Wild at Heart is one of the better side quests tucked away in Velen, and it earns that reputation by pulling the rug out from under you at least twice before it ends. What starts as a simple missing-person job for a worried husband turns into a monster hunt with a genuinely uncomfortable decision at the finish line. This guide covers every step, every clue location, the werewolf fight, and both possible outcomes so you know exactly what you're walking into.
How do you start the Wild at Heart quest?
The quest becomes available as soon as you reach Velen. Grab the notice from the Crow's Perch notice board, then ride south to the village of Blackbough. Speak with Niellen, a man who explains that his wife Hannah vanished days ago and the village search has turned up nothing.
After talking to Niellen, work the village before heading into the woods. Speak with Glenna and the children near the blacksmith for additional details about Hannah's last known movements. There's also a redheaded woman in the village who has her own perspective on the situation worth hearing. Gathering these conversations updates your objectives and fills in the picture before Geralt starts tracking.
The Witcher 3 Remastered Guide: How to Complete Wild at Heart Quest
Searching for Hannah
Ride north to the marked area in the forest. Wolves are patrolling the location, identifiable through Witcher Senses by their white ripple effect. Kill the pack, and a cutscene triggers introducing Margrit, Hannah's sister.
Margrit offers Geralt a bribe to walk away: tell Niellen that Hannah is dead and leave it at that. Accepting nets you 55 Crowns and 75 XP, and you can return to Blackbough to close the quest for an additional 10 Crowns and 25 XP. The quest ends there, and you never learn what actually happened.
To see the full story, refuse the deal and keep investigating.
What clues does Geralt find in the forest?
Activate Witcher Senses and examine the following points of interest in the clearing:
- A dead dog beneath a nearby tree
- Claw marks scored into the ground
- A dead body behind a tree
After inspecting all three, a trail of clawed footprints appears leading to a rock. Examine the scratched rock, then look behind it for a tuft of hair. Interacting with the tuft activates a scent trail. Follow it through the trees, picking up scattered pieces of clothing along the way, until you reach an Isolated Shack.
The Witcher 3 Remastered Guide: How to Complete Wild at Heart Quest
Inside the shack, loot the chests and pick up the Mysterious Notes from the bedroom floor. Exit and circle around to the rear of the building. A blood trail leads down to a wooden door set into the ground. Use Aard to blast it open, then descend into the cave below. There's a chest containing an Enhanced Saddle inside, worth grabbing before you move on.
How do you beat the werewolf in Wild at Heart?
Once night falls and you return to the cave, the fight begins. The Werewolf is not alone: smaller wolves enter the cave alongside him and will mob Geralt if left unchecked. Deal with the wolves first before focusing on the main target.
The werewolf uses a leaping claw slash, several close-range melee swings, and a lunging bite. The trickiest part of the fight is his health regeneration. When he takes significant damage, he retreats and starts glowing red, actively regenerating health. You need to stay on him during this phase to counteract the regen rate. Igni is particularly effective here since setting him on fire disrupts the regeneration and keeps damage ticking.
Keep pressure on without overcommitting. The werewolf hits hard, so greedy attack strings will get Geralt killed. Chip away steadily and the fight is manageable. Knowing how to heal mid-combat before this fight is worth reviewing if you're struggling to keep Geralt's health up during the regeneration phases.
The Witcher 3 Remastered Guide: How to Complete Wild at Heart Quest
What happens when Margrit appears?
Once the werewolf's health drops low enough, Margrit enters the cave and stops the fight. She reveals that the werewolf is Niellen, the same man who hired Geralt to find his wife. The full truth of Hannah's fate comes out here, and Geralt has to decide what to do with Margrit.
Should you save Margrit or let the werewolf kill her?
This is the quest's defining choice, and neither outcome is clean.
Save Margrit ("Can't let you do that"): Geralt steps in and finishes the fight himself, killing the werewolf. The quest completes. Margrit survives and can be found sitting in the shack above, visibly distressed. Loot the werewolf's body to find a key that opens the locked chest inside the shack, which contains armor and the Diagram: Shaidhal's Armour.
Let the werewolf kill Margrit ("She deserves it..."): Geralt stands aside. After Margrit dies, the werewolf approaches Geralt and asks to be put down, unable to live with what he's done. Geralt can grant that request and kill him. You still get the key from the body and can open the locked chest for the same loot.
The quest awards 100 XP regardless of which ending you choose. The locked chest loot is accessible through both outcomes, so the decision is purely about how you want the story to end.
Wild at Heart is a compact quest that does a lot with a small cast. The twist lands because the early investigation feels genuinely like detective work rather than a fetch run, and the final choice has no comfortable answer. For more quests, walkthroughs, and build advice, the full Witcher 3 guide collection has everything you need to get through The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt without missing a beat.