In addition, finding all 7 Ally locations and convincing them to join up with you at Kaer Morhen will help unlock the following missable Achievement / Trophy:
- “Full Crew” (15 Gamerscore / Bronze Trophy) — Bring all possible allies to Kaer Morhen for the battle against the Hunt.
Here's the explanation on how to find all Allies and what to say to bring them to Kaer Morhen. You’ll need to recruit them all to help you defeat the Wild Hunt.
How to find missing Allies?: There are 7 allies that you must recruit for the Full Crew. After doing the main quests in Kaer Morhen (towards the end of the story) you will receive a main mission called “The Isle of Mists” and 4 other “Brothers in Arms” quests. That’s when you are supposed to recruit people for your upcoming battle in Kaer Morhen. You must play a series of lengthy side quests and subplots to recruit everyone, which is going to take several hours. Keira Metz and Triss can be recruited before reaching this point in the game and are the easiest to miss.
Important Tip: If you ignore the “Brothers in Arms” story quests entirely and go directly to the Isle of Mists, you will completely miss all possible allies!
Does the game save each Allies you collect?: Yes, the game will automatically save the Allies you just recruited if you pass a checkpoint. Otherwise you’ll have to manually save your progress each time you gain a new Ally.
Where to find all Allies in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt? The in-game character locations for the Allies are described in this detailed video guide.
The Allies are listed in the video in the order that they appear chronologically throughout the story.
Timeline in minutes for the to be recruited Allies Locations Guide:
• [0:05] — Ally Location #1: Keira Metz. Can be found in Velen, send her to Kaer Morhen at the end of her subplot instead of killing her.
What Can Go Wrong: You could end up killing Keira Metz if you make wrong dialogue choices at the end of her subplot
– Full Side Quest Walkthrough: To do this you must first complete the main story quests Hunting a Witch, Wandering in the Dark, Magic Lamp! In these quests you will go through a dungeon with Keira (unmissable). After this story questline is complete you will automatically receive a new side quest called “An Invitation from Keira Metz”. Go visit Keira in her hut in the woods of Velen to start this optional subplot.
It consists of multiple small side quests: #1. An Inivtation from Keira Metz (0:05); #2. A Towerful of Mice (0:54); #3. A Favor for a Friend (8:28); #4. For the Advancement of Learning (14:40).
• [2:08] — Ally Location #2: Triss Merigold. Can be found in Novigrad, complete her subplot. It starts with the side quest “A Matter of Life and Death” and ends with “Now or Never”. During Now or Never you must choose during the dialogue at the harbor that you want her to stay and that you love her. She will then go to Kaer Morhen automatically after a cutscene.
– What Can Go Wrong: Triss Merigold will sail away and never return if you don’t tell her to stay and that you love her at the end of her subplot.
• [3:52] — Ally Location #3: Roche. Can be found in Novigrad, complete side quest “An Eye for an Eye”, then talk to Roche during Main Story Mission “Brothers in Arms: Novigrad” and he will come to Kaer Morhen.
– What Can Go Wrong: (Nothing found?)
• [3:52] — Ally Location #4: Ves. Can be found in Novigrad, complete side quest “An Eye for an Eye”, then talk to Roche during Main Story Mission “Brothers in Arms: Novigrad” and he will bring Ves with him.
– What Can Go Wrong: (Nothing found?)
• [5:05] — Ally Location #5: Zoltan Chivay. Can be found in Novigrad, simply talk to him during Main Story Mission “Brothers in Arms: Novigrad”.
– What Can Go Wrong: (Nothing found?)
• [5:35] — Ally Location #6: Ermion. Can be found in Skellige, simply talk to him during Main Story Mission “Brothers in Arms: Skellige”.
– What Can Go Wrong: (Nothing found?)
• [6:08] — Ally Location #7: Hjalmar. Can be found in Skellige, complete the subplot about choosing Skellige’s ruler (that gives you the “Kingmaker” achievement/trophy). Either Hjalmar or Cerys must become ruler of Skellige, doesn’t matter which one, as long as you pick one. Talk to them once they are ruler and Hjalmar will come with you.
– What Can Go Wrong: If you choose the third dialogue choice during the “King’s Gambit” quest of the Kingmaker subplot you will walk away and neither Hjalmar, nor Cerys will become ruler. Then Hjalmar cannot be recruited anymore.
– Full Side Quest Walkthrough: To do this you must first complete the main story quest “The King is Dead – Long Live the King”! That’s the first main quest on The Skellige Isles. After that you will automatically receive two new side quests called “Possession” and “The Lord of Undvik” (cannot be missed). You can mark them in the side quests tab in your inventory.
The subplot about Skellige’s ruler consists of multiple side quests: #1. Possession (0:05); #2. The Lord of Undvik (16:43); #3. King’s Gambit (26:29); #4. Coronation (36:18).
Note: There are other characters you can talk to during the “Brothers in Arms” quests. Also some that can be recruited from side quests, but they are optional and have no impact on the Kaer Morhen battle. It doesn’t matter if they die or whether you talk to them or not. Feel free to skip them all. That said, Cerys an Craite is only important if she becomes ruler of Skellige, then you must talk to her.
These characters are NOT needed::
• Emperor Emhyr Var Emreis (Royal Palace of Vizima)
• Letho (Velen)
• Sigismund Dijkstra (Novigrad)
• Folan (Skellige, during side quest “The Lord of Undvik”)
• Vigi (Skellige, during side quest “The Lord of Undvik”)
• Crach an Craite (Skellige)
• Cerys an Craite (Skellige, should she become ruler of Skellige you need to talk to her and she will send Hjalmar to Kaer Morhen)
Credits: Special thanks to Powerpyx for the tips and video guides.