Magic vs. Alchemy

[karl_dietrich]

Magic vs. Alchemy

Maybee i understand something wrong, but it seems that alchemy have most what magic has to offer and is better at it.
Two points in alchemist and incineration bombs(like grapeshot) are far more devasting then an upgraded igni spell. Stun bombs like sanum stun more reliable then aard. There are even bombs that let foes fight each other. And ingredients are plentiful in this game. Played as witcher with focus on magic and a little swordmanship before,and the sign tree is just dissapointing in comparison. The only thing that is good is quen, but with impregnation and strenght mutagens combined with good armor not even this is really necessary.

 

[GuyNwah]

I don't think you're giving the fully upgraded signs full credit. Area-effect Aard and Igni are devastating against crowds. Yrden with all the upgrades works wonderfully with your bombs: you can blockade a whole platoon and pepper them with bombs.

Incinerating a whole platoon of Kaedweni or Nilfgaardian cannon fodder with one cast of Igni is not-to-be-missed sadistic fun. Especially in EE, this is much more reliable than Dancing Star bombs.

If I want an easy time of it on Dark mode, I get most of the sign upgrades in the Magic tree, a little basic swordsmanship, and one or both upgrades to bomb throwing.

 

[pomor]

And ingredients are plentiful in this game.

There are bottlencks, some ingrediens are more rare then the others, especially before you start farming harpies in ch2. And even there, I had to keep buying mandrake root from merchants, on my alchemy run.

But the main problem with alchemy build is that without any elixir running, you have just prologe-like-Geralt, as only when you are poisoned all the upgrades would kick in. So you basicly have to keep at least one elixir active all the time, or else even close to the end of the game just a bunch of nekkers is still a grave danger. If you keep making bombs and traps as well, you burn through the ingredients pretty fast.

 

[William105.236]

There are bottlencks, some ingrediens are more rare then the others, especially before you start farming harpies in ch2. And even there, I had to keep buying mandrake root from merchants, on my alchemy run.

But the main problem with alchemy build is that without any elixir running, you have just prologe-like-Geralt, as only when you are poisoned all the upgrades would kick in. So you basicly have to keep at least one elixir active all the time, or else even close to the end of the game just a bunch of nekkers is still a grave danger. If you keep making bombs and traps as well, you burn through the ingredients pretty fast.

Would see that as an unescessary worry, it's rather easy to have a potion active at all times, especially if you upgrade potion duration

 

[pomor]

Would see that as an unescessary worry, it's rather easy to have a potion active at all times, especially if you upgrade potion duration

Difficult, it is not. But it can get tedious over the time. I kept forgeting to drink another one, or postponing it just a minute, then I'd run into bunch of troubles: "Jeez, last time I saved, it was almost two hours ago"

 

[Sirnaq]

Actually alchemist tree combined with swordsmanship is the most powerful build in game imo (ofcourse if you like dps builds).

 

[username_3236168]

For my past 2 playtrhoughts i went with magic and alchemy more and i was really impressed how you can kick so much without even using a sword

 

[username_3218976]

I've been going now Alchemy and Swordsman path for 2 playthroughs now, took The Operator on one hit in the last one. Damage while poisoned was around 200-300. No points in Magic tree, Dark difficulty, Greater power mutagens and some Madness ones too.

 

[karl_dietrich]

There are bottlencks, some ingrediens are more rare then the others, especially before you start farming harpies in ch2. And even there, I had to keep buying mandrake root from merchants, on my alchemy run.

But the main problem with alchemy build is that without any elixir running, you have just prologe-like-Geralt, as only when you are poisoned all the upgrades would kick in.

Most bonuses come from weapons and armor(noob question by the way,is it normal that gargoyles could twoshot geralt on dark difficulty despite havin 100 points in armor?(position is upgraded))
And moongose has a long duration.

 

[GuyNwah]

Most bonuses come from weapons and armor(noob question by the way,is it normal that gargoyles could twoshot geralt on dark difficulty despite havin 100 points in armor?(position is upgraded))
And moongose has a long duration.

Yes, gargoyles hit mighty hard in Dark mode. And they have a way of spawning behind you.

 

[whiplash27]

Yeah as said, the Swordsman/Alchemist build is beastly and overpowered.

I think I used maybe 4 or so lesser power mutagens, 2 regular power mutagens, 2 critical effects, and 2 madness mutagens and of course always poisoned with the rook potion (extra 10% damage). That's not even close to the best damage build, but my geralt was a beast. Soldiers would go down with one heavy hit. Gargoyles with that 25% boost sword would go down in one hit. I had the dragon down to 0 health before the second part of the battle. It's so overpowered but so awesome at the same time.

 

[thibbledorf_spent]

Seems I've missed out on quite a lot by ignoring the Alchemy tree of skills. My first three play throughs, I've concentrated on either Magic or Swordsman, with a mixture of the two. Alchemy has been an afterthought.

 

[m4x1u]

Yeah, I'm also a fan of the sword/alchemy hybrid. It's a friggin rape on everybody. The dragon goes down in like 2-4 swings of the sword. I don't really see any other real alternative on Dark Mode on how to approach fight. Plus, it gives the "realistic" feel for me, when an enemy goes down in 1 or 2 awesome sword swings