The Beast of White Orchard is one of the first main quests in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, and also one of the most challenging ones. In this quest, you have to hunt down and kill a griffin, a fearsome hybrid creature that has been terrorizing the villagers and the soldiers in the area. The quest also introduces you to the basics of combat, alchemy, and tracking in the game.
In this article, we will guide you through the steps of the quest, and provide you with some tips and strategies for completing it. We will also answer some frequently asked questions about the quest and the game. Note that this article contains spoilers for the quest and the game, so read at your own risk.
Quest Objectives
The quest has the following objectives:
- Ask the Nilfgaardian captain about Yennefer
- Kill the ghouls
- Find some buckthorn on the riverbed using your Witcher Senses
- Ask the herbalist about buckthorn
- Find the griffin’s nest using your Witcher Senses
- Examine the site of the Nilfgaardian soldiers’ death using your Witcher Senses
- Follow the griffin’s tracks using your Witcher Senses
- Meet Vesemir in the field where you plan to ambush the griffin
- Kill the griffin
- Take a trophy from the griffin’s corpse
- Collect your reward from the Nilfgaardian captain
The Beast of White Orchard Walkthrough
The quest starts after you finish the quest “Lilac and Gooseberries”, where you learn that Yennefer, your former lover and the object of your search, was seen in the region of White Orchard. You decide to ask the Nilfgaardian captain, who is stationed at a nearby garrison, about her whereabouts.
To reach the garrison, you have to ride your horse, Roach, and follow the road signs. Along the way, you will encounter some ghouls, which are necrophage monsters that feed on corpses. You can either fight them or avoid them, but fighting them will give you some experience and loot. To fight them, you have to use your silver sword, which is effective against monsters, and your signs, which are magical abilities. You can also use your crossbow, which is a ranged weapon that can stun enemies. The ghouls are weak to the Igni sign, which creates a blast of fire, and the Necrophage Oil, which increases your damage against them.
After you deal with the ghouls, you can continue to the garrison, where you will meet the captain, who is named Peter Saar Gwynleve. He will tell you that he knows where Yennefer went, but he will only share that information if you help him with a problem. The problem is that a griffin has been attacking his men and the villagers, and he wants you to kill it. He will also give you some information about the beast, such as its habits, weaknesses, and location.
To prepare for the hunt, you will need some buckthorn, which is a herb that can lure the griffin with its scent. You can either find some buckthorn on the riverbed near the garrison, or ask the herbalist, who lives in a hut south of the village, about it. To find the buckthorn, you have to use your Witcher Senses, which are enhanced senses that allow you to see and hear things that normal people can’t. You can activate your Witcher Senses by pressing the right trigger on your controller, or the Z key on your keyboard. When you do, you will see the buckthorn highlighted in yellow, and you can dive underwater and collect it.
After you get the buckthorn, you have to find the griffin’s nest, which is located in the south-west corner of the map. To get there, you have to ride your horse again, and follow the road signs. Along the way, you will encounter some bandits, who are human enemies that can be fought with your steel sword, which is effective against humans. You can also use your signs and your crossbow against them. The bandits are weak to the Axii sign, which can stun and influence them, and the Hanged Man’s Venom, which increases your damage against them.
When you reach the nest, you will see some dead bodies of Nilfgaardian soldiers, who were killed by the griffin. You have to examine the site using your Witcher Senses, and look for clues, such as blood, feathers, and tracks. You will also find a letter from one of the soldiers, which reveals that the griffin was wounded by a ballista bolt. You will then have to follow the griffin’s tracks using your Witcher Senses, and look for more clues, such as broken branches, fur, and droppings. You will eventually reach a hill, where you will find the corpse of a female griffin, which was the mate of the one you are hunting. You will deduce that the griffin is angry and vengeful, and that it will be more aggressive and dangerous.
After you gather all the information, you have to meet Vesemir, your mentor and fellow witcher, in the field where you plan to ambush the griffin. Vesemir will set up a trap, and you will have to wait for the griffin to appear. When it does, you will have to fight it.
The griffin is a large and powerful monster, that can attack you with its claws, beak, and tail, as well as fly and dive at you. To fight it, you have to use your silver sword, your signs, and your crossbow. You can also use some potions, bombs, and oils, that can enhance your abilities and damage. The griffin is weak to the Aard sign, which can knock it down, and the Grapeshot bomb, which can explode and damage it. It is also weak to the Hybrid Oil, which increases your damage against it.
