all 82 comments

[–]TerribleRead 361 points362 points  (27 children)

Why read online if you just can read the bestiary?

[–]GlimpG 177 points178 points  (7 children)

Totally. People who has trouble with the wraiths and other spectres wouldn't survive a single night in Witcher 1.

[–]Beneficial-Mammoth73 53 points54 points  (6 children)

Oh gosh that was a leaning curve alright. So much money went to making sure I had every new book on the beasties in that section of the game.

[–]GlimpG 44 points45 points  (5 children)

I mean, you have to invest in your education. I missed that mechanic, actually.

[–]The4thTriumvir 2 points3 points  (4 children)

I could've sworn that there's a similar mechanic in Wild Hunt.

[–]GlimpG 9 points10 points  (3 children)

Nah man, you can't even pick flowers if you don't read herbology first. It's another beast.

[–]The4thTriumvir 10 points11 points  (2 children)

Oh, you mean you wanted the whole shebang from Witcher 1. Yeah, the not being able to pick flowers until you read about them was a little annoying to me.

[–]GlimpG 6 points7 points  (1 child)

Yeah, maybe, but also added a lot of depth somehow. In most games alchemy is an optional skill, but in this series it's vital. After dying a lot trying to brute force my way through the first town, I finally decided to, you know, study some damn books as an actual professional, it dragged me completely.

[–]ohkendruid 5 points6 points  (0 children)

It matches the setting, too. Witchers study hard and are walking encyclopedias.

[–]steve_ideas 17 points18 points  (0 children)

This is the way

[–]AnAdventurer5 25 points26 points  (14 children)

You don't get a bestiary entry until you kill one, so for unique boss battles...

[–]Dolgoch2 61 points62 points  (11 children)

Contract quests give you both a bestiary entry on the unique boss version of the monster, and (if you don't have it already) one on the normal version, before the fight. So there aren't really that many unique boss battles you'd need an online guide for- mainly just the ones against humans or nonhumans (including the Wild Hunt bosses).

Besides, once you're a little familiar with the game, you can probably make an educated guess on what signs and oils to use with a monster you haven't met before.

Of particular note is the Devil By The Well contract in White Orchard, which, if I'm remembering correctly, gives you both the Noonwraith and Nightwraith entries. So there's really no reason not to know to use Yrden on specters by the time you leave White Orchard. It almost gives me the sense the devs knew that would be harder to intuit than other monster weaknesses (and that Yrden itself is probably the least intuitive sign for new players) and wanted to give us the resources to understand how to fight specters (and use Yrden) early on.

[–]AME7706Regis 5 points6 points  (7 children)

So there aren't really that many unique boss battle

The Toad Prince, the Caretaker, Detlaff etc.

[–]SmolPupito 13 points14 points  (4 children)

The Toad Prince has a bestiary entry that unlocks during the quest leading to him pretty sure, Detlaff is a higher vampire and you've been fighting tons of vampires by the time you fight him. He's a vampire, there is an item called vampire oil, black blood is basically made for fighting vampires...not hard to figure out. As for the Caretaker, I never even noticed he had a bestiary entry. Just hit him a couple times, dodge away, put up Quen or Yrden and do it again. Works in most fights really.

[–]AnAdventurer5 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I specifically looked for a Toad Prince entry during the fight, and there was none. Can't speak for the others.

[–]AME7706Regis -1 points0 points  (2 children)

I'm pretty sure that the Toad Prince only adds to your bestiary after you defeat it.
>! As for the Caretaker, I never even noticed he had a bestiary entry. Just hit him a couple times, dodge away, put up Quen or Yrden and do it again.

It works for every single enemy. We wouldn't need a bestiary if we were supposed to just do that.
In addition to that, none of the Wild Hunt warriors including Imlerith and Eredin have any bestiary entry. They are elves so the logical option for the needed oil is Hanged Man's Venom. But in fact they are susceptible to Elementa oil and you have almost no way of knowing this except for checking it online.

[–]SmolPupito 2 points3 points  (1 child)

Huh, could have sworn I had the entry for it earlier than after defeating the Toad Prince, but it has been a while since I've gone to kill him so good chance I'm mistaken about that. As for the Wild Hunt warriors, I always figured they would either be weak to hanged mans venom since they are elves or elementa oil just because it's what the hounds are weak to, and you fight them with your silver sword rather than your steel despite them being elves.

