Support NeoGAF

[CloudWolf]

Unfortunately the bad ending, which is the one he got, isn't that hard to get if you aren't thinking clearly.

Even if you get it remember you can go to youtube and watch the good endings.

I've gotten both of the "good endings" now, though after seeing them I'd say there's only one truly good ending.

Spoiler

The Empress ending is heartbreaking. Ciri leaving, not knowing if she's ever going to see Geralt and Yennefer again and Geralt's look when he realizes what's going on. :'(

The Ciri becomes a sort-of Witcher ending is the only one that left me with a smile on my face.

 

[Coreda]

Re-discovered that double-tapping WASD acts as the dodge command, which comes at the right times since I remapped the previous dodge key.

Also after buying the potion of clearance twice I finally settled on a build that better suits how I'm actually playing. Initially went for a kind of 'balanced' build but it spread the abilities too thin and wasn't focused on complementing other abilities. Now it's geared for fast attacks, gaining and maintaining adrenaline points quickly, and healing vitality (that Refreshment alchemy perk effectively makes every potion a White Rafford's Decoction, it's great).

 

[ParityBit]

Might be operated by a candle stick or sconce. Use your Witcher senses.

I looked and did not see any levers. I tried using the force sign. There is a

Spoiler

guarded treasure behind it.

 

[CloudWolf]

Tried fully upgraded Aard for the first time. Good god, mobs are about to become so much easier on my DM playthrough.

 

[kraspkibble]

The ending I got was the

Spoiler

Ciri becomes a witcher

. I think this is the best ending.

Spoiler

Having her die or become an empress just doesn't feel right.

Possible B&W spoilers:

Spoiler

Apparently Ciri will appear as a witcher at the end of Blood & Wine even if she died/became an empress during your base game playthrough. Not 100% sure of this but I have seen it mentioned. So perhaps her being a witcher is the canon ending according to CDPR.

To trigger this ending:

Spoiler

1. Do not bring Ciri to the Emperor
When Ciri suggests visiting Bald Mountain during Blood on the Battlefield, say “Velen, then”, not “Gotta visit the Emperor first”.

2. Make at least two out of four “positive” decisions. The possibilities are:

Say “I know what might lift your spirits” when comforting Ciri during Blood on the Battlefield.
Encourage Ciri to speak to the Lodge of Sorceresses on her own during Final Preparations.
Say “Go for it” when Ciri loses her temper in The Child of the Elder Blood.
Say “Yeah, I’ll go with you” when Ciri asks to visit Skjall’s grave at the end of The Child of the Elder Blood.

 

[StrategyFan]

finally finished a game (no expansions) after 85 hours.

i beat witcher 1 and witcher 2 within days of getting them. this one took me a year

i don't think the open world design actually helped witcher 3. it ended up being more like a GTA open world than a RPG open world

it works fine for immersion purposes, but they could have made a much better RPG if they followed the structure of witcher 1 & 2

the result is that witcher 3's side quests feel completely disconnected from whatever is going on with the main story instead of feeling like a part of it.

i still enjoyed the game a lot as an action/adventure because the theme/atmosphere is amazing, but it feels like it's missing the quest design that made the series special

 

[Wolf Akela]

Some odd stuff I've only noticed since the last patch but maybe it happened for others before.

1. Aard sometimes fails to cast, whether the standard or alternate cast. Geralt does the body animation, but there's no visual effect, and enemies aren't fazed.

2. After knocking down enemies, Geralt can't attack. Both attack buttons just cause him to taunt enemies. I can't stab them.

I bloody love Aard.

 

[kraspkibble]

Some odd stuff I've only noticed since the last patch but maybe it happened for others before.

1. Aard sometimes fails to cast, whether the standard or alternate cast. Geralt does the body animation, but there's no visual effect, and enemies aren't fazed.

2. After knocking down enemies, Geralt can't attack. Both attack buttons just cause him to taunt enemies. I can't stab them.

I bloody love Aard.

i actually think i've experienced the first one. i've tried using Aard but nothing happens.