The fight has two phases. In the first phase, the griffin will be on the ground, and you will have to dodge its attacks, and hit it with your sword and signs. You can also use your crossbow to shoot it, and make it fall to the ground. When the griffin’s health is reduced to half, it will fly away, and you will have to chase it on your horse. In the second phase, the griffin will be on a hill, and you will have to climb up and finish it off. You will have to dodge its dives, and hit it with your sword and signs. You can also use your crossbow to shoot it, and make it fall to the ground.
When you kill the griffin, you will have to take a trophy from its corpse, which is a severed head that you can hang on your horse. The trophy will give you a bonus to your experience gain, and you can also sell it for money. You will then have to collect your reward from the captain, who will be waiting for you at the garrison. He will give you some gold, and tell you where Yennefer went. He will also give you a pass, which will allow you to travel to the next region, Velen, where you will continue your search for Yennefer.
Quest Rewards
The quest rewards are as follows:
- 300 experience points
- 120 gold
- Griffin trophy
- Nilfgaardian Army Group ‘Center’ Camp pass
- Information on Yennefer’s whereabouts
Quest Tips and Strategies
Here are some tips and strategies for completing the quest:
- Save your game often, especially before fighting the griffin, as it can be a tough enemy, and you might die or fail the quest.
- Upgrade your equipment, such as your swords, armor, and crossbow, as well as your skills, such as your signs, alchemy, and combat, as they will help you in the fight.
- Use the bestiary, which is a book that contains information on the monsters you encounter, such as their strengths, weaknesses, and tactics. You can access the bestiary by pressing the left trigger on your controller, or the B key on your keyboard.
- Use the meditation, which is a feature that allows you to rest and heal your wounds, as well as replenish your potions, bombs, and oils. You can meditate by pressing the left bumper on your controller, or the N key on your keyboard. You can also change the time of day, which can affect the game world and the enemies.
- Use the quick access menu, which is a feature that allows you to switch between your items, such as your potions, bombs, and oils, as well as your signs, without pausing the game. You can access the quick access menu by pressing the up button on your controller, or the R key on your keyboard.
- Use the dodge and roll, which are features that allow you to avoid the enemy attacks, and create some distance. You can dodge by pressing the B button on your controller, or the Alt key on your keyboard. You can roll by pressing the A button on your controller, or the Space key on your keyboard.
- Use the parry and counterattack, which are features that allow you to block and deflect the enemy attacks, and strike back. You can parry by holding the right trigger on your controller, or the Right Mouse Button on your keyboard. You can counterattack by pressing the right trigger or the Right Mouse Button at the right moment, when the enemy is about to hit you.
- Use the Quen sign, which is a feature that allows you to create a protective shield around yourself, and absorb some damage. You can activate the Quen sign by pressing the right bumper on your controller, or the Q key on your keyboard.
- Use the Igni sign, which is a feature that allows you to create a blast of fire, and damage and ignite the enemies. You can activate the Igni sign by pressing the Y button on your controller, or the E key on your keyboard.
- Use the Aard sign, which is a feature that allows you to create a blast of air, and knock down and stun the enemies. You can activate the Aard sign by pressing the X button on your controller, or the R key on your keyboard.
- Use the Axii sign, which is a feature that allows you to influence the mind of the enemies, and stun and control them. You can activate the Axii sign by pressing the left bumper on your controller, or the A key on your keyboard.
- Use the Yrden sign, which is a feature that allows you to create a magic trap, and slow down and damage the enemies. You can activate the Yrden sign by pressing the B button on your controller, or the F key on your keyboard.
- Use the potions, which are consumable items that enhance your abilities and heal your wounds. You can use the potions by pressing the left or right button on your controller, or the 1 or 2 key on your keyboard. You can also access the inventory, and select the potions you want to use. Some of the potions you can use are the Swallow, which restores your health, the Thunderbolt, which increases your damage, and the Cat, which improves your vision in the dark.
- Use the bombs, which are throwable items that explode and damage the enemies. You can use the bombs by pressing the down button on your controller, or the 3 key on your keyboard. You can also access the inventory, and select the bombs you want to use. Some of the bombs you can use are the Grapeshot, which causes a large explosion, the Samum, which blinds the enemies, and the Dancing Star, which sets the enemies on fire.
- Use the oils, which are items that you can apply to your swords, and increase your damage against specific types of enemies. You can use the oils by accessing the inventory, and selecting the oils you want to use. Some of the oils you can use are the Necrophage Oil, which works against ghouls, the Hybrid Oil, which works against griffins, and the Beast Oil, which works against wolves.