Exploration & Character
Thirteen trophies for the open world: fistfights, horse races, the Places of Power, witcher gear, alchemy, reading, fast travel and levelling. Two (Brawl Master and Fast and Furious) are missable, so do them as each region opens up.
Dendrologist
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Acquire all the Abilities in one tree.
Dendrologist
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Unlock every ability in one skill tree (Combat, Signs, Alchemy or General). Skill points come from levelling up and from the Places of Power (a point the first time you use each one).
Tip
The Remastered update reworked the skill tree, so check which tree is shortest in your version. Whichever you pick, grab every Place of Power you pass. They're the main source of extra points.
Mutant
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Fill all mutagen slots.
Mutant
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Equip a mutagen in every mutagen slot. Slots unlock as your character level rises; the last one opens late in the game.
Tip
Mutagens drop from contract monsters and can be crafted by an alchemist. Keep spares of each colour so you can fill the last slot the moment it unlocks.
Brawler
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Defeat Olaf, the Skellige champion of unarmed combat.
Brawler
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Skellige, Fists of Fury: Skellige (the ‘Fist Fights’ note on the Kaer Trolde notice board). Beat Valgard (Kaer Trolde harbor), Grim (Arinbjorn) and Einar (Harviken, Faroe), which unlocks Olaf in the arena north-east of Urialla Harbor on An Skellige. Beat him for the trophy.
Tip
Fistfights are pure counters: block, counter, strike. Drink Swallow before you start (it's allowed) and wait for his heavy swing. See Brawl Master for the full list.
Globetrotter
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Discover 100 fast travel points.
Globetrotter
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Discover 100 signposts across White Orchard, Velen, Novigrad, Skellige and Kaer Morhen. The base game has well over 100.
Tip
Touch every signpost you pass. The in-game map shows undiscovered ones as question marks once you're close.
Let's Cook!
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Learn 12 potion formulae.
Let's Cook!
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Learn 12 potion formulae (not oils, decoctions or bombs). Buy them from herbalists or find them in loot.
Tip
The herbalists at Crow's Perch, Oxenfurt and Novigrad sell plenty of formulae. Buy early so your Death March run has Swallow, Thunderbolt and White Raffard's Decoction.
Bombardier
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Collect the formulae for 6 different bomb types.
Bombardier
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Learn 6 bomb formulae: Grapeshot, Dancing Star, Devil's Puffball, Dragon's Dream, Samum, Northern Wind, Moon Dust, Dimeritium Bomb.
Tip
The herbalist in south-east Novigrad sells several at once. You need Dragon's Dream and Devil's Puffball for two combat trophies anyway.
Bookworm
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Read 30 books, journals or other documents.
Bookworm
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Read (open from the inventory) 30 books, letters or notes.
Tip
Just read everything you pick up. You'll pass 30 in White Orchard and early Velen.
Armed and Dangerous
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Find and equip all the elements of one set of witcher gear.
Armed and Dangerous
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Equip a complete witcher school set: chest, gloves, trousers, boots, steel sword and silver sword of the same school. The Griffin set is the easiest: its basic diagrams are in Dragonslayer's Grotto, west of Reardon Manor and Downwarren in Velen (quest Scavenger Hunt: Griffin School Gear). The armorer in Midcopse sells the treasure maps.
Tip
Any tier (basic, enhanced, superior, mastercrafted) counts, as long as all six pieces match. Crafting needs enough crowns and a smith of the right skill.
Power Overwhelming
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Have all possible Place of Power bonuses active at the same time.
Power Overwhelming
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Activate one Place of Power for each Sign (Aard, Axii, Igni, Quen, Yrden) so all five buffs are running at once. Each buff lasts 30 minutes. White Orchard has all five within a few minutes' ride.
Tip
Route: Aard (woods north of the cemetery) → Igni (White Orchard cemetery) → Axii (across the bridge west of the mill, north-east of the sawmill) → Quen (hill south of the Broken Bridge signpost) → Yrden (east of the Abandoned Village). You can come back to White Orchard later if you miss it.
Brawl Master
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Complete all fistfighting quests in Velen, Skellige and Novigrad.
Brawl Master
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Finish the Fists of Fury quests in all three regions, 14 fights in all. Velen (note in Crow's Perch's inner keep, once the Bloody Baron story lets you in): Blackbough, Lindenvale, Inn at the Crossroads, then the Sergeant at Crow's Perch. Novigrad: Southern Gate, Portside Gate, Glory Gate, Hierarch Square. Skellige (note on the Kaer Trolde board): Kaer Trolde harbor, Arinbjorn, Harviken, Olaf at Urialla Harbor, then Master of the Arena and Champion of Champions in Hov on Spikeroog. Talk to the bookie before each fight.
Tip
The Hov arena is haunted by Ulle the Unlucky (Master of the Arena). Lose to him on purpose: that lifts his curse, while beating him only brings him back. Then Champion of Champions opens. Treat all fistfights as missable and finish them before The Isle of Mists.
