Flood of Anger still unrealiable in 1.31?

[WitcherJoker]

Flood of Anger still unrealiable in 1.31?

Can someone confirm that Flood of Anger still triggers unreliably in the 1.31 version? Sometimes it triggers properly with 3 AP, sometimes it casts the normal sign. I've found several threads about this issue but all are pretty old. Was this ever fixed? I just want to make sure this isn't caused by some mod using an older version script or somemthing, although I don't use any mods changing anything regarding signs or APs...
So.. is it still bugged/unreliable as of the latest game version?

 

[SigilFey]

It seems to work fine during a Standard Game, but it can be wonky during NG+. Which are you?

 

[WitcherJoker]

standard game and it works very unrealiable for me

 

[SigilFey]

Hm. Can you provide a specific example of it not working? (Meaning describe the encounter, steps of combat leading up to the "failed" Flood of Anger, what did happen when you fired off the sign...) I only used it during one playthrough, and then only for the last few bits of the game. I'm not really that familiar with it.

Another thought I had was it simply not firing because certain effects could not be applied (e.g. certain enemies are immune to certain effects). It would serve no purpose to, say, use "maximized" Aard against a Golem, as they cannot be knocked down. If the game detects a critical effect cannot be applied, maybe it disables the power so you don't waste your Adrenaline Points.

Another possibility is a system-specific bug. I know a lot of people suffered from Axii Puppet not working. (I've never had any issues with it.) Many people suffered from leveling issues. (Never seen it once.) Pretty much everyone claims the Roach issues are solved. (I still get a bald Roach, occasionally.)

Sometimes, we're simply graced with these unique, seemingly magical bugs.

 

[WitcherJoker]

This is a well documented and known bug already. There were literally dozens of threads about it when Witcher 3 came out. I didn't ask whether the bug exists, I know it exists. The sign is not fired properly, i.e. the NORMAL sign is triggered, not the full powered sign and alternative sign modes are unavailable, yet the 3 adrenaline points are still wasted. It may be linked to the ability not properly counting the free adrenaline point given by other abilities and potions, but not even that is always the cause.
But again, that has been told here and in other forums multiple times already, this bug is known to CD Project. All I wanted to know was, whether it was ever fixed. But since I tried it againw ithout any mods and the ability still didn't work every time, I must assume it was never fixed.
It actually amazed me that I get asked about the nature of the bug, since it should be very well known by now. If you google this bug you get pages full of results in forums, but these reports are all for earlier versions. That's why I asked whether it's still there.

 

[SigilFey]

i

...yet the 3 adrenaline points are still wasted...

Ah. I didn't understand this. That's a bummer.

But again, that has been told here and in other forums multiple times already, this bug is known to CD Project. All I wanted to know was, whether it was ever fixed. But since I tried it againw ithout any mods and the ability still didn't work every time, I must assume it was never fixed. It actually amazed me that I get asked about the nature of the bug, since it should be very well known by now. If you google this bug you get pages full of results in forums, but these reports are all for earlier versions. That's why I asked whether it's still there.

Well, yes and no. There are a lot of little issues that remain with the game, and not all of them could be fixed. Either the root of the issue simply could not be found (i.e. the devs could not reliably recreate it on their end), or the the fix would have been too dangerous, potentially breaking other, more critical parts of the game.

I've never actually come across this one before. The only rampant, skill-based bugs I've ever come across on the forums are Axii Puppet not working, Undying making Geralt permanently invincible, and one of the Toxicity skills making the green clouds around the edge of the screen stick permanently. Aside from that, other reports seem pretty hit-or-miss. (I know things may seem "heavily reported" if I actively research them, but that's not the same as tens of thousands of users reporting on the same issue [literally.])

Having a look at what is there, it seems that Flood of Anger may be a bit lackluster because of how the actual signs are coded:

Basically, it only works for Aard and Igni. Axii seems to be inconsistent and it does not work at all for Yrden or Quen. Only Axii is potentially a "bug", though: it's simply that there is no "additional effect" for the other signs -- their basic functions are their maximized effects. It looks like this is more a result of design clunkiness and unclear description. So, trying to clarify the latest info I could dig up:

1.) Quen: will use adrenaline points to...fire up a regular shield...which you get without adrenaline. No additional function exists.
2.) Yrden: will soak up your adrenaline and...lay down a regular Yrden space...which you get without adrenaline. There's nothing else to add.
3.) Axii: should stun the enemy for the maximum time, but it seems that a bug in Axii's code may prevent it from registering. Plus, I don't think the "extended time" is really that much. It goes from like 7 seconds to 10, I think.
4.) Aard: should work correctly, cause damage if that part of the skill is unlocked, and add the additional effect of knocking everyone in the blast cone to the floor. If enemies are immune to knockdown, though, it will still simply stagger them. (I believe this applies to to bandits holding their shields at the ready, all 4-legged critters, endrega...not to much to use it on.)
5.) Igni: should cause normal damage and add the burning state to everything in its cone, unless enemies are immune to the burning.

So, yeah. Basically, if you are using it with anything except for Aard or Igni, it really won't serve much purpose in actual gameplay. I'm getting to the point in my latest playthrough where I can start "wasting" skill points. I'll buy it myself and fool around with it. I imagine, at the very least, it should make taking out large groups of trash mobs a quick and painless.

 

[WitcherJoker]

That's not exactly true. Quen works just fine for me.. but only sometimes.. but I have activated the alternative healing shield with Quen for example using Flood of Anger. But it's VERY unrealiable, sometimes it just uses up the AP points and only casts a normal shield. But it definitely works SOMETIMES, and it also has exploding effect when it breaks down AND reflecting damage, so just as advertized (when it works). The issue is really that it doesn't trigger properly ever time. WHEN it triggers it seems to do exactly what it's supposed to. At least for Quen, Aaard and igni. I never tried the others.

 

[SigilFey]

That's not exactly true. Quen works just fine for me.. but only sometimes.. but I have activated the alternative healing shield with Quen for example using Flood of Anger. But it's VERY unrealiable, sometimes it just uses up the AP points and only casts a normal shield. But it definitely works SOMETIMES, and it also has exploding effect when it breaks down AND reflecting damage, so just as advertized (when it works). The issue is really that it doesn't trigger properly ever time. WHEN it triggers it seems to do exactly what it's supposed to. At least for Quen, Aaard and igni. I never tried the others.

This is weird. I don't believe it applies to alternate casting. I'll ask around and see if I can get a final answer on how it's supposed to work. (There seems to be a lot of conflicting info on this.)

What points do have invested in the signs themselves, if any?

 

[WitcherJoker]

I didn't have any points invested into signs in the build I tested Flood of Anger with. That's basically why I wanted it, I wanted to save the skill slots for more combat stuff. Aard and Quen alternative modes worked just fine, so did the Fire stream Igni alternate. I only tested Yrden alternative mode once and it didn't work, but that could have been one of the miss-fires that happen for all other signs. sustained Quen shield didn't work sometimes either, it would cast a normal shield. But again... when it worked, it really worked. Quen had all the effects, sustained, exploding AND damage reflecting.