You’re standing at the Pontar. The bridge is blocked. The Redanian guards look bored but lethal, and that wooden barricade might as well be a mountain range. If you’ve played The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, you know the frustration of the Thou Shalt Not Pass Witcher 3 quest. It’s the ultimate "vibe check" for new players. Basically, the game is telling you that you aren't cool enough to enter the big city of Novigrad yet.
It feels personal. Geralt is a legendary monster slayer, but a piece of paper—a transit pass—is what stops him? Kinda ridiculous.
Most people just follow the main story until the game hands them a pass. But honestly, who has the patience for that? You want those high-level merchants and the barber in Oxenfurt. You want to see the "big city lights" while you're still rocking basic Kaer Morhen armor. Getting across the river is the first real test of a player's ingenuity in Velen’s sprawling, muddy map.
The Legit Way: Getting Your Papers in Order
The "official" way to handle the Thou Shalt Not Pass Witcher 3 roadblock involves a bit of a grind. You’re supposed to help the Redanian army or find someone shady. The most common route is through the quest "Woodland Beast." You find a Captain of the Guard near the bridge who promises a pass if you take care of a "monster" attacking their supply lines.
Spoiler: It’s not a monster.
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It’s Scoia'tael. If you kill them, you get the pass. If you let them go, you might get nothing unless you play your cards right. It’s a classic Witcher moral grey area. Then there’s the "Fake Papers" quest. You meet a guy in the northern part of Velen, near the Hanged Man's Tree, who offers a forged pass. He’s a total sketch-bag. He wants 100 crowns, but if you help his brother-in-law (who is literally robbing corpses), he’ll give you a discount.
If you mess up that quest—like letting the brother-in-law die—the dealer gets mad and refuses to sell to you. Now you’re stuck. You’ve failed the "shady" route and you’re back to square one.
Why the Pontar River is a Difficulty Spike
The river isn't just a geographical boundary; it's a level gate. South of the river, Velen is a level 5-10 nightmare of drowners and ghouls. North of the river, the difficulty jumps. The game uses the Thou Shalt Not Pass Witcher 3 quest as a soft wall to prevent you from getting wrecked by level 20 guards or high-level contracts before you’ve even learned how to brew a decent Swallow potion.
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But the AI doesn't account for a player's stubbornness.
Swimming for Your Life
Can you just swim? Yes. Sorta.
If you try to swim directly under the main bridge, the archers will sometimes take shots at you. It’s annoying. However, if you go far enough east or west of the main checkpoints, you can just hop into the water and paddle across. It’s the most "Geralt" solution ever. Why negotiate with a corrupt guard when you can just get wet?
The problem is your horse. Roach isn’t a fan of long-distance swimming. If you swim across, you’ll be on foot until you find a signpost to fast travel or call Roach on the other side.
The Oxenfurt Loophole
A lot of players forget that Novigrad isn’t the only place across the river. Oxenfurt is easier to get into if you’re clever. There’s a bridge near the university side that is often less guarded, or you can find a boat. Honestly, finding a boat is the pro move. There are small skiffs littered along the coast of Velen. Grab one, sail to the Novigrad docks, and the "Thou Shalt Not Pass" problem literally evaporates.
Once you set foot on the docks, you’ll usually unlock a fast travel point. Boom. The blockade is now irrelevant.
Baron’s Boon: The Long Game
If you’re actually playing the story, the Bloody Baron will eventually give you a letter of safe conduct. This happens after you help him with his... family issues. It’s the most "legitimate" way to pass, but it takes hours. By the time the Baron trusts you, you’ve probably already explored half of the map anyway.
The game wants you to feel the weight of the war. Radovid’s paranoia is why those borders are closed. Seeing the refugees camped outside the gates, unable to get their own Thou Shalt Not Pass Witcher 3 clearance, adds a layer of world-building that most RPGs skip. It’s not just a mechanic; it’s a narrative tool to show how much the war sucks for everyone who isn't a Witcher.
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Practical Steps for Your Next Playthrough
Stop waiting for the game to give you permission. Here is how you handle this right now:
- Look for the "Fake Papers" merchant north of the Hanged Man's Tree. If you use Axii (Level 2) on him, you can bypass his quest and get the pass for cheap without risking the "dead brother-in-law" failure state.
- Ignore the bridges entirely. Go to the western coast of Velen, find a boat near an abandoned fishing hut, and sail straight to the Hierarch Square signpost.
- Check the notice boards. Sometimes the "Woodland Beast" contract is the fastest way if you’re already leveled enough to take on a few Scoia'tael archers.
- Loot the pass. There are very specific, rare instances where a pass can be found, but it's unreliable compared to just swimming or sailing.
The blockade is a suggestion. In a world of dragons and sorceresses, a guy with a halberd telling you "no" is just an invitation to find a different way in. Go get your hair cut in Novigrad. You’ve earned it.
Once you’re in, focus on unlocking the St. Gregory’s Bridge fast travel point. It’s the highest point in the city and gives you access to the best shops and the bathhouse immediately. Don't waste time talking to the guards at the main gate once you have the pass; just flash the papers and keep moving. The real game starts once you’re behind those walls.