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The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is known to be one of the greatest action-driven RPGs of all time. Geralt of Rivia, monster slayer extraordinaire, gallivants around his world, cutting down evil men and monsters alike. Given his profession, it is understandable why much of Geralt's journey is experienced in this way. But that is not what drives the beating heart of The Witcher 3. At its core, beneath all the monsters and the gore, lies a remarkable story of love and family.
While there are several facets to the story at the heart of The Witcher 3, the love triangle between Geralt, Triss, and Yennefer certainly plays a key role. Geralt's love for Yennefer is obvious from the opening moments of the game. Because The Witcher 3 is an RPG, Geralt is free to make choices about whom he will romance, but the game makes no secret of what it considers canon. From the opening dream sequence to the many possible endings, Geralt and Yennefer seem destined to be together.
A Brief History of Geralt and Yennefer
Even before the events of The Witcher 3, Geralt and Yennefer's relationship had seen many ups and downs. Fans of the book series the games are based off of will know that their history is far more extensive than what is depicted in The Witcher and The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings. This is one of the key differences between the games and the books. However, The Witcher 3 remedies this by clearly alluding to their shared history.
The two met long before the events of the game when, unsurprisingly, Dandelion found himself in trouble with a djinn. The origin of their romantic relationship has always been a point of contention, as Geralt wished for their fates to be bound when Yennefer tried and failed to capture the djinn for herself. Later, when Geralt's memory was lost after his time with the Wild Hunt, he became romantically involved with the sorceress Triss Merigold. Eventually, once his memory returned, Geralt sets out with Vesemir to locate Yennefer, beginning the events of The Witcher 3.
The King Is Dead, Long Live The King
Although Geralt and Yennefer reunite in White Orchard, the option to rekindle a relationship with the sorceress does not begin in earnest until Geralt reaches Skellige near the game's midpoint. The first steps to successfully romancing Yen will take place during "The King is Dead, Long Live the King."
Follow these steps:
- When Yennefer tells Geralt to pick out clothes from her room, make sure to remove all weapons and pick the closest thing to an all black and white outfit. There is a bug here that does not register the correct clothes under certain circumstances.
- The outfit selected during the "Imperial Audience" quest has been reported to work here.
- When trying to escape Ermion's stuffed animal room, choose the option to kiss Yennefer.
- Make sure to choose the option to watch Yennefer when they are teleported back to her room. This will initiate the first love scene.
The Last Wish
"The Last Wish" represents the deciding moment for Geralt and Yennefer. Following the successful resurrection of Skjall during the previous quest, Yennefer will ask Geralt to either accompany her to or meet her in the small village of Larvik. This quest is based around locating a new djinn to release both Geralt and Yen from the wish he made when they first met. While a great deal of information about their past relationship can be gained during this mission, there is really only one important choice Geralt must make if he wishes to romance Yennefer:
- Once the djinn has been tamed and the spell broken, tell Yennefer nothing has changed.
- Let her know Geralt loves her.
This will essentially trigger the romance status between Geralt and Yennefer, setting up a special set of options for "No Place Like Home."
Failing to complete "The Last Wish" before rescuing Uma from Crow's Perch in "Ugly Baby" will result in a 'quest failed' status.
No Place Like Home
Once Geralt and Yennefer have officially become an item, it will become possible for the two to share a second love scene during "No Place Like Home." Upon arriving at Kaer Morhen, the two can briefly discuss Triss' spent on a certain bed that now lies in ruins outside the window. Though brief, the scene reveals the wounds Yennefer still carries.
Once Vesemir leaves to try and help Uma, Geralt and his comrades will gather around a table and begin conversing. After a moment, Yennefer will get up and make a request of Geralt:
- When Yennefer gets up, make sure to say yes when she asks for a word. She will remark that she merely wanted to go upstairs with him, and he can come back down after.
- Agree!
This will be the final love scene between Geralt and Yennefer, though there will be several comments made throughout the rest of the game referencing their relationship.
Geralt and Yennefer's Epilogue
Should Geralt and Yennefer become entangled, they will receive a unique epilogue pertaining to their time together. It is noted that the witcher and the sorceress entered the first roadside inn they could find and stayed in bed for weeks. They then spent the rest of their lives loving each other. While it isn't explicitly stated, all signs point to this being the best romantic ending for Geralt. The game points to them being meant for each other. Even the real life Geralt thinks they should be together!
The choice of whom to romance in the base game has no real effect on the stories told in the DLCs. Strangely, Geralt is free to romance Shani from Hearts of Stone without facing any consequences for betraying Yennefer or Triss. Thus is the strange life of a witcher.
While romancing Shani is consequence-free, attempting to romance both Triss and Yennefer together will result in Geralt losing them both.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is currently available on PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC. The next-gen update will be released on December 14th for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.