[MaLTRaiN]

Well, I know many people have complained about the fight against the Kayran. In fact, I've read a lot of people saying the developers suck for making a so difficult fight and a lot quit the game for that fight. Most of them are playing in "normal" mode too... well, I only say to you: STOP CRYING!!!

I'm not a good player on PC. I've always play consoles and The Witcher 1 was my first real PC game (and I'm 40 years old). Before that, I only played some Medal of Honor or Call of Duty like ten years ago... and after TW1, changing to The Witcher 2 has been difficult. Too many buttons for me, jeje. In fact, I've changed some of the default ones (the "3" for "space", for changing fast the signs, because I can't do it fast with the direct numbers buttons).

Well, I played TW1 in "normal" mode and was easy at last, so I started to play "hard mode" (not insane) in TW2 and has been very difficult in some places, specially on group figths.

But I've managed to fight Kayran. I'm at level 8 and I haven´t use 2 talents (3 after the Kayran fight). I don't know yet what develop first. Maybe I'll decide before fighting Letho (I have read it's a very difficult fight).

And I lost about... 30 times against the Kayran yesterday afternoon. So, after that, I shut down the PC and were to work. Then, I read all comments about the fight and, of course, I saw some people beating the beast on YouTube. Even some people ask for other users fight the monster for them. What a shame!

Well, yesterday at night, I arrived home and started the fight again. I only used two potions (Mangoosee and the one for gaining vitality) and I didn't get the Kayran traps, so I only had magic for beating him.

And I did it!!! After... 15 battles, more or less, I destroyed the stupid monster. I was better evading their attacks with every play and, after a while, I developed my own strategy (instead of starting with left tentacles, I started with those on the right, that were a bit more challenging because in left side you can protect yourself on the statue's feet).

And you can imagine how happy and satisfy I was after that winning. It's all a prize...

So, stop crying and learn to do it! It's not impossible, only challenging.

PD1: By the way, if you find hard that battle, don't play ever "Demons Souls" or "Dark Souls"... those games were indead reeeeeeally hard ones.

PD2: Excuse my english... XD

[h4wkwind]

I only started the game not long ago, I had the quest marked and was puzzled by the map marker seemingly pointing to behind the bar. I went for a walk to the general area and found myself by the wreck, nothing happening so walked back to town. Walking back towards the map marker I happened up some stairs and found what's her name and was taken back to the area to fight the beastie. I just got my 360 back from the repair shop so will be needing to get re-acquainted with the controls but looks like a cool battle ahead. I wasn't expecting to be taken there so suddenly since I didn't do any dialogue beforehand, didn't choose I'm ready. After my first try I didn't last long, no strategy yet and at level 8.

[BlavikensButcher]

Um... I think that most people who complain about the Kayran are complaining because of a possible bug/glitch which prevents them from seeing the quicktime prompts in the fight. Which is a legitimate complaint. The Kayran is a ridiculously easy boss if you run through it a few times. I'm a decent player, and I can rape the Kayran on Insane in less than 2 minutes.

[mastone]

BlavikensButcher said:

Um... I think that most people who complain about the Kayran are complaining because of a possible bug/glitch which prevents them from seeing the quicktime prompts in the fight. Which is a legitimate complain. The Kayran is a ridiculously easy boss if you run through it a few times. I'm a decent player, and I can rape the Kayran on Insane in less than 2 minutes. ›››

Didn't know the kayran was a ploughable character
The only problem I have with the Kayran is that damned sorceress shouting : Use Yrdin! all the time which got on my nerves.

I also had the problem of the QTE not popping up but when Iread that when you cut off the last tentacle there should be a point where a tentacle sweeps across I just pressed spaceba and lmb and it finally worked

[Wyvern3]

It's a QTE technical glitch/bug, not a question of skill or tactics, that makes the Kayran unbeatable on some systems.

[dragonbird]

Wyvern3 said:

It's a QTE technical glitch/bug, not a question of skill or tactics, that makes the Kayran unbeatable on some systems. ›››

Yup.

I'd say that less than 10% of the ones that I play through are badly-prepared (weird builds, too low a level, no potions, and the like). For anyone to get to this point, they're clearly competent players, so it isn't player skill that's the problem either, and almost everyone who asks for help says that it's the QTE, not the tentacles. The QTE is just button-pressing, it doesn't require skill, or especially quick reflexes. It doesn't really make sense to think that the problem could be anything EXCEPT the PC being used.

