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• Karver the Lorc

  

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  July 27, 2015 5:14 PM EDT

  Also, to your question how well do the games translate characters from books...

  Well, Witcher 1 didn´t faired that well in that field. Triss Merigold in W1 was pretty much a replica of Yen. Bossy, deep voice and stuff like that. Witcher 2 made it right.

  Also, I have noticed that people who read the books, they don´t like Triss very much. I do not want to spoil anything, but Triss does betray Geralt, Yen and Ciri to the Lodge in some way. Also, Geralt in books always looked at Triss as a friend, so she used a spell on him to shag her. That´s why Yen isn´t very fond of her.

  But in games, Triss is all smile and sunshine, pretty much takes the advantage of Geralt´s amneasia to get him for herself. I was surprised that it never blew up in her face in the games.

  Let´s just say that the W1 used the amnesia to give player control on Geralt´s views and actions.

  Yen was actually made very well in W3. For those who read the books, she was really authentic. Dandelion was done very well too. Ciri...well, sometimes she didn´t felt right, but then she punched some guy, hacked someone to pieces and all was ok again. Also the game did an amazing job in portraying the relationship between Geralt and Ciri. When you find her...one of the most touching moments in my gaming history. Other one was when she jumped into Vesemir´s open arms.

• Paws

  

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  July 27, 2015 5:18 PM EDT

  Make one Overhate  It'll be interesting if there are more examples which could be used to support both sides of the debate.

• Paws

  

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  July 27, 2015 5:27 PM EDT

  That was a good comment, I second Seeks.

  The books I've read are the two short story compilations, The Last Wish and The Sword of Destiny. I like his style, although it seems a lot of the comedy moments don't translate or seem out of place, making Geralt come across as a bumbling fool in contrast to how he is presented in the game. Besides that, though, I like the feeling of futility some of the stories hit home. The tale of Little Eye and Dandelion's ballad about their relationship was quite emotional.

  You're spot on about the side quests. DA:I burned me out with it's pointless side quests to the point where I couldn't be bothered to do anything other than the MQ. In TW3 it seems that even the smallest side quests add to the world and story in some way, crossing paths with you again later when you least expect it to.

  During my first playthrough I focussed on getting Witcher gear but now I'm enjoying the motley look of cobbled together or scavenged armour.

• Karver the Lorc

  

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  July 28, 2015 6:52 AM EDT

  Well, for example I enjoyed DA:II because I was playing just a guy who is trying to care for his family. (And fails tremendously in the end). It was more appealing the Herald of Andraste or the sole remaining Grey Warden that has to run around Ferelden to get people´s signs on his new campaign "Let´s stop the blight! TOGETHER!". While DA:O has you starting with simple origin, after prologue, nobody really gives a crap about it. Suddenly you are the "Last Warden in the world" and you and only you can stop the Blight. 

  Don´t get me wrong, I really enjoyed DA:O. I just don´t like to be the baddest wolf in the pack.

  Geralt is just simple Witcher, as he himself says. (He is not simple, he is the most famous of all witchers, but nevermind that)

  As Ciri said: "What a simple witcher knows of saving the world?" That stung a little bit, but she was right. I just really like more to ground guys.

• Paws

  

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  July 29, 2015 4:25 AM EDT

  Yeah, I'd read that about Triss when reading up on character backstories. When I went back to replay Witcher 2 it seemed that she hadn't exactly been honest with Geralt about the lodge. She's a sly one that one.

  Yen in W3 won my heart with her sense of self. As for Ciri, couldn't agree more about that moment. Although I went into the game knowing nothing, by the time that moment comes around I already cared. I think the moments when you get to play as her coupled by a great prologue really made the search for her more personal. The game doesn't let you forget about her and I think that was a clever writing decision.

• Karver the Lorc

  

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  July 29, 2015 4:41 AM EDT

  You´re right, Triss wasn´t always honest. Nor did Yen. But the games somehow decided to forget that, so I can see why lot of people prefer Triss over Ice Queen Yen who trows her ice shards and beware, if one falls in your eye...

  Playing as Ciri was and awesome addition. I actually wouldn´t mind playing as Ciri post-game. I can see her as new prototype of witcher. She proved she can easily deal with wide variety of monsters even without undergoing the Mutations. (Her Blinking helps a lot.)

