Some see Geralt of Rivia as an anti-hero and whilst his actions are at times in keeping with this idea, by definition, at least, it’s a position that he just doesn’t quite fit. Unlikea traditional anti-hero, Geralt possesses all ofthe qualities required to be a hero, but simply chooses to suppress them as and when he sees fit. Things are further complicated, of course, by the addition of player choice.
RELATED:Mistakes Everyone Makes In Their First Playthrough Of The Witcher 3
In one of the earliest trailers forThe Witcher 3, Geralt states that if he is to choose between one evil and another, he would rather not choose at all. This is all well and good in theory, but while he is certainly able to wash his hands of the decisions, he cannot do the same withthe blood that covers them quite so easily. Yes, there are times when he chooses to do the right thing, but there are plenty of others when he’s far more villainous than he is heroic.
Updated June 09, 2025, by Tom Bowen:Having served as the main protagonist in three critically acclaimed video games, numerous books, and a hugely popular Netflix series, Geralt of Rivia is perhaps one of the most recognizable characters in modern gaming. All three mediums tend to paint the character as a hero, but, when his actions are analyzed in a bit more detail, a very different picture of the titular Witcher begins to form. In reality, Geralt has performed some pretty despicable acts during his abnormally long lifetime, many of which can be seen during a typical playthrough ofThe Witcher 3. Granted, a few of them are dependent on player interaction, though most tend to have negative outcomes for somebody regardless of the choices players make.
12He’s Constantly Risking Roach’s Life
Those familiar with the series' lore will know thatRoach isn’t actually a single horse, but instead a name that Geralt gives to all of his mounts. Exactly how many horses have possessed the iconic moniker in total is a bit of a mystery, though, given Geralt’s unique line of work, one suspects that more than a few horses have fallen victim to the monsters that he hunts over the years.
Some may see this as an unavoidable occupational hazard, yet others may question whether it’s appropriate for Geralt to ride a horse into battle knowing the risks involved. Even those who do see this as a “for the greater good” situation must surely see the callousness of depriving these horses of their own unique names, not to mention Geralt occasionally choosing not to deck them out in potentially life-savinghorse armor.
11He Puts Triss In Danger To Find Dandelion
She may bean incredibly strong and accomplished mage, but Triss has one major weakness:Geralt. Her eagerness to impress the Witcher often leads to him taking advantage of her infatuation, as evidenced by some of the events in Novigrad. While attempting to gain entry into the Church of the Eternal Fire, she offers to pretend to be Geralt’s prisoner so that the pair can get inside and Geralt goes along with the plan without really giving it a second thought.
Whether or not players allow Triss to be tortured after finding Caleb Menge is in many ways inconsequential, as they’re still leading her into an enclosed area full of witch hunters who mean to do her harm. No matter what happens, Menge and countless witch hunters are killed and Triss is placed in immense danger; all torescue Dandelion from a situation that’s entirely of his own making.
10He Regularly Mistreats Women
Geralt’smisogynistic attitudeis questionable at the best of times. There are occasions, however, where it can be downright deplorable. Of course, exactly how bad things get will depend a lot on the player, but that Geralt is capable of acting this way in the first place is pretty horrifying.
RELATED:The Witcher 3: Things You Didn’t Know About The Romance Side Quests
Whether he’s trying to romance both Tris and Yen or cheating on one of them with other women,he shows himself to be incredibly callous. That he’s willing to throw multiple ‘I love You’s around in a single playthrough is pretty deplorable too, but perhaps not as much asbreaking Yen’s heartin the secondary quest, The Last Wish.
9He Kills Hundreds Of People
Geralt wasbranded the Butcher of Blavikenfor killing only a handful of bandits. Three games later, and the number of men and women who have fallen to his steel sword has increased exponentially. With this in mind, one can only imagine what people are calling him now.
