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King's Gambit Walkthrough and Best Choice

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King
This is a guide to the quest titled King's Gambit from The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Read on to learn locations, rewards, best choices, best outcomes, as well as useful tips, strategy for completing this quest, choices and best choice to choose.

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- King's Gambit -

List of Contents

How to Unlock King's Gambit

This quest will be available after the side quests The Lord of Undvik and Possession are completed.

Is King's Gambit Missable or Failable?

This quest will fail when the player has started the main quest Battle Preparations.

King's Gambit Location and Rewards

Basic Information

Quest Number -
Region Skellige
Quest Location Kaer Trolde
Previous Quest -
Next Quest -

Rewards

Gold Reward None
Exp Reward 400 or 500
Item Reward Fate x 1
Item Reward 2 Death From Above x 1


King's Gambit Walkthrough

Objectives
1 Go to Kaer Trolde. The gate will be closed but will open as the player gets close.
2 Follow Arnvald into the feast hall.
3 Leave the feast hall through the south door and go down the hall. Recieve 500 XP and the sword Fate.
4 Kill the 3 Bears. They are actually Beserkers so you will need to use your silver sword. Receive 300 XP for slaying the bears.
5 At this point you will have to decide between siding with Cerys or siding with Hjlamar. Check the King's Gambit Choices and Best Choice section to help you decide which one to help.
You may even choose to not help. This will end the quest at this point.

Side with Cerys

Objectives
1 Investigate the feast hall using your Witcher Senses. Examine one of the dead bears. Examine any of its body parts or all of its parts.
2 Examine the knocked over pots. Follow the scent to a cup and examine it.
3 Leave the feast hall through the east doorway and go down the stairs to get to Hjort. Talk to him.
4 Follow Cerys. Use your Witcher Senses to find the open barrels. Examine the nearest to the stairs.
5 To escape the fire head to the north side of the room, there will be stacked barrels. Use Aard on the barrels.
6 Follow Cerys through the tunnel.
7 Go back to the outside of the cellar. Use your Witcher Senses to find footprints. Follow the trail.
8 When the trail stops, inspect the cloth hanging from one of the sconces on the wall. Earn 300 XP for investigating.
9 Head back outside to the gate to confront Arnvald.
10 Chase Arnvald on horseback. You can shoot him with a bolt from your crossbow or hit him with your sword to knock him off his horse. If you fail to knock him off you will have to save him from 5 Seamen. Knocking him over or failing to will give 200 XP after and then another 400 XP for completing the quest.
If you fail to save him, you will have to search his body for a key. After that you will need search his bedroom. Examine the shoe under the table left of the door and pick up a key from it. Then examine the envelope on the ground left of his bed. Follow the scent trail to a loose brick in the wall and examine it.

Side with Hjlamar

Objectives
1 Head into the Fornhala, Vidkaarl's village marked on your map.
2 Go to the area Hjalmar pointed out marked as an objective. Examine the shrine.
3 Follow the scent trail. It will lead to set of footprints. Follow the trail.
4 Examine the bear skin rug in the hut. Go down the trapdoor. Gain 200 XP as you explore the cave.
5 Fight Hallgrim. When his health is low enough he will transform into a bear. Because he is a beserker, you will need to use your silver sword against his bear form.
6 Continue into the cave through the south passage.
7 Run to the praying druid. Kill him and the Beserkers he summons. Gain 200 XP after killing the druid and then another 500 XP for completing the quest

King's Gambit Choices and Best Choice

Siding with Hjalmar

Siding with Hjalmar you will have to fight more berserkers and you will never find out who was the mastermind behind the plot. He will also be chosen to be King of Skellige.

Siding with Cerys

If you side with Cerys you will investigate and discover who was behind the massacre. You will also gain access to a Place of Power not accessible any other way. Cerys will also be crowned the Queen of Skellige.

Best Choice

Siding with Cerys
The best choice is to side with Cerys. You will gain access to a place of power that will be inaccessible if you help Hjalmar and avoid more fights against berserkers. You will also find out more about who caused the massacre and why. Cerys also becomes the queen, which can be considered the more “canon” outcome.

