main_independent/in_life-style/in_main/image/gallery_mpu_sb","autoGallery":true,"disableAds":false,"gallery":[{"data":{"title":"Bridgerton season 3 Penelope Colin carriage scene","description":"Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) confess their feelings for each other in a carriage ","caption":"Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) and Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) in ‘Bridgerton’ Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) and Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) in ‘Bridgerton’ But the double standards show it’s always been about sexism as much as sizeism Here's how to complete the Brothers in Arms: Velen quest in The Witcher 3 In the Brothers in Arms: Velen quest in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt you'll need to complete secondary quests to gather allies from Velen to assist Geralt Yennefer and the witchers of Kaer Morhen in a battle against The Wild Hunt The Brothers in Arms quests are well worth completing as you acquire allies for an upcoming battle For a helping hand gathering all the folk in Velen here's our guide on how to complete the Brothers in Arms: Velen quest in The Witcher 3 Between Va Fail, Elaine and The Isle of Mists it is in your best interests to gather allies If you've been completing secondary quests as they arise this is no difficult task Here are our recommendations for getting the job done in Velen: the sorceress Keira Metz is hiding out in Velen Help her out with her projects to secure her assistance in the great battle ahead - and optionally get your bow-chika-wow-wow on With these tasks complete, you can attend to Brothers in Arms: Novigrad and Brothers in Arms: Skellige next. Alternatively, if you have completed all three regions, go on to The Isle of Mists Here's everything you need to know about Velen (No Man's Land) in Act One of The Witcher 3 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is truly sodding enormous and it is at this stage - entering Velen (No Man's Land) during Act One of the game - that some of you may feel an urge to cry as you need not complete everything in Velen at once You can always return here later to finish things off there are a few things you'll need to do before scarpering off In this walkthrough of Velen during Act One of The Witcher 3 we detail everything you can do at this point of the game and how to do it but soon drops us down at a familiar looking tree you may remember from an early This one fast travel signpost is your key to the entirety of Velen including areas like Novigrad and Oxenfurt and such a huge number many points of interest to uncover that you'd be mad to go after them all right now Much of the content in Velen is very high level you should pay attention to CD Projekt's RED's level recommendations they're an excellent guide to what you should be doing now and what you should leave for later visits © 2025 VG247 a brand of IGN Entertainment, Inc. 18 Mansell Street Level 3, London, E1 8AA, United Kingdom.All rights reserved. No part of this website or its content may be reproduced without the copyright owner's permission. VG247 is a registered trademark of Gamer Network Limited, an affiliate of IGN Entertainment, Inc. by Jeffrey Parkin LinkImage: CD Projekt Red via PolygonJeffrey Parkin (he/him) has been writing video game guides for Polygon for almost seven years He has learned to love just about every genre of game that exists.As you explore The Witcher 3’s world These magical stones temporarily increase the intensity of Geralt’s Signs You’ll also receive an Ability Point the first time you visit each Place of Power approach the glowing stone and press the prompted button Pressing it briefly will get you your Sign buff but you’ll have to hold it down for a couple seconds to collect your Ability Point on your first visit we’ve got a map for all six Places of Power in Velen – No Man’s Land Velen – No Man’s Land is the second area you’ll explore in The Witcher 3. It’s also much larger than White Orchard. Once the Places of Power are marked as Points of Interest question marks (along with everything else remotely interesting in the region), you’ll have a lot of exploring to do to reach them. Use our map above to sort out which of those question marks are Places of Power. We’ve also labeled the area’s Signposts to make it easier to Fast Travel close to each. Visiting a Place of Power will buff the associated Sign for 30 minutes. The best of Polygon in your inbox, every Friday. All of the Witcher 3 contracts and how to complete them One thing worth mentioning before you carry on is that many of these quests will be in Undiscovered Locations initially so you might want to check the Notice Boards to add some markers to your map.  You can grab this contract from the Notice Board in White Orchard proper head to the house on the west edge of town and speak to Odolan You'll learn about a ghostly woman plaguing a nearby water source The next step is to ride south to the Abandoned Village marked on the map use Witcher Sense to examine the ground around the well and learn about Noonwraiths then continue to examine the abandoned buildings until you find a diary You'll eventually have to hop into the well itself and find a bracelet in the water below Read the diary and return the bracelet to the corpse by the well You can start this quest at the Notice Board at the Inn at the Crossroads. Read about a man's missing brother, then enter the nearby tavern and speak to Bruno. Head northeast to your new marker to find a large, watery mine. You need to head all the way to the rear chamber of the mine - this path will take you through a water-filled tunnel. When you reach the chamber, a brief cut scene will play, then you'll have to fight the master of the cavern: a giant, poisonous arachas. The battle itself isn't too bad, though the boss does have pretty high defence - oils