Reason of State in Witcher 3: Should You Kill Radovid?
Kill Radovid or not, and should you side with Roche or Dijkstra? What each Reason of State choice does to the Northern Realms ending, plus the full walkthrough.
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Quick answer
Most players defend Roche, Ves and Thaler. Radovid dies either way once you join the plot. The real choice comes after, in the theater: defend the Temerians and kill Dijkstra and Nilfgaard wins the war, Temeria survives as a Nilfgaardian vassal state, and Ciri can still become Empress. Walk away and Dijkstra kills them, takes over the North and wins the war. Skip the plot and Radovid wins, Emhyr is killed and Temeria disappears.
Let's talk about kings today. During the long journeys, the witcher constantly has to deal with politicians and rulers, although he does not like it. In the book novel, our hero often intersected with important "bumps": in the first game he worked directly with Foltest and was involved in government activities. And in the second game, so generally received the title “Assassin of Kings”. But then came the events of the third game, Nilfgaard went to the North, the prolonged war began. Since Foltest is dead and Temeria is now weakened, the king of Redania, Radovid V the Stern, stood up for the north.
Radovid is the son of Vizimir II and Hedwig. He became famous as an unsurpassed tactician, winning battle after battle. During the Third Northern War, he took the opportunity and joined Kaedwen to Redania. But he has one more trait besides a sharp mind and ability to fight. Behind the king’s back, everyone calls Radovid Mad, because he is incredibly cruel and knows no mercy. Maybe by the wave of his hand kill both an ally and an enemy. It is because of his orders that you see so many witch hunters in Novigrad and all over Velen. As well as the unfortunate, persecuted mages, which are destroyed and burned at the stake. In the task, which we consider further, he even ordered to kill Geralt, because he knew too much. Great attitude towards the allies, right?
During the walkthrough of the storyline you could already meet Radovid, and more than once. For example, during the quest "Get Junior", Roche takes you to an informant to find out about the location of the Bastard. And suddenly the informant was Radovid, who plays chess. He will help the witcher - not for free, of course. After this quest, you will see the insane king a few more times and make sure you tell the truth about him. Why am I doing all this? Carrying out a side task of Novigrad, you will have the opportunity to influence the outcome of the war, completely change the political structure of the country and even kill Radovid. Well, not with your own hands, but you will greatly contribute to this. Interesting? Then get to the point!
Where to get the job
The task during which it is possible to carry out a coup d’etat and kill Radovid is called “Reason of State”. For it is necessary to fulfill several conditions:
- Complete the “A Deadly Plot” side quest.
- During the passage of the plot task “Blindingly Obvious” it is necessary to tell Dijkstra that the emperor Nilfgaard is looking for his daughter in order to give her the crown.
This quest is of global importance and the fate of Temeria and the Northern Kingdoms depends on it. In addition, one of the variants of the passage will block access to one ending of the game.
Important! The task must be completed before you complete the “On thin ice” story task. Otherwise, the quest will be failed.
Witcher 3: Wild Hunt quest “Reason of State” - the walkthrough of the mission
During the dialogue on the instructions “Blindingly Obvious”, Dijkstra appointed us a “date” in the port. We go to the desired warehouse, which will help to find the label on the map, and knock on the door to start the cut-scene. The main minds of the North - Vernon Roche, Thaler and Dijkstra in person have already gathered in the warehouse.
At the beginning, Dijkstra will describe the situation as a whole - everyone understands that Radovid only harms the north, so it would be better to get rid of it. But there is a problem - the king of Redania is seated on a ship with a bunch of guards. It is almost impossible to lure him out of there, and it is foolish to storm the base.
That is why the witcher was called here.
If you remember, not so long ago, the king hired the witcher to search for Philippa Eilhart, and that is what we will use. In short, the plan is as follows - Geralt comes to Radovid and declares that he has taken refuge as a sorceress. It is supposedly located on the bridge that leads to the Temple Island, where an ambush will be arranged. Radovid trusts the witcher and goes after the sorceress, and here he will be caught off guard.
