[Gregorovitch]

I  voted for Koschey as this was the only monster after chapter 1 that managed to kill me more than once (i.e. I was surprised/unprepared on occasion by others). The Beast was undoubtedly very difficult in Chapter 1, but I put that down to not knowing how to fight properly at that stage as well as not having the stats. The spider queen was also difficult, but I count that as a problem to be solved rather than a fight. I think the poll result accurately reflects my experience of the game.

I played on hard difficulty and upgraded in the following priority order (roughly):

Strength
Dex
Endurance
Group Silver
Group Steel
Strong Silver
Strong Steel
Fast Silver
Fast Steel
Intelligence
Aard
Igni
Other signs with what was left over in bronze

So I got to level 5 for all sword fighting attributes and skills, level 4 Aard and Igni, and level 2 for the other signs. I also prioritized Group styles for additional high level bonuses as well as extras that helped reduce nasty effects like bleeding and stun. I guessed the biggest danger would come from multiple opponent attacks, and apart from this Koschey creature, so it proved. My group styles proved devastating, so much so that I was slightly dissappointed with how easy it was to lay waste to the Grand Master and King of the Wild Hunt and their respective entourages at the end. One bottle of Swallow, one of Tawney Owl, one Wolverine, a 60% extra damage rune for the steel sword I got from the village blacksmith (the 3000gp one) and some Argentine coating for the Silver I got from the Lady of the Lake and they didn't stand a chance.

It was over in five minutes in one take. Definitely too easy at the end.

[Guy N'wah]

The Koshchey must be fought in a confined space and has the ability to incapacitate even a well-prepared Geralt; for me, this has to be the toughest boss fight.

The Kikimore Queen is almost unbeatable if your Geralt tries to fight her directly, but the game gives good hints as to how to dispose of her without confronting her.

You could argue that the Beast is an unfair fight, because the game mechanics give Geralt no good opportunity to prepare, but if Geralt hasn't learned that hellhounds fall quickly to Aard, he's not as smart as he looks.

Roland Bleinheim should be in the poll as the toughest human opponent, not because he is so tough himself but because of the army he brings to the dance.

[secondchildren]

To me Coccacidium is always the toughest ever. It is no boss maybe, but it certainly make me scream and bang the head on my keyboard :D

Anyway, Koshchey is undoubtly one of the most annoying in the game.
Basically I think that the perception of how tough is a boss depends on how unprepared you are when you fight it, and that's why the most of you vote for the Beast. If you ask me I've never found it so bad except than in my first playthrough. :-)

[Freesia]

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To me Coccacidium is always the toughest ever. It is no boss maybe, but it certainly make me scream and bang the head on my keyboard :D

Anyway, Koshchey is undoubtly one of the most annoying in the game.
Basically I think that the perception of how tough is a boss depends on how unprepared you are when you fight it, and that's why the most of you vote for the Beast. If you ask me I've never found it so bad except than in my first playthrough. :-)

I agree  with Secondchildren that the Beast was the toughest boss for me when I first play it on hard difficulty :D and after beating her I thought nothing could stop me or even make me any trouble, well that wasn´t true but the happines after completing the first chapter was enormous :D
Generally it really depends on what do you train and how you devide you talent points, because once I experienced really difficult game progress and had a big problem with Azar, and the next game was just smooth ride and not because I already know what to expect.
But that´s obvious and everyone knows that so I hope I didn´t insult anyone by pointing out such a well known fact.

[slimgrin]

Definitely The Beast for me. That fight made me want to pull my hair out.

[Freesia]

I must admit that when I start playing again I´m always worried about the fight with the Beast even though it´s not always the toughest one when I look back.

[Juan C de Paz]

The kikimore queen was an absolute pain in the butt.  The golem was just boring. 

[Windzal]

The Beast? Aard+Hit and GF.

[Biggus]

Azar Javed on hard  because i didn`t succeed  keep Berengar alive no matter what

[Corylea]

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Azar Javed on hard  because i didn`t succeed  keep Berengar alive no matter what

I don't think Berengar is supposed to survive that fight.  He does, sometimes, if you're both good and lucky, but the lack of dialogue options for him after the fight is over suggests to me that the devs never intended him to live through it.

[Vilgefortze]

I usually used him as a punching bag for Javed while I finished him off. I never thought he could survive...in all my  playthroughs.Only after Tommy encouraged me to save his ***** did I actually try to keep him alive. It felt good..if nothing else.

[Corylea]

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I usually used him as a punching bag for Javed while I finished him off. I never thought he could survive...in all my  playthroughs.Only after Tommy encouraged me to save his ***** did I actually try to keep him alive. It felt good..if nothing else.

Welcome back!

[Charza]

For some reason I never had any trouble with the beast.
I bought the in game book that tells you how to work it, and I realized that it was sensitive to stun, so I decided to level my Aard sign for that purpose, and used a few potions to tip the favors.
The beast can be killed with a single finisher, so it wasn't that much of a problem.

The Kochey was hard, but could be dealt with in similar fashion.

Weirdly enough Azar Javed gave me most trouble, even though I was able to defeat him with a knock down as wel, but his attacks are just devastating, and that makes him a challenge.

[234ab]

Zeugl.

Koschey, Dagon and the Kikimore Queen maybe tough, but not the toughest. I say the zeugl, is the hardest monster.

[234ab]

Charza said:

Weirdly enough Azar Javed gave me most trouble, even though I was able to defeat him with a knock down as wel, but his attacks are just devastating, and that makes him a challenge. ›››

Yes, Javed is a very annoying enemy with that blinding and stunning attack.

[Anvos]

Koschey

Only boss that made me think there was a chance of repeat failure on normal.

Personally I found the beast rather easy and think I just cast aard and made a finsiher against him.