The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is renowned for its deeply engaging side stories that present players with difficult moral dilemmas. Among these captivating missions is An Eye for an Eye, a secondary quest involving your old ally Vernon Roche and his fiercely independent commander, Ves. This guide provides a detailed walkthrough of the quest objectives alongside an analysis of the final decisions to help you achieve the most satisfying outcome.
How to Start and Prepare for the Quest
This mission becomes available automatically after completing a portion of the main questline involving Junior in Novigrad. You must speak with Vernon Roche at the Temerian Partisan Hideout to officially kick off the story. It is highly recommended to complete this assignment before traveling to the Isle of Mists, as advancing past that story milestone will cause this quest to fail permanently.
Failing or ignoring this quest results in significant narrative consequences later in your playthrough. Most notably, you will lose the ability to recruit Roche and Ves for a critical upcoming battle at Kaer Morhen. Ensuring their survival and securing their alliance now heavily influences the endgame landscape.
Rushing to Mulbrydale and Saving Ves
After meeting Roche at Hanged Man's Tree, you will discover that Ves has gone rogue to protect local villagers from an impending Nilfgaardian massacre. You must immediately sprint down into the settlement of Mulbrydale to join the chaotic skirmish. Your absolute highest priority during this fight is keeping Ves alive, as her health bar drains rapidly under enemy pressure.
If Ves falls in combat, the mission instantly concludes in failure, stripping away future strategic advantages. Use quick signs like Aard or Axii to stagger attackers and draw aggression away from her. Once the Nilfgaardian soldiers are completely defeated, a tense dialogue sequence will trigger between the surviving characters.
The Final Decision Regarding the Nilfgaardian Soldier
The core dilemma of the quest centers around a single wounded Nilfgaardian soldier who survived the battlefield onslaught. Ves firmly demands his execution to ensure no witnesses can report the partisan activities to the imperial army. Conversely, Roche prefers to show mercy and spare the captive to preserve military honor and prevent further local retaliation.
As Geralt of Rivia, the final choice rests entirely on your shoulders. Opting to execute the survivor satisfies Ves, and Roche will reluctantly finish him off despite his initial personal objections. If you decide to spare the soldier, he is allowed to leave peacefully, aligning with Roche's diplomatic view.
Consequences and Best Quest Choices
Fortunately, choosing to either kill or spare the lone survivor does not alter your standing with your companions. Regardless of your final dialogue choice, both Roche and Ves will remain available to assist you later in the campaign. The decision functions primarily as a roleplaying mechanic to express your version of Geralt's morality.
However, successful completion of the quest remains mandatory if you hope to unlock the major political assassination questline later. Ensuring Ves survives this encounter keeps the alliance intact and guarantees their helpful presence when the Wild Hunt eventually arrives. Balancing immediate combat awareness with long-term narrative awareness yields the best results for your overall journey.