It's also worth noting that we don't seem to get this problem being reported by Xbox users, only PC. I don't think that this is because it's easier on Xbox, or that Xbox players are somehow better players, or that Xbox users don't bother complaining because they know we can't play-through for them. It's just that you don't get the same variation on system architecture.

[WrathAscending]

For what it's worth, if there is to be another patch for game would it be possible to make it so that rtemoving the third tentacle generates the Quick-Time Event that causes the bridge to fall down, and then if the Quick-Time Event fails (for whatever reason) tha removal of the fourth tentacle always triggers the cutscene without the second Quick-Time Event?

This way, there would still be an incentive to try and get it right (for those who can, at least) whereas those who are currently failing at the Quick-Time Event would still be able to get through, albeit at a bit more risk. I'd like to do more playthroughs of TW2 using imports from TW1, but at the moment I cannot get past the Kayran without asking for help, and I know that's going to get annoying for whoever I have to keep bugging to do it for me, so at the moment I can only use a Yaevin/Triss import and have my TW2 story branch after the Kayran.

[thelostdunmer]

I have to admit I had this game for a while now but failed to play it because of shifting priorities and that damn Mass Effect craptoid.

So this weekend after I accidentally deleted Skyrim, I found myself playing The Witcher 2 and never looked back after a few hours so to speak.

I know that the Kayran would prove to be a hard enemy because Geralt is relatively low level on Act I. But I used the game guide and other hints to prepare for the fight.

I got the mongoose potion, the somewhat death magnet kayran-trap, hehe and used other potions like maxing out the silver sword damage, swallow, and tawny-oil.

I took me several attempts to figure out what to do and it proved that running like mad is futile. So I calmed down and visually broaden my vision and found out that damn those tentacles were really slow.

So I used yrden a lot and spam the crap out of the ground while standing for a moment waiting for the tentacles to hit me but quick rolling to the side to evade it.

Ah the QTE, luckily it triggered properly on the third tentacle and I was able to finish-off this monster.

[dragonbird]

thelostdunmer said:

I got the mongoose potion, the somewhat death magnet kayran-trap, hehe and used other potions like maxing out the silver sword damage, swallow, and tawny-oil.

I took me several attempts to figure out what to do and it proved that running like mad is futile. So I calmed down and visually broaden my vision and found out that damn those tentacles were really slow.

So I used yrden a lot and spam the crap out of the ground while standing for a moment waiting for the tentacles to hit me but quick rolling to the side to evade it.

Ah the QTE, luckily it triggered properly on the third tentacle and I was able to finish-off this monster. ›››

When I'm playing through for myself, I use swallow, mongoose and tawny owl. The sword damage doesn't seem to make any difference - I think it's pre-programmed how many hits it'll take, and it's unusual/unlucky if you get hit while chopping tentacles. I also try to have at least 3 vigor points, because it's too easy to find yourself stuck waiting for a Quen to expire before you can cast Yrden again. I don't use the trap.

My basic technique is
- Cast Quen
- Watch where the first tentacle is going, then get close and hit the spot with Yrden.
- Stand nearby. Get hit. This catches the tentacle. It also ends the Quen, so I can start regenerating vigor, but it does no real damage.
- Destroy the tentacle fairly slowly, to try to make sure that I have my vigor fully back by the time I finish.
- If I don't have at least two points in vigor, I need to avoid tentacles for a while after this, as I can't cast another Quen.
- When I do have two points, and the camera has shown the first stage of the bridge collapsing, I cast another Quen, and then go on to the second tentacle. Repeat for the third.

If I'm playing someone else's game, I may need to modify this, as it's a risky technique if you only have the two vigor points or if you're missing either swallow or tawny owl, but it usually works. A player with faster reflexes can probably avoid the "get hit" step, but I'm not fast, it's going to happen anyway, so I'm making use of it to end the Quen early.

[Dragazhar]

My transition from TW1 to TW2 was rough. I had trouble with easy mode!!! Now grant you.. I did not realize I could lower graphics a little here and there to improve my response time. That helped so much. By the Kayran fight. I was a little better but my system had issues with the QTE so I just kept at it. It was so much fun even tho it took me over 2 hours to get it right. Lowering resolution fixed a lot of problems. I restarted the game not long after that on normal since I was getting used to the controls. I am now trying Dark and its a heap of fun!! Cant wait to see this fight on Dark