will help. Be sure to take care of any additional spider-lings that crawl into the arena too. Return to Bruno after the fight for a nice reward. You can get this contract from the Notice Board in Midcopse. Do so, then head to the ealdorman marked on your map to learn about a wraith terrorizing the area. Talk to some townsfolk for witness accounts, then head to the field outside of town. Use your Witcher Senses to follow some footprints to a shallow grave. Grab the letter atop the grave and read it, then return to the ealdorman to learn where the wraith might be hiding out. Head to that marker and wait for nightfall - Jenny will appear. This battle works like any wraith fight: use Yrden and dodge her swiping attacks, taking out any clones she might spawn. Slay her and return to the ealdorman to finish your quest. You can grab this contract from the Crow's Perch Notice Board. When you do, head to the marker town and talk to Chet to learn about a "shrieker" that are plaguing the area. Talk to some locals to learn more if you wish, then head to your new marker to investigate the attack scene. Use your Witcher Senses to find some tracks and a blood trail at the site. Follow these to reach the Burned Ruins. Find the entrance and head inside to locate the shrieker, a Cockatrice, in its nest Use a bomb to drive it out of the cave, then head outside. When you spot the Cockatrice, chase after it until it swoops down to do battle. Now you must slay this bird-beast. Watch for its wide wing swipes, and use Aard when possible - it works particularly well here. After the battle, return to Chet for a reward. Prerequisite: Begin "Master Armorers." | Suggested Level: 24 The acid Yoana needs comes from the rare archgriffin. Luckily, a new notice will appear on the board in Crow's Perch that'll lead you to one. Head to the search area and use your Witcher Senses to find a corpse and some griffin tracks. Follow these to encounter the archgriffin on a hill nearby. The fight shouldn’t be too tough, but Grapeshot, Hybrid Oil, and Aard will help if you need them. Once you're victorious, speak to the quartermaster in Crow's Perch for a reward. You can grab this contract from the Notice Board in Oreton. Do so, then speak to the Nilfgaardian commander in town, Milan Noran, to learn about a monster that's been killing near the Byways. This area will be marked on your map, so head there to find a squad of ghouls. Take them out and a few townspeople will appear. They won't be any help, so use your Witcher Senses to inspect the corpses in the area. This will eventually trigger a bloody scent trail. Follow it to a nearby house, and you'll be stopped by a villager. You'll also learn the truth about what happened here. Enter the house and use the trap door to enter a tunnel. Follow these to find the beast responsible for the murders: an ekimmara. Kill it - Devil's Puffballs, Vampire Oil, and Igni all help - and let the villagers know the threat has passed. Return to Milan Noran for your reward. Prerequisite: Complete "Wandering in the Dark." | Suggested Level: 12 You can get this contract from the Downwarren Notice Board. Once you do, head to your marker and speak to Leslav, who warns of a monster prowling around the bog. The next step is to investigate the foggy area where it's said to lurk. Use your Witcher Senses here to find some bodies; this will eventually lead to a misty red trail. Follow this to a blocked cave opening and use the Eye of Nehaleni to open the way. Head inside to meet the "swamp thing" itself: Ignis Fatuus. This battle can be tough - Ignis can deal some heavy damage - so stay on your toes and use effective tools like Necrophage Oil and Quen to come out on top. Once you do, return to Leslav to for your reward. You can get this contract from the Lindenvale Notice Board. Do so, then speak to the gravedigger. He'll tell you about a creature that plagued the graveyard and stole a child from the village. Head to the graveyard marked on your map and take out the rabid dogs that have laid claim to the area. Use your Witcher Senses to check the graves; one of them will activate a scent trail. Follow this to find an old hut, then use your Senses to investigate the stuff inside. Grab the skull and return to the graveyard. Place the skull on the pedestal inside the lone building to summon Mourntart the Grave Hag. Kill her - Necrophage Oil, Yrden, and Quen all work well - then return to the gravedigger to claim your reward. You can get this contract from the Lindenvale Notice Board too. Speak to the hunter down the lane to learn of something that's been killing wolves in the area. Head to the search area and use your Witcher Senses to spot some tracks. These will lead you to a tree where the beast left some fur, and this will activate a scent trail. Follow this to find a cave you can't access. Head up the nearby hill and look for a hole into the other end of the cave. Inside, you'll find a strange scene: a dead fiend and a bunch of tracks. Use your Witcher Senses to examine everything, and you'll realize you're dealing with a chort. Check outside the entrance you couldn't use for some fiend dung, then pick the nearby bushes for come crow's eye. Mix these into a chort lure and pour it at the spots marked on the map. Head back to the cave to confront the chort. Be prepared for a tough fight, though Devil's Puffballs and Relict Oil will help. Once you've bested the beast, return to the hunter for your reward. This quest is found in the village of Benek, on the eastern edge of Velen. Speak to the refugee there to learn that his caravan has gone missing. Start your search by heading to your marker and using Witcher Senses to find some clues. Once a red scent trail pops up, follow it to a large cavern where the refugee traders await. They'll tell you what happened - a Royal Wyvern attack. Head out the other end of the cavern to find two wyverns and two nests. Take them out and