Maybe it's just me...

[Jehane]

Maybe it's just me...

... or the opponents in HoS really are WAY stronger than the ones in the original game? I've started to play HoS a couple of days ago; Geralt is lvl 38 but was almost butchered by three or four lvl 34-pigs Also, the fight against the knights was pretty hard; I barely managed to survive and had to use all (!) supreme swallow potions before I could move on to the cave where the Order of the Flaming Rose resides. There, Geralt was killed because those knights, even though they are four levels beneath me, simply surrounded and killed him. I didn't stand a chance I mean - Geralt killed a lvl 35 griffin with two strokes of his silver sword but he can die at the hands of these knights? He survived Eredin and Caranthir with barely a scratch and now some pigs can kill him? Argh. Guess I'll have to reactivate Whirl, maybe that helps.
While I'm at it: Does the meeting with the Order ALWAYS result in a fight or can I just wish them good luck with producing Fisstech and then walk away? I mean - I kinda feel sorry for those guys because Radovid betrayed them so I was wondering if I should just tell Ulrich that I wish him all the best and then be gone.

 

[Sunsibar]

Yeah, enemies ARE much stronger in HoS. I liked that I also got my ass kicked several times when I played it first time And those pigs are really something... Even with stronger Geralt.

Don't know about the order though, I always ended up fighting with them.

 

[Jehane]

So it's not just me *g* Good to know I mean - I don't mind a challenge, it's just that I've gotten so used to having a strong Geralt who Needs only two blows of the sword in order to kill an archgriffin... I need to get used to getting my butt kicked again because after Geralt reached lvl 30 in the main game, he rarely died - and if he did, it was because I wasn't careful enough and he plunged down into an abyss or drowned *g* With the Order, I think I'll just reactivate Whirl before facing Ulrich, THEN try the dialogue option "Good luck, then" and see what happens. If this also results in a fight - oh well. Somehow I'll be able to do it. Maybe it's time for Longclaw as well. It's a lot stronger than the mastercrafted cat steel sword.

 

[Jehane]

Update: I tried the dialogue option "Good luck, then" - and Ulrich went all berserk "You're the guy who killed what'shisface [can't remember the name of the character Geralt supposedly killed in an earlier game], go get him, boys!" And Geralt was dead again. Those knights really are strong *argh*

 

[Sunsibar]

You may find something useful here.

http://forums.cdprojektred.com/thre...factory-quot-battle-and-what-it-says-about-W3

 

[Jehane]

Thank you!

 

[Pug.]

Wait till you get to the end of the expansion. You haven't felt pain yet. (It's a good kind of pain though, kind of like in Harry Potter when the one student says "You will suffer, but you'll enjoy it).

 

[toudis815]

I remember I lost a lot of nerves fighting with Pyramid head..ehkm excuse me, I mean Caretaker. he was tough madafaka.

 

[cyberpunkforever]

yes, the enemies are way stronger, it's a lot more fun and challenging, een at level 35 it's still very hard, you need new strategies to take the new enemies down.

the flaming rose soldiers are now criminals, don't feel sorry for thm, vesides, radovid sold their properties to win the war, if he loses they would be dead anyway, so it's better that way,

 

[Jehane]

I guess I'll just have to gear up and use decoctions which also means that I need to invest a point in the skill that enhances your toxicity level It's fun, though, even though it's unexpectedly hard and way more challenging then, say, face Eredin

 

[Ghaisos]

... or the opponents in HoS really are WAY stronger than the ones in the original game? I've started to play HoS a couple of days ago; Geralt is lvl 38 but was almost butchered by three or four lvl 34-pigs Also, the fight against the knights was pretty hard; I barely managed to survive and had to use all (!) supreme swallow potions before I could move on to the cave where the Order of the Flaming Rose resides. There, Geralt was killed because those knights, even though they are four levels beneath me, simply surrounded and killed him. I didn't stand a chance I mean - Geralt killed a lvl 35 griffin with two strokes of his silver sword but he can die at the hands of these knights? He survived Eredin and Caranthir with barely a scratch and now some pigs can kill him? Argh. Guess I'll have to reactivate Whirl, maybe that helps.
While I'm at it: Does the meeting with the Order ALWAYS result in a fight or can I just wish them good luck with producing Fisstech and then walk away? I mean - I kinda feel sorry for those guys because Radovid betrayed them so I was wondering if I should just tell Ulrich that I wish him all the best and then be gone.

