Reason of State (spoilers) - what to do?!

[Restlessdingo32]

You need the mutations. You can fight as good as you want but you can never be a good monster hunter and killer who survives his job for long.
A Witcher is a mutant who is immune to nrealy every toxin, venom or poison, can't get sick/ill, can see in the darkness and his pulse goes 4 times slower than a normal human. Yeah we saw Ciri fight good, but we also saw her many... maaany times get hit, and nearly died from it (men of Cyprian Wiley, a nromal elve, a "Shuriken", a wolf etc.).
Just let her fight against a monster and she is just slighty hit, but by a venomous monster. A venom a witcher will not harm, or he can wistand. Ciri would get sick, loose a limb, or die. And she also cannot take potions to heal herself or stuff like this, cause potions will kill her or give her a bad life.
Or she is wounded and bleed to death, while a witcher have enough time to dearch for help or get a potion. Due to the slow heart rate Witchers are neraly invisible for monster who go for hearbeat, blood etc. like vampires, Ciri is clearlly visible. As she said to Geralt, in B&W. She fought one Garkin and had big trouble, and this was a non-venomous monster.

Ciri might be able to do the job a bit, but she will die someday, alone in a dark cave or a lonley forest, cause she is not bale to work like a witcher and survives like a witcher. This is what very many gamers seem to forget.

Fair point. Yet still, Ciri was smart enough such that she likely wouldn't engage in a situation where she was... compromised (intellect trumps all). Also, Witchers need mutations because, well, they can't go poof and reappear behind the
"opponent" (barring intellect, speed trumps all, the abilities of Ciri in this context qualify as speed). The short version, Ciri wouldn't approach monsters as a "normal" Witcher would. She doesn't have the same abilities. She has different abilities. She would play to those strengths. Fast reflexes, abnormal strength, heightened senses, great. Compare this to going poof and reappearing in another location. Which is the more powerful ability?

 

[Deemonef]

Some true points, but as I said. One time she is hurt and she have to recover for a long time..... or forever.
So you play the game, get hit and then you cannot play anymore cause Ciri is wounded badly
Geralt heals way faster, or take a potion and everything is fine. Ciri have to recover like a normal human and this takes a long time. Especially in a time like this where you can easily die from a sepsis.
And as I said, Ciri has great powers but as we saw even those can't make her invincible, she was wounded maaaany times in books and games, and this will happen again. And one time the 'wron' monster and everything will end fastly.

That's why I see no game with her. Would be broning to play, get hit and recover for the next hours or days... okay if it would be a EA title you can pay to heal faster

 

[sfinx]

I stopped here after a long time and it's nice I came across this topic, because I ended my another playthrough right now. So here are my 2 cents about politics, characters, endings,..

Two characters were mentioned in first post and in their case was (for me) probably the toughest decision in game. Yes - Ciri, Yen, Triss ... they are much more important, but I was quite sure what to do for them and how to get best ending, but Vernon vs Dijkstra? That was really sad. But with knowledge of endings, I also knew what to do (not to do).

Dijkstra seems like a very clever funny (in a way) guy. But for me, he is pain in the arse (I would gladly break his leg again during conversation about Philippa). He blamed Phil for betraying him and sending assassins for him. But is he better, when he invite Vernon and Ves - his allies, just to murder them, because he has another plans for North? It was much harder for me, because Vernon helped me on Kaer Morhen and saved me from that son of a b.. Radovid. But for me it wasn't decission between Dijkstra and Vernon/Ves - that would be easy and that spy would not touch them at all. But I played it with planned ending - North without Nilfgaardian influence and without Radovid. So...

About Emhyr and Radovid - easy to choose their destiny. Both think they are untouchable. I hate such people. No power in the world can justify aggressivity, arrogance, thirst for more power (achieved by wars usually). So taste of death for arrogant dictator (who did not hasitate to murder enemies as you can see if he wins) and painful death for crazy fanatic murderer and torturer (Emhyr at least seemed to be more civilized) is a perfect way to thank them for all wars, pogroms, raids, civil wars, diseases etc.
Geralt has friends between non-human and himself is considered many times as other than human race. So Radovid is out of discussion. Mages, healers, alchemists, herbalists, witchers... they would be all targets of Radovid's fanatic faith.
Emhyr believe his empire is superior to others, he should teach others how to live and he don't hesitate to spread his influence by war. This is not only from Witcher universe and it's very bad.

