You’re wandering through the posh streets of Novigrad, minding your own business, and suddenly you’re tasked with being a glorified tutor. It’s the "Broken Flowers" main quest. You're looking for Dandelion, but instead, you find yourself agreeing to give fencing lessons Witcher 3 style to a high-born Nilfgaardian girl named Rosa var Attre. Most players think this is just a quick dialogue skip. It’s not. It’s actually a multi-stage encounter that tests whether you're paying attention to the game's combat mechanics or just button-mashing through the story.
Honestly, the first time I did this, I didn't realize there was a follow-up. I thought I'd just poked a girl with a wooden sword and that was that. But CD Projekt Red loves their missable content. If you play your cards right, this "lesson" turns into a weirdly personal side quest that takes you out of the city walls and into a face-off where the stakes feel oddly high for a training session.
The basics of the first lesson in Novigrad
To even start, you have to be tracking Dandelion’s trail. You end up at the var Attre villa. The guards are annoying, but once you’re in, the game forces a wooden practice sword into your hand. This is the first bit of fencing lessons Witcher 3 throws at you. Rosa is arrogant. She’s been taught by "masters," but she hasn't fought a Witcher.
The fight is scripted to end when her health hits a certain point. Use your parries. Don't just swing wildly because, even with a wooden sword, Geralt can be clumsy if you're not managing your stamina. It’s a tight space. The room is cramped, and the camera might fight you more than Rosa does. Just keep your guard up and wait for her to overextend. Once you beat her down to about half health, the cutscene triggers.
Most people stop here. They get the information about Dandelion and they leave. But if you want the actual quest called "Fencing Lessons," you have to be nice. Well, maybe not "nice," but professional. When she asks for more training, you have to agree. If you blow her off, the questline dies right there in that stuffy villa.
Why the second lesson is where things get weird
If you agreed to meet her again, you'll find a quest marker near the Seven Cats Inn, just outside Novigrad. This is the real meat of the fencing lessons Witcher 3 provides. You show up, and she’s dressed for a fight, but she’s also clearly looking for an excuse to ditch her guards.
Rosa var Attre is a classic trope—the bored noble who wants "real" adventure—but in the world of The Witcher, adventure usually means getting eaten by a drowner or mugged by deserters. She leads you to a bridge. This isn't a training room anymore. It's the open world.
She'll ask you to turn your back. You know what happens next. She bolts. Now, you’re not fencing; you’re tracking. Use your Witcher Senses. Look for the footprints. It’s a short trail, but it leads to a bridge where Rosa has managed to get herself into actual trouble with some local thugs.
Dealing with the bridge encounter
You have a few ways to handle this. You’re Geralt of Rivia; you can kill everyone, or you can use Axii if your level is high enough.
- Pay them off: It costs 50 crowns. It’s the "boring" path, but it keeps the peace.
- Intimidate/Axii: If you have Delusion Level 2, you can just make them leave. It’s clean.
- Fight: You’ll end up killing a couple of guys. Rosa watches. It’s a reality check for her.
The tone shifts here. Rosa realizes that "fencing" isn't the same as fighting for your life. She’s shaken. This is where the fencing lessons Witcher 3 quest wraps up its narrative arc. She isn't a master swordswoman; she's a kid who realized the world is sharper than a wooden practice blade.
Mastery of the combat system during these duels
Even though these are "lessons," the mechanics are the same as any human-to-human combat in the game. If you're playing on Death March difficulty, Rosa can actually hurt you if you're careless.
Parrying is king. In human duels, waiting for the red flash on the enemy's health bar tells you exactly when to counter. When you're doing the fencing lessons Witcher 3 quest, use this time to practice your timing. It’s safer than practicing against a group of bandits with poisoned blades. If you time the parry perfectly, Geralt kicks or elbows the opponent, leaving them wide open for a heavy strike.
Also, don't forget that Geralt's "fencing" isn't just about the blade. It's about footwork. Use the short dodge (Alt on PC, B or Circle on controllers) rather than the long roll. The long roll kills your stamina regen. If your stamina is low, you can't cast Quen. Even in a friendly spar, Quen is a safety net you should keep active.
Common bugs and frustrations
Let's be real: this quest is notorious for being buggy. Sometimes the second part near the Seven Cats Inn just doesn't trigger.
- The Guard Issue: Sometimes the guards at the villa won't let you in even if you have the right papers or dialogue. Try meditating for an hour.
- The Disappearing Rosa: During the tracking phase, if you wander too far off the path, the quest can fail or the footprints can glitch out. Stick to the road.
- The Wooden Sword Bug: Occasionally, Geralt will keep the wooden sword equipped after the quest. It does zero damage. Check your inventory before you go off to fight a Griffin.
The lore behind the steel
Why does Geralt even bother? He's a mutant who kills monsters. Teaching a Nilfgaardian noble seems beneath him. But it fits the "Witcher for hire" vibe. Geralt is broke. He needs the coin, and he needs the information. The fencing lessons Witcher 3 offers aren't just about combat; they're world-building. They show the tension between the occupying Nilfgaardians and the local Nordlings.
Rosa's sister, Edna, is also there, and their banter gives you a lot of insight into the political mess of the city. You aren't just a teacher; you're a fly on the wall in a house that’s part of a massive geopolitical shift.
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Practical takeaways for your playthrough
If you're currently standing in front of the var Attre villa, here is how you should handle the next twenty minutes:
- Don't be a jerk. If you want the full questline, be encouraging during the dialogue. Agree to the second meeting.
- Check your gear. You don't need your best silver sword here, but make sure your armor is repaired. Even wooden swords chip away at your health if you're playing on higher difficulties.
- Save often. Because this quest is prone to failing if you pick the wrong dialogue or walk the wrong way, keep a manual save before you talk to the guards.
- Use the mini-map. When tracking Rosa after she runs away, the yellow search circle is your best friend. Don't just look for footprints; look for the clues like dropped items.
The fencing lessons Witcher 3 questline is a small, missable gem. It doesn't give you a legendary sword or a massive pile of gold, but it gives you one of those "Witcher moments"—where you realize that teaching someone to fight is sometimes the most dangerous thing you can do for them.
Once you finish with Rosa, head back into the city. There’s a lot more to the "Broken Flowers" quest than just playing tutor, and you still have to find Dandelion before he gets himself killed. Just make sure you re-equip your actual steel sword before you run into any real bandits on the way back to the Rosemary and Thyme. Check your quest log for "Fencing Lessons" immediately after the villa scene to ensure it triggered correctly; if it's not there, you might need to reload and pick a more "professional" dialogue option.