King's Gambit Tips and Strategies

Getting Hjalmar's Sword

Vidkaarl Fistfight
You can challenge the Vildkaarl to a fistfight in the feast hall. Beating the Vidkaarl will reward you with 100 XP and Hjamlar's Steel Sword. If you lose the fight you can still get the sword by paying 350 Crowns.

Use Your Silver Sword Against Beserker Bears

Bear fight.jpg
The bears you will fight in this quest are not your average bears. They are berserkers who turn into bears. They are considered as Cursed Ones so you will need to use a silver sword when they transform into a bear. Cursed Oil will also be effective against the bear form.
Bear Berserker Weaknesses, and Loot

Quen Place of Power

Quen Place of Power
You will come across a Place of Power not accessible any other way if you side with Cerys. It will be in the cave after escaping the fire.

More places of power listed here:
List of Place of Power Locations

Is King's Gambit Worth It?

King's Gambit is Worth It

This quest is worth it. The player will receive a Relic Silver Sword Fate and can earn the Relic Steel Sword Hjalmar's Steel Sword. If you decide to help Cerys or Hjalmar you will also receive the crossbow Death from Above.

The short quest coronation will also be unlocked. You will be able to see the results of your choices and some easy XP.

You can also decide who will become the King of Skellige during this quest. Successfuly completing this quest will let you recruit Hjalmar, and Folan and Vigi if you save both of them, for the fight in the main quest The Battle for Kaer Morhen. You do not need to choose Hjalmar for him to be able to recruit him.