destroy the nests to summon the big bad Royal Wyvern itself. Now you'll have to slay the beast. It can be a tough fight, but bombs, oils, and Aard will help. Slay the beast and return to the contract issuer in Benek for your reward. Prerequisite: Complete "Family Matters." | Suggested Level: 6 You can get this contract from the Notice Board in Oxenfurt - it's the only one considered a Velen job - and meet the commander who issued it far to the west, at the Pontar. He'll tell you of a "beast" that attacked a convoy nearby. Head to you new marker, take out the enemies there and use your Witcher Senses to examine the area. Something's off, so start tracking the footprints you find. When you reach a stream, cross over, take out the Drowners, and keep tracking. You'll eventually find the true "beast": a band of thieving elves. Take them out, loot their corpses, and return to the commander for your reward. You can get this contract from the Notice Board in the Nilfaardian Army Group 'Center' Camp (it's in the southeast corner of the map). Once you've grabbed it, speak to Quartermaster Eggebracht in a nearby tent to learn more about the patrol that's disappeared. Head to your new marker in the swamp to the north to find an abandoned campsite. Use your Witcher Senses to detect some footprints, then follow these until you encounter a Wyvern - there will be some wolves and a dead body along the way. Slay the Wyvern, loot its corpse, and return to the quartermaster for your reward. You can get this contract from the Oxenfurt Notice Board. Once you do, speak to the Redanian captain near Radovid's boat to learn of a beast that's been killing around the city. Talk to the captain for more information on the bodies and witnesses. Step two is to head to the city inn and speak to the booze-heavy woman there. She'll tell you about the attack she survived. After this talk, you can check the alleyway next to the tavern with your Witcher Senses to find a discarded bracelet belonging to the attacker. Now you need to visit the medic on the southern shore of the city. After a talk, he'll let you in to examine the bodies. Do so to figure out the killer's identity: a katakan. Return to the inn and buy a drink to get some alcohol in your system. This will summon the beast. Stagger into the street, and Geralt will mumble like a drunkard. You'll have to do this in three different spots to get the creature's attention. After a few blows, it will flee. Use your Witcher Senses to track it to a hut to the north. Climb the ladder outside to drop in on the beast, then finish it off. Return to the Redanian for a reward. This contract comes from the Oxenfurt Notice Board. Ride to the small camp east of the city and speak to Hans; he'll tell you of some beast that's been prowling the area. Head to your new marker and use Witcher Senses to examine a corpse and a blood smear. The search area will widen, so keep your senses up to find a severed arm and a trail of blood droplets. Follow these, and you'll soon reach the end of the trail. You'll open a new search area, but your target is easy to find. Head for the swarm of birds you see above - this will send you right into an archgriffin's nest. Return at nighttime to battle the beast. This is a high-level fight, so have some oils (and maybe a decoction) at the ready; Aard is also effective. Once you’re victorious, return to Hans for a reward. If you found the contract in the griffin's nest earlier, you'll get more. This contract comes from the Glory Gate Notice Board. Check it, then head southeast to Cunny of the Goose. Speak to the Halfling by the counter inside to hear of a woodland monster that attacked his dwarf employees. You can speak to one of them in the same room to learn more. Now you'll have to head to Logger's Hut, across the river southwest of the city. Use your Witcher Senses to find some wagon tracks, then follow these along the road - expect to encounter some nekkers along the way too. When you reach the abandoned wagon, use your Senses again to find some dead bodies in the area. The cause? A leshen. The first thing you need to do is destroy its totems. Check your markers until you find it, then bust it up with your sword to summon the beast. Leshens can take a lot of damage, but Igni will give you a boost. After the fight, return to the Halfling at Cunny of the Goose to claim your reward. Grab this contract from the Glory Gate notice board, and you'll be sent to speak to the widow Helma about a spectre that's been haunting the fields outside the city. You'll then get a new marker at Drahim Castle, so head there. Scale the many ladders of the tower to reach the top, where you can use your Witcher Senses to find a strange whirlwind pattern. Now check back outside near the base; you'll find bloodstains leading to a corpse in the cellar. Finally, head back outside to find some deep footprints. These will lead you to more bodies, and the realization that you're dealing with a noonwraith. Return to Helma, and she'll give you the blade the noonwraith used to take her own life. Take this to where you found the bodies to summon the lady herself. Slay her - Yrden will be a big help - and return to Helma to end the quest. Grab this contract from the Notice Board in Hierarch Square, then head into the nearby Kingfisher. In here, you can speak to Count Kurt Dysart, who owns an estate he believes to be haunted. Head to your new marker at the Moldavie Residence to check it out. Head inside and use your Witcher Senses to examine any red-outlined objects. When you reach the basement, use Aard on the crumbling brick wall to find a hidden cave beneath the house. There's also an ancient locked door. Hop in the water and swim east to find a lever to open said door, then return and head through. Beyond is an Earth Elemental named Thereazane, trapped in a magical bond. Use Aard on the pedestal behind him to break the bond and start a battle. It