You’re riding through Velen. It’s gray, miserable, and smells like wet dog and charcoal. Then you see it. The Devil’s Pit. For years, this place was just a massive, empty quarry filled with low-level bandits and a whole lot of nothing. It was a weird geographical dead zone in one of the greatest RPGs ever made. But the Next-Gen update changed that. Now, The Witcher 3 In the Eternal Fire's Shadow quest sits there, waiting to kick your teeth in. It’s easily the best piece of "new" content added to the game, mostly because it’s surprisingly dark, even by Geralt’s standards.
Honestly, it feels less like a standard monster hunt and more like a claustrophobic horror movie. You aren't just fighting a monster; you're fighting a plague, a legacy of failure, and some really questionable voice acting choices from a certain young priest.
What's Actually Going on in the Devil's Pit?
The quest starts with a kid named Reinald. Well, not Reinald himself, but a frantic Eternal Fire deacon standing outside the pit. He’s panicked. He wants you to go down into the mines to stop a "spirit" that’s been unleashed. It sounds like a standard Tuesday for a Witcher, but the atmosphere shifts the second you step inside. Most players go in expecting a quick cavern crawl. They’re wrong.
The level design here is deliberate. It’s cramped. CD Projekt Red leaned into the "dark fantasy" aesthetic hard. You'll find notes scattered around—don't skip these. They detail the horrific "treatments" for the Red Death plague. It turns out the Church of the Eternal Fire wasn't exactly practicing modern medicine. They were basically sealing people in the dark to die.
The quest is officially leveled at 15, but if you’re playing on Death March, that’s a lie. You want to be at least level 18 or have a very solid understanding of your alchemy build. The boss at the end doesn't play fair. He has phases. He has lifesteal. He has a shield that will make you want to throw your controller across the room.
The Gear Everyone is Chasing
Let’s be real: most people are doing The Witcher 3 In the Eternal Fire's Shadow for the armor. This is the quest that grants you the Forgotten Wolven Gear. If you’ve watched the Netflix show, you’ll recognize it immediately. It’s Henry Cavill’s armor.
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- The basic version looks like the Season 1 gear.
- The Mastercrafted/Grandmaster versions look like the Season 2 armor with the "abs" on the plate.
- It focuses on Yrden and Aard.
If you’re a combat-focused player who ignores signs, this armor might feel underwhelming. But if you like trapping enemies and then blasting them with telekinetic force, it’s a top-tier set. To actually craft it, though, you’ll have to finish the quest and then head to Kaer Morhen to find the diagrams for the higher tiers. You can't just get the "Grandmaster" look in Velen. You have to earn it through the main story progression.
Survival Tips for the Miasmal Boss Fight
This is the part where most people get stuck. You've fought wraiths before, but the Red Miasmal is a different beast. It’s fast. It’s aggressive. It teleports.
First, you need the potion. During the quest, you’ll have the chance to craft "Reinald’s Philter." Do not forget to drink it. It’s not just flavor text; it actually prevents the boss from stun-locking you into oblivion. If you go in without it, you're making the fight twice as hard for no reason.
The fight happens in two stages. First, you fight Reinald—or rather, the thing possessing him. He uses Witcher signs against you. It’s jarring to see a "player" moveset used by an AI. He’ll Quen up. He’ll Aard you. You have to be patient. Use Yrden to slow him down and wait for his shield to drop. Once you beat him, the real boss, the Red Miasmal, emerges.
This thing is a glass cannon. It hits like a freight train but can't take a punch. The trick is staying close. If you back off to heal, it will summon plague-ridden shadows that overwhelm you. Stay in its face, use Thunderbolt, and keep your own Quen shield up at all times.
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The Moral Dilemma at the End
The Witcher series is famous for its "gray" choices. This quest is no different. Once the spirit is dead, you talk to the ghost of Reinald. He’s pissed. He spent three centuries rotting in a hole because the Church of the Eternal Fire is, well, terrible.
You have a choice: bring the young deacon down to talk to the ghost, or tell the deacon to beat it.
If you want the "good" ending (as good as it gets in Velen), you need to be a mediator. You have to convince Reinald to forgive the kid, who wasn't actually alive when the atrocities happened. If you let Reinald vent his rage, the deacon dies, and Geralt feels like a failure. It doesn't change your loot, but it definitely changes the vibe of the ending.
Honestly, the deacon is a bit of a tool. He’s naive and belongs to a literal cult. But in the context of the story, he’s just a kid trying to help. Watching him get murdered because you picked the wrong dialogue option feels pretty bad.
Why This Quest Matters for the Game's Legacy
For years, fans wondered what was behind the big wooden doors in the Devil’s Pit. There were tons of rumors. Some thought it was cut content. Others thought it was a planned DLC area that got scrapped. By finally opening those doors, CDPR gave a nod to the long-term community.
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It also bridges the gap between the books/games and the show. Regardless of how you feel about the Netflix series, having the gear in-game feels like a complete package. It makes the world feel more cohesive.
The storytelling in The Witcher 3 In the Eternal Fire's Shadow is tighter than most of the base game's side quests. It’s a self-contained tragedy. It reminds us why Geralt does what he does. He’s not there to fix the world's politics; he’s there to clean up the literal and figurative messes left behind by people who think they know better.
Actionable Steps for Your Playthrough
If you’re starting this quest right now, follow these steps to avoid a reload:
- Level Up: Don't touch this until you are at least level 15. If you're on a higher difficulty, wait until 20.
- Read the Notes: There are four main notes in the mine. Finding them all unlocks extra dialogue and gives you the recipe for the Philter.
- Craft the Philter: You need Dwarven Spirit, Celandine, and the special quest item Reinald gives you. Don't enter the final arena without it.
- Spec for Yrden: Even if you aren't a mage build, put some points into Yrden or use an Owl decoction. You need the stamina regen to keep the boss trapped.
- Check Your Map: After the quest, the deacon might offer you a reward. Depending on your choices, you might need to meet him at a specific location near the bridge to collect your coin.
Don't expect a happy ending. This is Velen. You'll get some cool armor, a bit of XP, and a lingering sense of unease. That’s the Witcher way.
Once you finish, head to the nearest blacksmith. The Forgotten Wolven gear requires some specific materials that can be pricey in the early game. Start saving your Dimetritium plates now. You're going to need them for the Grandmaster upgrade later in Toussaint.