King's Gambit Walkthrough and Best Choice
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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.
| Previous Quest | Current Quest | Next Quest |
|---|---|---|
| - | 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
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
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
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
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
All Secondary Quests
Base Game Secondary Quests
| At the Mercy of Strangers (N/A) | A Mysterious Passenger | Gwent Quest: Collect ‘em All! (N/A) |
| Gwent Quest: Old Pals (N/A) | Never Trust Children (N/A) | A Frying Pan, Spick and Span (N/A) |
| Missing in Action (N/A) | Precious Cargo (N/A) | Twisted Firestarter (N/A) |
| Caravan Attack (N/A) | Deadly Crossing (N/A) | Face Me if You Dare! (N/A) |
| Fake Papers (N/A) | Gwent Quest: Velen Players (N/A) | Harassing a Troll (N/A) |
| Highway Robbery (N/A) | Highwayman's Cache (N/A) | Looters (N/A) |
| Man's Best Friend (N/A) | Races: Crow's Perch (N/A) | The Truth is in the Stars (N/A) |
| A Warm Welcome (N/A) | Drunken Rabble (N/A) | Empty Coop (N/A) |
| Gwent Quest: Big City Players (N/A) | Gwent Quest: Playing Innkeeps (N/A) | Gwent Quest: Playing Thaler (N/A) |
| Call of the Wild (N/A) | Karmic Justice (N/A) | The Four Faces of Hemdall (N/A) |
| The Heroes' Pursuits: For the Goddess' Glory (N/A) | The Heroes' Pursuits: Kaer Trolde (N/A) | Message from an Old Friend (N/A) |
| Woe is Me (N/A) | Worthy of Trust (N/A) | Novigrad, Closed City (II) (N/A) |
| Trail of Echoes (N/A) | Race: The Great Erasmus Vegelbud Memorial Derby (N/A) | Racists of Novigrad (N/A) |
| Strangers in the Night (N/A) | Strumpet in Distress (N/A) | Suspicious Shakedown (N/A) |
| The Flame of Hatred (N/A) | The Most Truest of Basilisks (N/A) | The Price of Passage (N/A) |
| Yustianna Disturbed | The Heroes' Pursuits: Fyresdal | The Heroes' Pursuits: Fayrlund |
| Siren's Call | Farting Trolls | Brave Fools Die Young |
| Witch Hunter Raids (N/A) | Gwent Quest: Skellige Style (N/A) | On Death's Bed (2) |
| The Dwarven Document Dilemma (2) | Funeral Pyres (3) | Hazardous Goods (4) |
| The Whispering Hillock (5) | A Dog's Life (5) | Ciri's Room (5) |
| A Favor for a Friend (6) | A Towerful of Mice (6) | An Invitation from Keira Metz (6) |
| Fools' Gold (6) | Ghosts of the Past (6) | Magic Lamp (6) |
| The Fall of the House of Reardon (6) | Hey, You Wanna Look at my Stuff? (6) | A Greedy God (7) |
| Forefathers' Eve (7) | Lynch Mob (7) | Thou Shalt Not Pass (7) |
| Wild at Heart (7) | Haunted House (7) | For the Advancement of Learning (8) |
| Hidden Messages of the Nilfgaardian Kind (8) | Novigrad Hospitality (8) | Bitter Harvest (9) |
| Last Rites (9) | Return to Crookback Bog (9) | Honor Among Thieves (9) |
| Of Dairy and Darkness (9) | The Gangs of Novigrad (9) | Death By Fire (10) |
| Defender of the Faith (10) | Love's Cruel Snares (10) | Witcher Wannabe (10) |
| Rough Neighborhood (10) | Following the Thread (11) | Fists of Fury: Velen (11) |
| A Barnful of Trouble (11) | Novigrad, Closed City (11) | Fists of Fury: Champion of Champions (11 ) |
| Blood Ties (12) | A Dangerous Game (12) | A Matter of Life and Death (12) |
| A Walk on the Waterfront (12) | An Eye for an Eye (12) | Fencing Lessons (12) |
| Redania's Most Wanted (12) | Spooked Mare (12) | Flesh for Sale (12 ) |
