In a recent interview, Geralt's voice actor Doug Cockle offered his personal ranking of romances in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. His take differs considerably from the usual fan debate over Geralt's romance options in the game by placing a comparatively minor The Witcher 3 character ahead of the two entrenched favorites.
Over the nearly 11 years following the RPG's release, a lot of online debate over Witcher 3 romance options centered on Triss Merigold and Yennefer of Vengerberg. That is essentially by design, considering the game presents them as the only two serious, long-term relationship options for Geralt. However, the game also offers multiple opportunities for one-time flings. As it turns out, one of them left quite an impression on Cockle, enough for him to completely reject the notion of the "best" romance in the game being a binary choice between Yennefer and Triss.
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Doug Cockle Picks Shani as the Best Romance in The Witcher 3
In a recent interview with YouTuber GoatedSynro, Cockle ranked his favorite romances in the game, picking The Witcher 3's Shani romance as number one. Below her, he named Triss, Yennefer, Keira Metz, and Sylvia Anna—in that order. For Shani, Cockle presents the choice as driven more by temperament, stating that Shani "was the most realistic of them all." That's largely because, in his view, Shani "had her head straight" when she left, not wanting to stick around because of how often Geralt is on the prowl. Cockle framed this practicality as something that stands in stark contrast to the much messier dynamic involving the game's two sorceresses, while also describing Shani as "good fun."
Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.
Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.
Although the actor doesn't think Triss or Yennefer deserve the top spot, he was more than willing to chime in on the never-ending fan debate concerning the main romance choice in The Witcher 3. "I’m partial to redheads," Cockle explained, before arguing that Triss in the game feels "more like a friend with benefits," where she and Geralt can "have a laugh together." By contrast, he posits Yennefer was characterized as somewhat pestering, almost like a "naggy mom." The actor concluded by talking up both of them, saying that they are comparably smart, powerful, and beautiful, while noting his preference for Triss over Yennefer is merely a matter of taste.
Doug Cockle’s Witcher 3 Romance Rankings
- Shani
- Triss Merigold
- Yennefer of Vengerberg
- Keira Metz
- Syanna
At the other end of his rankings, Geralt's voice actor offered a more straightforward take. "Syanna is my least favorite because she’s psycho," the actor said laughingly. He clarified by arguing that Syanna's "vibes" feel off whenever she appears, but while also acknowledging this has never really stopped Geralt from pursuing someone. Part of what makes Cockle’s pick notable is how little Shani factors into The Witcher 3 compared to the sorceresses whom the game positions as Geralt’s "main" romances. In Wild Hunt, Shani’s substantive screen time is concentrated in Hearts of Stone, where she’s tied to the Oxenfurt plot line and a short run of quests that can culminate in a fling sequence rather than an extended relationship arc.
Syanna is my least favorite because she’s psycho.
Shani’s relative absence from The Witcher 3 also obscures the fact that CD Projekt Red used her far more prominently earlier in the series. In the original The Witcher from 2007, she’s a recurring supporting character in Vizima and one of the game’s romance options, with players able to pursue her alongside (or instead of) Triss depending on choices. The remake of the first Witcher game that's currently in the works is thus likely to once again feature Shani as a more prominent character. The game itself was previously rumored for a 2027 release but is now understood to have been internally delayed by a year after its developer, Fool's Theory, was assigned to support The Witcher 4 on top of its existing responsibilities.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 93 /100 Critics Rec: 95%
- Released
- May 19, 2015
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Use of Alcohol, Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content
- Developer(s)
- CD Projekt Red
- Publisher(s)
- CD Projekt Red
