Top 10 Greatest The Witcher Characters

The enigmatic von Everec, nobleman and outlaw, is a paradox: at once reckless, hedonistic, chivalrous and honorable. A pivotal character in the expansion Hearts of Stone, he leads a band of uncouth roughnecks known as the Wild Ones. But he is set apart by his code of honor and education, which includes a deep appreciation of the arts. Well, sometimes . . . . Heck, even his comb-over is better than everyone else's. But there is more to von Everec than a brash haircut and noble blood: a Faustian figure, he has made a dangerous pact in the name of love. Unraveling the mysterious thread of his tragic tale is central to the expansion.

Once the vampire equivalent of an alcoholic, the dapper and articulate Regis has since sworn off blood and reformed. When Geralt meets the rehabilitated bloodsucker in the novels, he's disguised as an ordinary gentleman – although the name of his mule, Draakul, should probably have been a giveaway. Get it? Draakul-a. In his youth, he would overindulge on blood and flutter home – breaking the sacred vampire principal: don't drink and fly. After being butchered by peasants, he regenerated, died, and reappears in the expansion Blood and Wine, proving that you can't keep a good vampire down. Regis, technically a monster Geralt should kill, instead becomes a powerful ally, further muddying the moral ambiguity of the world of the series.

A witcher from the school of the Viper and the primary antagonist of the second game in the series, Letho is more cunning and slippery, than his vein-riddled, bulging biceps might suggest. Seriously though, did he overdose on witcher steroids? Letho is a complex character, doing the dirty work of a much greater power, but showing some loyalty to fellow witcher Geralt and the White Wolf's main squeeze Yennefer. In the end, all the dude wants is to rebuild his witcher school in the south. What are a few dead kings compared to a place you can call home? You don’t have to answer that.

Coarse, cynical, and ambitious, the former head of Redanian intelligence turned underworld crime boss plays a key role in the Wild Hunt, where players first encounter him surrounded by naked loungers in his lavish bathhouse-headquarters. Get ready for some gratuitous video game nudity. Although Geralt once broke his leg, Dijkstra regards the witcher with respect, and forges an uneasy – and conditional – alliance. Beneath his criminal activities are couched much larger plans for the state of Redania. Dijkstra might be crass and ruthless, but in the world of the Witcher, where nothing is as it seems, his bluntness is refreshing. In the end, he is a man of intelligence and patriotism.

Drinker, gambler, soldier of fortune and Geralt's staunch ally. With a pretty nifty Mohawk to boot. Zoltan is the quintessential fantasy dwarf character – handy with an axe and gloriously bearded, with an eye for fine jewels and (of course) a Scottish brogue. Because dwarves are Scottish . . . right? Earnest and loyal, optimistic but pragmatic, Zoltan is the perfect sidekick, there in a pinch when Geralt needs him, even to fight off the Wild Hunt. In the books, he owns a potty-mouthed parrot called Field Marshal Windbag – only briefly mentioned, alas, in the games. Whether he's getting into trouble or getting Geralt out of it, Zoltan is the companion every sword-toting fantasy hero needs.

Sorceresses seem to come in one type: voluptuous and hot for Geralt. Which witch is which? Heroic and altruistic, Triss is the kind-hearted do-gooder of the power-hungry sorceresses in the series, showing that not all witches are big . . . headed . . . schemers with huge . . . egos. As a potential love interest in all three games, Triss also acts as a foil for her friend and romantic rival Yennefer, who tends to take the biting sarcasm route to Geralt's heart. She's not all goody-two-shoes though: desperately in love with Geralt, during his amnesia she “forgets” to mention his previous relationship with her BFF – adding a note of moral ambiguity to her otherwise pretty straightforward character.

Foppish dandy and talented bard, Dandelion is Geralt's companion on numerous adventures, the poet to his warrior, the Cassanova to his noble knight. The misadventures of the incorrigible and narcissistic troubadour add a note of humor to the series, while an older, more somber Dandelion narrates the second and third games through voiceovers and quest descriptions, providing the storyline with continuity and gravitas. So serious. In the books, Dandelion is named Jaskier, Polish for Buttercup; both names illustrate his flowery and colorful nature. He certainly does have a way with words. Cocky, overconfident and extravagant, the series wouldn't be complete without the world-famous minstrel. The White Wolf and the colorful artiste: they make an odd couple – but it works.

Geralt's protégé and adopted daughter, the Lion Cub of Cintra is perhaps The Wild Hunt's most human and believable character. Headstrong, rebellious, and relatable, Ciri is both a princess and a tomboy, beautiful badass and fugitive on the run. A playable character with the ability to travel through time and space, she comes with a cool and distinctive combat style involving teleportation dashes and charges. Her relationship with the Geralt humanizes the sometimes gruff and sometimes cantankerous witcher, and introduces a classic coming-of-age, struggling-with-destiny, gotta-stop-the-end-of-the-world-and-the-apocalyptic-White-Frost story into the main quest-line. Blessed with great magical power, as well as an inexhaustible stock of very dark eye makeup, Ciri is the glue that makes The Wild Hunt work.

A powerful sorceress and lover of all things unicorn, Yennefer of Vengerberg is Geralt's principal romantic interest in Sapkowski's stories, and a major character in the Wild Hunt. Although at times disparaging, arrogant, and sarcastic, beneath her tough exterior lies an inextinguishable flame for our grizzled, white-haired witcher and maternal concern for Ciri. Famous for her beauty as well as her power, she was actually born a hunchback and suffered a traumatic childhood. But Yennefer is far from a damsel in distress. Instead, she is a deliberately polarizing character provoking different responses from different players and arriving in the series during the Wild Hunt with a bang.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
Philip Strenger a.k.a. The Bloody Baron

Lambert

Vernon Roche

What would The Witcher be without, well, the witcher? A monster hunter for hire purged of emotions and sworn to political neutrality, Geralt has hidden depths that keep him interesting. Although he sometimes has the emotional range of a tree, it's the cracks in that facade of indifference that make him so compelling. He cares for Ciri like a father, is deeply in love with Yennefer – or Triss, depending on player choices – and once died defending non-humans during a violent pogrom. Uh . . . he got better. A knight in shining armor, an erstwhile poet and occasional joker, Geralt is a fixed point of view character that works surprisingly well in a genre that typically permits more customization than the player's haircut and beard.