 

[Admiral Woofington]

I've gotten both of the "good endings" now, though after seeing them I'd say there's only one truly good ending.

Spoiler

The Empress ending is heartbreaking. Ciri leaving, not knowing if she's ever going to see Geralt and Yennefer again and Geralt's look when he realizes what's going on. :'(

The Ciri becomes a sort-of Witcher ending is the only one that left me with a smile on my face.

The ending I got was the

Spoiler

Ciri becomes a witcher

. I think this is the best ending.

Spoiler

Having her die or become an empress just doesn't feel right.

Possible B&W spoilers:

Spoiler

Apparently Ciri will appear as a witcher at the end of Blood & Wine even if she died/became an empress during your base game playthrough. Not 100% sure of this but I have seen it mentioned. So perhaps her being a witcher is the canon ending according to CDPR.

I got the ending you two prefer, but you need to remember that the difference between this ending and the one you guys are saying don't like as much is that you are literally

Spoiler

taking away one choice away from her by not having her meet this person

. The ending you don't like comes from giving every possible option. Don't get me wrong, I didn't like it either but it's also the much more powerful and emotional ending if you consider it which is fitting.

 

[Vigilant Walrus]

If I play Witcher 2 on Ioverths path (not played Ioverths path) and then load that save game into W3, does it change anything meaningful in the story?

 

[Nordicus]

2. After knocking down enemies, Geralt can't attack. Both attack buttons just cause him to taunt enemies. I can't stab them.

That happens when your weapon isn't a proper sword

 

[Admiral Woofington]

If I play Witcher 2 on Ioverths path (not played Ioverths path) and then load that save game into W3, does it change anything meaningful in the story?

Maybe a conversation, but I wouldn't think much more.

 

[CHC]

Should I break down all junk, or sell it? I am unsure what to do because it costs to do.

Sell if you need money, break down if you need components. Honestly though most of the stuff marked as junk doesn't break down into much of anything useful so I usually lean towards "sell," for the reason above and partially due to laziness.

Most of the crafting stuff you wind up short on is either Dark Iron / Dimeritium plates or Monster [body part], neither of which come from candle holders or broken rakes.

 

[kraspkibble]

If I play Witcher 2 on Ioverths path (not played Ioverths path) and then load that save game into W3, does it change anything meaningful in the story?

Any decisions you make in Witcher 2 don't really have a huge impact in 3. The biggest would be if

Spoiler

Letho lives then you get to meet him and do a quest with him.

Otherwise, nothing really important.

Here are the full list of choices/consequences:

• Spoiler

  if you kill Aryan La Valette in W2 then his mother will be pissed at you in W3 and refuse to speak to you.
• Spoiler

  if you sided with Iorveth in W2 you will get into a fist fight with someone at Roche's camp in W3.
• Spoiler

  saving Triss/helping Roche or Iorveth. not sure if this affects anything.
• Spoiler

  if you save Sile in W2 she will make a very short appearance in W3.
• Spoiler

  if Letho lives in W2 you can do his side quest in W3.

You don't necessarily need to import your save. You can choose to simulate one before starting a game. What happens is that someone will ask you a few questions regarding your actions in W2 after about 10 hours into W3.

 

[ParityBit]

Sell if you need money, break down if you need components. Honestly though most of the stuff marked as junk doesn't break down into much of anything useful so I usually lean towards "sell," for the reason above and partially due to laziness.

Most of the crafting stuff you wind up short on is either Dark Iron / Dimeritium plates or Monster [body part], neither of which come from candle holders or broken rakes.

Thanks! I will just sell it all. I just started and have not even crafted anything. Just using stuff that dropped. I am only level 2 and really only have been cleaning out the ? on the map....

 

[Nordicus]

I am only level 2 and really only have been cleaning out the ? on the map....

