One of the most compelling characters throughout The Witcher 3's lengthy story is Phillip Strenger, better known as The Bloody Baron. Geralt meets this less-than-savory character when the witcher is directed to Crow's Perch in Velen during his initial search for Ciri.

Despite being a morally questionable individual, it's hard not to get wrapped up in The Baron's arc and the fractious relationship he shares with his now absentee wife and daughter. Geralt helps The Baron track down his estranged family members in the "Family Matters" quest. However, completing this singular quest won't bring about an end to the family's tragic story. To see the tale through to completion, you must also complete the "Return to Crookback Bog" quest, and keep in mind that the choices you make earlier in the game affect The Baron during the quest.

Updated January 23, 2024, by Sean Murray: It's hard to consider The Bloody Baron's best ending with how tragic they can be, but this guide will at least let you make the decision that seems right to you. We've also updated this guide with improved formatting and more links to other helpful Witcher 3 topics.

Bloody Baron Quest Overview

Following 'The Nilfgaardian Connection', 'The Bloody Baron' takes Geralt's actions therein closely into account. You'll start at Crow's Perch, after all, and the folk here are going to be more than a bit shy if you elected to slay the Baron's men in that prior engagement.

If you stayed your hand, this deceptively-critical main quest is practically over before it begins, its later ramifications nearly entirely obscured at the moment. The guards make way for Geralt's entry, and the quest resolves after you've taken our witcher to see Philip.

Alternatively, should the guards respond with hostility, you'll have to head back into the scuffle and locate a middle-aged man wearing green-and-yellow attire, perched upon a makeshift wooden seat of sorts. The bulk of this interaction is pure dialogue, but he will ask for 15 crowns as a donation.

There's a pragmatic point of view for this versus a scholarly one: you save 15 crowns by declining the donation, but you learn more about the situation by accepting.

The choice is yours, but know that by offering up the coin, the old man will inform Geralt of the exact location of a shrine. This can be accomplished without the fellow's aid, but you'll also lack precise coordinates. Regardless, the cave leads to a well (and a water hag!); thereafter, you'll meet with the baron, thus bringing things back around, albeit more slowly, to where the nonviolent route would have taken you.

The remainder of this guide takes the unconventional approach of skipping ahead quite a way into The Witcher 3 to explain the endings for something you will, as of the completion of 'The Bloody Baron' itself, only have some knowledge regarding.

The Baron Takes Anna To The Blue Mountains

The Bloody Baron's story is filled with shades of gray as there are no heroes or villains. Thus, there's no true 'best' or even good ending, but from the Baron's perspective, this is the best ending he could've hoped for.

Achieving this ending depends on your decision made during "The Whispering Hillock" quest when Geralt had to choose between freeing the ghost in the tree or killing it. It's among the hardest decisions in The Witcher 3, but you'll trigger this 'Blue Mountains' conclusion by going for the kill option.

It's also possible to achieve this ending and still free the spirit. To do so, you'll need to manually trigger and complete "The Whispering Hillock" quest before it is introduced through the main questline. Initiating it means heading to the Ancient Oak, which is southeast of where Anna and the Orphans live. Once there, head into the cave that runs under the tree to find the spirit.

Despite Geralt's preemptive actions, tackling "The Whispering Hillock" before he is contracted to do so doesn't change the Baron's or Anna's fate in this ending. But, as freeing or killing the spirit is traditionally the deciding factor between The Baron's possible outcomes, it's nice to know there's a loophole if your rendition of Geralt has a soft spot for demonic spirits.

Later, during "Return to Crookback Bog," Geralt accompanies The Baron to retrieve Anna from the evil Crones. When the company arrives, they find her in a crazed state due to Geralt's actions during "The Whispering Hillock." The Baron, however, remains confident he can save his wife by taking her to a hermit in the Blue Mountains. After Tamara reluctantly agrees to let them go, The Baron takes Anna away.

By returning to the now Baron-less Crow's Perch, you can see how ruthless The Baron's henchmen have gotten without his leadership. The place is still arguably one of the best areas in war-torn Velen, though.

Given that both the Baron and Anna survive, this is generally considered the best ending for the Baron's storyline, though it depends on how you look at it. Some may consider sacrificing the orphans and Anna's mental health too high of a price.

The Baron Dies

For the Baron to perish after the events of "Return to Crookback Bog," all Geralt needs to do is release the spirit in the tree during "The Whispering Hillock." While this decision guarantees The Baron's demise, Geralt will affect exactly how it all plays out.

If Geralt freed the spirit, Anna will have taken the form of a water hag once Geralt revisits her in "Return to Crookback Bog." The friendly godling named Johnny reveals it was unsurprisingly the Crones' who cursed her. So, it's up to Geralt to change her back.

Lifting The Curse

To lift the curse, you have to grab the doll that the Crones created for Anna. There are four dolls to choose from:

1. A doll with a red bead.
2. A doll with a bird feather.
3. A doll with a human ear.
4. A doll with a violet hollyhock bloom.

The correct doll is the one with a violet hollyhock bloom, as The Baron had mentioned previously it is Anna's favorite flower.

Picking The Right Doll

By choosing the correct doll, Anna is turned back into a human being. Unfortunately, the curse is tied to her life, meaning even though the spell is broken, she still dies. However, Anna gets some time to say goodbye to both The Baron and her daughter.

Picking The Wrong Doll

If you select any of the other three dolls, Anna immediately bursts into flames. As a result, her final moments are spent in agony while her family watches on in horror. Furthermore, The Baron never gets to apologize for the terrible things he's done. It's one of the most tragic outcomes of any character in The Witcher 3.

The Aftermath

Regardless of how Anna dies, Geralt must return to Crow's Perch to collect his payment. Once there, He'll find The Baron in the middle of the courtyard swinging from a tree. It turns out a mixture of regret, grief, and inebriation caused him to kill himself. Few scenes in The Witcher 3 are more heart-breaking, especially as his people don't seem to care at all.

While this ending is undeniably tragic, some may consider it honorable to protect the orphans in accordance with Anna's wishes, and by selecting the right doll, granting her a bittersweet ending with her loved ones. All in all, none of the possible outcomes are going to sit well all around, so it is up to you and your moral compass to dictate the Bloody Baron's best ending in The Witcher 3.