[VFNNJ]

How important are oils and potions? Or to put it another way, how harder is this game if you don't use them? I can see how the upkeep and proper usage of oils and potions make this game easier but for me, and probably others, that can be a kind of unwanted chore.

Thanks.

[Corylea]

VFNNJ said:

How important are oils and potions? Or to put it another way, how harder is this game if you don't use them? I can see how the upkeep and proper usage of oils and potions make this game easier but for me, and probably others, that can be a kind of unwanted chore. ›››

Are you playing The Witcher or The Witcher 2?

What difficulty level are you playing on?

[Guy N'wah]

VFNNJ said:

How important are oils and potions? Or to put it another way, how harder is this game if you don't use them? I can see how the upkeep and proper usage of oils and potions make this game easier but for me, and probably others, that can be a kind of unwanted chore.

Thanks. ›››

You mentioned TW2 in your other thread, so I guess the answer you want is for TW2.

In my style of play, Bombs > Potions > Oils. Bombs are useful for any character and will get you through battles where you are badly outnumbered. But to get the most out of potions, you have to play carefully. They do not make you invincible. Even with potions working, if you get hurt, you have to back off to heal. I never make much use of oils.

The higher your difficulty, the more important they are. On Insane, where you have to be cautious, and on Dark mode, where even minor monsters can one-hit you, you almost certainly want to put some effort into using them.

If you're playing a character who develops Alchemy skills, all three become much more important. They're more effective, and there are big combat bonuses for being high on potions.

[slimgrin]

For me it's potions>oils>bombs. Oils can be key for a swordsman build as they stack on any native effects the sword has, and well, because you're using your sword most of the time. That's why Letho is killed in relatively few hits on Dark mode because I use oils to further enhance the bleeding crit of Jagged Blade. Basically, Whatever crits my gear has, I enhance with potions and oils - that's my baseline strategy for the game. Bombs are the best AOE attack and I use to those to soften up groups of enemies which I then finish off with the sword. Upgrading in the alchemy tree will drastically improve bombs.

But really the short answer is, if you're an experienced player, alchemy isn't necessary on easy or medium. On hard and above, I definitely recommend using it or fights will be a major bitch.

[VFNNJ]

Thanks, yes, Witcher 2 is what I'm playing. I'm on normal and I asked about the buffing because Geralt seems kind of fragile in this game.

While I have you guys here...What signs are the best to upgrade and I know there's an ability bonus for signs in the prologue if you eliminate enemies with two different signs, but what sign other than igni can eliminate an enemy.

Thanks.

[SlimeDynamiteD]

For me, playing the game on Hard (Dark mode drives me insane, let alone insane difficulty) I dont really use potions or oils, I pretty much use bombs, magic and my swords though Runes and Armor Enhancements are bvery useful!

[slimgrin]

I find Axxi and Yyrden to be the least useful, so while I occasionally use them, I don't upgrade them. Aard is my favorite and is the most versatile sign in the game - it can stun, has AOE when upgraded, does damage, and it can knock foes off ledges. Ignii is the best for instant damage, upgraded it can incinerate which occupies foes, and it can trigger Dragons Dream bomb for massive AOE explosion.

[SlimeDynamiteD]

As for magic combination I'm using Igni and Quen, sometimes Aard and in 3v1 battles Axii even. I rarely use Yrden, though Igni is pretty much the most powerful spell for damage, you can upgrade your Quen to do counter dage to
Multiple targets which is quite useful but not as powerful as Igni

Sorry for double posting, I'm on my iphone

[Guy N'wah]

I usually upgrade Aard, even for a character that doesn't specialize in signs. Two upgrades to Aard lets you knock down whole crowds.

I use Aard and Yrden frequently, Axii and Quen occasionally. My signs specialists upgrade and use Igni: it's better than throwing firebombs.

[VFNNJ]

Thanks.

I just read the long thread on how they nerfed quen but then I saw a few articles advising use of quen even though it's nerfed. Kinda confusing.

And how do I kill an enemy in the prologue using a sign other than igni so I can get the Conjurer ability?

[slimgrin]

VFNNJ said:

Thanks.

I just read the long thread on how they nerfed quen but then I saw a few articles advising use of quen even though it's nerfed. Kinda confusing.