won't be that tough, but the Elemental has very high defence. Once you've whittled it down to size, return to the Count for your reward. Check the Notice Board in Harborside to get this contract, then speak to the guard at the fish market to learn about a night patrol that got wiped out. Go talk to the medic that examined their corpses and ask him some questions about what happened. This will send you to the spot where the bodies where found. Use your Witcher Senses to find a strange set of hoof-print tracks. Follow these to wind up outside Crippled Kate's, a brothel. Examine the perfume bottle nearby to get a scent, then follow the red mist to encounter a very dazed townsperson. After a talk with him, it's clear what you're dealing with here: a succubus. To get inside her house, enter the neighbouring one. Head to the second floor, climb the ladder, then scale the next ladder outside. This will let you drop right into her bedroom. Head down a floor and slay her, then return to the guard in the fish market for a reward. You can get this contract from the Notice Board in Yantra. Head to the lovely Honeyfill Meadworks to the south and speak to Holofernus Meiersdorf to learn about some creature that's been plaguing his beehives. Two of Holofernus' sons will take you the site, so tag along with them. When you reach the hive, you'll also find some tracks. Follow them to the lake, then head around the perimeter clockwise; the tracks will pick up near a group of Drowners. This time, they will lead you to an abandoned build site. You won't be able to get through the locked cellar door where the tracks lead, but Holofernus' sons can let you in. Inside, you'll find the phantom: a Hound of the Wild Hunt. This guy can be tough to take down, but Igni and Axii will definitely help. Once you've won, loot the corpse and return to Holofernus for your reward. Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more Freelance WriterTony lives in Maryland where he writes about those good old-fashioned video games for GamesRadar+ His words have also appeared on GameSpot and G4 but he currently works for Framework Video and runs Dungeons and Dragons streams.  It's all part of a Netflix crossover quest The Witcher 3's Netflix DLC will open a door that's remained closed since the original game first released in 2015 the new-gen version of the game will open the doors for a new quest What happens after the doors open is a new scavenger containing gear from Netflix's The Witcher series Eurogamer reports that the showdown at the end of the mine is "memorable," but don't expect this to be a massive questline: the entire thing should take you right around half an hour to complete the Netflix crossover quest was reportedly set at level 15 for the player Considering that players likely won't be above level 10 when they exit White Orchard for the first time they might have to proceed with other activities and quests in Velen in The Witcher 3 before returning to the big mine to undertake the new crossover quest later on The Witcher 3's PS5 and Xbox Series X versions finally launch next week on December 14 free of charge for anyone who already owns any version of the game The new versions will feature 60FPS gameplay as well as several bug fixes for broken quests Head over to our full hands-on with the Witcher 3 next-gen update preview for what we made of several hours with the new port.  Hirun CryerSocial Links NavigationHirun Cryer is a freelance reporter and writer with Gamesradar+ based out of U.K After earning a degree in American History specializing in journalism and has since been the recipient of the MCV 30 Under 30 award for 2021 In his spare time he freelances with other outlets around the industry Here's where to find each of The Witcher 3's places of power and how to unlock that Power Overwhelming achievement while you're at it The Witcher 3 places of power are special spots Geralt can activate to get a boost for each of his five magic signs You'll get a skill point for visiting each place of power the first time and then just the sign buff each time thereafter since you can see them on the world map and Geralt's medallion will vibrate when you're nearby What the map doesn't tell you is which of the places of power on the map correlate to each of your five witcher signs We have all six places of power in White Orchard Don't just go running off to the first site you see if there's a specific sign you want to boost before a fight Be aware there's also an achievement for activating five places of power at once That's another deed to Geralt's name that's easy for you to pick up while you're here Read on below for a route to get it done quickest the Power Overwhelming is one you'll get for having all five sign buffs active at the same time This isn't too difficult since each bonus stays active for about 20 minutes White Orchard is the easiest place to unlock the Power Overwhelming achievement I'd recommend starting at the northernmost sign the Aard stone north of the Mill fast travel point From there you can hike back downhill to the cemetery yard to grab Igni and east along the road to finish with Yrden Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals You can take Roach on a scenic tour to hit all those spots or just use the fast travel posts if this is but a pit stop on your grand achievements journey Lauren MortonSocial Links NavigationAssociate EditorLauren has been writing for PC Gamer since she went hunting for the cryptid Dark Souls fashion police in 2017 She accepted her role as Associate Editor in 2021 now serving as self-appointed chief cozy games and farmlife sim enjoyer Her career originally began in game development and she remains fascinated by how games tick in the modding and speedrunning scenes can't stop playing co-op survival crafting games and has spent a number of hours she refuses to count building houses in The Sims games for over 20 years Cyberpunk 2077 and Witcher 3 Easter Egg Mystery Finding The Witcher 3 Places of Power gets you skill points to level up your magical Signs These let you boost your magic's potency and unlock new effects to make you more powerful So knowing where these Places of Power are will help make you a far more powerful witcher Our Witcher 3 Places of Power guide has them all listed with pictures and maps to help you find as many as you can Follow our pointers and you'll soon be a force to be reackoned with in the world White Orchard is where you first start your adventures in the Witcher 3 If you’re starting a completely new game we’d recommend actually going to find these Places of Power first as they can give you an early edge in future fights.  