| Black Pearl (13) | A Tome Entombed (13) | From a Land Far, Far Away (13) |
| The Volunteer (13) | Warehouse of Woe (13 ) | Free Spirit (13) |
| A Deadly Plot (14) | Cabaret (14) | Master of the Arena (14) |
| Stranger in a Strange Land (14) | The Cave of Dreams (14) | Now or Never (14) |
| Out On Your Arse! (14) | The Nobleman Statuette (14) | The Soldier Statuette (14) |
| The Price of Honor (14 ) | The Nithing (14) | A Bard's Beloved (15) |
| Armed Assault (15) | For Fame and Glory (15) | Little Red (15) |
| The Family Blade (15 ) | In Wolf's Clothing (15 ) | An Unpaid Debt (15 ) |
| The Last Wish (15) | Carnal Sins (16) | The Path of Warriors (16) |
| The Lord of Undvik (17) | Possession (17) | Crime and Punishment (18) |
| King's Gambit (18) | Coronation (18) | Iron Maiden (19) |
| A Feast for Crows (20) | Hard Times (21) | Brothers In Arms: Velen (22) |
| Brothers In Arms: Novigrad (22) | Brothers In Arms: Skellige (22) | Brothers In Arms: Nilfgaard (22) |
| Fists of Fury: Novigrad (23) | The Bastion (23 ) | Abandoned Sawmill (24) |
| Finders Keepers (24) | Shock Therapy (24) | Of Swords and Dumplings (24) |
| Master Armorers (24) | Practicum in Advanced Alchemy (24 ) | Take What You Want (25) |
| Where the Cat and Wolf Play... (25) | Peace Disturbed (25) | Taken as a Lass (25 ) |
| A Final Kindness (26) | High Stakes (26) | The Sad Tale of the Grossbart Brothers (26) |
| Monster Slayer (26) | Greenhouse Effect (27) | Berengar's Blade (27 ) |
| It Takes Three to Tango (28) | Faithful Friend (30) | Fists of Fury: Skellige (30) |
| Reason of State (30) | The Tower Outta Nowheres (30 ) | The Witcher's Forge (30 ) |
Blood and Wine Secondary Quests
| Fists of Fury: Toussaint | Mutual of Beauclair's Wild Kingdom | The Words of the Prophets are Written on Sarcophagi |
| Till Death Do You Part | Using Your Loaf | Vintner's Contract: Chuchote Cave |
| Vintner's Contract: Duchaton Crest | Of Sheers and a Witcher I Sing | Big Feet to Fill: The Third Group |
| Big Feet to Fill | Gwent Quest: Never Fear, Skellige’s Here! (N/A) | No Place Like Home (Blood and Wine) (N/A) |
| Big Feet to Fill: The Second Group (N/A) | Big Feet to Fill: The First Group (N/A) | Amidst the Mill's Grist (N/A) |
| A Knight’s Tales | Raging Wolf | Knight for Hire |
| Extreme Cosplay | Big Feet to Fill: The Fourth Group | The Perks of Being a Jailbird |
| Big Feet to Fill: The Fifth Group | The Warble of a Smitten Knight (35) | Turn and Face the Strange (35) |
| Paperchase (36) | Goodness, Gracious, Great Balls of Granite! (36) | Wine Wars: Vermentino (37) |
| Wine Wars: Coronata (37) | Father Knows Worst (37) | Wine Wars: Belgaard (37 and 39) |
| Vintner's Contract: Rivecalme Storehouse (37) | Gwent Quest: To Everything - Turn, Turn, Tournament! (38) | Vintner's Contract: Dun Tynne Hillside (40) |
| Wine Wars: Consorting (40) | Master Master Master Master! (40) | Wine Wars: The Deus in the Machina (42) |
| The Hunger Game (42) | Vintner's Contract: Cleaning Those Hard-to-Reach Places (43) | There Can Be Only One (43) |
| A Portrait of the Witcher as an Old Man (43) | Duck, Duck, Goosed! (47) |
Hearts of Stone Secondary Quests
| Enchanting: Quality Has Its Price (32) | Enchanting: Start-up Costs (32) | Races: Swift as the Western Winds (32) |
| The Taxman Cometh (32) | Without a Trace (32) | A Midnight Clear (33) |
| Rose on a Red Field (33) | Avid Collector (34) |
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