Geralt has to end with Yen and Ciri. That is simple for me. They are family. They risked lifes lot of times for each other, so they deserve to be together. If Ciri wants to be a witcher or a sorceress, it's up to her. So that decision was also easy. In case of empress, I don't think she would ever like it. Even in game is mentioned several times how much he loves freedom, fun with Geralt, swordfights, action,... She would be like in cage.
Keira is saved, Triss is also fine. Dudu is Whoreson, Dandelion is whoremonger (nothing changed).

Dijkstra took some manners after Nilfgaard, but I think it's much better than one big empire. He has to be wise, careful and respect others, because he can be rapidly replaced. He hasn't got as strong position as Emhyr if he would win that war.

Philippa and Lodge - I like Philippa a lot. I just like all sorceresses. If nothing else, they are no worse than kings and way more sexy But it seems devs wanted to show Philippa as antagonist. Was it really necessary to put some sarcasm, curt and rude answers in every dialog with her? During Sun stone quest it was more like 'how to irritate people' sketch from Monty Pythons. So it's hard to tell after W3 game, but Lodge as secret leader would be the best political ending for me.

 

[Mat.R]

Massacring random non-humans crossed the line, but I didn't feel any sympathy for the wizards in Loc Muinne or Novigrad. Philippa's a cunt in the books, almost all the sorceresses are heartless schemers. Forget which book it was, but Geralt predicted witch hunts would consume the wizards, and he laid all the blame at their feet. I can see Geralt disgusted by all the superstition and death in Novigrad, rescuing them just to get Triss out safe, but gloating "I told you so" at the same time.

 

[sfinx]

.

I have to disagree. Wizards are making schemes. Not different from kings, spies, army leaders, but also witchers. Geralt was naive at first, but there is no chance to stay neutral, especially, when you are doing contracts for kings, when you love sorceress and when your daughter is the most powerful being in more than one world. His neutrality was already discussed in books and there were valid reasons why it would be quite dumb, ignorant and impossible. And there is short path to schemes (making them, beign part of them,..), assassinations, regicides,...

Yes, Philippa wasn't the best one. But if I remember she saved Geralt's or Ciri's life (maybe both) and she had some plans with world. That is not different from Henselt, Emhyr, Dijkstra and others. She wanted to use Geralt. Again - didn't Henselt use him and then tried to kill him? Didn't Radovid? Didn't Emhyr?

Yes, mages played risk game and were defeated this time. Maybe they'll be wiser next time. Maybe they'll return (as mentioned in game) as king's advisors. But mages also risked and lost lifes to defend North against Nilfgaard during first war. Many died there, so I understand why they wanted to take it into their own hands to prevent such looses and to be involved in leadership, when they paid such prize.

 

[Mat.R]

Well said. He does tussle with his life after meeting his mother and seeing the stone on Sodden. That resolve carries him on to help his loved ones, especially when Vigo had seduced him in Tussaint. I'm just saying he hasn't lost his disdain of wizards or kings, for that matter. They brought this on themselves, but you're right he does have to choose a side.

 

[Deemonef]

Yes, henselt and Co. had Plans for Ciri like Philippa, but this doesn't make her better. I hate Philippa and all sorceress of the lodge, cause of their plans for Ciri, and Philippa for the stuff she did at the end of the first novel, plus all the other stuff.

And I was quite angry that you are so "befriended" with her in TW3.

XD

 

[Mat.R]

I loved to hate Velen, but Novigrad just felt like taking a survey. I think more than just Reason of State was truncated. So much from W2 was just glossed over.

 

[Deemonef]

Damn I remember when you play Geralt in TW2 and was able to chnage the whole politics in the north in the third act (enhanched edition)... and then in TW3. Nothing, neraly all you did was ignored, not used or "canonizied".
A shame.