Battle Preparations in The Witcher 3: Sub-Quests, Missable Cutoffs and Ciri Choices
Witcher 3 Battle Preparations: sub-quest order, what you miss after it (Reason of State, Triss' earring, crystal skull) and the choices that affect Ciri.
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Updated October 2026. Battle Preparations is the last hub quest before the end of The Witcher 3. It starts right after Final Preparations, takes the whole team to Skellige, and wraps four sub-quests: The Sunstone, Veni Vidi Vigo, Child of the Elder Blood and (optionally) Skjall's Grave. It has no reward of its own, but it is a point of no return for a few things, and two choices inside it count toward Ciri's ending.
Quick answer
Start: automatically after Final Preparations. Talk to Avallac'h in Novigrad to set sail.
Sub-quests: The Sunstone, Veni Vidi Vigo, Child of the Elder Blood, then Skjall's Grave (optional, chosen at the end of Child of the Elder Blood).
Cutoff: finishing it locks out Reason of State, returning Triss' earring and giving Yennefer the crystal skull. Do those first.
Ciri's ending: two timed choices in Child of the Elder Blood count toward it.
Reward: none for the hub quest itself. On Thin Ice starts next.
Point of no return. Completing Battle Preparations is the cutoff for Reason of State, for returning Triss' earring (found in the broken bed below Kaer Morhen, see our Kaer Morhen guide) and for giving Yennefer the crystal skull (picked up early in Lilac and Gooseberries, given after The Last Wish). Finish them before you tell Avallac'h everything is ready.
Battle Preparations Walkthrough
1. Novigrad: Talk to Avallac'h
The quest starts in Novigrad, and the only thing to do there is tell Avallac'h you're ready to sail to Skellige. This may be your last chance to play Gwent with Madman Lugos, so grab his cards first if you're collecting (see our Gwent cards guide).
2. Kaer Trolde Harbor: The Sub-Quests
When the ship reaches Kaer Trolde Harbor, the first sub-quests start. Do them in this order:
| Sub-quest | What it is | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| The Sunstone | Find the Sunstone | Child of the Elder Blood starts once you learn where the Sunstone is |
| Veni Vidi Vigo | Swim to Emhyr's flagship near Undvik at night and get Fringilla Vigo released | Use a Killer Whale potion; only the submerged starboard anchor works. 200 XP |
| Child of the Elder Blood | Explore Avallac'h's hidden laboratory with Ciri and Yennefer | Two timed choices count toward Ciri's ending. 300 XP |
| Skjall's Grave (optional) | Go with Ciri to Skjall's grave on Hindarsfjall | Only if you agree to go with her at the end of Child of the Elder Blood |
3. The Choices That Affect Ciri's Ending
Both are timed dialogue choices in Child of the Elder Blood:
| Moment | Positive for Ciri | Negative for Ciri |
|---|---|---|
| Ciri wants to wreck the lab | Go for it. | Calm down. |
| Ciri asks you to visit Skjall's grave | Yeah. I'll go with you. | No time. |
They are only part of the picture; see our endings guide for every choice that decides how Ciri's story ends.
4. Talk to Everyone, Then Tell Avallac'h You're Ready
Back on the ship, Yennefer and Triss have new dialogue, and some lines change depending on your romance. You can talk to Avallac'h about Ciri, to Philippa Eilhart in the cabin, and to Margarita on the poop deck. When you're done, and you've finished anything on the cutoff list, tell Avallac'h everything's ready. The ship sails for Undvik (you can stay behind and meet the others there later), Battle Preparations ends, and On Thin Ice begins.
Video: Battle Preparations
Frequently Asked Questions
QWhat do I miss after Battle Preparations?
Reason of State, returning Triss' earring and giving Yennefer the crystal skull. Finish those before you tell Avallac'h everything is ready.
QWhat order are the Battle Preparations sub-quests in?
The Sunstone (Child of the Elder Blood starts once you learn where the Sunstone is), Veni Vidi Vigo, Child of the Elder Blood, then the optional Skjall's Grave.
QDoes Battle Preparations affect Ciri's ending?
The hub quest itself doesn't, but two timed choices in Child of the Elder Blood do: "Go for it" and "Yeah. I'll go with you" are the positive ones.
QWhat reward does Battle Preparations give?
None. The sub-quests give XP: 200 for Veni Vidi Vigo and 300 for Child of the Elder Blood.
QCan't talk to Avallac'h to finish the quest?
A rare bug made him only reply "Yes?". It was fixed in patch 4.02, so update the game if you hit it.
Before this: Final Preparations and The Great Escape. More: all Witcher 3 quests.
Sources: in-game quest text and journal; steps and cutoffs checked against the Witcher Wiki pages for Battle Preparations, Veni Vidi Vigo and Child of the Elder Blood, and Fextralife. Screenshots: gameplay frames from YouTube walkthroughs by Funkshoon, LivePlayHQ and Redlyst.
Kai Mercer covers game news, free games, release calendars and guides for xGamerss.
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