This is a Place of Power that’s further up north Only a hundred or so steps away south from the previous Place of Power you’ll find the second Place of Power in White Orchard as it’s right in the middle of the White Orchard cemetery ghosts may be around to stop you from approaching Head west from the White Orchard cemetery to come across the next Place of Power This Place of Power is located in the forest near the Nilfgardian garrison You’ll have to head to the garrison during the main quest so this Place of Power can be avoided until then Depending on where you’re coming from it actually might be better to go to No 4 first this Place of Power is located near a battlefield towards the east you’re heading in the right direction and should be able to hear the familiar music of the Place of Power You’ll come across the fifth Place of Power in White Orchard by doing the quest ‘The Beast of White Orchard’ At one point you’ll find a griffin’s nest Walk south from there until you hear Place of Power not too far from the nest.  The sixth Place of Power isn’t too far from the fifth Head east until you get to an abandoned village and then turn south until you find a slumbering level 6 bear so you’ll want to find all the Places of Power possible there aren't too many Places of Power to get and most of them you can get pretty early on.  you’ll come across Lonruk’s island If you’re looking for the Griffin school of armour you’ll come across this Place of Power anyway as well as the drawbridge that’s currently drawn up you’ll see that the Quen Place of Power is there waiting for you This Place of Power can be found during the ‘Magic Lamp’ quest with Keira Metz Once you solve the mystery during that quest where you’ll come across the Place of Power If you haven’t accessed the Place of Power during that quest Look at the map above where we have located the entrance to the cavern where you’ll be able to find the Place of Power This Place of Power is right at the very southernmost of Velen Finding this Place of Power isn’t all that hard as it sticks out like a sore thumb Just head straight to the very edge of the bog This Place of Power is not too far from the town Downwarren breaking off from the road once you get to a forest-like area.  Keep going and you’ll see a small hill and you’ll see the Yrden Place of Power in front of you All you’ll need to do is make a quick hop over to get there This Place of Power isn’t too difficult to get and if you’ve completed the quest ‘The Whispering Hillock’ you won’t even need to deal with the level 8 werewolf trying to rip you to pieces while exploring If you have a fast travel signpost called ‘The Ancient Oak’ head there as it’s the fastest way to get to the Place of Power It’s hard to explain exactly where it is as there are a ton of trees everywhere in this location so we’ve pinpointed it on the map for you The Quen Place of Power isn’t accessible until you complete the main story quest ‘Bald Mountain’ We’ve pinpointed where the entrance is all the same if you want to get sneaky and try to climb over the wall Novigrad is the easiest location for Place of Power Simply because there’s only two of them to get making it two easy skill points to add to your arsenal.  If you’ve already been to Novigrad and unlocked the Elector’s Square signpost you’ll have access to the Igni Place of Power in no time just head to Novigrad and keep heading north until you reach the upper section of the city turn east and you should see the Igni Place of Power on top of a small Just make sure you don’t fall… The Axii Place of Power is outside of the city Head southeast until you find a small village called Alness keep going southeast until you see a small mountain but anything is worth an extra skill point Skellige isn’t a walk in the park when it comes to Place of Power If you thought Velen was bad when it came to monsters you’ll have to use your boat a lot to get to the Places of Power which can be a real hassle. But remember you’re already getting on a boat and heading to the western isles which is one of the only towns on the island.  you’ll see a trail that leads up to the mountains Follow it until you come across an abandoned falling apart building and climb the rocks up there to rejoin the path at the mountain There you’ll find the Igni Place of Power You’ll want to head further east to gain access to this Place of Power so we recommend either starting at Urialla Harbor or the Trail to Yngvar’s Fang.  just keep following the trail until you come across the Quen Place of Power This is arguably the most important Place of Power due to how it’s very easy to skip depending on the choices you make. To gain this Place of Power you’ll need to side with Cerys during the quest ‘The King’s Gambit’ and investigate the secret tunnels that she’ll lead you through you’ll come across this Place of Power almost immediately you will not be able to get to this place of power.  Just like the previous Quen Place of Power you’ll come across this Place of Power during a quest you won’t have to do certain things in order to obtain it.  