The enemies are hard, but not terribly so if you use Aard to knock them down or push their shield(s) out of the way. I defeated the knights at level 34 or so.

 

[sv3672]

He survived Eredin and Caranthir with barely a scratch and now some pigs can kill him?

The final battle might be really disappointing if one plays Hearts of Stone first during Battle Preparations, and gains some extra levels, too. All those tough fights against pigs and other enemies from the expansion, and then Eredin is almost a pushover.

 

[Jehane]

The enemies are hard, but not terribly so if you use Aard to knock them down or push their shield(s) out of the way. I defeated the knights at level 34 or so.

I'm confident that I'll be able to defeat them - the plan is to use decoctions (with HoS, I find that I'm using decoctions more often than in the original game), then throw a bomb at them (because I can *g*) and THEN use Igni - from a safe distance, of course. Plan B is to lure them to the poisonous gas (and drinking the superior golden pirol before, of course) and watch them die Also, I'll use different gear that provides more protection; currently, Geralt is wearing the same gear the knights have. And I found a super-strong sword as well which will be oiled. I just need to get used to the game being a challenge again

---------- Updated at 11:29 AM ----------

The final battle might be really disappointing if one plays Hearts of Stone first during Battle Preparations, and gains some extra levels, too. All those tough fights against pigs and other enemies from the expansion, and then Eredin is almost a pushover.

The final battle was a letdown without having played HoS before - Geralt was overleveled due to a glitch that allowed me to level up with only 1000 XP (strangely enough, the game has reset that number again as soon as I reached level 39 - now I need 1500 XP). So he was at lvl 37 when facing Caranthir and Eredin. Both were a walk in the park, both battles lasted maybe five minutes each. I thought it would be a lot harder; ever since the fight against Nithral I dreaded fighting the other guys because I thought it would be equally difficult. Nope. I managed to empty Eredin's lifebar during the first phase of combat on the Naglfar. Then he opened a portal to that icy world, got hit again, didn't even have time for his superspecial combat moves, teleported back and got killed. Geralt? Barely a scratch.

 

[Jehane]

Ding-dong, the Toad is dead It took another three attempts last night but I managed to kill the damn thing. I used that potion that immunises Geralt against poison (golden something... in German it's "Pirol"), I think on superior. Also, I just threw a bomb at the toad that temporarily froze it - advanced Northwind. Also, I used an oil on my blade - the one against cursed beings. Basically, I tried to stay out of it's way, kept throwing bombs and hit it whenever I could. What I did NOT expect was what happened after the battle - these guys showing up and saying "You bastard, you killed our Prince!" That was a WTF moment for sure. Now I'm on some beach and keep dying - I can fight off the guys but as soon as they are dead, some dude appears out of nowhere and Geralt drops dead just like that. No combat, nothing. The guy just pops up (magic, I guess) and Geralt is dead. This is really annoying. So far, I'm having a hard time liking HoS because most of the time it's just annoying and way too difficult. For heaven's sake, Geralt is close to level 40 (only 50 xp missing, I think), he's a combat built with some signs thrown in, he has a lot of good gear, and I'm not a bad player, but it's so annoying. I don't mind a challenge but this is just unbalanced - as was the fight against Eredin when being overleveled.

Ok, now that I've ranted I bit I'd like to ask for advice. On that beach, shortly after the fight against Mr Toad and after Gaunter has given Geralt that tattoo (I missed what that was for and I surely don't want to go back and fight the toad again), Geralt ends up on a beach with a bunch of guys. No weapons - I'm hoping they're in my inventory but haven't had a chance to check because the fight starts so quickly - and no upper body armour (it'd better be in the inventory or else). As I said, I can kill them but how do I beat the guy that appears out of thin air? Or would it be advisable to just run away and avoid fighting both the warriors and the mage?

