Just picked up Witcher 3

[McNasty 260]

Can anyone who has put a lot of time into this game give me some starting recommendations?

 

I've played for a few hours, picked up a bunch of random quests, killed the first Griffin and then claimed my reward.  that's where I'm at now.

 

How much is alchemy and crafting necessary?  I played a TON of Skyrim and never got much into enchanting, and literally never used any potions so I have a good baseline I feel for this game though I've never played other Witcher games.  I'm not playing on a hardcore mode because I just want to get through the story and don't want to waste time trying to kill the same thing over and over again.

 

I'm picking up everything I see - smart or no?  

 

I want to make my time in the game meaningful and with a purpose, and don't want to waste my time doing shit that isn't really all that necessary or important.  Any help is appreciated

[Sennex 1,903]

Do not play this game like you would play Skyrim.

 

Geralt:

 

In the Witcher series, of which I tell everyone to pick them all up, you need to use EVERY ability you have.

 

Take the time to sort out alchemy, it will help you in every quest. Literally every quest.

 

I said every quest right? because it helps that often......

 

Do NOT rush through the game, you will miss out on a ton of really quick and easy side quests that give gobs of XP. The game will assume you did them when you get to a new area, and NPC's will be of a much higher level than you. (Seriously, some quests are as simple as fixing a broken altar. Just move this stone block and BAM done, 2000 XP)

 

Loot the shit out of the battlefield near the starting town, wander up and down it a few times, take all the crap to the dwarf, and salvage it.

 

When underwater, you can only use the crossbow.

 

Oh yea, and Alchemy is your friend.....

 

Ciri:

 

You don't have to be as patient with Ciri as you do with Geralt. Her portions of the game are there to provide backstory and update you (Geralt), about what is happening in the Novels.

 

You can run through quests as her, and it will be fine. (Or at least I never noticed a penalty.)

 

Also are you on PC or PS4?

[JsinOwl 644]

Save, lots, use all your save slots. The consequences of some of your decisions will not be revealed for several hours.

I've played through the first 3 acts on Death March difficulty, and I did so at a snail's pace, relishing every moment. If you just want to plow through the main story, you're doing it wrong. Go play something else.

I almost never use alchemy, though I've unlocked almost all the various potions and oils. I get through most encounters fine without it, but there have been a few tough ones where they come in handy. I also go into every encounter well over-leveled because of how thoroughly I play the game.

Your most important choice: Triss or Yen.

[Sennex 1,903]

Yen all the way!

 

Well, that is if you have read the books.

 

Regardless, I am shocked to hear you say that you never really use alchemy. Every Quest with supernatural enemies, I am using Oils. Every combat with heavy armor mobs, or spears/ polearms, I am chugging potions for Stamina and Magic. 

 

Spam fire or force push, while they are staggered, charge in with heavy attacks, back off as they recover, Chug potions, rinse repeat.....

 

The Banshee at the one water well early in the game, you have to use an oil, or you can't beat her. 

[JsinOwl 644]

Things would probably be a lot easier if I used alchemy, I just don't think of it unless I'm getting stymied. I recall the banshee by the well being a bitch of a fight, but I don't think I used oil. I could be wrong though.

I know for sure I juiced up against the werewolf outside the spirit in the tree and at the battle of Kaer Morhen.

And I agree, Yen all the way. I've tapped that twice already. The only female you can have multiple relations with (aside from prostitutes of course).

[Sennex 1,903]

The books really put a different spin on the games.

 

Not covered by the games:

 

Triss uses magic to make Geralt think they had a relationship, thereby cheating on Yen. She does it because she hates Yennifer, as does most of the witches council. Lodge

 

One other witch does the same thing, but she does it to slowly warp Geralt into thinking he was with Yennifer at some points. It was really twisted, and it basically comes down to that Yennifer was the only one to NOT manipulate Geralt and Ciri for her own gain with magic.

 

She, Yen, also pseudo adopts Ciri which added aother level and I don't know for sure if that is in the W3 game. This was big in the books. Hell its the plot point of one of them.

 

Oh yea, Geralt also hooks up with Snow White in the books.

Edited November 17, 2015 by Sennex
Changed Council to Lodge

[jordie1892 681]

Here's a guide to alchemy (mostly for deathmarch) that I found useful:

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/witcher/comments/371pjz/complete_guide_to_alchemy/

[JsinOwl 644]

I don't think the following contains any real spoilers, but you've been warned.

The game suggests that Yen is like a mother to Ciri and Triss is like a cool aunt or older sister. If you romance Yen, Triss clearly resents her for it but she keeps her yap shut and remains cordial. At no point during Witcher 3 does it explain that stuff about Triss manipulating him in the past. It only references how Geralt lost his memory after escaping from the Royal Hunt, which opened the door to his past romance with Triss, him not remembering about Yen and all.

All that stuff from the books you posted makes me happier than ever to have gone with Yen. Various forum polls I've seen suggest a majority of people go with Triss. (I bet at least in part because the option to romance her comes first in the story.)

God this is a great game. I should really finish it what with the barren wasteland Destiny has become.

[Sennex 1,903]

 This should be from book 2

 

 

 

The whole thread is here, and is worth reading.

https://www.reddit.com/r/witcher/comments/38cu5o/yen_triss/

[McNasty 260]

So when I unlock a potion or oil, I don't have to keep inventory for it correct? All I have to do is meditate and everything is replenished? There's so many damn ingredients for potions, should I create everything as soon as it turns green in the menu?

