TL;DR
- Evil’s Soft First Touches is the first quest of the Hearts of Stone DLC – suggested level is 32.
- Grab the contract from the Seven Cats Inn notice board, then head to the Garin Estate.
- Go into the Oxenfurt Sewers and kill the Toad Prince – use Yrden, Igni, and Golden Oriole Potion.
- After the boss, Geralt gets captured by Ofieri soldiers – fight or flee, both work.
- Meet Gaunter O’Dimm at midnight, then return to the Garin Estate to finish the quest.
- You unlock two new quests at the end: Open Sesame! and Dead Man’s Party.
Evil’s Soft First Touches – Quest Overview
Evil’s Soft First Touches kicks off the entire Hearts of Stone expansion in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered. It is the first main quest of the DLC and drops you straight into the action. You meet Olgierd von Everec, reunite with Gaunter O’Dimm (Master Mirror), and fight three tough battles all in one go.
This is not a simple monster contract even though it starts like one. By the end, Geralt is bound to a deal with the devil himself.
Quest type: Main Quest – Hearts of Stone DLC
Suggested level: 32
Region: Novigrad / Oxenfurt
Reward: 400 XP + 450 Crowns
If you haven’t started the DLC yet, check our Witcher 3 Wild Hunt Remastered free upgrade guide to make sure you have access to Hearts of Stone.
How to Start Evil’s Soft First Touches
Do not attempt this quest too early. The enemies here will two-shot you if you are under level 30. Finish the main game first or at least get to level 30 before touching Hearts of Stone.
Step 1 – Check the Notice Board at Seven Cats Inn
Travel to the Seven Cats Inn in Velen, south of Novigrad. As you browse the notice board, a man shows up to post a new contract. After a quick conversation, read the contract on the board to officially begin the quest.
Step 2 – Go to the Garin Estate
Follow the quest marker to the Garin Estate northeast of Oxenfurt. You will run into a group of ruffians called the Wild Ones outside.
The Wild Ones – Fight or Talk Your Way Through
When you speak to Olgierd’s men, you have two options:
- Choose the second dialogue option – they take you straight to Olgierd with no trouble.
- Choose the first dialogue option – this starts a fistfight. Win it for 150 XP. Losing has no penalty either.
Either way, follow Olgierd’s henchman to Olgierd’s room. You get 150 XP for this meeting. Olgierd sends Geralt to the Oxenfurt Sewers to kill a monster.
Oxenfurt Sewers – Full Walkthrough
Head to Oxenfurt and enter the sewers through the well in the northern square. From here, use your Witcher Senses constantly to track footprints and investigate clues.
Step 3 – Navigate the Lower Sewers
- Activate Witcher Senses when you enter. You will spot footprints – most are male but one set is female.
- Follow the trail to find your old friend Shani.
- Use Aard on the crumbling wall near bent grating to open a new path.
- Kill the first group of Drowners in the chamber ahead.
- Loot the fallen Redanian soldiers in the southwest corner to find the Sewer Key.
- Backtrack through the bent grating, go straight, then use the key on the locked door.
- Kill the next group of 7 Drowners, then deal with 2 more in the room after.
Your Witcher Senses will also reveal that the monster is attracted to alcohol. Use alcohol in the large chamber to lure it out.
How to Beat the Toad Prince
The Toad Prince is the first major boss of Hearts of Stone. Do not underestimate it. One hit from this thing can wipe most of your health bar. Here is how to prepare and fight it properly.
What to Prepare Before the Fight
- Golden Oriole Potion – Drink this before or during the fight. It makes you immune to poison and lets you actually heal from the Toad Prince’s toxic attacks.
- Northern Wind Bomb – Slows the Toad Prince, giving you free hits.
- Cursed Oil – Apply this to your silver sword. The Toad Prince counts as a cursed creature.
- Yrden Sign – The boss is very weak to Yrden. It stuns it for roughly 3 attacks.
- Igni Sign – Useful for burning away toxic gas clouds the boss creates and dealing extra damage.
Toad Prince Combat Tips
- Stay close but not too close – its jump attack covers a wide area.
