Witcher 3 Bard’s Ballad: Which Settings Change?
In The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, the quest “A Poet Under Pressure� features a bard’s ballad where the only settings that change are the tempo and pitch of the music, while the lyrics, quest objectives, and world state remain fixed. Specifically, the game offers three dialogue choices that alter how the song is performed—slow, normal, or fast—but none of these choices affect the outcome of the quest or any later events in the game.
Background: The Quest and Its Bard
The quest is part of the main storyline in Novigrad, where Geralt seeks the bard Dandelion, who has been captured by the witch hunter Menge. To find Dandelion’s hiding place, Geralt must interrogate a troll named Bart, who is guarding a bridge. Bart is a “poet� himself and demands that Geralt listen to a ballad he has composed. The player is given three dialogue options that dictate how Geralt responds to the troll’s performance:
- “That was beautiful.� – Geralt praises the song, which leads to a slow, respectful response.
- “Not bad.� – A neutral reaction, resulting in a standard tempo.
- “It was too long.� – Geralt criticizes the song, prompting a faster, more dismissive reply.
These choices only affect the tone of Geralt’s voice and the pacing of the dialogue, not the underlying quest logic. The troll will always reveal the location of Dandelion’s hideout regardless of the option selected.
How the Settings Change: Tempo and Pitch
In the game’s audio files, the ballad is a single recording that is manipulated in real time based on the player’s choice. The “settings� that change are:
- Tempo (speed): The slow option plays the song at roughly 80% speed, the normal option at 100%, and the fast option at 120%. This is achieved by altering the playback rate of the audio clip.
- Pitch (tone): Because the game uses a simple pitch-shifting algorithm, changing the tempo also changes the pitch. A slower playback lowers the pitch (making the troll’s voice deeper), while a faster playback raises it (making it higher).
Notably, the volume and reverb settings remain constant across all three choices. The game does not adjust the background music, ambient sounds, or any other audio elements during this scene.
What Does NOT Change: Quest Outcomes and World State
Many players assume that the ballad choice might influence the quest’s resolution, but it does not. The following remain identical regardless of the option chosen:
- Bart’s dialogue: The troll always says the same lines after the ballad, regardless of Geralt’s reaction.
- Dandelion’s location: The quest marker always points to the same house in Novigrad’s Temple Isle district.
- Menge’s interrogation: The subsequent scene with Menge plays out the same way, with the same dialogue and choices.
- Any later references: No character in later quests or DLCs mentions the ballad or Geralt’s response to it.
This means the choice is purely cosmetic, designed for role-playing flavor rather than mechanical impact.
Common Misconceptions and Player Confusion
A frequent misconception is that the “fast� option might skip part of the dialogue or trigger a different cutscene. In reality, the scene’s length is fixed—only the audio pitch changes. Some players also believe that choosing “too long� might anger the troll and lead to a fight, but Bart is non-hostile in this encounter regardless of the choice. The game’s dialogue system does not track this decision, so it cannot affect later interactions with trolls or any other NPCs.
Technical Implementation: How the Game Handles It
From a technical standpoint, the scene uses a single cinematic with three audio variants. The game’s scripting language (used in the REDengine) applies a pitch shift parameter to the audio track based on the dialogue choice. This is similar to how other games adjust voice lines for different emotional tones. The ballad itself is a unique track composed specifically for this quest, and it is not reused elsewhere in the game. The audio file is stored as a single .wem file, and the game’s sound engine applies the pitch shift in real time, which is why the change is seamless.
How to Choose: Which Option Is “Best�?
Since the choice has no gameplay consequences, the “best� option is purely subjective. However, for players aiming for a particular role-playing experience:
- Choose “That was beautiful� if you want Geralt to be diplomatic and respectful, which fits a “good guy� playthrough.
- Choose “Not bad� for a neutral, pragmatic Geralt who just wants information.
- Choose “It was too long� for a snarky, impatient Geralt, which some players find humorous.
There is no achievement, trophy, or hidden quest tied to any of these options, so players can freely experiment without fear of missing content.
Comparisons to Other Dialogue Choices in The Witcher 3
Unlike many other choices in the game—such as deciding the fate of the Bloody Baron or choosing who rules Skellige—the ballad choice is a “flavor� option. CD Projekt Red included several such options throughout the game, where the dialogue changes tone but not the outcome. Examples include:
- Choosing how to respond to Yennefer’s insults in Skellige.
- Deciding whether to be polite or rude to the Pellar in Velen.
- Selecting different responses during card games in the “Gwent: Playing Innkeeps� quest.
These choices exist to enhance immersion, not to create branching narratives. The ballad is one of the most noticeable because the audio actually changes, making the effect more obvious than a simple line of text.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the ballad choice affect the “A Poet Under Pressure� quest outcome?
No. The quest always ends the same way: Geralt learns Dandelion’s location and proceeds to rescue him. The only difference is the pitch of the troll’s singing voice during the scene.
Can I change the ballad setting after I’ve made my choice?
No. The choice is locked once the dialogue cutscene begins. To hear the other versions, you would need to reload a save from before the scene or watch a video online.
Is there any way to skip the ballad entirely?
No. The scene is mandatory and cannot be skipped, but you can press the “skip� button during the cutscene to fast-forward through the dialogue, though this also skips the audio.
Does the ballad choice affect the “The Play’s the Thing� quest later in Novigrad?
No. That quest is completely separate and involves a different performance. The ballad has no connection to the play or any other quest.
Why does the troll’s voice sound different in the fast version?
Because the game changes the playback speed of the audio file, which naturally raises the pitch. This is a common technique in game audio to create different emotional tones without recording new lines.
Are there any mods that allow me to hear all three versions in one playthrough?
Yes, some mods on popular modding sites allow you to change the dialogue choice after the fact, but these are unofficial and require modding tools. In the vanilla game, the choice is permanent for that playthrough.
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