Fast and Furious
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Win all the horse races in the game.
Fast and Furious
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Win all 11 races. Velen (3): Crow's Perch, from the board notice, against three riders in turn on the same track. Novigrad (4): three at the Vegelbud residence, then a final race that starts in Hierarch Square (you get a note after the Vegelbud wins). Skellige (4): Rannvaig, Fayrlund, Blandare/the Palisade and Larvik.
Tip
Upgrade Roach's saddle (stamina) first. Keep to the racing line and gallop only in bursts when stamina allows. Some races only open after you win others, so do them in the order above, and finish them before the end of Act II.
Munchkin
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Reach character development level 35.
Munchkin
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Reach level 35. Main story plus most side quests and contracts gets you into the low-to-mid 30s; the rest comes from post-game cleanup.
Tip
If you're short after the ending, the free Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine content gives huge XP. Its trophies aren't needed for the platinum, but the XP counts.
Fist of the South Star
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Defeat an opponent in a fistfight without taking any damage.
Fist of the South Star
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Win a fistfight without being hit once. The first Velen fight at the Inn at the Crossroads is the easiest.
Tip
Only counter: block when he swings, counter, repeat. If you take a hit, reload and try again.
All 14 fistfights (Brawl Master)
| Region | Where | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Velen | Blackbough | Jonah, by the blacksmith in the south-west of the village. Quest starts from the ‘Fist Fights’ note in Crow's Perch's inner keep |
| Velen | Lindenvale | Fishgulper, yard behind the notice board |
| Velen | Inn at the Crossroads | Smithy, inside the tavern. A good one for Fist of the South Star |
| Velen | Crow's Perch | The Sergeant, inner keep plaza: the Velen champion, open after the other three |
| Novigrad | Southern Gate | Turn left after entering and follow the noise |
| Novigrad | Portside Gate | In a yard just past the entrance |
| Novigrad | Glory Gate | By the well in the square south of the gate |
| Novigrad | Hierarch Square | At the inn east of the signpost |
| Skellige | Kaer Trolde harbor | Valgard, in front of the inn. Quest starts from the ‘Fist Fights’ note on the Kaer Trolde board. If he offers to let you throw the fight, refuse, or fight him again afterwards |
| Skellige | Arinbjorn (Ard Skellig) | Grim, west of the signpost |
| Skellige | Harviken (Faroe) | Einar, north of the signpost |
| Skellige | Urialla Harbor (An Skellige) | Olaf, ‘the bear’, in the arena north-east of town. Open after the first three. Brawler |
| Skellige | Hov (Spikeroog) | Master of the Arena: the arena is haunted by Ulle the Unlucky. Let him beat you to lift the curse (beating him just makes him come back) |
| Skellige | Hov (Spikeroog) | Fists of Fury: Champion of Champions: the final bout in the same arena, open once the ghost is gone |
All 11 horse races (Fast and Furious)
| Region | Where | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Velen | Crow's Perch | Board notice leads to the race organiser; three riders in turn on one track |
| Velen | Crow's Perch | Second rider, same track |
| Velen | Crow's Perch | Third rider, same track |
| Novigrad | Vegelbud residence | Race 1 of 3 at the estate (different tracks) |
| Novigrad | Vegelbud residence | Race 2 of 3 |
| Novigrad | Vegelbud residence | Race 3 of 3; afterwards you're handed a note, so read it |
| Novigrad | Hierarch Square | The final Novigrad race, unlocked by that note |
| Skellige | Rannvaig | Ard Skellig |
| Skellige | Fayrlund | Ard Skellig |
| Skellige | Blandare / the Palisade | Ard Skellig |
| Skellige | Larvik | Ard Skellig |
White Orchard Places of Power route (Power Overwhelming)
| Sign | Where |
|---|---|
| Aard | In the woods directly north of the cemetery, in a ring of large rocks |
| Igni | White Orchard cemetery yard, north of the Mill signpost |
| Axii | Across the bridge west of the Mill signpost, north-east of the sawmill |
| Quen | South of the Broken Bridge signpost, on the hill over the ravine (White Orchard has two Quen stones; either works) |
| Yrden | East of the Abandoned Village, just south of the road in the trees |
Each buff lasts 30 minutes, and the whole loop takes under five on Roach. Using a Place of Power for the first time also gives a skill point, which helps with Dendrologist.
More Witcher 3 guides
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Prologue to epilogue with every missable at the right moment.
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Every story trophy in order, plus the Death March plan for Walked the Path.
Missables & Choices
All six points of no return, Kingmaker, Assassin of Kings, Keira and the seven Full Crew allies.
Gwent
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Contracts & Monsters
All ~30 witcher contracts with locations and levels, the five named monsters, nests and Even Odds.
Combat Feats
Axii, Aard, counters, bombs and headshots: where and how to farm each one fast.