- If you are standing directly in front of it, watch out for the tongue attack. It can pierce Quen.
- Drop a Yrden Magic Trap (if upgraded) to stun it, then attack 3 times and dodge away immediately.
- Use Igni to clear the poison gas clouds on the floor.
- Do not have Golden Oriole active? Stay out of the gas clouds entirely.
- When its health drops to about 5%, a cutscene triggers automatically and ends the fight.
After the fight, the Toad Prince transforms back into a human prince. Geralt gets poisoned and passes out. Things get complicated from here.
For a complete breakdown of Geralt’s abilities and how to build for fights like this, see our Witcher 3 Remastered best builds guide.
The Ofieri Prisoners – What Happens Next
After killing the Toad Prince, Ofieri soldiers appear and capture Geralt. He wakes up as a prisoner on their ship. You meet a fellow prisoner named Phelippe Calagrande, who speaks Ofieri and helps you communicate with the soldiers.
The Key Dialogue Choice on the Ship
When the Ofieri Guards speak to you, you are given dialogue options. Pick the bottom response: “…alle’khe uhl eghullath!”
This is the correct answer in their language and earns you an extra 200 XP. Picking the wrong answer has no major consequence – Gaunter O’Dimm helps you escape either way – but the XP is worth grabbing.
A mysterious figure appears on the ship and causes it to crash through supernatural means. That figure is Gaunter O’Dimm, also known as Master Mirror.
Fighting the Ofieri Soldiers and Mage
After the crash, Geralt wakes up on the shore and is immediately attacked by surviving Ofieri soldiers and an Ofieri Mage.
Important: The moment you regain control, open your inventory and re-equip your weapons and armor. The game strips your gear. Fighting unequipped is a death sentence.
Should You Fight or Run?
- Run away – Sprint southeast toward the mainland. You lose nothing and the story continues normally.
- Fight them – Defeating all soldiers and the mage earns you around 200 XP plus loot from chests and the crashed ship. This is the better choice if you are prepared.
How to Beat the Ofieri Mage
- Kill the regular soldiers first. Do not rush the mage while they are still alive.
- Watch the sand around your feet. Sand shifts telegraph the mage’s incoming attacks – dodge when you see it moving.
- Use Axii to stun the mage and get in 3 free hits.
- Igni and Aard also stun him briefly, letting you close the gap.
- Try to bait soldiers into the mage’s own attacks – friendly fire is your friend here.
- Note: Dimeritium Bombs do not work on this mage. He is immune. Don’t waste them.
- Apply Hanged Man’s Venom Oil to your sword for better damage output.
Meeting Gaunter O’Dimm at Midnight
After dealing with the Ofieri, follow the quest marker to meet Gaunter O’Dimm at midnight at the crossroads beneath the willows. You receive 300 XP for this meeting.
O’Dimm reveals the full story. He tells Geralt that Olgierd was the one who cursed the prince in the first place – out of jealousy over a woman. O’Dimm then presents Geralt as Olgierd’s new assistant who must carry out his three wishes. This is the contract that drives the rest of the DLC.
Return to the Garin Estate – Final Part
Head back to the Garin Estate. When you arrive, the place is on fire. Olgierd and his men are executing one of their own.
Save the Man or Let Him Die?
You have two paths here:
- Let him die – Choose any dialogue option except “Let him go or face my wrath.” The execution proceeds, you talk to Olgierd about his wishes, and the quest ends peacefully.
- Save the man – Choose “Let him go or face my wrath.” This forces you into a duel with Olgierd von Everec.
How to Beat Olgierd von Everec
This fight is optional but it is worth doing. Olgierd is arguably the toughest human fighter in the entire game. Fighting him here teaches you his attack patterns, which matters a lot when you face him again later in Scenes from a Marriage.
Olgierd’s Attack Patterns
- Flurry of strikes – A combo followed by a teleport behind you and a critical hit. Dodge sideways, not back.
- Zig-zag dash – He dashes left and right, then teleports behind for a critical strike.
- Straight dash – He charges forward. His arm glows red when a critical hit is coming at the end.
Olgierd Combat Tips
- Keep your distance and be patient. Let him come to you.
