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Thanks to the next-gen update for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, fans of the series are either returning to the game or getting introduced to it for the first time. The update adds graphical improvements and faster loading times, but even without that, The Witcher 3 is one of the best Western-made RPGs of all time.
This is thanks to the title's outstanding amount of quests and their stellar writing. Some of the most notable is part of the Hearts of Stone questline. The first main story adventure for Hearts of Stone is Evil's Soft First Touches. The DLC adds new NPCs to interact with and villains to uncover. This guide will take players through the steps to completing the quest and embarking on an epic journey.
Evil's Soft First Touches
- Before considering taking on Evil's Soft First Touches in the Hearts of Stone DLC, Geralt needs to be at least a level 32. However, this quest features one of the most challenging bosses in The Witcher 3, so Geralt would have a better chance if he was a level 37.
- Geralt should travel to Velen, No Man's Land - to the Seven Cats Inn and claim the quest from a man pinning jobs on the noticeboard.
- After claiming Evil's Soft Touches job, Geralt should travel to Brunwich and then West to the location marked on the map.
- Geralt will arrive at a gated estate home that's to be populated by wild NPCs.
- Approach the house, and Geralt will be invited in by a man keeping watch from the balcony.
- After a conversation with drunken men and women, one of them will lead Geralt to the leader Olgiered von Everec.
- He will ask Geralt to investigate a female member that disappeared at the Oxenfurt Sewers and that a monster lurks there.
- Several females have left for the sewers after hearing a legend about curing a cursed prince with a maiden's kiss.
- After agreeing to hunt the monster, Geralt needs to make his way South, using fast travel to reach the Oxenfurt Harbor,
- Geralt must make his way to the sewer entrance located on the minimap.
- Using his Witcher senses, investigate the footprints, but be careful as a level 30 Drowner lurks.
- More area examinations will reveal that someone with a blade had already killed another Drowner.
- Venturing further into the sewers, Geralt discovers Shani trying to revive a dead soldier.
- She will reveal the men were killed by a monster and that she's looking for a venom sample from the beast that roams in the sewers.
- Using Geralt's senses, destroy the weakened wall with a telekinetic blast casting AARD.
- Going further into the sewers, Geralt and Shani will discover more dead soldiers killed by the creature that dragged them down into a hole.
- Be prepared, as Geralt will need to fight a group of level 30 Drowners waiting for him down the hole. Use a combination of IGNI and Dancing Star bombs to defeat them.
- Investigate further, and Geralt will find more dead bodies covered in a slimy substance.
- After killing the remaining Drowners, Geralt will be joined by Shani. The two will discover the remains of Franz.
- Geralt concludes that the beast that killed him likes the combination of blood and alcohol.
- Follow the marker on the minimap, and Geralt will find that the creature has killed women and even Drowners as they get closer to its lair.
- Eventually, Geralt reaches the monster's lair, tells Shani to leave, and lays a trap for it.
- After meditating, a giant toad-like monster devours Geralt's trap and triggers a boss fight.
- The Toad "Prince" is a challenging battle as the creature does heavy damage with every hit.
How To Defeat The Toad Prince
- Switch the graphics settings to Performance Mode - combat is more responsive at 60FPS.
- Coat Geralt's silver sword with Cursed Oil.
- Arm Geralt with explosive bombs like the Dancing Star.
- Set White Raffard's Decoction in his consumables.
- Set White Swallow in his consumables.
- The giant toad spits poison and attacks at long range with its tongue. Use side steps and dodge rolls to avoid these attacks.
- Hit the beast with explosive bombs after it's spat out poison. It will catch fire and burn.
- With the creature on fire, get close and attack it with upgradedIGNI Firestream.
- Firestream is at its most effective just as the monster opens its mouth.
- Upgraded YRDEN can trap the monster for quick hits with Geralt's sword.
- After the fight, a cutscene will show Geralt killing the beast before it transforms into a human.
- Geralt passes out from the poisoned slime and is picked up by a mage and soldiers dressed in blue armor.
Geralt Wakes Up In Jail
- Geralt wakes up in a cell on a boat and is informed by a fellow prisoner that he killed a cursed prince.