How to kill Radovid
If you answer “I do not participate in this” or “This is not for me”, then the task will immediately go into the category of failed. You will lose the opportunity to get one of the endings, you will not be able to achieve the autonomy of Temeria, the insane king will remain on the throne and at the end of the plot will subdue all the Northern Kingdoms.
So, on the hands. As it turns out, our main tactics (Dijkstra and Thaler) will not take part in the trap. Of course, they come up with excellent strategies, but the fighters are so-so. They will wait for Geralt with Roche and Ves in Madame Irene's theater, which is currently empty. That's all, go to Radovid, whose ship is parked near the warehouse in the port of Novigrad.
Consequences of choosing
At the exit from the warehouse, the White Wolf will stop Philippa. She will laugh at the naivety of the conspirators and will say that Radovid will never believe in their plan. She hates the king with all her heart and agrees to help, even if she was not asked. During the dialogue, the sorceress will give the witcher a ruby ring with a Redanian eagle, which belonged to Radovid’s father. This will be weighty evidence that will help lure the king beyond the ship.
Now is the time to go to the ship. It is located nearby, just turn the corner and run along the port.
Important! I advise you to meditate, replenish bombs and elixirs, smear the steel sword with the Hanged Man's Venom before approaching the ship. There will be a long battle ahead with a large number of opponents and this possibility will not arise anymore. To get to the ship is enough to talk with the captain of the guard. He will ask Geralt to hand over his weapon and, without any questions, will transfer you to the ship. As Philippa predicted, Radovid will not believe the words of Geralt and will suspect treachery. Thanks to the sorceress, we have something to confirm our words. After receiving the ring of his father, Radovid immediately recognizes him, because Philippa put them stamp when he served at the court of Redania. But why did not Geralt deliver the sorceress herself?
Witcher answers that for this it is necessary to catch. All he could do was hunt down the den and steal the evidence. As agreed, we tell the king that Philippa’s shelter is in a house on the bridge that leads to the Temple Island. Radovid believes the White Wolf (well, or pretends to believe), but on one condition - the witcher goes on the hunt for the sorceress with him.
After the conversation, we are automatically teleported to the southern part of the bridge of St. Gregory. The king will give the order to block the bridge and the neighborhood so that there are no unnecessary witnesses ... and kill the witcher, because he knows too much. So what is the name of this attitude of the king to the faithful subjects? With this act he will only confirm his madness and lack of principle.
As soon as the business smells fried, Roche will arrive with our team to help us, which means that the killing of Geralt is postponed. Blue Stripes crossbowmen in a second will shoot the soldiers who surrounded the witcher, and the game will give us the opportunity to participate in the brawl, taking the first sword in our hand.
Your first opponents will be 5 guards - the problem is that it is not clear what kind of blade. But you will be assisted by members of the Blue Stripes, so the fight should go smoothly. After defeating the first enemies, the cut-scene will begin, and Geralt will receive the witcher swords back. Now it's time to show them who the "Butcher of Blaviken" is here.
Your main task is to fight your way to the northern part of the bridge, killing witch hunters and Redanian soldiers along the way. But do not run forward headlong - so you can be surrounded, and it will be an unpleasant battle. Together with you, by the end of the bridge, the fighters of the Stripes will break through. Do not be afraid to use signs and bombs, you will not touch them, but against enemies they will be very helpful.
After killing all the Redanian soldiers, at the end of the bridge, the witcher will notice the king hiding behind the boards, and the cut-scene will begin.
The mad king will not be so brave and will start knocking on the nearest door with shouts. And his cry will be heard! True, the “master” of the house will not make him happy, because the door will be opened to him by Philippa Eilhart herself. For a start, it will deprive the king of sight (here the phrase “an eye for an eye” is recalled at the right time), and after that he stabs the knife in cold blood.
The Witcher and Roche will arrive with the lads when everything is finished, and they will only have to watch the death of the Mad King. The enchantress will not lose time and, having turned into an owl, will quickly fly away from the bridge. Philippa, of course, knew about our plans, because she overheard the conversation still in stock. But there is no time to find out who is right and who is wrong, it's time to get out of the crime scene. As agreed, straight to the empty theater!