And how do I kill an enemy in the prologue using a sign other than igni so I can get the Conjurer ability? ›››

Quen is required in certain occasions. I'd say upgrade it at least once on your first run. I don't upgrade it at all but I've played the game several times, and I'd rather focus on offensive skills. Here's a helpful link on skills:


http://witchervault....als.Detail&id=8

[Guy N'wah]

VFNNJ said:

Thanks.

I just read the long thread on how they nerfed quen but then I saw a few articles advising use of quen even though it's nerfed. Kinda confusing.

And how do I kill an enemy in the prologue using a sign other than igni so I can get the Conjurer ability? ›››

You actually get Conjurer by using the Axii option in dialogue. (You get Axii Sign Hex the same way.)

Anyway, blasting enemies off the battlements with Aard is good clean fun. And Axii is especially useful against wraiths, which often attack in twos and threes and hit very hard.

Quen does have some uses, even though it's been nerfed:

* Against enemies who will otherwise one-hit you in Dark mode.

* Upgraded, it deals some damage to attackers who hit you. With two upgrades and Venting, it deals a lot of damage.

* Its basic use: protection when you get low on Vitality and need to avoid taking any more damage for a while.

[VFNNJ]

Thanks for all the informative replies.

[SlimeDynamiteD]

On my last run I went with specializing in magic so I upgraded Aard, Igni and Quen, plus all the extra Vigor + Magic damage skills, combined that with finding the best sords throughout the game and I thought it was relatively easier than with upgrading my swordsmanship.

Though before that, when I upgraded my swordmanship I just upgraded Aard and Quen in the magic tree, which is also a nice combination

[mothra]

I never played on anything other than hard (dark mode later) and upgrading alchemy/swordsman makes you an one-hit killing machine. Apart from the last "boss" in the game everything fell to one hard swordstrike. Last boss took 3 hits
There is a "hidden" boss in the game in the last act and while this one is considered to be even harder than the "last boss" he went down in one strike. No fighting his adds or avoiding his attacks. Just go in, tell him to f**k off and strike him down in one swoop.
To accomplish that you need to use potions and oils and stuff all the power mutagens you can find in the available mutagen slots.
Still, being a good witcher means using everything in your arsenal. So while I did not upgrade any magic (besides more vigor) or bombs in this build I still used them extensively.

And opposed to TW1 Axii is now REALLY useful because it cannot fail. I use it anytime I get the chance - it has a long casting time and leaves you vulnerable so I never use it while fighting groups with archers or while being surrounded. It is more of an "opener" for me.

And rolling. Some ppl hate it, I love it. Roll around and avoid telegraphed attacks until you find yourself at the rear of a monster/enemy and hit him for extra damage.

Since you play on normal I would advise neglecting all the tips and just pick up whatever you like. Just make sure you do not spread points out too much or you will not reach the last upgrades in a tree which have a great impact on the game. Contrary to other RPGs you do NOT have to grind any levels, just do the quests. You will end up max level no matter what.

The only reason to grind some respawning monsters is if you want to min/max like me on the hardest diff and get the best mutagens.

[VFNNJ]

Okay. What do you guys do for mobs when you don't have much maneuver room? Is there something, some tactic/s that you can count on in those situations? I'm in chapter 1 and I can see that being mobbed is the hard part of this game. With Geralt being so fragile I understand why the designers originally made quen so powerful. (Why they nerfed it later I'm not sure.) As a side question, are potions plentiful enough that you don't have to worry how many you use?

Thanks.

[Guy N'wah]

Axii or Yrden against the closest enemy is handy. So is Aard, especially if you put two points into it to get area effect. You want to make the closest enemy an obstacle for the others, then get in a few whacks against him or throw a bomb.

Pretty much all of the fight locations have obstacles you can take advantage of and kiting paths, so worst case, you can always kite for a minute to recover a bit.

Potion ingredients are plentiful (early in Act I, a few key ingredients take diligent scavenging), and you don't need alcohol in TW2, so there's no problem making lots of potions.

[VFNNJ]

I can see why some favor bombs. Quick damage at a distance. Hopefully I'll get better. Thanks.

[witchermasterofRolling]

the Alchemy tree in the game is the most powerful in terms of damage in the game. when mixed with the sword tree its simple math i didn't use tell i played the game on dark mode but with the right build and runes I use the +7% damage and bleeding ones you can 1 or 2 hit everything even the last few boss fights the it buffs everything damage, defense your mutagens become 2 and half times stronger once you have have impregnation. makeing the + damage ones and critical ones over powered I used to go for a more crit heave build but once you get your damage to a point the cirts don't matter much.