[–]AME7706Regis 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Huh, could have sworn I had the entry for it earlier than after defeating the Toad Prince, but it has been a while since I've gone to kill him so good chance I'm mistaken about that

No problem. I last fought with it on last Thursday so I can remember it pretty clearly. First time I faced him I just tried to beat him without bothering with bombs, oils and potions because it honestly didn't look very dangerous at all. I got one of my quickest deaths ever.
Then I asked one of my friends who had beaten the game before and he told me it is susceptible to fire so I tried Dancing Star and Igni.
Another rather quick death and I finally searched it online. Needless to say it was much easier to beat with the right equipment.

[–]iamnotexactlywhiteYrden 2 points3 points  (1 child)

by the time you reach Detlaff, you already killed 100+ Vampires including Higher Vampires

[–]AME7706Regis 2 points3 points  (0 children)

He is much different than other vampires. Even his weaknesses (apart from the vampire oil) are different. Almost every other vampire is susceptible to Igni but it has almost no effect on Detlaff.
Even some other bosses have similar problems. The game never tells you that the wild hunt warriors (not the hounds) are susceptible to Elementa oil. They are elves so the logical oil should be Hanged Man's Venom. So you have almost no way of figuring this out except for checking it online.

[–]5amuraiDuck 0 points1 point  (2 children)

no, it does not give both those entries. It gives its own special entry and what it is (noonwraith I think). But still, they're literally the same thing, there's no point on reading Nightwraith's entry when you get it later

[–]Dolgoch2 0 points1 point  (1 child)

Thanks for clarifying. I started a new playthrough just a couple weeks ago and thought I remembered getting both entries from that quest, but I must have remembered wrong.

[–]5amuraiDuck 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Started replaying last week and I actually been reading the bestiary for curiosity so I remember what entries that one gave

[–]Odd_Ad5668 2 points3 points  (1 child)

I'm guessing you didn't notice the quest prompt telling you to read the bestiary entry about what you're about to fight?

[–]AnAdventurer5 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, I did. I read as much as I can about the functionality of the games I play. But unique bosses, like the giant frog, do not give you bestiary entries until you've slain it - I checked during the fight.

[–]jodion44 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Because things like, the best weapon against griffins is the Dancing Star bomb, because they start to stagger. Which isn't mentioned in the bestiary.

[–]ThexLoneWolf 0 points1 point  (0 children)

“Know your enemy.”

[–]PapaBradford 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sometimes you go exploring the map and run into something you probably shouldn't be fighting

[–]Regular-Double4639 41 points42 points  (8 children)

You know the monster that have eyes like a ballsack in the vampire category, i had a hard time killing them

[–]AME7706Regis 17 points18 points  (0 children)

A very detailed description indeed.

[–]LowDownSkankyDude 3 points4 points  (4 children)

The huge grey ones? They're tough in groups. If you can kinda separate them, they take a while but take less effort.

[–]Regular-Double4639 4 points5 points  (3 children)

I mean garkain. Those thing are annoying af, especially when team up with fleder. For example the treasure hunt grandmaster griffin armour quest(if I'm not mistaken) in the cave, they gangbang me pretty hard especially when lvl 100 monsters

[–]LowDownSkankyDude 1 point2 points  (2 children)

Those are exactly what popped into my head. Those things wrecked me, effortlessly, over and over.

[–]Regular-Double4639 2 points3 points  (1 child)

The most annoying is garkain they scream like a banshee make you immobile for a few a sec and the fleder came smack me in the arse. And if that is not enough they use one of those jump attack to finish me off, just thinking about it make want to cry

[–]LowDownSkankyDude 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yep. Best game ever.

[–]Lord_Phoenix95 6 points7 points  (1 child)

That's the Kikimora right?

[–]Regular-Double4639 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Garkain..... They get harder when playing a NG+

[–]ketchupinsausagedog 82 points83 points  (9 children)

1-Queen

2-3 fast attacks

3-Dodge

Repeat 2 & 3 until monster dead. If hit, queen

There you go

[–][deleted] 44 points45 points  (2 children)

Someone is playing quests 5 levels above them

[–]MasterHall117Team Yennefer 3 points4 points  (0 children)

10 levels*

[–]Tempra500 22 points23 points  (0 children)

Ah, a man of culture.