The quest is called ‘Sunstone’ and you’ll come across this Place of Power during it as the caverns you’ll be exploring won’t be all that big This Place of Power isn’t too far from where you start when you first arrive in Skellige you’ll be able to see the Axii Place of Power glowing in the distance you’ll need to take the trail around the mountain The nearest fast travel signpost is Gedyneith if you want to start from there There is a level 30 cyclops skulking around nearby Ducking into the cavern may be a good way to avoid him but if you aren’t prepared for the fight we suggest getting in there and then getting out as fast as you can Head south from location 6 until you come across the location Druid’s Camp You’ll see the Place of Power almost immediately and if you can’t through all those trees the familiar thrum of power will send you in the right direction.  One of the worst things about Skellige is how many mountains there are you’ll just need to find the path up the mountain from the village Fornhala Keep following the path until it starts to slope downwards When you see a path branching off to the right follow it until you come across a gap to hop over you’ll be standing in front of the Axii Place of Power It’s time to head southeast to yet another isle If you’ve already been to this isle before we recommend just travelling to the signpost head south and keep following the path.  You’ll get another split in the path you’ll come across the Yrden Place of Power Aimee HartContributorAimee Hart is an editor and award-winning writer with a prolific background in copywriting and freelance reporting and has been in the writing space for over 7 years When she isn't caring far too much about fictional characters and worlds How to Start In the Eternal Fire's ShadowQuest Level: 15 To start the Netflix-inspired quest "In the Eternal Fire's Shadow," you must travel to the northeastern island of Velen—west of Oxenfurt and southeast of the Border Post between Velen and Novigrad The closest Fast Travel location would be the town of Mulbrydale and the second phase of the fight will start The Red Miasmal is an arguably easier fight than Reinald himself The only thing you have to worry about is its range attack that spreads on the floor—as long as you close the distance between Geralt and the spectre Trusty steed Roach can now be petted, and former Geralt actor Henry Cavill's pet dog has a short cameo But another Easter egg discovered by players isn't as easy to solve as those The reference can be found at Destroyed Bastion in Velen where three small ruins now have switches on their walls Flipping the switches causes an Earth Elemental to spawn and once it's been killed a portal will appear This portal will take you to the top of the bastion and descending down leads you to a room with some unkillable Wraiths You'll notice the triangle in the middle has some lines drawn in it, and surrounding it are some letters which can be translated from Slavic Glagolitic This is where things start to get odd, because the lines inside the triangle and the translations all link this to an unsolved mystery in Cyberpunk 2077 The first clue is those lines - they match those on a statue in Cyberpunk There's two more of these statues in Cyberpunk, each with a different code. These were found two years ago, and the answer to what they mean still hasn't been figured out. Guesses from the community have ranged from converting the codes to hex values, guitar notation, and even vibration frequencies of Tibetan singing bowls There's a subreddit dedicated to solving the mystery of FF:06:B5. Pawel Sasko, quest director on Cyberpunk, confirmed on stream last week that FF:06:B5 is yet to be figured out What about those letters on the symbol in The Witcher 3 Is it a pure coincidence that FF has appeared here too The FF:06:B5 community has been using the connection to The Witcher 3 to come up with more theories on the meaning of the code and debate about whether the two games share a universe YouTuber xLetalis has a short rundown on how to find the Easter egg in The Witcher 3 if you want to look for it yourself I'd be lying if I said I'm not intrigued now too.. © 2025 Eurogamer.net a brand of IGN Entertainment Eurogamer is a registered trademark of Gamer Network Limited Which Witcher armor sets are best for Geralt's old bones What are the best armor and gear sets in The Witcher 3? The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt's witcher gear sets are your go-to source for the strongest armor and weaponry in the game for our dear old Butcher of Blaviken Each set belongs to a different witcher school so the blueprints for these unique pieces of equipment must be tracked down in Scavenger missions then crafted with very particular materials There's a fair amount of complexity to armor and gear sets in The Witcher 3 Below we've laid out all the essential information to get you up to speed on the basic ideas behind gear sets before walking you through our rankings for each set Before we get stuck into the details of each of the best armor sets in The Witcher 3 here are the essential need-to-know facts about how armor and gear works: One final piece of advice: don't ignore the suggested levels on the Scavenger Hunt quests They're not just the recommended level for defeating the enemies guarding the diagrams; they're also the required level for actually equipping the gear once you've crafted it So don't bother rushing a set long before you've reached the suggested level Here's our countdown ranking of the best armor and gear sets in The Witcher 3 Now let's take a look at our rankings for the best Witcher gear sets in The Witcher 3 I've also detailed the Scavenger Hunt locations and suggested levels as well as all of the equipment contained within that set Let's not waste time here: the Kaer Morhen Armor is the medium armor that Geralt starts the game wearing I'd refrain from instantly dismantling or selling this rubbish starting armor because you can use it to craft the Warrior's