The Witcher 3 Related Links

Quests.png

All Secondary Quests

No. Quest Title Location Sugg. Level
- Flesh for Sale Trottheim 12
- Master Armorers Crow's Perch, Clan Tordarroch Forge 24
- Fists of Fury: Champion of Champions 11
- Man's Best Friend Northwest of Mulbrydale N/A
- Farting Trolls -
- Brave Fools Die Young -
- Races: Crow's Perch Crossroads west of Crow's Perch N/A
- An Unpaid Debt 15
- Witch Hunter Raids N/A
- Warehouse of Woe 13
- The Witcher's Forge 30
- Return to Crookback Bog Crookback Bog 9
- The Bastion 23
- Berengar's Blade 27
- King's Gambit Kaer Trolde 18
- Take What You Want North of Keira Metz's hut 25
- The Last Wish Hindersfjall 15
- The Fall of the House of Reardon Reardon Manor 6
- Possession Svorlag 17
- The Truth is in the Stars Benek N/A
- Gwent Quest: Skellige Style Kaer Trolde Gedyneith Gremist's workshop Kaer Muire N/A
- Thou Shalt Not Pass Border Post Western Gate 7
- Where the Cat and Wolf Play... Honorton Oreton 25
- Wild at Heart Blackbough Isolated Shack 7
- Witcher Wannabe Lindenvale 10
- A Barnful of Trouble Carsten 11
- A Dangerous Game Rosemary and Thyme 12
- A Deadly Plot Near Border Post North of Hanged Mans Tree 14
- A Feast for Crows The Bits 20
- A Final Kindness Hierarch Square 26
- A Matter of Life and Death The Bits Triss' hideout Elihal's workshop Vegelbud Residence 12
- A Tome Entombed Novigrad sewers 13
- A Walk on the Waterfront Harborside 12
- A Warm Welcome Road southwest of Wheat Fields N/A
- An Eye for an Eye Hanged Man's Tree Temerian Partisan hideout 12
- Cabaret Rosemary and Thyme 14
- Carnal Sins Vilmerius Hospital Crippled Kate's Vegelbud Residence Novigrad Docks 16
- Drunken Rabble In front of The Golden Sturgeon N/A
- Empty Coop Hut between Honeyfill Meadworks and Dancing Windmill N/A
- Fencing Lessons Var Attre Villa Seven Cats Inn 12
- Fists of Fury: Novigrad The Golden Sturgeon North of Portside Gate East of Southern Gate Farcorners 23
- Gwent Quest: Big City Players Sigismund's Bathhouse Passiflora Forest outside Novigrad N/A
- Gwent Quest: Playing Innkeeps Inn at the Crossroads The Alchemy The Kingfisher Inn N/A
- Gwent Quest: Playing Thaler Seven Cats Inn N/A
- Haunted House Novigrad 7
- A Bard's Beloved Cave east-northeast of Palisade 15
- Hey, You Wanna Look at my Stuff? Northwest of the Silverton merchant 6
- Abandoned Sawmill Abandoned Sawmill 24
- Armed Assault Southeast of Rannvaig 15
- Call of the Wild Just east-southeast of Arinbjorn signpost N/A
- Hidden Messages of the Nilfgaardian Kind West of the Crooked house Crippled Kate's Gildorf sewers 8
- Crime and Punishment Peninsula east of Ancient Crypt Rogne 18
- Finders Keepers Small island north of Giants' Toes Svorlag 24
- Brothers In Arms: Velen Velen 22
- Fists of Fury: Skellige The New Port Arinbjorn Harviken Northeast of Urialla Harbor 30
- Brothers In Arms: Novigrad Novigrad 22
- High Stakes Passiflora 26
- Brothers In Arms: Skellige Skellige 22
- Honor Among Thieves Whoreson Junior's Casino Putrid Grove 9
- Brothers In Arms: Nilfgaard Royal Palace 22
- For Fame and Glory West of Larvik 15
- It Takes Three to Tango Kingfisher Inn 28
- From a Land Far, Far Away Island east of Redgill Ursten Widows' Grotto 13
- Hard Times Road between Miners' Camp and Blandare Kaer Trolde 21
- Iron Maiden Hill east of Harviken 19
- Master of the Arena Hov 14
- Peace Disturbed Cave southeast of Kaer Trolde Harbor and southwest of Rogne 25
- Shock Therapy Gedyneith 24
- Karmic Justice Between Tretogor Gate and Southern Gate N/A
- Stranger in a Strange Land West of Sund 14
- The Cave of Dreams Inn at Arinbjorn Kaer Muire 14
- The Four Faces of Hemdall Eastern coast of Ard Skellig Islet southwest of Hindarsfjall Freya's Temple N/A
- The Heroes' Pursuits: For the Goddess' Glory Larvik Freya's Garden N/A
- The Heroes' Pursuits: Kaer Trolde Rannvaig Kaer Trolde N/A
- The Lord of Undvik Kaer Trolde Undvik 17
- The Path of Warriors Trail to Yngvar's Fang Yngvar's Fang 16
- Little Red Yantra 15
- Message from an Old Friend Books and Scrolls N/A
- Novigrad Hospitality Roadside between Yantra and Sarrasin Grange 8
- The Sad Tale of the Grossbart Brothers Blandare Grotto 26
- Woe is Me Palisade N/A