Some of his victims arguably had it coming to them, but plenty of them were just doing their jobs. Considering none of the series’ creatures or antagonists have a death count anywhere near as high as Geralt’s though, there’s a strong argument to be made that he isthe true evilinThe Witcher 3.
8He Often Breaks His Own Moral Code
Yes, The Witcher’s Code is something that Geralt largely made up, but it’s also something that he uses to justify many of his actions (or, at times, lack thereof). As such, those around him have come to expect certain things from him and each time that he breaks this code, he’s therefore breaching their trust and cheapening his own honor.
Perhaps the most egregious of these instances comes duringthe secondary quest, Reason of State, in which Geralt conspires to kill King Radovid. As well as failing to remain neutral, his involvement in the plot is also incredibly hypocritical given his earlier criticisms of the Cat School witchers. There’s alsothe whole political situation in Skellige, where Geralt effectively installs a monarch of his own choosing.
7He Allows Innocents To Die In Crookback Bog
Regardless of which choices are made, the Return to Crookback Bog secondary quest does not have a happy ending. Most choices lead to the death of orphans, but even ifGeralt makes a deal to keep them safe, he still finishes the quest with blood on his hands.
RELATED:The Most Disturbing Quests In The Witcher 3, Ranked
Exactly how things play out here depends very much on the player, but it could be argued that none of the choices that Geralt (well, technically, the game) presents to them are at all adequate. Whether the kids die or Anna and the Baron end up being the ones pushing up daisies,Geralt could and should have done more.
6He Betrays A Loyal Friend
Although Geralt has a lot more history with Roche than he does with Dijkstra, both characters have typically treated him well and consider him to be both a friend and an ally. To allow one of these men to die is, therefore, a huge betrayal on Geralt’s part.
Admittedly, he’s placed in a very difficult situation, but it’s one that could have easily been resolved without bloodshed had Geralt really wanted. He could have talked Dijkstra down or evencast Axii on himto allow Roche, Ves, and Thaler to escape unharmed. Rather than try, however, his first instinct is to either murder Dijkstra or walk away and allow an old friend to be butchered.
5He Hands Ciri Over To Emhyr
For all intents and purposes, Geralt is Ciri’s father. Yes, DNA testing may beg to differ, but just asEmhyr is unfit to rule, he’s also not cut out for parenthood. If his actions inThe Witcher 3are anything to go by though, there’s an argument to be made that Geralt is equally unworthy of the position.
A real father wouldn’t even entertain the idea of handing Ciri over to a man like Emhyr, let alone actually go through with it.Turning down the coin for doing soperhaps makes this a little less villainous (at least then it could be argued that he was doing what he thought was best for her), but it doesn’t completely absolve him of his sins. Not by a long shot.
4He Steals From The Needy
Whether it’s a case of Geralt riffling through the pockets of one of his victims or instead searching for valuables in an impoverished family’s home, his attitude towards looting is incredibly misguided. What’s more, he often does it even when he has no real need for extra coin.
RELATED:The Witcher: Geralt’s Greatest Flaws In The Books (& How They’re Corrected In The Games)
It could certainly be argued that the dead no longer need their possessions, but this argument falls a little flat when it comes to the peasants that he regularly steals from. These people have so little already and yet he seems to have very few qualms about leaving them with absolutely nothing.
3He Plays Gwent At Vesemir’s Funeral
Few mini-games are as enjoyable oras well fleshed out as Gwentand so it’s easy to see why Geralt enjoys playing it so much. That said, whipping out one’s deck in the middle of a funeral is pretty inappropriate; especially when the person smoldering on the pyre was once a mentor and a father figure of sorts.
Even before the scorching flames have finished consuming Vesemir’s lifeless corpse, Geralt seems to think it’s okay to challenge Lambert to a friendly card game. Simply put, only a real sociopath would be capable of such disrespectful behavior. Well, technically, a real sociopath who’s yet to completethe Gwent Collection quest; as doing so disables the option.