Leather Jacket - a visually identical but statistically superior chest armor piece But even this is only worthwhile if you craft it at the very start of the game because the meagre 30 Armor it provides will soon be far outstripped by other armor you find during your travels because the swords are actually included in the base game - and very early on But you'll need the Hearts of Stone paid DLC to gain access to the Viper armor set - as well as the late-game Venomous variants of both swords The swords are useful in the early game thanks to their poison chance while the armor's claim to fame is a best-in-class resistance to poisoning - and that's on top of some decent elemental and monster resistances too it's rather too niche a gear set to rank very high in our tier list of best gear sets on offer Griffin Gear is the first major set of witcher gear you'll be able to gain access to once you enter Velen and Novigrad The main perk of this set of medium armor (and its associated swords) is a decent buff to sign intensity with each equipped piece Griffin gear seems to go rather under-utilised by the majority of players who have realised over time that sign intensity isn't nearly as valuable in upping your DPS potential as the other main witcher gear sets The Manticore Gear Set is only available in the "Blood and Wine" paid expansion and features a set of medium armor and swords that can only be found in Grandmaster variants - which means as with all the other Grandmaster gear sets you'll have to reach Level 40 before you can make use of them boosting your maximum toxicity and bestowing a bonus to alchemy charges and critical hit effects to your bombs if you equip the entire set with each one boasting a +250 bonus to your Armor piercing alongside a strong critical hit damage boost and a chance to bleed The ultimate gear set for tanks and turtlers the Ursine Heavy Armor set is unmatched in its ability to soak up damage not only providing excellent armor stats and resistance bonuses across the board but also giving you an extremely strong bonus to your Quen sign usage if you upgrade it all the way Add to that some strong Adrenaline Point gain bonuses with each piece you equip and this gear set will also enable you to hit like a truck (or Another witcher gear set only available once you've downloaded the associated free DLC the Wolven Gear Set is a lovely set of medium armor and swords which gives players a jack-of-all-trades option regarding their equipment choices but of course it won't be able to reach the heights in any one category set by the other more focused gear sets the versatility of the Wolf armor and weaponry means it's a firm contender for the best gear set in the game for first-time players Some people suggest that you steer clear of the Feline Gear Set unless you're a seasoned Witcher 3 veteran but I say the benefits are just too good to ignore for any player The only real downside to this gear set is the fact that light armor won't absorb as much damage as medium or heavy armor this set gives you a delightful boost to attack power and critical hit chance - not to mention a chance to cause bleeding with each hit thanks to your two swords as all it contains is a single steel sword I'm just including it here for the sake of completion Available only with the free "Where the Cat and Wolf Play" DLC this sword boasts a 15% increase to your Aard Sign intensity along with some nice Feline-gear-esque boosts to critical hit chance and bleed chance And there you have it! You now have a complete knowledge of all the Witcher 3 armor and gear sets on offer. Now why not supplement your new gear with one of the very best Witcher 3 builds on offer? Alternatively, you can brush up on your own skills with our list of Witcher 3 combat tips and tricks Rock Paper Shotgun is a registered trademark of Gamer Network Limited Our guide to finding every side quest and Contract in the Velen region of The Witcher 3 and how to finish up each and every one of them There are a few low level quests available that you should be able to do on your first plot-related visit and some you'll need to come back for much later there are also a few Gwent leagues to get stuck into and you can try your hand at a spot of horse racing as well you can always engage in some fisticuffs against the local talent if you wish If you're looking for more assistance, our Witcher 3 walkthrough can help The Witcher 3 - Crow Perch Secondary QuestsA handy reference guide for all of the Secondary Quests in Crow Perch The Witcher 3 - Velen: every side quest in the Mudplough and Grayrocks regionsAll of the Secondary Quests in the next two sections of Velen The Witcher 3 - Velen: every side quest in the Descent and Crookback Bog regionsStuck on a Secondary Quest in The Descent The Witcher 3 - Velen: every side quest in the Spitfire Bluffs and The Mire regionsOur walkthrough for all of these side quests in these two areas The Witcher 3 - Velen: every story side quest in this region of the gameHow to finish the Secondary Quests that pop up during the Velen campaign The Witcher 3 - Missing Brother: how to kill HarrisiA complete guide to finishing your first Witcher Contract in Velen The Witcher 3 - Shrieker: how to kill the ShriekerOur step-by-step guide for completing Velen's Shrieker Contract The Witcher 3 - Jenny o' the Woods: how to kill the nightwraithAll you need to know about luring out Jenny and destroying her in battle The Witcher 3 - Patrol Gone Missing: how to kill the wyvernHow to investigate the abandoned camp and beat this deadly bird The Witcher 3 - Mysterious Tracks: how to bait and kill HowlerOur guide to giving Howler something to cry about The Witcher 3 - Swamp Thing: how to kill Ignis FatuusUse the Eye of Nehaleni to uncover your next Contract The Witcher 3 - Mystery of the Byways Murders: how to kill Sarasti, the EkimmaraOur complete guide to completing the next Contract in the Velen