- Geralt will get confronted by Ofieri guards speaking a different language.
- He'll have a choice of three replies asking to see the captain in the Ofieri language.
- It doesn't matter if Geralt gets this answer wrong, but select the third option for 20 experience points.
- After some dialogue, Geralt gets reintroduced to Gaunter O'Dimm, AKA The Man of Glass and Master Mirror - a character Geralt encounters in White Orchard in The Witcher 3's prologue.
- He will offer to get Geralt out of the bind he's in for a favor in return.
- After burning a symbol on Geralt's face, Gaunter tells Geralt to meet him at midnight at the crossroads beneath the willows.
- A short cutscene will commence with the ship crashing.
Defeating The Ofieri Mage
- Geralt will awaken to being dragged ashore by the Ofieri guards. He can now understand their language.
- He will also notice that his new-found friend from the ship has been beheaded.
- After a brief scene, Geralt escapes, and it's time to fight the sorcerer and his guards.
- Make sure Geralt reequips his armor.
- Kill the guards first using a combination of IGNI, bombs, and sword attacks. Roll and dodge the mage's spells.
- Use AXIII to stun the mage and avoid using bombs, as he'll deflect them back at Geralt.
- Get in close and attack, and the mage should fall.
- After the fight, loot the mage and his guards for good items.
Time To Meet Gaunter
- Head east to the location on the minimap to find Gaunter.
- He is located near Yantra, a small village in Novigrad.
- When Geralt arrives at the location, Geralt should meditate until midnight.
- Gaunter will appear and tell the story of a man who owes him a debt. A man with a heart of stone named Olgiered von Everec.
- Gaunter offers Geralt rewards to deal with von Everec.
- After the conversation, Geralt should reply All right. So be it. I'll help.
- Geralt will agree to accompany Gaunter in a meeting with Olgiered von Everec.
The Garin Estate
As th story features one of the game's most challenging fights, it may be a good idea to go away, level up more, and come back to it without the enemy scaling mechanic.
- Use the fast travel signpost at Yantra to get to the Garin Estate and head to the meeting with Olgierd von Everec.
- When Geralt arrives at the estate, he finds it ablaze.
- A cutscene will trigger, showing a man about to get executed.
- Geralt can intervene and save the man, but he has to duel Olgiered von Everec.
- There is no reward for beating Everec; this is a brutal fight, but choosing to fight him will give players a window into beating the man in a later quest.
- Remaining neutral will mean that Geralt gets his payment without fighting, but the man will lose his life and complete the quest.
- Fighting Olgiered is troublesome, and there's a good chance that Geralt is under-leveled. There is no reward other than a revealing cutscene that won't be spoilt here. Beating him will mean that Geralt has the same payment for killing the Toad Prince.
Choosing To Fight Olgiered von Everec
- Choosing the threatening option of "Let him go or face my wrath." will mean that Geralt has to fight von Everec.
- This is another long fight in this quest that is very challenging to beat.
- To win this fight, players need to practice their counterattacks in The Witcher 3.
- Expect to lose a few fights, but use the opportunity to learn von Everec's tells and moves.
- Countering a normal attack will leave von Everec open for one strike.
- Countering his dash attack - which charges up with red lightning - will stagger him, and Geralt should be able to land at least three strikes. Mixing in a telekinetic blast can extend the stun rate and allow one more hit.
- Use dodges and rolls for the more minor attacks.
- Timing the side step to avoid a close attack can leave an opening for Geralt to get a hit in.
- He will also throw dirt in Geralt's face.
- Don't try and use bombs, as he'll close the distance and land a devastating dash strike.
- Cast the QUEN sign as much as possible.
- This is a long, drawn-out fight. But it has a rewarding cutscene that will complete the quest.
- With the quest complete, Gaunter will appear again, providing more backstory to the Prince, the debt owed, and the three requests Geralt has to complete to remove the mark on his face.
That completes one of the best questlines in The Witcher 3, thanks to The Witcher 3 Hearts of Stone DLC. It has some of the most challenging boss fights and decisions that Geralt can make in the game.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.