Horseback Riding & Roach

Master horseback riding with Geralt's steed, Roach, in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Learn summoning, galloping, and combat tactics for efficient travel across the.

Geralt's trusty steed, Roach, is more than just a means of transport; she's an invaluable companion that can significantly streamline your journey across the vast and dangerous lands of the Northern Realms. Mastering horseback riding will save you time, help you escape perilous encounters, and even provide a tactical advantage in certain situations.

Summoning and Basic Controls

Roach can be summoned almost anywhere outdoors by pressing the designated button (typically L3 on PlayStation, Left Stick on Xbox, or X on PC by default). She will gallop to your side, often appearing from seemingly impossible locations, a testament to her unwavering loyalty.

• Mount/Dismount: Press the Interact button (X on PlayStation, A on Xbox, E on PC) when near Roach.
• Walk/Trot: Gently push the Left Analog Stick (console) or use W/A/S/D (PC).
• Canter/Gallop: Hold down the Sprint button (X on PlayStation, A on Xbox, Left Shift on PC) while moving forward. Be mindful of Roach's stamina bar, which appears above her health.
• Full Gallop (Auto-Pathing): Double-tap the Sprint button. Roach will automatically follow roads and paths to your current quest marker or custom waypoint, allowing you to enjoy the scenery or check your inventory. You can still steer her manually to avoid obstacles or deviate from the path.
• Brake/Stop: Press the Brake button (Circle on PlayStation, B on Xbox, S on PC).

Roach's Equipment and Upgrades

Just like Geralt, Roach benefits from equipment that enhances her abilities. These items can be purchased from merchants, won in races, or found as loot.

• Saddles: Increase Roach's stamina, allowing for longer periods of cantering and galloping.
  • Early Game Recommendation: The Zerrikanian Saddle, often available from merchants in Velen, offers a good early boost to stamina.
  • Mid-Game Recommendation: The Nilfgaardian Saddle, found at various vendors or as a reward for certain quests, provides a substantial upgrade.
  • Best in Slot: The Undvik Saddle (from the Skellige Isles) or the Knight's Tourney Saddle (from the Blood and Wine DLC) offer the highest stamina bonuses.
• Blinders: Reduce Roach's fear level, making her less likely to bolt when encountering monsters or hostile NPCs.
  • Early Game Recommendation: Basic Leather Blinders are a good starting point.
  • Mid-Game Recommendation: Ornate Blinders or Cavalry Blinders offer better fear reduction.
  • Best in Slot: The Undvik Blinders or Knight's Tourney Blinders provide maximum fear reduction.
• Saddlebags: Increase Geralt's inventory weight capacity. Essential for hoarders and those who dislike frequent trips to merchants.
  • Early Game Recommendation: Small Leather Saddlebags can be bought cheaply.
  • Mid-Game Recommendation: Reinforced Saddlebags or Elven Saddlebags offer a decent capacity increase.
  • Best in Slot: The Zerrikanian Saddlebags (often sold by the Quartermaster at Crow's Perch) or the Knight's Tourney Saddlebags provide the largest inventory boost.

To equip Roach, open your inventory, navigate to the "Horse" tab, and drag the desired items into their respective slots.

Combat on Horseback

While not always ideal, fighting from Roach can be advantageous against certain enemy types, especially large groups of weaker foes or fast-moving targets.

• Melee Combat: While mounted, Geralt can swing his sword. Aiming is crucial; use the camera to direct your attacks. A well-timed swing can knock smaller enemies off their feet.
• Crossbow: The crossbow can be fired from horseback. This is particularly effective against flying enemies or to soften up larger foes before dismounting.
• Hit and Run: Use Roach's speed to your advantage. Gallop past enemies, land a few hits, and then retreat to regroup or reposition. This is a safe strategy against powerful individual monsters.
• Trampling: Roach can trample smaller enemies, dealing damage and knocking them down. This is less effective against larger or armored foes.

Strategy Tip: Against groups of Drowners or Ghouls, a few passes on horseback can thin their numbers considerably before you dismount to finish them off with your silver sword and signs.

Horse Races

Throughout your journey, you'll encounter various horse races, often marked by a horse icon on your map. These races are a great way to earn Crowns, experience, and valuable horse equipment (saddles, blinders, and saddlebags). The most notable series of races is the "Races: The Great Erasmus Vegelbud Memorial Race" in Novigrad, which unlocks after completing the main quest "A Matter of Life and Death." Winning these races can net you some of the best horse gear in the game.

Racing Tips:

• Stamina Management: The key to winning races is efficient stamina management. Don't constantly gallop at full speed. Conserve stamina on straightaways and use bursts of speed strategically, especially on turns or when overtaking opponents.
• Cornering: Release the sprint button slightly when taking sharp corners to maintain control and avoid losing too much speed.
• Obstacles: Be mindful of obstacles on the track. Jumping over them (by pressing the Jump button, Square on PlayStation, X on Xbox, Spacebar on PC) can save time, but mistiming a jump can lead to a fall.

Common Roach Quirks

While generally reliable, Roach has a few infamous quirks that are part of her charm:

• Pathfinding Peculiarities: Sometimes Roach gets stuck on small rocks or fences, or takes circuitous routes. A quick dismount and re-summon usually resolves this.
• Appearing on Roofs: Occasionally, Roach will appear in unexpected places, such as on top of buildings or in the middle of a crowded street. Embrace the absurdity!

Embrace Roach, equip her well, and she will serve you faithfully across every swamp, forest, and mountain path in your epic journey as Geralt of Rivia.