Witcher Combat- WTF was CD Projekt thinking?

[Kaiserin]

So, I got the enhanced edition of The Witcher recently. I'm very much impressed by the quests, dialogue, C&C, and the plotlines. Really solid stuff that I can understand ranting about, but Jesus tittyfucking Christ, what were they thinking when they made the combat? I picked hard because I assumed that the game was going to be a snooze, but instead I find out that I've made things a huge pain in the ass for myself. I had absolutely no problem or inkling or trouble until the Hellhound, but then shit just got ridiculously hard. I did every single side quest in the first part of the game, and even killed some shit for the hell of it for good measure, but I'm dying in a matter of seconds here. I loaded my game a while back with the hopes of making more potions, but you can't get your hands on any alchemical bases until a good 35 minutes of gametime in the past. This would be one thing if the combat system was something more than 'drink a few potions, pick the right style, and press the mouse button at the right time,' but it isn't, so I can't imagine this as anything other than a shit move on their part.

Is the game full of shit like this? Am I better off just restarting on easy? Am I just missing something obvious?

 

[Lycaon]

Yeah restart. It's hard, for tittyfucking Christ's sake. Most fights should be fine, but bosses are going to give you trouble throughout the game. Especially towards the end where it can get pretty bitchy.

If you've pumped some points into Aard, try stunning it with that after which it's a one-shot. Also ignore the smaller critters.

 

[Mackerel]

If you want to cheese a little there's a little spot between the house and the toolshed where you can hide to recover strength.

Specter Oil or having the Stun effect on Aard helps. It's a fairly hard fight even on Normal. If you get through this one it's pretty much smooth sailing and even get's pretty easy later.

 

[Devadatta]

Do you have the stun upgrade for Aard yet? If you do just spam him until he's dazed then one hit him, he's the hardest fight in the game. DO NOT restart on a lower difficulty unless you've missed this upgrade, hard mode actually makes the fighting more intensive/less boring and you don't have to put up with the obnoxious glowing sword icon. Of course you could just use a trainer if you're so inclined, the Hellhound bout is ridiculous .

 

[flushfire]

you picked hard and think the combat is shit because it's actually hard? you should ask yourself WTF YOU are thinking. all you need in that fight is aard and decent group style. both are available to you from the very beginning. you should also remind yourself that tapping direction keys lets you dodge and position yourself better in a fight. i finished that fight in a few tries and i only had to reload because i was trying to keep abigail alive. you also have access to swallow and blizzard.

its not a shit move on their part, its a shit move on yours.

 

[Andhaira]

The Witcher is not a real rpg, its an action rpg.

 

[Silellak]

The Witcher is not a turn based rpg, its an action rpg. Also, I am a moron.

Fixed.

 

[FeelTheRads]

Never had problems on the highest difficulty. I found it way too easy, in fact.

Also, the combat sucks.

 

[Shannow]

I had to reload about 5 times for the fucking hellhound on normal. And everytime I had to go through unskippable cutscenes and fast-click through the same dialogue. It is their worst designed fight. Every fucking other time you know when you'll be fighting certain enemies and can thus prepare with the right oils etc and you can save right before the fights.
But that should really be the only stupid/tough fight. Later on you get tons of respawning trash mobs to hate. Hf with the game

 

[Stereotypical Villain]

The Witcher is not a turn based rpg, its an action rpg. Also, I am a moron.

Discuss!!

Fixed.

 

[circ]

No it's not a turn based RPG, but it's also not an RPG any more than Mass Effect is. All you do with your xp is get more combat skills, special moves, magic spells/special moves. No stats whatsoever. Mobs drop tons of gear but it's not worth selling, and your equipment stays the same only to be switched through cutscenes pretty much.

Hellhound was pretty easy. I just 'fireballed' the little doggies and immolate took care of them as I pounded the bigger one. Then again I had gotten herbal lore or whatever and had made tons of potions and weapon mods to help out too.

 

[Burning Bridges]

I had to reload about 5 times for the fucking hellhound on normal.

So you expected to make it the first time?

The cutscenes can be skipped and you can save right at the beginning of the fight. And if you didn't make a save before fucking Abigail in the cave, that's your loss.

The end fight of this chapter is hard, but if you use spectre oil, strong style and some patience you will make it. One thing I found is that sometimes fights turn out luckier than usual, so if you keep trying you win sooner or later.

If you're thinking about restarting on normal, don't! I actually did it the other way round .. restarted on hard. The game is too easy on normal.

 

[Lycaon]

No it's not a turn based RPG, but it's also not an RPG any more than Mass Effect is. All you do with your xp is get more combat skills, special moves, magic spells/special moves. No stats whatsoever. Mobs drop tons of gear but it's not worth selling, and your equipment stays the same only to be switched through cutscenes pretty much.

