The Witcher 3 Remastered Bard's Ballad preset is a new accessibility option that makes the game easier to follow and less tiring to play. CD Projekt Red designed it for players who experience mental fatigue or have trouble concentrating. It simplifies some mechanics and switches off a few chores, while the story, quests and combat stay the same. It is one of the quality-of-life additions in the Witcher 3 Remastered patch notes.
How to turn on the Witcher 3 Remastered Bard's Ballad preset
- On a new game: pick the Just the Story difficulty, then enable the preset.
- In an existing game: open Settings and go to the new Accessibility section. You can switch it on mid-playthrough, including on a save carried over from before the remaster.
The Accessibility section is new in the remaster. Accessibility options that used to be scattered through other menus were moved into it; the settings guide lists the other menus that moved.
Every Bard's Ballad option
| Option | What it does |
|---|---|
| Vitality Regeneration Boost | Geralt regains health faster. You can set when it kicks in and how strong it is. |
| Infinite Breath | Geralt never runs out of air while swimming or diving. |
| Unlimited Item Durability | Weapons and armor never wear down, so no repair trips. |
| Unlimited Boat Durability | Boats cannot be destroyed. |
| Ignore Item Weight | Carry as much as you like without becoming overburdened. |
| Faster Boats | Sail across the seas more quickly, which helps in Skellige. |
| Toggle Witcher Sense | Press once to turn Witcher Senses on or off instead of holding the button. |
Who should use the Bard's Ballad preset
Anyone who wants to focus on the story. Weight limits, repairs and boat damage interrupt long sessions, and holding a button for Witcher Senses is tiring during investigations. The preset removes those without changing what happens in the game. It is also a good fit for a handheld run on Witcher 3 Remastered on Switch 2, where short sessions favor less inventory management, and for the first hours after the skill reset while you rebuild on the new skill tree.
Other Witcher 3 Remastered accessibility and quality-of-life changes
- Tutorials are shorter and focus on the core mechanics.
- To leave a fight, hold dodge to drop the target lock, then sprint away.
- You can pick up loot without getting off Roach, and group nearby loot into one window.
- Photo mode asks before you leave it, so a stray button press no longer loses a shot; more in the photo mode guide.
Witcher 3 Remastered Bard's Ballad FAQ
What does the Witcher 3 Remastered Bard's Ballad preset do?
It lowers the game's cognitive load with seven options: faster health regeneration, infinite breath, unbreakable items and boats, no weight limit, faster boats and a toggle for Witcher Senses.
Can I turn on Bard's Ballad on an old save?
Yes. Enable it from the Accessibility section of Settings at any point in a playthrough.
Is Bard's Ballad an easy mode?
Not exactly. It pairs with the Just the Story difficulty on a new game, but the preset itself targets chores and fatigue, not enemy strength.