• Paws

  

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  July 29, 2015 4:57 AM EDT

  The truth is a shard of ice! That short story actually bored me a little until the last page, then I understood it and loved it. Sapkowski is very good at including a twist in the end of his tales, isn't he?

  I'd be happy to play as Ciri too. In a way I was kind of hoping for Red Dead scenario where you play as Jack once the main story is over. He wasn't as awesome as John but it was a clever touch I think.

  In terms of lore and Ciri as a witcher, is there a precedent or is she the first ever woman to be trained as one? Also, being the most powerful person alive, would she even need to have any of the witcher's mutations? In her case surely training, knowledge and her own powers is enough?

• Karver the Lorc

  

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  July 29, 2015 5:07 AM EDT

  It´s hard to say if she is first woman, because there is very little if no lore for other Schools. Even very little is known about School of Wolf.

  There is mentioned that some mob attacked Kaer Morhen and killed all witchers, except for Vesemir who was fencing instructor there. There isn´t given any date when it happened, but I suppose it was in the time when Geralt, Eskel and Lamber were already witchers. There is never explained why they decided they will not create new witchers. Ciri was fed up by some no mutagenic potions (some form of steroids, I suppose). My understanding is that they really don´t know how to create new witchers, but breaking the Curse of Uma shows, that they know at least the basics. I was kinda irritated that it was never explained why there aren´t creating new witchers.

  There was Leo in witcher 1, who was trained as a witcher, but they didn´t expect him to undergo the Trial of Grasses.

  I think that Ciri doesn´t really need any mutations. I would say that with her skills, she is on the same level as Geralt. Hell, maybe even better.

  Edit: Books gave the impression that witchers are mainly males, because Geralt said something to Ciri´s grandmother, that if it will be boy, he will take him to train him as witcher, and when the baby was born, the queen refused to say if it is boy or girl.

• Veloth the Prophet

  

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  July 29, 2015 5:27 AM EDT

  They don't want to make more Witchers because they never want to have to put someone through that ordeal.  

• Karver the Lorc

  

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  July 29, 2015 5:30 AM EDT

  That´s implied, but I guess it isn´t the whole story. One of the reasoning might be, that people in general have grown stronger distaste for witchers.

  Witcher is dying profession, because people don´t want to need them. They want to live without them.

• Paws

  

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  August 2, 2015 4:22 AM EDT

  So did you watch that series and movie Vaz mentioned? I heard it was pretty dire so have avoided it. Would like to hear your opinion if you did, though.

• Karver the Lorc

  

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  August 2, 2015 4:40 AM EDT

  I haven´t seen the movie, but I was watching the Hexer series. Every episode is more or less about one short story from Sapkowski´s compilations (Last Wish and Sword of Destiny). They mostly follow these stories precisely.

  You just have to expect, that it was made really some time ago. Geralt wields single bladed elven sword, he´s dressed in some kind of cloak. He looks almost like a Jedi.

  Dandelion actor didn´t really fit, at least for me, but he had some good lines.

  Overall, I would say that the TV show was good. If you have asked me 10 years ago, I would say that it is uber super duper cool, but as the time passes...

• Paws

  

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  August 2, 2015 5:09 AM EDT

   What was the voice over dubbing like? Game of Thrones level of acting?

• Karver the Lorc

  

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  August 2, 2015 5:39 AM EDT

  I really can´t say, because that show was running in my country, so I managed to find it in czech. But because I mostly hate czech while watching movies, I was trying to find english. Didn´t find it.

  But it was bearable in Czech.

• Paws

  

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  August 2, 2015 5:41 AM EDT

  Right, I'm with you. It probably won't be in English then, maybe just subs. I'll takes subtitles over bad dub any day.

• Paws

  

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  August 3, 2015 5:38 AM EDT

  To get back on topic, with NG+ right around the corner and the ability to re-spec from the start and have access to higher level armour earlier than you normally would, is there any builds you're dying to try out inspired by Skyrim builds?

  I know it's not as straight forward as that and you could never be Geralt the Dovahkiin for instance, but a Nord-inspired, Skellige Armour-wearing Geralt who uses Aard could be quite fun. Or how about an Arbalist, exploring those underrated crossbow skills?

