Witcher 3 Hearts of Stone: Complete Walkthrough & Tips
CD Projekt Red's first major expansion for The Witcher 3 is a masterclass in storytelling, moral ambiguity, and punishing combat design. The Hearts of Stone DLC clocks in at roughly 10–15 hours for a focused playthrough and introduces one of the most memorable antagonists in the entire witcher series — the immortal Gaunter O'Dimm. Whether you're approaching it fresh or replaying for a better outcome, this guide covers every critical decision, boss encounter, and hidden reward you need to know.
Recommended Level and Preparation
Before diving into the Hearts of Stone DLC, make sure Geralt is at least level 32. The expansion scales up to around level 40, and several enemy groups — particularly the Ofieri warriors and the final boss sequences — will punish underprepared builds ruthlessly. Stock up on Swallow potions, Black Blood, and Specter Oil before you begin.
Equip a silver sword with high base damage. If you've been following Witcher gear progression, the Wolven or Griffin School swords at their superior tier work excellently here. Also consider investing skill points into Yrden before entering — it becomes essential against wraith-type enemies encountered throughout the expansion.
The Immortal Olgierd von Everec: Understanding the Main Quest
The central narrative of Hearts of Stone revolves around Olgierd von Everec, a man who sold his soul to Gaunter O'Dimm in exchange for immortality. Geralt becomes entangled when a contract job goes sideways, and he's forced into a deal of his own. The main quest chain — Evil's Soft First Touches, Open Sesame, and Whatsoever a Man Soweth — must be completed in sequence.
Pay close attention to dialogue choices during your interactions with Gaunter. This character is deceptively powerful; he is essentially a deity-level entity in the witcher game universe, and his riddles during the final confrontation have real consequences tied to your earlier conversations.
Boss Fight Strategies
The Hearts of Stone DLC features several memorable boss encounters that require specific tactics rather than brute force.
- Olgierd von Everec (First Fight): You cannot kill him here — he regenerates. Focus on surviving, dodge his teleport slashes, and use Quen to absorb burst damage. The fight ends on a scripted trigger.
- The Caretaker: One of the hardest fights in the entire witcher series. He heals by absorbing souls from fallen enemies. Kill adds immediately, stay aggressive with heavy attacks between his shovel slams, and use Axii to briefly stagger him. Igni works well to interrupt his healing animation.
- Iris's Greatest Fear (Nightmare): Use Yrden constantly. This wraith-type boss can only be damaged during specific phases. Set a Yrden trap, bait her into it, and land fast silver sword combos before she phases out again.
The Three Wishes: Olgierd's Final Tasks
Midway through the expansion, Olgierd tasks Geralt with fulfilling three wishes on his behalf. These quests — visiting his brother Vlodimir, recovering Iris's rose, and helping Olgierd's old companion — are the emotional heart of the DLC. Don't rush them. Each one contains optional dialogue and collectibles that enrich the lore of the witcher game world significantly.
During the Vlodimir quest, Geralt's body is temporarily possessed. Your choices during the wedding sequence affect a minor relationship outcome but don't impact the ending. The Iris von Everec quest, however, involves a critical decision: you can take the rose at the cost of Iris's remaining memories, or leave it and accept a different reward. Neither choice is objectively correct — it's pure moral ambiguity in classic CD Projekt Red fashion.
The Final Choice: Save Olgierd or Let O'Dimm Take Him
The ending of the Hearts of Stone DLC hinges on whether you save Olgierd from Gaunter O'Dimm by solving his riddle, or step aside and allow O'Dimm to collect his due. This is the most consequential decision in the expansion.
To save Olgierd, you must answer O'Dimm's riddle correctly: the answer is "time." Geralt deduces this by examining the environment — a sundial, an hourglass, a melting candle. If you've been paying attention to environmental storytelling throughout the DLC, the answer feels earned rather than arbitrary.
Saving Olgierd rewards you with the Iris von Everec sword — a visually stunning weapon with unique on-hit effects. Letting O'Dimm take him rewards you with a different item set and a brief, chilling scene that reveals just how vast O'Dimm's true power is. Both outcomes are worth experiencing across multiple playthroughs.
Runewords and Enchantments: New Systems Explained
Hearts of Stone introduces the Runeword and Glyph Word enchantment system, which is one of its most overlooked additions to RPG gaming within The Witcher 3. Master craftsmen — unlocked after completing the main quest — can apply these enchantments to fully slotted gear.
Top-tier runewords to prioritize include Severance (extends the range of Rend and Whirl), Rejuvenation (restores health and stamina on each hit), and Preservation (prevents armor degradation entirely). For signs-focused builds, the Invigoration glyph word dramatically increases sign intensity when your health is full — a powerful combo with the Quen active shield ability.
Final Thoughts on Hearts of Stone
The Hearts of Stone DLC stands as one of the finest pieces of expansion content in modern RPG gaming. It tells a complete, emotionally resonant story in a compact runtime, introduces meaningful new mechanics, and features writing that rivals the base game at its best. Whether you're a long-time fan of the witcher series or a newcomer to CD Projekt Red's work, this expansion is essential. Play it before Blood and Wine — it sets the emotional baseline for just how dark and human these stories can get.