Also, in White Orchard that's well and good, but you might want to relax on doing that a bit when at some point you leave that place and get into the first proper area where the map is 16 times bigger than White Orchard

 

[The God]

Haven't played in a while and I just bought Blood & Wine so I'm gonna restart everything. Dunno if it's just me but it seems like the latest patch made the game a lot smoother on PS4.

 

[ParityBit]

Also, in White Orchard that's well and good, but you might want to relax on doing that a bit when at some point you leave that place and get into the first proper area where the map is 16 times bigger than White Orchard

Oh wow. That is great! Yeah maybe I will just start working on the main story quests.

 

[Jugendstil]

I've gotten both of the "good endings" now, though after seeing them I'd say there's only one truly good ending.

Spoiler

The Empress ending is heartbreaking. Ciri leaving, not knowing if she's ever going to see Geralt and Yennefer again and Geralt's look when he realizes what's going on. :'(

The Ciri becomes a sort-of Witcher ending is the only one that left me with a smile on my face.

I just finished the game last night and got the ending in your spoiler tag and I totally agree!

Spoiler

I was really impressed with the ending and how bittersweet it was. It definitely didn't feel like a happy ending. Everything about it was so impressive though, I thought it was one of the best endings I've ever seen in a video game. Watching Ciri get on her horse and ride away and having the title fade up was amazing.

 

[ParityBit]

Another really stupid question.... how does the map key work? I see something like 1/5 but everything is at 1/X .... I am not sure how to decipher what it is trying to tell me.

 

[MattyG]

I think I got the best ending.

Spoiler

Ciri became a Witcher. It was awesome.

On to HoS/B&W!

 

[Artdayne]

I think I got the best ending.

Spoiler

Ciri became a Witcher. It was awesome.

On to HoS/B&W!

There is a better ending than that but it's still a good ending.

 

[MattyG]

There is a better ending than that but it's still a good ending.

Which is that? The one where

Spoiler

she becomes Emperor?

I like the one I got more, though I'll have to watch the others on YT in a bit.

 

[Admiral Woofington]

Which is that? The one where

Spoiler

she becomes Emperor?

I like the one I got more, though I'll have to watch the others on YT in a bit.

Yours is the most popular, the one I got, but the difference between getting this ending and the other one is whether you don't allow her to go

Spoiler

meet her dad and talk

which makes the ending we didn't get supposedly the more complete ending.

 

[kraspkibble]

i'm so close to being finished with the game now. finished the main quest of B&W and just gonna finish up the remaining side quests. i have about 10-15 to go (not sure exactly). i kinda teared up a bit during that final scene with Regis.

i don't want this to be over.

 

[Ydelnae]

I just started HoS after not touching the game for two months or so and I'm getting my ass beaten lol It's not that I'm underleveled, it seems that I just have to adjust to the battle system again.

 

[kraspkibble]

I just started HoS after not touching the game for two months or so and I'm getting my ass beaten lol It's not that I'm underleveled, it seems that I just have to adjust to the battle system again.

HoS has a difficulty spike. i played it straight after finishing the base game for the second time and struggled. for example, fighting bandits was real easy in the base game but in HoS i dreaded them. a certain fight on a beach in the main story of HoS was quite challenging and one of the end boss battles was pretty tough.

HoS was definitely the most challenging in the entire game. even B&W wasn't that hard except for the final boss battle which i guess is to be expected.

 

[Artdayne]

Which is that? The one where

Spoiler

she becomes Emperor?

I like the one I got more, though I'll have to watch the others on YT in a bit.

Spoiler

Yeah, the one where she becomes Empress is the best. Ciri has a much greater influence on the world as the Empress than she would as a witcher. Playing through both the witcher ending and the Empress ending, the Empress ending felt a lot more satisfying.

 

[Dual Blade]

Is it worth it play the game in NG+ or just do a regular run through? I have been saving the expansions for a deathmarch replay but I hear negative things about the balancing and being too strong for both expansions.

 

[Mediking]

This is truly the game that keeps giving. I gotta give Geralt some new armor!

