Even though Geralt of Rivia is a capable fighter who can take of himself, for the most part, he doesn’t do everything on his own. Unlike sorceresses or Ciri, for example, Geralt doesn’t have the luxury of transporting himself somewhere else whenever he wants to. As a result, he has to rely on more conventional means of travel - such as his horse Roach who quickly became a fan favorite.
Roach is in many ways a unique horse. Some of Geralt’s frequent run-ins with magic and monsters have rubbed off on her which means she can do extraordinary things. This means, there are some details about Roach that you might have missed in The Witcher 3.
10 She Had Cameos In The First Two Games
While Roach was prominently featured in the books — or, at least, multiple versions of her — most people assume that she was only present in the third game. This is actually not the case, since she’s actually either shown or mentioned briefly in the other two games as well.
She appears in illustrations in the first game, which can easily be missed. Meanwhile, in The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, Roach is present in a brief cutscene that takes place near the end of the game.
9 There Were Plans For Roach To Get On Boats With Geralt
Skellige is one of the most memorable locations in The Witcher 3. It serves as a breath of fresh air after the vast plains of Velen, allowing players to embark on seafaring adventures and man boats as they explore the various underwater caches and landlocked isles present in the area.
Boat travel was meant to be slightly more ambitious and immersive in the game, with Roach also being able to get on these boats with Geralt. However, the logistics of such a mechanic proved to be pretty complex, and the decision was made to let Roach magically teleport to the same area as Geralt in Skellige as well.
8 Her Name Is A Translation Of The Polish Name
As most fans will know, The Witcher saga comes from Poland and is based on a series of books written by the Polish writer Andrzej Sapkowski. As a result, some of the English names of the characters were directly translated from Polish to English. Roach is one such example.
In Polish, Geralt calls his horse ‘Płotka’, an expression for a mare as well as an informal version of the word ‘płoć’. ‘Płoć’ then translates to Roach, and that’s how Roach got her name in English.
7 Her Name Is Also A Species Of Freshwater Fish
Perhaps the most mundane fact about Roach stems from her name. It’s a moniker that is also given to one of the most common freshwater fish species in Poland.
This species of fish is known for being pretty small and having too many bones, which is why it’s not the meal of choice for many Polish people. For the most part, it’s probably a coincidence that this exact name was given to Geralt’s horse as well.
6 People In The Game Notice Roach’s Strange Behavior
Geralt is well-accustomed to the fact that his horse is highly unusual, to put it mildly. However, it was a bit strange no one of the other characters in the world of The Witcher noticed Roach’s behavior.
Until it finally proved that some NPCs do indeed pay attention to what Roach is doing (like having half of her body through a closed door) and they can’t believe what they’re seeing.
5 Geralt Can Switch The Original Roach For A New One
If Geralt decides to take Ciri to Vizima to see her father, Emhyr var Emreis, after the battle at Kaer Morhen, Emhyr wants to reward Geralt for bringing Ciri to him. Those players who didn’t take Ciri to Emhyr or accepted money from him might not know that if Geralt refuses the money, Emhyr will gift him a black pure-bred Nilfgaardian stallion. From then on, whenever Geralt whistles for Roach to come, the new black horse will appear instead of the original horse.
However, Geralt’s shenanigans with switching his horses don’t end with the horse from Emhyr. If Geralt goes to find Syanna in the Land of a Thousand Fables in the DLC Blood and Wine, he will ride a white unicorn he will also call Roach. There’s also the option for the player to keep the horse afterward, but the only way to do it is to start a New Game+ while Geralt’s in the Land of a Thousand Fables and has the unicorn by his side. In the subsequent new game, Geralt will ride a unicorn Roach, not a horse.
4 Roach Can Complete A Quest For Geralt
In one of the most imaginative quests in Blood and Wine called Equine Phantoms, Geralt is looking for a monster that haunts and torments a lone hermit. In this quest, Geralt will consume drugs that will allow him to communicate with Roach, and they can complete the quest together.
However, what some players might not know is that Roach can solve the problem for Geralt. If Geralt leaves the area where the quest is taking place, the quest will fail. However, when Geralt returns to the hermit, he’ll discover that Roach solved the problem for him and the woman is no longer haunted.
3 Roach Can Become A Demon-Like Horse
Not all players have the DLC Hearts of Stone. And those that do most often team up with Olgierd von Everec to save him in the DLC’s finale - since this is considered the ‘good ending’. However, if the player decides to team up with the demonic Gaunter O’Dimm instead, one of the rewards O’Dimm will offer to Geralt is a special saddle.
It’s the only saddle in the game that raises Roach’s stamina by 100 percent! What’s more, it will give Roach a special, demon-like appearance so that when Roach closely approaches Geralt’s enemies, they can be terrified by Roach which makes fighting them easier.
2 Roach Can Increase Her Stamina In A Different Way Too
The saddle from Gaunter O’Dimm is one way to increase Roach’s stamina when running. Another, more peaceful way is to invest money into building a stable for her when Geralt renovates his new home, the vineyard Corvo Bianco.
If Geralt has the stable prepared for Roach, it will significantly increase her stamina as well. Plus, Roach will finally have a spot of her own she can call home.
1 Roach Needs To Find Food For Herself
Finally, since Geralt doesn’t feed Roach in the game, she needs to be able to find food for herself. As a result, if Geralt leaves Roach alone for a certain period of time, he can then find his horse eating or drinking whenever there’s something to eat or drink.
It’s a small detail that’s easy to miss but a good one nonetheless, since even magical transporting horses need food and water to survive.
NEXT: The Witcher 3: Details You Missed In Toussaint
