Are Mutagens and Potions Ever Really Necessary In Gameplay?

[Ratsneve]

Are Mutagens and Potions Ever Really Necessary In Gameplay?

So far Geralt is using level 10 armor and robust to superb swords with whatever enhancements that were on hand. He has done nothing with 'mutagens' and few potions. He wonders if they will ever need to be a focal point because so far all the battles (side quests) in Act I have been doable except for one that had respawning (to many) wraiths. The later battle was handled differently...(by a special wizard that helped him greatly resist death many times over in this battle--don't focus on it).

I've filled out the Witcher tree and I'm planning to fill out the Swordsmanship tree as far as I can go. Will this work okay?

There doesn't seem to be any way to remove and replace enhancements to armor or weapons??

So will mutagens and potions become absolutely essential at some point?? Not countring special quest potions or using Cat on occasion...

Thanks.

 

[dragonbird]

So far Geralt is using level 10 armor and robust to superb swords with whatever enhancements that were on hand. He has done nothing with 'mutagens' and few potions. He wonders if they will ever need to be a focal point because so far all the battles (side quests) in Act I have been doable except for one that had respawning (to many) wraiths. The later battle was handled differently...(by a special wizard that helped him greatly resist death many times over in this battle--don't focus on it).

I've filled out the Witcher tree and I'm planning to fill out the Swordsmanship tree as far as I can go. Will this work okay?

Yes, but it may be worth putting some points in the Mage tree to get the advanced Quen options. You'll find them useful later on. I'm currently doing a run that's 100% swordsman and I'm finding it a lot more challenging than, say 80% swordsman and 20% in the others. There's no absolute right and wrong answer though - do whatever works best for your playing style. And do something else on the next playthough

Some mutagens are worth having, but they're fairly rare since 1.3. The sales value of the mutagen will tell you which. To get the best value out of the mutagens, you need to get the Level 2 Impregnation skill in Alchemy tree, which will use up quite a few points. It's up to you on whether you consider it worth it.

There doesn't seem to be any way to remove and replace enhancements to armor or weapons??

Correct. So only use the best available.

So will mutagens and potions become absolutely essential at some point?? Not countring special quest potions or using Cat on occasion...

Thanks.

It depends on the difficulty level you're playing at. They will always help, but probably only make the difference between life and death on the harder difficulties, unless you're building for Alchemy, which you're not. If you need to take a potion, take it. It's part of being a Witcher

I tend to stick to a fairly small number of potions - Swallow is the life or death one. (Gadwall later when you can afford the negative side-effects). I'll also use Tawny Owl, Golden Oriole or Virga, Rook and/or Wolf when I think they'll help. The rest never get used.

 

[lupercus]

I find them unnecessary on easy level, something to which I'm grateful for, I dislike bringing up the selection wheel just to drink a potion, why were we not able to put them in the pockets?

 

[phamvan94]

You will manage fine, but Potions are very very useful on any difficulties. Mutagens are not needed at all.

 

[Ratsneve]

You will manage fine, but Potions are very very useful on any difficulties. Mutagens are not needed at all.

Thanks. I forgot a related question... In the course of the game is there any item that a quest asks you to collect a large quantity of an item like 100 or more? I've actually collected several by chance that have numbered over 100 but have not found any quests to warrant the number let alone any need--this is up to the end of Act I. What about Act II or III?

So far the only potion I would say was very very useful to my game on Easy was/is Cat.

 

[phamvan94]

Thanks. I forgot a related question... In the course of the game is there any item that a quest asks you to collect a large quantity of an item like 100 or more? I've actually collected several by chance that have numbered over 100 but have not found any quests to warrant the number let alone any need--this is up to the end of Act I. What about Act II or III?

So far the only potion I would say was very very useful to my game on Easy was/is Cat.

No, you can safely sell most of them. Always keep some though, or store in the storage chest. You only ever need items that are labeled as "Quest items", never sell any of them, regardless of quantity.

Sometimes I did not even use Cat. I cheated and turned the brightness up . I liked Cat in TW1 more, that trick didnt work there.

 

[Ratsneve]

Sometimes I did not even use Cat. I cheated and turned the brightness up . I liked Cat in TW1 more, that trick didnt work there.

I've only used Cat twice so far. Once to see how it looked and second to follow Cedric's trail. Of note I only had one Cat to use and it ran out just in site of the waterfall when I ran out of time on the potion. This was because I got sidetracked twice. I found him barely on the first try. Subsequently I made two more Cats.

 

[lupercus]

Sometimes I did not even use Cat. I cheated and turned the brightness up . I liked Cat in TW1 more, that trick didnt work there.

New slogan "I don't need cat, I got gamma"

 

[dragonbird]

New slogan "I don't need cat, I got gamma"

Yup. Fits me. There's only one scene when I should use Cat, and I prefer to play blind as the Cat lasts too long.

