Every Witcher 3 side quest and how to complete them

(Image credit: CD Projekt Red)

Coming up we've got a list of every Witcher 3 side quest - where to find them, what they involve and how to complete them. If you want to see all the weird and wonderful missions you can discover as you explore we've got them all here. Many of these quests are located via Undiscovered Locations - those question marks that appear on the map as you explore. To populate your map with these, check the Notice Boards in various towns

With absolutely tonnes of side quests and stories to explore in The Witcher 3, where do you even start? Some of the most random jobs can involve lengthy and tricky quests so this complete Witcher 3 side quest guide will help you see what's coming and help you find exactly what you want to do, organised by region and DLC. 

We've also got a complete Witcher 3 contracts guide too if you want to take those on!

Witcher 3 White Orchard side quests

Missing in Action

Prerequisite: None | Suggested Level: N/A

Talk to Dune on the southern edge of the town to start this quest. Agree to help find his brother Bastien, then fast travel to the Crossroads.

Head north to your marker to find Dune. To find his brother on the battlefield, examine the shields with painted white flowers. After checking them all, follow Dune's dog Hussan to find Bastien in a cottage nearby.

On Death's Bed

Prerequisite: Complete "The Beast of White Orchard." | Suggested Level: 2

After completing "The Beast of White Orchard," return to Tomira in her hut. She's trying to heal a sick girl, and you can help by concocting some Swallow. If you don't already have them, you can find most of the ingredients planted behind Tomira's huts. You'll also need some dwarven spirit (buyable at the tavern) and brains from drowners (found in a couple places in White Orchard). Gather what you need, brew the potion, and return it to Tomira to finish the quest.

You can grab this contract from the Notice Board in White Orchard proper. To start the hunt, 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. When you arrive, use Witcher Sense to examine the ground around the well and learn about Noonwraiths. Read the Bestiary entry on them, 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. Once the wraith is summoned, slay her - Yrden is extra powerful here. When you've finished the fight, return to Odolan to wrap up the contract.

Twisted Firestarter

Prerequisite: None | Suggested Level: N/A

Speak to Willis on the west side of White Orchard to start this quest and learn that his workshop has been destroyed. Start by using Witcher Sense behind the hut to find a set of footprints.

Follow them to the boat by the stream, then check on the same shore, but other side of the bridge to find more. Follow the now bloody prints to enter a home. You'll find the culprit in the back room. From here, you can either take money for protecting the arsonist or lead him back to the smith. Either choice will finish the quest.

A Frying Pan, Spick and Span

Prerequisite: Begin "The Beast of White Orchard." | Suggested Level: N/A

Along the river past the western edge of White Orchard is an Old Woman trying to enter a hut. Listen to her tale and agree to help track down her pan to begin. Use Aard to break the door down and enter the hut, then use Witcher Sense to find a corpse, some burned documents, and the missing pan. Return the pan to the woman for a reward.

Scavenger Hunt: Viper School Gear

Prerequisite: None | Suggested Level: 6

To start this quest, check the Undiscovered Location just west of the Ransacked Village marker - it's a Bandit Camp at a set of ruins. Take out the baddies then check their stash to find a report. Read it to gain a new quest marker.

This will lead you to the cemetery just north of the Mill marker. You can enter the tomb here by blowing away the door with Aard. Search the small cave beyond to find a corpse holding a new weapon diagram. This will complete the quest.

Dirty Funds

Prerequisite: None | Suggested Level: 2

East of the Mill marker is an Undiscovered Location, a small encampment. Loot the chest here to find a letter, beginning the quest. Read the letter to place a new quest marker farther east.

This is another Undiscovered Location, a decently sized Bandit Camp. Take out the rascals then raid their loot stash to finish the quest.

Temerian Valuables

Prerequisite: None | Suggested Level: 4

Just west of the Mill marker is an Undiscovered Location by a small bridge. Head there to find a key next to a corpse, then jump into the water and use it to unlock a large chest to begin the quest. Read the report found inside the chest to get a new marker east of the mill.

The new marker will lead you to a house with a dilapidated basement. Use Aard to blow away the broken door down here and found a heap of chests, completing the quest.

Precious Cargo

Prerequisite: Liberate the Abandoned Site just west of the Sawmill marker. | Suggested Level: N/A

On the road to the Nilfgaardian Garrison, you'll find a merchant who abandoned a special box when his cart was attacked. Head to the new quest marker and use Witcher Sense to spot some cart tracks. Follow these into the marsh to find the cart itself, then search nearby to find the box in question.

Return to the merchant - something's not quite right. The cart was riddled with arrows, and the merchant carries a bow… You can call him out or simply return the box. If you call him out, be prepared to chase him down on horseback. Once you do, you have a few more options regarding what to do with the merchant.

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Tony 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.