Do you ever fight the Crones?

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Yes, you do fight the Crones in The Witcher 3, specifically during the “Bald Mountain” quest, where Ciri faces off against them, and in another instance, Geralt decides to split up with Ciri to defeat the Crones and Imlerith, with the outcome decided by a game of rock, paper, scissors. The fight against the Crones is a challenging one, requiring a strategic approach to target and defeat each of the witches one by one, especially focusing on Brewess and being cautious of Whispess‘s stunning ability.

FAQs about Fighting the Crones

General Information about the Crones

1. What happens when you fight the Crones? When you fight the Crones, two of them will end up dead, but Weavess uses her ability to turn into a flock of ravens to escape, making it a tricky fight.
2. Can you save Anna from the Crones? If you don’t want to spare the tree spirit, talking to the Crones first and following their instructions to kill it will spare Anna.
3. Do the Crones kill the orphans? The kids are eaten, and the town is destroyed if you let the spirit free after the Crones told you to kill it, resulting in the death of the Baron and Anna.

Strategies for Fighting the Crones

4. How do you fight the Crones? The best strategy is to target one Crone at a time, starting with Brewess, as the Crones hit too hard to parry or block, and Whispess can stun Ciri, making her the most dangerous target.
5. Should you kill the tree or the Crones? The most generally positive solution is to kill the Ghost in the Tree, as there’s no clean or tidy outcome for this quest.

Consequences and Outcomes

6. What are the consequences of the Crones in The Witcher? The Crones will retaliate against Gran (the Baron’s wife, Anna), turning her into a water hag, leading to her death, and the Baron will kill himself out of grief.
7. Can you save both Anna and the children? Saving Anna results in the orphans being sacrificed and eaten by the Crones, while saving the orphans leads to Anna’s death after she is turned into a hag.
8. How do you save the children in Ladies of the Wood? Riding the horse back to the tree spirit to free it after starting the main quest will result in the tree freeing the children at Crookback Bog, upsetting the Crones and endangering Gran.

Choosing the Right Path

9. Should I help Baron get Anna? Finding and saving Anna from the Crones is crucial if you want the Baron to live, as his life depends on Anna’s survival.
10. Do I free the Whispering Hillock? Freeing the creature destroys the nearby village of Downwarren, while the orphans escape into the swamp, but locals believe they will die alone out there.
11. Which should I do first, Family Matters or Ladies of the Wood? It’s recommended to finish the quests in Velen before going to Novigrad, meaning completing Family Matters and Ladies of the Wood before proceeding.

Additional Information

12. Can you save everyone in Crookback Bog? Unfortunately, there is no way to save everyone out of Anna, the bog children, and the Downwarren inhabitants, as freeing the spirit means death for the people of Downwarren.
13. What happens if you choose the wrong doll for Anna? Picking the incorrect doll causes Anna to burst into flames in front of the Baron and their daughter, leading to Tamara‘s disapproval and furor.
14. What is the correct doll to save Anna? The Hollyhock bloom doll is the correct choice, lifting the curse and allowing Anna to become human again.
15. Can you save Anna and the Baron? Killing the Whispering Hillock results in the Baron and Anna living, but the orphans dying, and Downwarren being safe, while freeing the Whispering Hillock before starting Ladies of the Wood leads to the Whispering Hillock being free, the Baron and Anna living, the orphans dying, and Downwarren being destroyed.