The game will take us to an empty establishment, where we will meet with Thaler. Although the ambush did not go according to plan, but the result was achieved - after all, the evil king is dead. And this is a reason to drink, pre-clinking, and exclaiming "For Temeria!". And only now Geralt will devote to political plans of our strategists. The next day, the rejection of further partisan actions in the direction of the Nilfgaard will be signed, and Temeria will receive the status of self-managed autonomy. The country will have its own laws and courts, the administration and its own army within the framework of the Nilfgaard Empire. “Silver lilies will bloom again, even in the rays of the golden sun” - beautifully said, right?
After Geralt devotes himself to political plans, Dijkstra will appear and interrupt the fun. It seems that the Redanian patriot decided to betray his brethren, to lead Redania himself and then to capture the entire North, including Temeri. Many Dijkstra soldiers will appear, he will give the order to kill Thaler, Roche and all the witnesses. The witcher is not in the business here, so that he can easily leave.
What decision to choose and whom to support
If Geralt supports Dijkstra, the former head of the Redanian intelligence will kill the Temerian patriots, although we will not see this. The game will expose us from the theater, and the task will be completed on this. This decision will lead to the fact that Dijkstra will become the new ruler of the North. Nilfgaard lost the war, and Emhyr is killed for losing the war. By choosing this option, you will not be able to get the ending of “Ciri becomes Empress”.
If Geralt supports the Temerians, the Redanian spy will order people to kill the witcher along with the rest. A battle against a dozen enemies will begin, so get better prepared, use potions, bombs and regularly cast signs. You have to kill everyone, even Dijkstra himself, who will also rush into a storm of battle. After defeating all the enemies, Roche will thank the witcher and invite him to visit Vizima when the war ends. After that, we will be put out of the theater door. As a result, Nilfgaard will win the war, and if during the task “Blood on the Battlefield” you brought Ciri to Vizima to see his father, then now you will have the opportunity to get the ending “Ciri-Empress”.
This mission of the “Reason of State” game The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt will end.
Reason of State choices and consequences
Your decisions here decide who wins the war and what happens to Temeria in the ending. This is how each path plays out:
| Your choice | What happens | Effect on the ending |
|---|---|---|
| Refuse to join the plot (or never unlock the quest) | Radovid stays alive. Roche, Ves and Thaler survive but do not kill him. | Radovid wins the war, Emhyr is killed for losing, and Temeria no longer exists as a country. Radovid keeps hunting mages and nonhumans. |
| Join the plot, then walk away from the theater | Radovid is killed on the bridge. Dijkstra's men kill Roche, Ves and Thaler off-screen. | Dijkstra takes over the North and wins the war. Emhyr is killed, and Temeria is absorbed by the North. Ciri cannot become Empress. |
| Join the plot, then defend Roche, Ves and Thaler | Radovid is killed on the bridge. You fight and kill Dijkstra and his men. Roche invites Geralt to Vizima. | Nilfgaard wins the war and Temeria becomes a Nilfgaardian vassal state with its own laws and army. Ciri can become Empress if her other requirements are met. |
Frequently Asked Questions
QWhat is the best choice in Reason of State?
There is no single right answer, but most players defend Roche, Ves and Thaler. It keeps your Temerian allies alive, saves Temeria as a vassal state and keeps the Empress ending for Ciri possible. Letting Dijkstra win gives the North a strong ruler but costs you Roche, Ves and Thaler.
QHow do you unlock Reason of State?
Complete A Deadly Plot, get and finish (or fail) An Eye for an Eye and Redania's Most Wanted, and at the end of Blindingly Obvious tell Dijkstra what the emperor is after instead of breaking his leg.
QCan you save Roche, Ves and Thaler?
Yes. In the theater after Radovid's death, side with them against Dijkstra. You will have to fight Dijkstra and his men, but all three survive.
QWhat happens if you let Dijkstra kill Roche?
Roche, Ves and Thaler die. Dijkstra becomes Chancellor of Redania, leads the North to victory, and Emhyr is killed. Temeria does not get its independence back.
QWhen does Reason of State fail?
The quest fails if you start the main quest On Thin Ice before finishing it. Also avoid starting Warehouse of Woe next door unless you finish it first.
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