Why did Regis kill Detlaff in Witcher 3 Blood and Wine? Let us discuss in detail….
The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine is often praised as one of the finest DLCs ever created, to one of the best games ever made. It offers more than new quests and a picturesque new region; it delivers a story rich with moral conflict and emotional depth. Toussaint may appear like a fairytale kingdom of wine, beauty, and song, but beneath its sunlight we find a dark, philosophical tale about vampires, curses, and love gone wrong.
At the heart of this story lies one of the most complex relationships in the Witcher universe: the bond between the higher vampires Regis and Dettlaff van der Eretein. Regis, wise and reformed, is the embodiment of restraint, compassion and reason. Dettlaff, also a higher vampire, has evolved beyond kililng humans for their blood as well, but is opposite by nature- emotional and impulsive. He is ruled by passion and vulnerability. Their friendship runs deep, with Regis owing his life to Dettlaff, who once saved and reassembled him after being torn apart.
When Dettlaff is deceived by Syanna, his lover, and realizes her betrayal, he loses control. What begins as an act of vengeance becomes a massacre as he unleashes lesser vampires to destroy Beauclair, killing innocents men, women and even children. This moment forces Regis into one of the most painful choices of his long existence.
Why did Regis kill Detlaff, someone who had once revived him from death? Throughout the story, Regis tries to show compassion to him, and keeps convincing Geralt that Detlaff is not a monster- just impulsive. He tries to convince Geralt that there is a way to resolve the entire problem – without resorting to violence… so did he contradict himself by killing Detlaff? Let us try to understan why Regis made the decision to kill his friend Detlaff?
1. Dettlaff was beyond redemption
Dettlaff’s descent into violence is tragic precisely because it comes from heartbreak, not hatred or malice. He is not a mindless monster; he is a wounded soul lashing out against the world. Yet, when his rage spills the blood of innocents, he crosses a line even Regis cannot forgive.
Regis has spent centuries atoning for his own sins and living peacefully among humans. He believes restraint defines morality, and Dettlaff’s loss of control represents the complete opposite. The moment Dettlaff kills innocents and unleashes chaos, Regis understands that redemption might be impossible for him now though he just refuses to admit it. The man he once loved as a brother no longer exists. Ending him becomes not vengeance, but acceptance- a grim duty of one who knows what must be done.
2. If Dettlaff lived, the vampire community would punish him like Khagmar
Vampires in the Witcher world are bound by an unwritten code to remain hidden. When one of their kind exposes them or brings attention to their existence, the punishment is severe. History records the fate of Khagmar, a higher vampire who lost control centuries ago. His brethren captured him and locked him in a cage beneath Tesham Mutna for an extremely long period, surrounded by the scent of blood he could never drink. The suffering drove him insane.
Regis knew that if Dettlaff survived, his punishment would be somewhat similar to Khagmar’s. The other vampires, particularly The Unseen Elder, might not forgive this. He might spend a long time imprisoned, tormented by hunger and guilt. Death, in comparison, was mercy. Regis chose to spare his friend that agony. Killing him was not cruelty; it was compassion in its hardest form.
3. To prevent Dettlaff’s inevitable vengeance, especially against Geralt
To understand why did Regis kill Detlaff, let us look at the third reason. Even if Geralt had managed to capture and seal Dettlaff, it would have been only a temporary solution. Higher vampires regenerate. And Detlaff was a powerful one. In time, Dettlaff would return, possibly consumed by the same fury that destroyed him once before. His vengeance would not end with Syanna; it would extend to Geralt, Anna Henrietta, and the people of Toussaint.
Regis understood that Dettlaff’s anger was immortal. Allowing him to live meant condemning countless others to future bloodshed, including his closest friend Geralt. So he might have realized that leaving someone alive, who is powerful yet emotionally fragile like Detlaff, would be very risky. Ending his life was not simply about stopping a current threat; it was about ensuring peace for generations to come.
So, Why did Regis kill Detlaff?
In the end, Regis’s act was the decision of someone who understood the weight of immortality, who had seen what endless life could do to a broken soul. He killed Dettlaff to save him from torture, to protect humanity, and to prevent a cycle of vengeance that would never end.
It is one of the most painful moments in The Witcher 3 because it embodies the game’s core theme; that sometimes, true mercy comes only through the hardest choices.
If you liked our article on Why did Regis kill Detlaff, Check out 9 most tragic deaths in The Witcher
Also check out 7 gaming protagonists similar to Geralt of Rivia