region The Witcher 3 - The Merry Widow walkthroughHow to track down and kill Mourntart in the next Velen Contract The Witcher 3 - Woodland Beast walkthroughAll three ways of ending this open-ended Contract When you reach the Troll Bridge marked on your map you'll be challenged to hand over some dosh or face the consequences Here are the choices you can make to finish up the quest Head to Duen Hen and listen to the angry woman You'll need to visit three shrines - one is at the top of Duen Hen another is by the junction of the road heading east out of Blackbough while the final one can be found near the Byways signpost in the south-west section of Velen You'll face a few vandals at the final shrine you visit Agree with the speaker to simply finish up the quest or disagree if you fancy a good old-fashioned fight Fight Ronvid until he gives up rather abruptly but keep your eyes out for this character - you may well stumble into him in a few days' time Return to Fyke Isle at midnight and speak to the pellar then fight off the bad guys - you'll face a mixture of ghouls head to the swamps and use your Witcher Senses to find the pellar's father's corpse Travel towards the Boatmaker's Hut south of Crow's Perch and you might see a trader under attack Kill every last one of them to finish this quest Find the old woman by the bridge in Blackbough but keep in mind she only shows up at night head north-west towards the woods until you come to a graveyard then locate the gravestone with your Witcher Senses Use the Magic lamp to watch the ghosts come together Go back to Blackbough and find Lessy's hut Look for a gang hanging around on the path just east of Heartherton Talk to Fergus in Crow's Perch until you've discussed the "impossible armour go to Undvik (you want to be quite high level at this point) then go over the bridges until you come to the large ship before heading through the tunnels until you come to Tordarroch Forge Use your Witcher Senses to get the chest with the crafting tools Find the archgriffin by going north of the Wolven Glade marker Turn on your Witcher Senses and follow the trail of blood until you reach the beast Kill it to get the ingredients you need - the beast is vulnerable to Grapeshot and then take it to the Baron's quartermaster on the other side from Fergus then come back in a day to get your fresh set of armour from her head for the woods and use your Witcher Senses to locate a pack of wolves Use your Witcher Senses to examine the claw marks on the ground as well as the dead dog - Hannah's corpse is nearby If you look more or less dead-centre of the circle on your minimap there are more claw marks on the ground and then up a tree Use your Witcher Senses to follow the scent trail eventually finding some torn clothes that are close to a shack (watch out for the bear nearby!) Enter the shack and locate the Mysterious Notes then head back outside and go to the rear of the building to find a hidden door underneath it Destroy the door with an Aard sign - or your sword - and then wait for nightfall (meditate until 8PM) then deal with the werewolf: his health regenerates quite quickly when it gets low - The next part of our Velen guide explains how to complete the The Witcher 3 - Descent and Crookback Bog Secondary Quests - Return to the index page for more sections of our Witcher 3 walkthrough Everything you need to complete The Witcher 3 Two years after the game's official reveal - and after a couple of delays for polishing - The Witcher 3 got its long-awaited release in early 2015 It might be the final entry in the current Witcher story for developers CD Projekt RED but with a massive world to explore and a gargantuan list of quests to rattle through it's certainly a fitting send-off for the last leg of this particular journey you'll find a complete A-Z The Witcher 3 walkthrough of the main campaign neatly broken down into easily-digested chunks You'll find our regional guides - stuffed with Witcher 3 side quest walkthroughs - directly below as well as our coverage of both expansions Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine What follows is a list of main mission guides for The Witcher 3's core campaign Here's how to complete each expansion Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine: Hearts of Stone walkthrough Blood and Wine walkthrough © 2025 Eurogamer.net a brand of IGN Entertainment, Inc. All rights reserved. 18 Mansell Street Level 3, London, E1 8AA, United Kingdom. No part of this website or its content may be reproduced without the copyright owner's permission. Eurogamer is a registered trademark of Gamer Network Limited. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply The Witcher 3 packs so many sidequests into Velen that it can be difficult to decide what to do and what to leave for later This sodding enormous area is continuous with the Novigrad and Oxenfurt region and contains multiple smaller area divisions which are not immediately obvious to the player Not every secondary quest you discover while wandering Velen on your first visit is appropriate for that stage of the game; try to tackle some of the level 25+ missions Based on an average player level of ten at the end of the main questline in Velen which is easily achieved with minimal exploration here are the quests we think you should get out of the way before heading to Novigrad - if you leave them for later your quest log will be a horror and many of them will be boringly easy you'll be well on your way to level 13 and kitted out with excellent gear; Novigrad will be easily managed Note that this list does not include Velen (No Man's Land) Witcher Contracts This quest only triggers if you attempt to cross the Pontac before obtaining a pass You can earn a pass through story missions or by completing either of the following quests: Back to The Witcher 3: Act One - Velen (No Man's Land), or back to The Witcher 3 guide and walkthrough