 

[pomor]

I don't really think that way. In both Witcher games, I figure out what potions, bombs, oils, whatever, would be the most beneficial in a given case, then I use it. I see no point in trying without them, just to find out if they are "necessary". Most probably, they are not. Can be replaced with twitching skill. So what? Using them adds to the fun.

 

[maskedreaper]

I found potions, oils and bombs very important and since my skill tree is 80% alchemy you can drink more than three potions and you can also cut down the negative effects of potions too.

Bombs and oils are also increased in damage and potion timelimit is also increased.
Mutagens can also be enhanced with the Impregnation skill yes but you need to have mutagens equiped for the benefit.

Petri's philter is also good if you didn't put any skill points into Mage skill tree, so this potion will increase signs damage so Petri's philter is very useful.

I find bombs are good when you fight swarms of enemy's like wraiths which are HARD to swing your sword at, as sometimes the sword just passes through them and they can always attack back cutting you.
SO I do find wraiths and nekkers and even harpies are a real pain since there the ones that swarm you at all angles.
If you didn't use any potions getting swarmed by any monster is a quick death.
If it wasn't for potions I would of died when fighting the harpy queen and all it's minions chasing you in a cave chasm.

If you look into you journal you can read about which potions work well together and how they remove the negative side effects of each other.

 

[phamvan94]

New slogan "I don't need cat, I got gamma"

I tried that in TW1 because I ignored Alchemy at first. My initial reaction was:
Alright, you got me developers. Well played

 

[godkingofdivineroad]

From normal onwards Swallow is pretty much essential if I'm fighting large groups, bosses or mini-bosses. I also use Wolf, Vigra and Petri's Philter a lot.

And lesser Mutagens are nearly useless, but the greater ones make some notable difference(+5% Sign range, +5% Critical effects, +10 Vitality etc). But I agree that compared to the first game Mutagens don't make much difference to your stats given how few slots you have.

 

[fchopin]

I find potions to be useless in TW2 so don’t really use them.

The only time i meditate is for changing the time, don’t remember ever using potions apart for some of the QTE’s.

 

[secondchildren]

I find potions to be useless in TW2 so don’t really use them.

The only time i meditate is for changing the time, don’t remember ever using potions apart for some of the QTE’s.

Quite true, but just like in Tw1, they are almost useless on easy and normal. On hard alchemy is very useful, but I also guess it mostly depends on your skill tree of choice.

 

[vezon]

If I had to complain about something about Witcher 2 is only about its potion and mutagen system.
I am at the first playtrough, but cant use potions properly, because u have to know exactly what will happen, and a must to skip cutscene.
So basically I found myself 75% of the big battles w/o potions and 75% with full potion setup and no need for them.
And I will give u some example.
Spoiler
Before your first fight with Leto u are warned about the big Arachnid so u prepare for it, just to find yourself in a flow of events until u fight Leto. Of course the 1st time I had to reload because every potion wear off because of cutscenes, but even than I was prepared for battle something else.
Same was when I entered the mist for the baner. I was prepared to the teeth just to what?
And anyway whats the potions anyway, they dont give such huge bonus, like diablo replenish yourself in matter of milliseconds. Take example of swallow that merely 1 hitpoint regeneration doesnt save u. Leto with 3 ignites put me down. So if I made mistakes no matter how many potions I would have on me I would have still failed, maybe that would have saved me from on mistake at most.
Then was the battle in Vergen, couldnt drink because after that the game wouldnt trigger the next event.
And I cant tell u how boring is the animation for drinking, even for the 1st time.
And their is the mutagen, so u know that u cant change mutagen and so u wait for greater mutagens, and wait, wait wait. Im half way through act 3, and I have occupied 5 slot with normal mutagens (I am already lvl 35) and one greater with damage. I got one another greater mutagens with vitality but I found it weak. I wanted to use mostly critical and armor but no.

 

[Lurtz_Of_Orthanc]

Stop whining. You don't need to use potions, you have spells and bombs and traps and knives. Potions are for run of the mill fights and monster battles you have time to prepare. Also, you gotta be quick sometimes, you can pop some potions while the Kaedweni are coming up the ladders in Vergen....just need to do it fast! Swallow is great, it's the difference between no regen and any regen. If Letho's Ignis are harming you then you're playing wrong, just cast Quen. Only thing that can mess you up is his Aard at an unlucky time. Letho's biggest danger is his sword and aard.

Diablo's potions are a ridiculously unrealistic joke - oh yes, I can pop a formula that makes me hale and hearty in the blink of an eye...that's cheap fantasy, the Witcher is hardcore.And if you are having trouble getting mutagens, you aren't monster hunting. The best mutagens are cool stuff like Strength mutagen for armor, Madness for several bonuses, and any Critical Effects ones. You gotta do more Harpy & Nekker hunting.