 

[kraspkibble]

well, that's me done with the game now. nothing left to do. i remember on launch day hesitating to buy this game because it cost £55 as i wasn't sure if it'd be worth it. it was totally worth it. i fell in love with the witcher. after i finished W3 i went back and played the others then read all the books. did a second playthrough of 3 then did HoS/B&W.

now it has ended i feel sad. i'm gonna miss geralt, yennefer, triss, ciri, zoltan, dandelion, anna henrietta, keira, lambert, eskel, vesemir, roche, iorveth, shani, and regis. i will definitely be coming back to read all the books and play the games again but i think it's time for a rest.

fantastic game. it has easily become my most played game of all time. it might not sound a lot to some but putting 270 hours into a game is impressive for me. i remember being blown away when i played Skyrim in 80 hours or GTA V in 150. Witcher 3 is just something else and takes it to another level.

thank you so much CD Projekt Red for making these amazing games. i will miss the witcher but i can't wait to see what you do in the future. i guess i look forward to Cyberpunk 2077 now. if it's even half as good as Witcher 3 then it will be something very special.

 

[Coreda]

Discovered an excellent table of all Gwent cards and their locations/associated quests, which I've added to the OP. Easier to parse than the link in the Gwent OT imo and seems to be up to date with the latest cards from the expansions.

Noticed since installing then uninstalling the Game Overlay 'DLC' that the main menu now shows my GOG username. Any idea why or how to hide it?

 

[megalowho]

Edit: Meant to post in the Blood and Wine thread.

 

[Kalentan]

Hey guys so I'm trying to get back into this game and I need to ask.

How many "hidden" indepth quests are there? I love seeing the story bits in the game and so I've been going from one question mark to the next in hopes of finding a side quest and I believe some side quests can have effects on some main quests?

 

[kraspkibble]

Discovered an excellent table of all Gwent cards and their locations/associated quests, which I've added to the OP. Easier to parse than the link in the Gwent OT imo and seems to be up to date with the latest cards from the expansions.

Noticed since installing then uninstalling the Game Overlay 'DLC' that the main menu now shows my GOG username. Any idea why or how to hide it?

i used http://www.gwentcards.com/. you can select all the cards you have and it will show you only the ones you need. it hasn't been updated to include B&W cards but not a big deal since the game basically marks them all on the map for you anyway.

 

[His Majesty]

Hey guys so I'm trying to get back into this game and I need to ask.

How many "hidden" indepth quests are there? I love seeing the story bits in the game and so I've been going from one question mark to the next in hopes of finding a side quest and I believe some side quests can have effects on some main quests?

Follow the main storyline is the best tip I can give. The meatier side-quests are nearly all acquired through the main storyline anyway and help to flesh out certain characters or events. For Witcher contracts check the notice boards.

 

[Vaporak]

Man, i'm playing the expansions now and I've really likes Heart of Stone so far, right up until this boss battle. Iriis Greatest Fear is some bullshit, dude kills me in 1 hit through quen and I do like .025% of his hp at most per hit. WTF is going on, this is just so out of left field it's utterly bizarre. It doesn't even seem like it's supposed to be some serious boss fight because the dude can barely even attack in my direction, but dodging 99.9% of his attacks just isn't enough.

edit: reloading a save from before the fight made it significantly easier and did it in one go. Guessing there was some kinda bug that inflated his damage/hp.

 

[ParityBit]

So are there builds for the skill trees, or do they all work well? I have lots of points to spend and I really have not used too many.

 

[Evil Monkey DTT]

Finally finished the main story of the bar game, even if dlc didn't exist I have hours and hours of content left. And to think all of this game was just this well done.... god this might be the game game I've ever played.

 

[Vaporak]

So are there builds for the skill trees, or do they all work well? I have lots of points to spend and I really have not used too many.

The game is more than easy enough that builds don't matter. Besides, you can respec for 1000 gold.

 

[Coreda]

The game is more than easy enough that builds don't matter. Besides, you can respec for 1000 gold.

