A Roleplayer's Guide To Side-Quests [Spoiler]

[Actalo]

To create a more immersive experience so that side quests don't feel as disjointed and nonsensical - as in Henry stealing a bath house ring when he's a bailiff, I wrote down the path I take quest-wise in the game. It's not strict insomuch as a basic guide.

The Groups numbers are sections of main quest.

Group 1: Henry Arrives in Rattay but has not spoken to Radzig. Henry is deeply in debt to the criminal millers and apothecary and feels obligated to them and guilty towards the refugees.

- All miller quests
- Horrible bird quest
- Theresa DLC
- All Skallitz refugee quests (vagabond)
- Executioner's visitor (Do before meeting Johanka)
- Matthew/Fritz quests
- Johanka treating wounded quest (not DLC)
- Any quest requiring illegality
- Fistfighting
- Find missing priest
- Find Pie
- Basic Reading
- Butcher's haunting
- Blacksmith investigation
- Playing with Devil (Can be done later)

----There's a big reason why I chose to group these quests before Henry receives combat training - it forces the player to learn stealth, poisons, bow "kiting", as opposed to direct melee combat. I found the sooner Henry learned how to fight, the less I used poisons and stealth in order to win fights.

In other words, KCD without melee combat plays like a completely different game. I rarely wore armor (needed to run fast), and was very aware of where I was walking (avoid ambushes) It's a roleplaying choice to give Henry a reason to pursue more under-handed means of winning. By the time Henry learns 'how to melee', he's now very proficient in stealth with good vitality, agility, and strength.

Group 2: Henry speaks to Radzig, basic combat training, but does not go hunting yet, leaves Capon waiting.

- Complete combat training
- Buy a horse (if not owned already)
- All bandit/Cuman/mercenary quests
- Stephanie quest (can be done later but he's got better things to do then)
- Chumps
- Aquarius
- Money for old rope
- Forge Sheeba

--This was the transition period where Henry leaves behind all his childish ways and becomes a proficient soldier in the hopes of being enlisted as a man-at-arms in Sir Radzig's personal retinue. No longer does he need to shy away from direct combat and no longer does he need to steal and cheat to get by. He's now 'worthy' to hunt with a nobleman.

Group 3: Henry Goes hunting, solves Neuhof murders, but doesn't scout enemy camp.

- Hans capon quests
- Besmirched (not sure exactly when it unlocks)
- Tourney murder mystery
- Hans' champion, enlist tourney
- Quarry Divish Quest
- Miracles while you wait
- Horse Race (Not sure if Pribislavitz needs to be done first)
- Quarry heist but give your own money or hang M&F (Doesn't make story-sense for Henry to actually rob quarry unless at the very beginning of game)

--Henry is a man of some importance but still felt obligated to his Skalitz past.

Group 4/5: Henry scouts and attacks Pribislavitz, goes to Merhojed. The Merhojed attack happens without you visiting Radzig so it's best to just get it started. A lot can be done right after Pribislavitz but it messes everything up if you stumble onto Merhojed.

- Pestilence quest
- Last will and testament
- From the Ashes DLC (Begin it)
- Robin Hood
- Master Hunter
- 'Poaching' for Alex (rationalize it as a request for left-overs from legal hunts)
- Heretics

Group 4/5: After waiting several days for the cure to set in and then interrogating the bandit, Henry finds Menhart, reports to Radzig, but doesnt go to Sasau.

- Wrap up any Hans Quests or Hans DLC
- Band of Bastards DLC
- Robber Baron
- Wrap up remaining side quests (not Johanka DLC)

--Henry is now a Man-at-arms, bailiff, huntsman, and highly respected by the local nobility so it's main-character syndrome from here on out.

Group 6: Henry goes to Sasau, investigates forgeries, becomes monk, reports to Radzig about Monestary,

- Pugilists (To be done during investigation)
- Finish Pribislavitz restoration
- Johanka DLC (Become monk prior to the inquisitor arriving)

--A big part of the Johanka DLC is Henry atoning for his myriad of sins, so it makes sense to do this late-game.

Group 7: Henry scouts and attacks Bandit Fortress, finds engineer, attacks Talmberg, rides into the sunset.

--Fairly linear, this. Not a lot of side content unrelated to main quest.

Pretty sure I got most everything. If I missed something or there's a different opinion, let me know. Just starting a new, heavily modded HC play through so, open to suggestions.

[Bandy]

Originally posted by Actalo:

To create a more immersive experience so that side quests don't feel as disjointed and nonsensical - as in Henry stealing a bath house ring when he's a bailiff...

Interesting play through strategy, thanks for sharing.

Just IMHO, and haven't spent deep thought time here, but perhaps imposing too high a moral code in (at least) your example. Why would being a bailiff make theft quests nonsensical? Plenty of corruption in low to the highest places [cough cough, supreme court...]. Nothing wrong with your approach, but tend not to play with all-or-nothing good and evil morality, instead more complex char motivation.

The monastery quest is interesting, contains the most pious NPCs to the most debauched and depraved, it's reality, and 'Henry' has to navigate through that the best way possible.

[Actalo]

I agree completely about keeping it more grey than black and white morally; however, it's just nonsensical in relation to risk vs reward.

Once Henry has steady income and is a man-at-arms in the service of the Royal Hetman to the Holy Roman Empire, it just seems beneath him to do a quest for a few groschen payout. That and I like the idea of Henry starting his journey not too dissimilar to Matthew and Fritz but becoming someone much more.

When Henry is destitute, I like the idea of him robbing wayfarers, looting dead, pick-pocketing, and breaking into houses to make ends meet. However, eventually he grows out of this behavior, or doesn't, lol, dependent on who's playing him.

I think Henry is a flawed but fundamentally good-natured guy. Therefore, I use a positive character arc, starting as a ♥♥♥♥♥♥, self-pitying boy and growing into a man who serves a higher cause above his own needs. Playing a linear gray character doing whatever feels most convenient or fun game-wise is fine, too, but narratively, I find it less satisfying.

[DargonBlak]

Originally posted by Actalo:

I agree completely about keeping it more grey than black and white morally; however, it's just nonsensical in relation to risk vs reward.

Once Henry has steady income and is a man-at-arms in the service of the Royal Hetman to the Holy Roman Empire, it just seems beneath him to do a quest for a few groschen payout. That and I like the idea of Henry starting his journey not too dissimilar to Matthew and Fritz but becoming someone much more.

When Henry is destitute, I like the idea of him robbing wayfarers, looting dead, pick-pocketing, and breaking into houses to make ends meet. However, eventually he grows out of this behavior, or doesn't, lol, dependent on who's playing him.

I think Henry is a flawed but fundamentally good-natured guy. Therefore, I use a positive character arc, starting as a ♥♥♥♥♥♥, self-pitying boy and growing into a man who serves a higher cause above his own needs. Playing a linear gray character doing whatever feels most convenient or fun game-wise is fine, too, but narratively, I find it less satisfying.

i practically play the exact same way, with the same perspective - for example, doing the Millers and Rattay NPC quests before even talking to Radzig in Rattay.

i use the "Ruin" quest line as reason to move around the map and develop into the Henry that actually, finally shows up to meet Nightingale and take on the mantle of municipal servant.

however, Henry does still loot, and even goes back to Skalitz for "loot runs" - rebuilding Pryb is expensive, and as you say, none of the quests (even Bastards DLC), pay out like a day spent in Skalitz.