• Karver the Lorc

  

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  August 3, 2015 6:47 AM EDT

  Well, I certainly know that I will be testing Heavy Armor, Heavy Attacks Swordsman with NG+. Playing Heavy Armor build from the start is really pain in the ass just because you will get your hands on heavy armor somewhere on level 15. (Playing an Heavy Armor Alchymist right now)

  I have yet to see if crossbows skills are worth it. Convince me, Phil. Convince me! I wanna see vid where you will kill freaking Ekimara or Golem by shooting bolts just from 1 meter. I dare you!

• Paws

  

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  August 3, 2015 3:04 PM EDT

  Ha, I don't know about that but I'm dying to see what can be done with the crossbow. Because most of the decent bolts like the exploding ones can't be used until level 20 I was already committed to another path by then. NG+ is the perfect excuse to try it out. I'm especially excited by that disabling enemy specials skill. Will that stop a Foglet from fogging, for example?

  Heavy armour is a pain. I'm doing something similar because I wasn't to see just how tanky a heavy attack, heavy armour character can be. I'm using the Griffin decoction to increase DR but as I'm only level 9 I have yet to aquire any heavy armour.

• Karver the Lorc

  

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  August 3, 2015 4:36 PM EDT

  Heavy armor is really pain. But I´ve found a way around that on early levels. All you need is to spent just one Skill point.

  Griffin/Cat School Skill. I prefer Griffin because Signs are really OP. Just take this one Skill, distribute all points as you want them, but this Skill will turn a nightmare into breeze. Seriously, play the build as you want it, but use Cat or Griffin until you get your hands on Heavy Armor, then go Bear school. Since I did that, I don´t die as much as I did. Deathmarch is really unforgiving at the beginning.

  Is it just me or the game really has curve from hard early game to easy late game?

• Paws

  

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  August 3, 2015 7:26 PM EDT

  I haven't really explored Signs enough to take advantage of that skill, although I reckon a Sign-intense build focussing on Quen/Yrden but using  low level armour like the Temerian or Nilfgaardian set would be great fun and use that Griffin School skill nicely.

  It's not just you, late game is an absolute breeze.

• SpookyBorn2021

  

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  August 3, 2015 8:54 PM EDT

  The "Boss Fight" was one of the easiest in the game in my opinion. I barely had to use my Advanced Quen there, just roll out of the way, three strikes and rinse and repeat. 

  I've been running a Heavy Armoured Bomber Character for a while now and I didn't really have much trouble, though to be fair I rarely took hits, especially because I would occasionally stagger-lock enemies with my Crossbow. Unfortunately my game broke (Can't finish the Baron's Quest) so I'm going to have to stop it here, which is a damn shame because I just got a half dozen or so of my bombs to Advanced Forms and managed to improve a few potions. 

  I'm going to test out an Archery Based build that uses Yrden to make escaping much easier. 

• Matt Feeney the New Guy

  

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  August 3, 2015 9:41 PM EDT

  The TV series is on YouTube with English subtitles.
• Karver the Lorc

  

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  August 4, 2015 2:22 AM EDT

  I had hard times with enemies like drowners and nekkers. They are fast, my attacks are slow, and if there were too many of them, I had nothing to stun lock them.

  Once I took Cat School and combined Fast and Heavy Attacks, it became much easier. Then I took Griffin because there is really lot of Medium Armor, so Aard and Igni became my savers.

  Level 12, I´m trying to reach level 17 as soon as possible. Ursine Armor FTW! I´m really curious how much can Geralt take. Oil damage reduction skill is really noticable. I hope I can just stand and take hits from pack of wolves and laugh.

• Paws

  

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  August 4, 2015 1:59 PM EDT

  I never really played with bombs DB. Sure I used them but I don't think I ever got above Enhanced level so they remained of limited utility. Would you recommend a bomb build?

  Yrden would work very well for a crossbow build I reckon, especially one focussing on dot effects like bleeding using broadhead bolts. I just bought the Nilfgaardian armour and it looks amazing, almost inspired me to pursue a Nilf-themed build using those crossbows. The Black Archer!

  Karver I like that oil skill as well. I had that row of skills maxed out just because it seemed like a good idea but I didn't use that opportunity to see how much Geralt could take. Look forward to seeing your assessment on that.

• Karver the Lorc

  

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  August 4, 2015 2:14 PM EDT

  Only problem I have is that the first Oil skill doesn´t really work. I Poison enemies so rarely, that it is almost useless. Maybe it´s broken, I don´t know.