- Worthy of Trust Kaer Trolde Harbor North of Crossroads Fyresdal N/A
- Greenhouse Effect - 27
- Novigrad, Closed City (II) Northwest of Hierarch Square N/A
- Monster Slayer Lakeside Hut 26
- Trail of Echoes - N/A
- Novigrad, Closed City Northwest of Hierarch Square 11
- Now or Never Novigrad 14
- Of Dairy and Darkness Novigrad 9
- Of Swords and Dumplings Aeramas' Abandoned Manor 24
- Out On Your Arse! Hattori's home The Golden Sturgeon 14
- Race: The Great Erasmus Vegelbud Memorial Derby Crippled Kate's N/A
- Racists of Novigrad Vegelbud Residence N/A
- Reason of State Road north of Portside Gate Dye pits northeast of Tretogor Gate 30
- Redania's Most Wanted Novigrad Docks St. Gregory's Bridge The Butcher's Yard theater 12
- Rough Neighborhood Est Tayiar 10
- Spooked Mare Just north of Shani's Clinic Southeast of Western Gate 12
- Strangers in the Night Hut north-northwest of Crossroads signpost N/A
- The Nithing Rannvaig 14
- Strumpet in Distress Between Eternal Fire Chapel and Vegelbud Residence N/A
- Suspicious Shakedown Behind a house north of the Rosemary and Thyme N/A
- The Dwarven Document Dilemma Farcorners 2
- The Flame of Hatred Street east of Hierarch Square N/A
- The Gangs of Novigrad Cleaver's Headquarters Whoreson Junior's casino Whoreson Junior's arena 9
- The Most Truest of Basilisks Road northeast of Novigrad Gate N/A
- The Nobleman Statuette Novigrad 14
- The Price of Passage Oxenfurt N/A
- The Soldier Statuette Caesar Bilzen's house Triss' hideout 14
- The Volunteer Oxenfurt White Eagle Fort 13
- Black Pearl The Golden Sturgeon North of Arinbjorn 13
- Gwent Quest: Collect ‘em All! Various places N/A
- Following the Thread Novigrad Water mill near Arette Seven Cats Inn Faroe 11
- Gwent Quest: Old Pals Seven Cats Inn Temerian Partisan hideout Rosemary and Thyme The Nowhere Inn Kaer Morhen N/A
- Coronation Kaer Trolde 18
- Never Trust Children The Bits Road between Arinbjorn and Sund N/A
- A Frying Pan, Spick and Span Riverside northwest of White Orchard N/A
- Faithful Friend Woesong Bridge 30
- Missing in Action Battlefield N/A
- On Death's Bed - 2
- Precious Cargo - N/A
- Twisted Firestarter Willis' forge White Orchard village N/A
- A Dog's Life Drudge 5
- A Favor for a Friend Keira Metz's hut 6
- A Greedy God South of Wastrel Manor 7
- A Towerful of Mice Fyke Isle Oreton 6
- An Invitation from Keira Metz Keira Metz's hut 6
- Bitter Harvest Battlefield south-southeast of the Border Post 9
- Blood Ties Nilfgaardian Army Group 'Center' Camp 12
- Caravan Attack Northwest of Marauders' Bridge N/A
- Ciri's Room Crow's Perch 5
- Deadly Crossing Troll Bridge Boatmakers' Hut North of Lindenvale West of Dragonslayer's Grotto N/A
- Death By Fire West of Codgers' Quarry 10
- Defender of the Faith East of Blackbough Duén Hen Along the road between Byways and Frischlow 10
- Face Me if You Dare! South of Crow's Perch Southeast of Tretogor Gate Northwest of The Golden Sturgeon N/A
- Fake Papers South of the Border Post N/A
- Fists of Fury: Velen Inn at the Crossroads Blackbough Crow's Perch Lindenvale 11
- At the Mercy of Strangers West of Mulbrydale N/A
- A Mysterious Passenger Larvik -
- Fools' Gold Lurtch 6
- For the Advancement of Learning Fyke Isle 8
- Free Spirit Snidhall Isle 13
- Forefathers' Eve Fyke Isle 7
- Funeral Pyres West of Mulbrydale 3
- Ghosts of the Past Reardon Manor Lindenvale 6
- Gwent Quest: Velen Players Benek Midcopse Oreton Crow's Perch N/A
- Harassing a Troll Far north and west of Inn at the Crossroads N/A
- Hazardous Goods Northwest of Lurtch Between Reardon Manor and Benek 4
- Highway Robbery Between Crow's Perch and Boatmakers' Hut N/A
- Highwayman's Cache East of Boatmakers' Hut N/A
- Last Rites Blackbough 9
- Yustianna Disturbed -
- The Tower Outta Nowheres 30
- The Price of Honor 14
- The Heroes' Pursuits: Fyresdal -
- Looters Heatherton Wolven Glade Toderas Codgers' Quarry N/A
- The Heroes' Pursuits: Fayrlund -
- Love's Cruel Snares Abandoned site north of Condyle 10
- The Family Blade 15
- Lynch Mob Hangman's Alley 7
- Taken as a Lass 25
- Magic Lamp The Mire 6
- Siren's Call -
- Practicum in Advanced Alchemy 24
- In Wolf's Clothing 15

See The List of All Quests

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