- When he launches a flurry of strikes, dodge to the side and hit him once or twice after.
- If you hit him while he charges up for a critical strike, he staggers and you get 3 free hits.
- Dodge immediately after your attack window – he throws sand to blind you after each opening.
- Countering his attacks is high risk, high reward. Countering a critical gives 3 free hits but the timing is tight.
- There is no bonus XP or loot for winning, but the practice is priceless.
No matter the outcome of the fight, Olgierd pays Geralt the 450 Crowns agreed for killing the Toad Prince.
Quest Ending – What You Unlock
Olgierd tells Geralt his first two wishes:
- Wish 1 – Bring him the house of Maximilian Borsodi. (Unlocks: Open Sesame!)
- Wish 2 – Show his brother Vlodimir von Everec the time of his life. (Unlocks: Dead Man’s Party)
Evil’s Soft First Touches ends here. Two new main quests become available and the story of Hearts of Stone opens up in full.
To see how everything ends across all three quests, check our Witcher 3 Remastered all endings guide.
All Rewards for Evil’s Soft First Touches
- 450 Crowns – From Olgierd for killing the Toad Prince
- 400 XP – Main quest completion
- 600 XP – For killing the Toad Prince
- 300 XP – For meeting Gaunter O’Dimm
- 200 XP – Correct Ofieri dialogue choice on the ship
- 200 XP – Defeating the Ofieri soldiers and mage (optional)
- 150 XP – Winning the fistfight with the Wild Ones (optional)
- 150 XP – Following the henchman to meet Olgierd
Evil’s Soft First Touches Tips and Tricks
- Do not start this quest before level 30. The Toad Prince and Ofieri enemies hit extremely hard.
- Always stock Golden Oriole Potions before entering the sewers. Poison is the biggest threat in this quest.
- Reequip your gear the second you regain control after the ship crash. This is easy to forget and will get you killed.
- Pick the Ofieri dialogue correctly for the free 200 XP – it costs nothing to choose the right option.
- Fight Olgierd even if you don’t have to. The muscle memory helps for the endgame.
- Use Yrden throughout the sewers. It works great on Drowners and is essential for the Toad Prince.
For more on leveling up and staying strong for DLC content, see our Witcher 3 Remastered level up guide.
Related Guides
- Witcher 3 All Quests in Order – Complete Main Quest List
- Witcher 3 Remastered Skill Tree Guide
- How to Heal in Witcher 3 Remastered
- Witcher 3 Remastered Best Money Exploits – Crown Farming Guide
- Witcher 3 Remastered Meditation Guide
Frequently Asked Questions
What level should I be for Evil’s Soft First Touches?
The quest has a suggested level of 32. You should be at least level 30 before attempting it. Going in earlier means the Toad Prince and Ofieri soldiers will likely one-shot you.
Should I fight or run from the Ofieri soldiers?
Fight them if you can. You get extra XP and loot from the chests and crashed ship. Running is perfectly fine if you want to skip it – the story continues without any penalty.
What is the correct dialogue when speaking to the Ofieri Guards?
Choose the bottom dialogue option: “…alle’khe uhl eghullath!” It is the correct phrase in the Ofieri language and rewards you with 200 XP.
Is fighting Olgierd at the Garin Estate mandatory?
No. It is completely optional. You only fight him if you choose to save the man being executed by saying “Let him go or face my wrath.” You can avoid the fight entirely and still complete the quest.
What is the best strategy for the Toad Prince?
Drink a Golden Oriole Potion to become immune to its poison, apply Cursed Oil to your sword, and use Yrden to stun it. The Yrden Magic Trap upgrade makes the fight much easier. Keep moving and dodge away after every attack window.
What quests unlock after Evil’s Soft First Touches?
Two quests unlock: Open Sesame! (getting Borsodi’s house) and Dead Man’s Party (showing Vlodimir von Everec a good time). These form the bulk of the Hearts of Stone main story.
Does Dimeritium Bomb work on the Ofieri Mage?
No. The Ofieri Mage is immune to Dimeritium Bombs. Use Axii to stun him instead, or rely on Igni and Aard to briefly stagger him so you can close the gap and attack.