Hellhound was pretty easy. I just 'fireballed' the little doggies and immolate took care of them as I pounded the bigger one. Then again I had gotten herbal lore or whatever and had made tons of potions and weapon mods to help out too.

Sorry, and I hate to put it this way but... Why the -fuck- does it need stats to be an RPG? It's an action rpg. With a story. And dialog. Don't quite see why an RPG has to be some mutant DnD 'real life is random, so we role dice' ripoff. While you're at it go grab a butter knife and estimate what you think the price is. Not every worthless piece of junk you pull off a mudcrab is going to be worth something.

Personally I don't mind not changing equipment that often, although admittedly the 'normal weapons' slots were completely useless.

Either way I don't think it's fair to say neither ME or TW were 'rpgs'...

 

[FeelTheRads]

The other day I was playing FIFA and I thought... fuck this, it gets boring just kicking on that ball. Why does it need a ball to be a football game????

 

[JrK]

Combat = click = boring. Also, this game has way too much filler combat. It reminded me of KOTOR and NWN too much after chapter three.

 

[Lesifoere]

I reloaded several times for that fight also. Then, on the fourth try, I managed to somehow stun or knockdown the Beast and one-shotted it. Was funny.

(ME was an interactive movie.)

 

[Shannow]

I had to reload about 5 times for the fucking hellhound on normal.

So you expected to make it the first time?

Huh? You stupid, or what?

The cutscenes can be skipped and you can save right at the beginning of the fight.

No.

And if you didn't make a save before fucking Abigail in the cave, that's your loss.

Huh? You stupid, or what?

The end fight of this chapter is hard, but if you use spectre oil, strong style and some patience you will make it. One thing I found is that sometimes fights turn out luckier than usual, so if you keep trying you win sooner or later.

If you have specter oil. If you know you'll be up against the hound beforehand. If you choose when to go up against a boss as you do in the other fights. If you are willing to replay an hour just to get specter oil. Keep trying without change of tactics and still winning = mediocre game design.

The above questions were rhetorical. I know the answer.

 

[Jasede]

I'd suggest you practice the muscles in your index and your middle finger; it'll make combat a lot easier.

 

[Quilty]

I hated the Hellhound on normal difficulty, and it took me like ten tries (knew the cutscene that precedes it by heart, eugh) but when I played on hard I just stunned it, it fell down, I stabbed it once and it was all over in a jiffy. Sodefinitely put points into that.

 

[asper]

The Hellhound is the most difficult battle in the game. I played in on the hardest difficulty and had to reload about 7 times. After that, everything is a breeze and much too easy. I was massively lulzing in the endgame, with my igni spam killing every supposedly epic monster in 2 seconds. It is worth playing the game on the hardest difficulty, lest you die of boredom later on, so just try it a couple of times.

You need to prepare for the battle; use the anti-ghost oil and upgrade your aard.

 

[Hümmelgümpf]

If you have specter oil. If you know you'll be up against the hound beforehand.

How can you not know it? It's obvious from the start of the chapter that you're going to face the hound. That, and the description of the Hard mode explicitly says that if you don't use alchemy you're fucked. Planning ahead is crucial.

 

[Forest Dweller]

The cutscenes can be skipped and you can save right at the beginning of the fight.

No.

Why do so many games do this? It's annoying as fuck and serves no purpose whatsoever. Why should I have to rewatch a cutscene or go through dialogue again just to retry a fight? Because the game is punishing me? Fuck that. Even if the fight is easy, there's no excuse. So they don't want saves during combat. Okay, I can get that. Then make an autosave at the beginning of a fight that comes out of dialogue or a cutscene. It's not hard.

As for that fight, yeah, I remember having to go through it at least several times. I seem to recall being able to stun it, like it Lesifoere said. I also guess what Hummelgumpf said about reading between the lines a little can have some bearing. Not sure about it being the hardest fight in the game though, but it's been a while so maybe so.

 

[DraQ]

I had absolutely no problem or inkling or trouble until the Hellhound, but then shit just got ridiculously hard. I did every single side quest in the first part of the game, and even killed some shit for the hell of it for good measure, but I'm dying in a matter of seconds here.

The Hellhound was one of the three encounters that were any hard in the game. Still, if you just mix some potions, make yourself an appropriate oil to cover your blade and try to not get gangbanged, you should do fine.

 

[Barrow_Bug]

That's bizarre, I didn't find it that bad. Azar Javad raped me good though

 

[Andhaira]

The game would have been much better were it turn based, or at least RTwP.