Anther one of the contracts players can get their hands on in Novigrad’s early city life is the Elusive Thief contract. Here, Geralt is tasked with finding one particularly slippy cat, and then bringing them to justice on behalf of Novigrad. Below you’ll find a walkthrough for the Elusive Thief contract, including the best decision of kill or spare when you get to the end!

Contract: An Elusive Thief (Level 13) Walkthrough¶

Enough with mages, mad kings, and other plots, it’s time for some honest Witcher’s work, to wash the stench of all that politics off. Fast travel back to Novigrad’s “Tretogor Gate” signpost and cross the bridge to the north-west, where you’ll find the merchant Sylvester Amello. Talk to him and he’ll tell you about his troubles, after which Geralt will make a truly cringe-worthy pun. Recover from that bit of awfulness, then ask the merchant about his Imp problem, and haggle over prices if you must.

Once done activate your Witcher Senses and investigate some paw prints near a tower-shaped fountain. Climb up a railing near the tower to continue following the prints to the south-east, near the Tretogor Gate bridge. Spy some of the loot it dropped, then follow the tracks as they run along the wall and over the bridge, before eventually dropping down into the moat. You can pick your way down near the southern end of the gate, or just walk around and pick up the trail again on the shore. Either way follow the tracks into a house in the nonhuman district. Head into the house and loot around, picking up a “Short Letter” from a table in the process. Read it to learn more of the target, then head upstairs and investigate some clothes near a bed.

View Full-size

Chase down the rogue Doppler (left) then beat some sense into him (right).

Follow the scent trail back outside and it’ll lead to a Temple Guard who is handing out food to a peasant. The two will try and put on a convincing show, after which the elf will leave and Geralt will call out the Doppler. Chase him down (easily done because Geralt sprints faster) and when caught the stupid shapeshifter decides to test his luck by taking Geralt’s form. Dopplers can assume the shape of even inanimate material, like swords, but how it copied your Signs is another question… still, the original is always better.

An Elusive Thief Best Choice: Kill or Spare?¶

Beat the Doppler and it’ll plead for mercy. You’ve got three options; try to convince the Doppler to impersonate Menge, tell it to leave Novigrad, or kill it. If you choose the first option it’ll refuse, preferring death over the torture the Witch Hunters would inflict on him, and Geralt will let him go. For the second option the critter will agree to leave Novigrad and give you a reward including the “Diagram: Gnomish Gwyhyr” and some Crowns, but you’ll get less of a reward from Sylvester. If you kill it (now that it’s not posing as a Witcher, it’ll fight more or less like a normal Bandit) you can loot it for goodies including a “Doppler Trophy” , a “Doppler Mutagen” (you might not get another chance to obtain one of these, and hence brew the Doppler Decoction), and Mountain Folk Boots … not to mention the full reward from Sylvester. The second option is probably the most lucrative, all things considered, although Sylvester will be upset, especially after Geralt extorts some coin out of him.

The Doppler Effect

Resolve the doppler problem in Novigrad.

15