Witcher 3 Blood and Wine: Complete Expansion Walkthrough Guide

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Arriving in Toussaint: Where Blood and Wine Begins

This Blood and Wine walkthrough starts where the expansion itself does: the border checkpoint into Toussaint, reached after completing the main quest "Blood on the Battlefield" in the base game (or "Turn and Face the Strange" if starting fresh at level 34+). Geralt is summoned by Duchess Anna Henrietta to investigate a string of brutal murders targeting the region's knights. Before diving into the main story, take time to explore Corvo Bianco, the vineyard estate you'll acquire early on — it becomes your permanent base of operations in Toussaint, complete with a beekeeper, stable hand, and gwent-playing gardener. Upgrading the estate through the "Beyond Hill and Dale" quest line is optional but worthwhile, since it unlocks fast travel perks and a private alchemy lab.

The Beast of Toussaint: Main Quest Walkthrough

The central mystery driving this Blood and Wine walkthrough is the hunt for a mysterious beast committing ritualistic murders against the Knights of the Order. Following the trail through "The Beast of Toussaint" and "Blood Simple" leads Geralt to a divergent path: siding with the knight-errant investigating independently, or reporting directly to ducal authority. Your choice here shapes later dialogue but doesn't lock you out of content. The investigation eventually reveals Dettlaff van der Eretein, a higher vampire whose connection to Regis — Geralt's old friend from the novels, reintroduced in this expansion — forms the emotional core of the story. Pay close attention to clues at each crime scene using Witcher Senses; missing evidence here makes later deduction sequences harder to piece together.

A Knight's Tale: Sir Geralt of Toussaint

One of the most memorable questlines in the expansion is "A Knight's Tale," which sees Geralt knighted by the Duchess and tasked with proving himself worthy of the title. This leads into a multi-stage adventure involving jousting tournaments, a trial in the arena against Sir Eyvind, and eventually confronting the disgraced Knight of the Flowers. The questline rewards patience — completing every stage properly unlocks unique armor sets and dialogue options that reference Geralt's growing reputation in Beauclair. Don't rush through the joust tutorial; the timing mechanics differ slightly from regular combat and take a few tries to master.

Unraveling the Vampire Mystery

As the main quest progresses through "La Cage au Fou" and "The Warble of a Smitten Knight," the true scope of the vampire conspiracy becomes clear. Syanna, the Duchess's estranged sister, is central to Dettlaff's motivations, and the game presents genuine moral ambiguity rather than a clean villain-versus-hero narrative. This is where a thorough Blood and Wine walkthrough pays off most: choices made during "Equine Phantoms" and the fairy-tale-inspired "Beauty and the Beast" flashback sequence directly affect which of two distinct endings you receive. There is no objectively "correct" path — both endings are fully realized, but they diverge sharply in tone, so save before the final confrontation at Tesham Mutna if you want to experience both.

Side Quests and Toussaint Secrets Worth Your Time

Beyond the main story, Toussaint is packed with content that showcases CD Projekt Red's world-building strengths. "Turn and Face the Strange" introduces a hilarious doppler side story, while "Wine Wars" lets you settle a rivalry between two vineyards with lasting economic consequences for the region. Treasure hunts tied to the "Fake Papers" and "Wine is Fine, But Liquor is Quicker" quests reward exploration with rare gwent cards and unique weapons, including the powerful Aerondight sword, obtained through a lengthy but rewarding side quest called "There Can Only Be One." Completionists should also track down the Land of a Thousand Fables, a fairy-tale realm accessible only through specific story triggers.

Combat, Gear, and New Mechanics in Blood and Wine

The expansion introduces mutations, a deeper alchemy system that lets Geralt permanently enhance his abilities through mutagen combinations found in Toussaint's ruins and grand master witcher gear sets. Grandmaster armor requires visiting multiple smiths across the region and gathering rare diagrams, making it a worthwhile long-term goal for players who enjoy min-maxing builds. New enemy types, including archespores and higher vampires beyond Dettlaff, demand updated tactics — Yrden and silver swords remain essential, but the new Mutation abilities open aggressive playstyles previously unavailable in the base game.

Final Tips for Completing Blood and Wine

To get the most from any Blood and Wine walkthrough, prioritize Corvo Bianco upgrades early, complete "A Knight's Tale" before the main story's midpoint for better gear synergy, and always investigate every clue marker before moving dialogue forward, since Toussaint's murder-mystery structure rewards thoroughness. With roughly 20-30 hours of content, this expansion remains one of the finest pieces of RPG storytelling CD Projekt Red has produced, and it holds up remarkably well even years after release.