Picking abilities that go well together made a difference when I respec'd my build, but you can also just live with whatever build you have (which is mostly what I did for the longest time though it wasn't ideal). I noticed even with maxed Resolve I wasn't gaining Adrenaline points much during combat, which directly affects Whirl which I also had maxed. So I rebuilt with a more focused tree and it's been better. Yrden Magic Trap is fun addition

For reference here are some abilities that help with vitality and adrenaline points, or complement those that do. Descriptions are of their maxed level.

• Active Shield (Signs, a Quen ability that activates a protective Quen bubble around Geralt when the sign key is held, and while active enemy hits recover vitality)
  
• Refreshment (Alchemy, each potion imbibed restores 25% vitality). This is great. Effectively makes every potion a White Raffords Decoction (instant healing) in addition to its regular effect without any extra expense to toxicity.
  
• Heightened Tolerance (Alchemy, increases potion overdose threshold from 75% to 100%). So instead of losing vitality at 75% you can reach 100% toxicity without vitality loss. See also Acquired Tolerance which increases the maximum toxicity level in general.
  
• Metabolism Boosts (General, reduces potion toxity by 33% per Adrenaline point available)
  
• Razor Focus (Combat, automatically grants one Adrenaline point when entering combat and increases Adrenaline point gains dramatically every hit)
  
• Undying (Combat, when you drop to 0 vitality you are automatically restored to full health if an Adrenaline point is available). Not as useful as it sounds in practice as often enemies can double-hit you which counters this ability.
  
• Resolve (Combat, reduces Adrenaline point loss when taking damage by 100%)

 

[Dangansona]

Is the phillipa side quest where you try to find her worth it if this is my first Witcher game?

 

[RandomSeed]

Just a quick post to say that Immersive Cam has been updated for a bit now. I mainly use it for the Immersive Motion optional file, so walking/jogging is the same for interiors and exteriors, to get the analog walking speeds back, and to make it so I need to push all the way on the stick before Geralt jogs.

http://www.nexusmods.com/witcher3/mods/689/

 

[cackhyena]

I'm somewhere near the end of the main quest...

Spoiler

did the Kaer Morhen battle and a couple main story things after that.

Now I'm kinda cleaning up contracts and side quests. I'm also wanting the best Ursine Armor, so I keep going after that stuff. Lack of money is a killer atm. Are there considered better places than others on the map to farm for stuff to sell? I kinda want to go into Hearts of Stone a beast and looking fine as hell.

Also, this question might be dumb, but do I keep my places of power points when re specing?

 

[illusionary]

Also, this question might be dumb, but do I keep my places of power points when re specing?

You do - nothing to worry about there.

 

[frontovik]

Is the phillipa side quest where you try to find her worth it if this is my first Witcher game?

Well, it has an effect on the ending.

 

[cackhyena]

You do - nothing to worry about there.

Thanks.

 

[Dr. Zombutler]

If you guys could give someone 3 invaluable tips before they start playing this game for the first time ever, what would they be?

 

[RandomSeed]

If you guys could give someone 3 invaluable tips before they start playing this game for the first time ever, what would they be?

Discover every location in White Orchard to give yourself a nice start, then play the rest of the game as you want. Story quests, side quests, treasure hunting, whatever.

If you pick up all the junk you find from the start, and plan on playing more of a complete game, you shouldn't ever need to buy any crafting mats. Looting all the weapons and armor to vendor them will eventually give you tons of gold for the end of the game. A sub tip would be to increase your saddle bags when you can, so you can carry more.

Switch up things in combat to keep it fun, and make things go smoother. Maybe open with a bomb, cast a sign, then do the normal dodge/roll/attack thing. Some like to bash the combat, but there is a good amount to learn with it. Like you can parry a lot of attacks, but not leap attacks, so your distance matters when fighting monsters.

 

[darkwing-buck]

How much better is the witcher 3 on pc? I played witcher 3 + HoS on the ps4 first and was wondering if it's worth double dipping for pc (at the time of the game's release I didn't have a computer that can run it.) I have a gtx 970.