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The Witcher 3: How to Get the Best Outcome in “The Play’s the Thing”

The best route through The Witcher 3’s “The Play’s the Thing”: avoid the riot, choose the reward-maximizing cast, recruit the Puffins and get all five lines right.
Length3 min Posted Quest giverVGSources Team
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For the best documented outcome in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt quest “The Play’s the Thing,” choose comedy, recruit the Puffins, cast Priscilla as the Princess and Abelard as the Doppler-Prince, then match all five timed lines to the script. This route avoids the post-play riot and earns the highest listed performance reward. The quest is in Novigrad, follows “Count Reuven’s Treasure” and “Get Junior,” and leads into “A Poet Under Pressure.”

What choices make the biggest difference?

The play is a way to draw Dudu out of hiding so Geralt and his allies can enlist him in freeing Dandelion. The main quest continues either way: the guides report that Dudu reveals himself after the performance. The decisions below affect the local scene, casting and rewards; the sources do not establish that they change the wider game ending.

Decision Best documented choice Effect
Genre Comedy Avoids the post-play fight described for the drama route.
Optional publicity Recruit the Puffins Adds the listed XP and post-show rewards.
Princess Priscilla 25 XP and 20 crowns, versus Irina’s 25 XP and 10 crowns.
Doppler-Prince Abelard 110 XP and 30 crowns; the guides list no casting reward for Maxim.
Timed dialogue Choose all five lines matching the script Earns the highest listed performance reward: 150 XP and 50 crowns.

Choose comedy to avoid the post-play fight

When Priscilla asks whether the play should be a comedy or drama, choose comedy. Gamer Guides reports that the drama route leads to a fight after the show, while comedy averts the riot. The quest still advances to Dudu’s reveal; comedy changes the immediate aftermath rather than blocking the story.

Complete the usher objective and recruit the Puffins

Get Sofus to usher

The usher objective is mandatory. Gamer Guides lists two ways to resolve it: pay Sofus 70 crowns, or accept a 140-crown wager on a two-on-one fistfight. Winning returns the wager stake, so the fight route does not cost crowns if you win; paying is the straightforward option if you would rather avoid the fight.

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Help the Puffins with publicity

The Puffins objective is optional, but recruiting them adds rewards. The guide lists 150 XP for resolving their problem, followed by 25 XP and 30 crowns after the show. When confronting their harassers, the guide says the available choices lead to a fight; using Axii is described as an XP-positive option.

Cast Priscilla and Abelard

Princess: Priscilla

Choose Priscilla for the Princess role to receive 25 XP and 20 crowns. Irina gives the same 25 XP but only 10 crowns according to the walkthroughs, so Priscilla is the better documented reward choice.

Doppler-Prince: Abelard

Choose Abelard for the Doppler-Prince. The guides list 110 XP and 30 crowns for him. They report no casting reward for Maxim and note that he may perform drunk.

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Read the script, then choose the five timed lines

If you need a reminder during the performance, read the script before starting the show. Pick the following lines in order:

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  1. “To slay beasts most foul…”
  2. “Perhaps ’midst the guests…”
  3. “Seems men’s hearts…”
  4. “But a base heart…”
  5. “No monster is he…”

One walkthrough gives an alternate wording for the fourth line: “But a heart that is base…”. Match the wording shown in your dialogue options. Witcher.tools lists 150 XP and 50 crowns for all five correct lines; three or four correct lines give 125 XP and 20 crowns, while one or two give 110 XP.

How much can the full route earn?

Witcher.tools reports an overall quest maximum of 1,310 XP and 130 crowns. Treat that as the database’s reported total, not as an independently tested result. The same database lists the performance reward separately, while Gamer Guides and Witcher.tools give the individual casting and Puffins rewards above.

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