For crafting should I stockpile everything until I get to a stronger blacksmith? timber/coal/iron/steel/leather/pelts/crap to be dismantled/etc.....so much stuff I don't know what to do.

Also are the "master" swords the best or should I just run with whatever has the highest attack. If I use the enchantment or whatever that thing is called do I lose it forever? Can I switch it out with another one? Should I hoard swords and sell them or pay to dismantle?

[McNasty 260]

I just finished the first location completely except for that lvl 10 dormer or water guy, whatever they're called. All the side quests have been replenished on that board, should I do those or just move to the next place?

Yeah it's 100 question time apparently

[The3rdWalker 1,271]

I wish Gwent was a stand alone DLC or game, haha.

[JsinOwl 644]

Gwent is awesome. High Stakes was a great side quest.

[Sennex 1,903]

Gwent annoys me, sorry. I never fully understood the rules at first, and then never bothered to try to really relearn them. What made it worse was that I thought I understood it so I spent a ton of money on the cards.

 

Still though, PC or Ps4 for your version McNasty?

[The3rdWalker 1,271]

Trust the heart of the cards!

[McNasty 260]

Finished the game and it definitely deserves all the accolades it's received.  Its just like Skyrim but better in a million different ways.

 

Hated the ending I got.  I was pissed in all honesty, it was depressing.  Too lazy to go all the way back and change some of the decisions, but oh well.  XXX wanted to be a badass all the time so I treated XXX as one.  

 

Triss ftw.

 

Actually Ciri ftw but that wasn't an option.

[Sennex 1,903]

BOOOOO

 

Tris is purty, but Yen 4 life!

 

Grats on beat the game though man. I still haven't finished it. I need to

[JsinOwl 644]

Yen + Geralt 4 Ever

And I was quite pleased with my ending. I know what the negative ending is and I would be gutted if I got that. Knowing me, I'd probably replay it from scratch, but I have a few screws loss when it comes to this sort of thing. *

I have but 5 trophies left for the Platinum. Then it's over [emoji20]

I'll probably get the paid dlc though. I have all the free dlc. I actually turn off the alternate looks for Ciri and Triss, like their stock outfits better, unless we're going to a party, in which case Triss can wear her alt garb. Yen looks fabulous in both outfits, but I prefer the alt one a bit.

* Screws loose example. There's a point where you can optionally talk to some guy who is staring at the ocean because he's calculated that today is the day a legendary whale will appear. If you talk to him, he'll miss the whale, which has absolutely no impact on anything in any way. I reloaded the game and skipped talking to him at all, so he'd get to see the whale, which again has nothing to do with anything. This guy has a 2 minute part in the game, never to be seen nor heard from again. Yeah... That's how into good games I'll get.

[McNasty 260]

As much as I like decisions in games I always cheat and look up what happens with the options to avoid situations like this bullshit I got dealt. I just didn't want to spoil the ending and didn't look that far out. I was probably borderline between the ending I got and ending 2. Not that it really matters but I kind of don't want to play the game again now. There was no reason for an ending like that, especially when it's determined by 5 or 6 random ass choices you make through the game that you'd never connect. They hardly relate to the justification behind what happens to xxx at the end.

[McNasty 260]

I didn't trust yen. I thought she was playing games and that she would end up screwing me over or something, or turning out to be evil. I still banged her, just cut her loose at the right time so I got the best of both worlds.

[JsinOwl 644]

As much as I like decisions in games I always cheat and look up what happens with the options to avoid situations like this bullshit I got dealt. I just didn't want to spoil the ending and didn't look that far out. I was probably borderline between the ending I got and ending 2. Not that it really matters but I kind of don't want to play the game again now. There was no reason for an ending like that, especially when it's determined by 5 or 6 random ass choices you make through the game that you'd never connect. They hardly relate to the justification behind what happens to xxx at the end.

Those 5 things aren't particularly random, they all involve making sure Ciri doesn't lose confidence in herself.

I haven't read the books, but from what I gather, Triss is the manipulative one. But redhead, so... Yeah, tough call. So happens I like black hair even better and violet eyes are icing on the Yen cake. [emoji7]

[JsinOwl 644]

If you do new game+, I think you keep all your shit, so you could just blast through the story and skip all the side quests and exploring.

[Sennex 1,903]

Yea, the books really make you despise Triss, not to mention feel bad for her. Now granted the shit that the other witches do to Yennifer is INSANE, and Geralt / Ciri are literally the only good things in her life.

 

some stuff from the books:

Geralt: She works against on numerous occasions, because she is forced to. She see's his mind get wiped clean of any trace of her, and it is changed to Triss, and another Witch. She is forced to not work to save him, unless she wants to see Ciri killed brutally

 

Ciri: Essentially her daughter, who is destined to do some really amazing things..... if she just allows herself to be brutally used and raped and handed around by these wizards, elves and other fuckheads. In order to save Ciri, Yen actually kills herself, but then gets brought back by Ciri, only to have to do it all again.

 

Yea, I have nothing but empathy for Yennifer.

 

Oh and all this happened by book 2 of the series LOL

[The3rdWalker 1,271]

I should buy the books, thanks for that blurb Bart. I heard very good things about it and I never heard of Witcher series until 3.

[Sennex 1,903]

Get the officially Translated books if you do

 

They were written in polish, and I have direct translations (Which are able to be purchased), and they are hard as fuck to read. I didn't realize what I was getting at the time I bought the whole set.