Update: Just watched a video walkthrough of that part of the game - obviously you can just run away. Well, then that's what I'll do instead of fighting those guys and the mage

 

[Sunsibar]

Ok, now that I've ranted I bit I'd like to ask for advice. On that beach, shortly after the fight against Mr Toad and after Gaunter has given Geralt that tattoo (I missed what that was for and I surely don't want to go back and fight the toad again), Geralt ends up on a beach with a bunch of guys. No weapons - I'm hoping they're in my inventory but haven't had a chance to check because the fight starts so quickly - and no upper body armour (it'd better be in the inventory or else). As I said, I can kill them but how do I beat the guy that appears out of thin air? Or would it be advisable to just run away and avoid fighting both the warriors and the mage?

Update: Just watched a video walkthrough of that part of the game - obviously you can just run away. Well, then that's what I'll do instead of fighting those guys and the mage

Why do I get the feeling that I entered my inventory during the fight and found all my gear there perfectly usable? Yes I did... I didn't know at first that you can do this, but I did it during my later games. Here's even a video of it.

 

[Jehane]

Awesome! Thank you so much! I thought that at this point the game was just being unfair but I must also admit that I was already very tired when I started on this section of the game so that might have been the main problem. I'll try to kill them all; if I fail, I'll just run away. I don't get XP for this quest anyway because I'm overleveled so I might just as well beat it if fighting doesn't work

 

[Jehane]

Ha! Took out both the warriors and the mage last Weekend after two more attempts - I was able to switch to inventory before the fight started so Geralt was fully equipped. I used Axii on all of them which made the fight a lot easier, especially against the mage - I had read somewhere that Axii worked on him so I gave it a try. He was basically stunned for a while - long enough to land some hits, then dodge away, Axii him again and repeat. Also, I managed to finally kill off those drug-brewing knights in the cave - used Northwind on them so they froze just long enough to take them down. However, I didn't get the achievement attached to this quest and I have no idea why - I'm pretty sure I searched and looted all the lairs. Maybe I'll just go back and doublecheck just in case I missed something.

Now I'm off to the von Everec crypt in order to resurrect Olgierd's brother - this can't be a good idea...

 

[Sunsibar]

However, I didn't get the achievement attached to this quest and I have no idea why - I'm pretty sure I searched and looted all the lairs. Maybe I'll just go back and doublecheck just in case I missed something.

Now I'm off to the von Everec crypt in order to resurrect Olgierd's brother - this can't be a good idea...

You mean Wild Rose achievement? It was bugged earlier, don't know if it still is. It's supposed to be fixed. You need to clear several camps, not only caves. If you want more specific info, check this link. And good luck with those knights, they are pain in the ass! I was in serious troubles when I saw them first time

http://psnprofiles.com/guide/3447-T...of-Stone-DLC-Trophy-Guide#Wild-Rose-Dethorned

And good luck with Everec crypt

Spoiler

I can guarantee it's something you didn't expect

 

[Jehane]

That's the one. I killed all the knights and checked all the camps but I might go back and double-check later. Thanks for the link - I didn't realise that there were even more knights. I thought that achievement was linked to that specific sidequest in which you go after that woman's friend and encounter some knights before finding that cave where they make Fisstech. According to the link you posted, there's more to it than just the quest, and there seem to be more camps than just those linked to the quest. Good to know, I thought the achievement was linked to the sidequest

However, I want to finish the Everec quest with the wedding first. This is so much fun Poor Geralt *g* When that ghost popped up and told Geralt "Ok, I'm possessing you so I can have some fun" I was like "OMG this is going to be good" xD I encountered a bug shortly afterwards and had to reload an earlier save but after that, it was just great So far, Geralt has herded some pigs, lost a game of Gwent and is now wearing donkey ears, has gotten a new haircut and is hitting on every woman he encounters. Whenever the ghost leaves him for a moment, you can tell that the only person who doesn't think this is funny is Geralt himself I love it *g*