The Nekker Contract – Witcher 2 Quest

This guide helps players with a specific side quest of chapter 1 in The Witcher 2. It has a map, legend, and walkthrough to show you exactly how to complete the quest.

Map Legend

1 – Notice board
2 – Einar Gausel
3 – Cedric
4 – Nekker nests
5 – Louis Merse

Background

The locals seem to have a lot of trouble with the ongoing nekker raids. Therefore the town chancellor, Louis Merse, put up a contract on the notice board, for any adventurer who wishes to deal with the threat.

Walkthrough

As stated, go to the notice board (#1) in front of the inn and pick up the contract. It involves destroying four nekker nests which are found in a nearby swamp.

Preparations for the quest include reading the book on nekkers and buying or making at least four grapeshot bombs (you can buy them already made from Cedric (#3), and he also sells the diagram for it, Formula: Grapeshot, so that you can make them yourself, which seems like a much cheaper alternative). To get good knowledge about nekkers, you can either go and slay a good amount of them, or simply read a book Nekkers in the Mist. You will have almost certainly found the book by now, probably in the prologue. In case you didn’t, there’s always our lovely bookseller Einar Gausel over at #2, who is bound to have a copy.

Chances are that you’ve found the book already in the prologue or if not, simply visit Einar and buy yourself one. Alternative to this is killing nekkers for a while and you’ll get the knowledge from the kills.

Next, head out towards the swampy area south of the city. Start with the nests at #4a, #4b and #4c. Whenever you approach a nest, be ready to fight a lot of nekkers who are ready to defend it. If you get far enough from the nests, nekkers will submerge again. Destroying a nest is done with the left mouse click and an available grapeshot bomb in your inventory.

A good tactic to beating nekkers is using fast attacks, as they seem to be dodging heavy attacks a lot (unless you combo them with fast attacks first). Keep up Quen as much long as you need. Since they have low amounts of vitality, they should go down in two to three hits. Warriors (nekkers with partially colored in red) might be a bit harder, but again it’s nothing you can’t handle. Use Yrden or Igni signs to help you out.

Carefully make your way towards #4d. Make sure you’re not overwhelmed and when you feel insecure, put up Quen and run back. There might be endregas attacking you on the way as well. Avoid being swarmed by them because they hit pretty hard with their charging attacks. Once you’ve destroyed that nest, start moving back towards the city.

While looting nekkers, you’ve surely come across ingredients known as Warrior Nekker Blood. Keep these until Act III, as you’ll come across nekkers very rarely in Act II and you won’t find any in Act III. They are part of a quest in Act III, a very vital component to the strongest steel sword in the game. When using alchemy, it tends to put them by default in the ingredients slots, so make sure not to spend them carelessly.

When you reach Louis Merse (#5) in his office, he’ll interrupt you in your attempt to present him proof, holding you onto your word. The quest is complete and 150 orens along with 75 experience points are yours. Having completed this quest, you’re halfway towards the best silver sword in this act, Witcher’s Superb Silver Sword, made from Diagram: Witcher’s Superb Silver Sword, which is a reward from completing both nekker and endrega contracts.

In case you’ve already completed The Endrega Contract side quest too, get the sword crafted for you. Since the containers have random items in them, you might sometimes even get silver ore, but it probably won’t be enough. Don’t worry though, the dwarven blacksmith in town has some. Along with 4x Silver ore, you will also need 4x Iron ore, 1x Timber and 1x Diamond dust. These are all common materials and you should have no problem finding them. Add in either Ysgith Runes or Fire Runes and you’ve got yourself quite a weapon for monsters.