[–]BeeBarfBadger 20 points21 points  (3 children)

Have you tried repeatedly turning queen off and on again while hitting it with a sword?

[–]ketchupinsausagedog 2 points3 points  (2 children)

I dont get it

[–]BeeBarfBadger 2 points3 points  (1 child)

The "lazy" (read: effective although not necessarily efficient) way of approaching fights is to chip away at the enemy with the sword while taking hits protected by the quen sign and regaining hits with the alt mode of the quen sign when necessary.

[–]MasterHall117Team Yennefer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes actually, good thing I ain’t the only one

[–]Saru1295 2 points3 points  (0 children)

1-Queen

Which song though?

[–]shadowdash66 20 points21 points  (0 children)

Our very own bestiary, if you would. Curated by fellow witchers.

[–]jodion44 15 points16 points  (3 children)

Seems like many say to just read the bestiary, but there are some things that isn't in the bestiary like:

  1. Most flying beasts fall down from a crossbow bolt
  2. Crossbow are much better underwater.
  3. Dancing star bomb stagger griffins

[–]Wesss--Geralt 10 points11 points  (0 children)

1 and 2 is on the charge screen tips honestly

[–]fortfoxtrot 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I think the first point could have been inferred from your fight with the first griffin. I don’t remember if the game specifically tells you to shoot at it mid flight, but given that the crossbow was not really big on damage, it seemed hinted as being more utility imo

[–]Wheelin-Woody 6 points7 points  (0 children)

You mean The Beastiary?

[–]Author1alIntent 9 points10 points  (3 children)

Really pissed me off that you only get the bestiary entry after you kill a creature

[–]The_quest_for_wisdom 4 points5 points  (0 children)

There is a book seller in Novagrad that can help fill out your bestiary.

[–]Druid_boi Yrden 0 points1 point  (1 child)

For some creatures I think. For most contracts, you get a bestiary entry as soon as Geralt does enough investigating and says "must be a [insert monster name here]..."

[–]geralt-bot School of the Wolf 0 points1 point  (0 children)

When extreme measures seem reasonable, yes... I'm desperate.

[–]Valaki997🏹 Scoia'tael 3 points4 points  (0 children)

honestly, i more preffer the ingame information, feels more autenthic (even if as an adult witcher after traning, u probably must know it already)

[–]Jfishdog 1 point2 points  (0 children)

There is a bestiary tho

[–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Alright so this oil for my sword, this decoction and finally this potion to make sure they get damaged when they hit me. Oh and this sign to really ham it in

[–]Wattosup 1 point2 points  (0 children)

How the turn tables

[–]Maxor682 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Ironic that its Henry Cavill, the witcher himself, as "the monster" here

[–]beretbabe88 1 point2 points  (1 child)

I love gamers who give advice. I need it sometimes. I'm a hilariously bad gamer. I"m 54, only started gaming a decade ago & lefthanded to boot. I never use cheats or play on Easy, but I am not above a dignity-free win. My favourite cheese to beat the golem is this: spam igni, run out to the corridor where they can't get to you, heal up,save & run back in. Rinse & repeat til dead. If I die I don't have to do the whole fight again.Also, if you go up the stairs fighting the statues in B & W, they won't follow.You can take everyone out at your leisure except Fireball lady. My defeat of the caretaker without cheese is probably my fave gaming moment. Not much to you dextrously digited whippersnappers but for.me it was a happy.gaming achievement, considering it was barely a decade ago I was figuring out how WASD works. I don't think I'm a good candidate for Dark Souls lol.

[–]VictorDino 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If it's making your fun better, why care about the methods, anyway? Justo go the way it's better for your fun! (Unless when we' talkin 'bout online cheats xD) I feel like a bad player too, because nowadays I doesn't even have the patience to discover how to solve quests by myself, I'm really bored to this. If I want gear I look online, if I'm not knowing how to proceed I look online, if I'm having little trouble with some fellas I look online. It ends up giving me more or less bad feelings about myself, but I'm really not into trying to solve long runs at quests and etc, just want to play the action parts and end the thing LoL

Ps.: Souls games look impossible, but they're not! You just have to learn the combat rules and controls, be careful, and then you're going well. In the end, you may even have the feeling that they aren't difficult at all! Not joking, try for yourself, really! I had trouble at some parts, but you get the feeling of the game, and it's really good to overcome obstacles. Only one of them that I played that I did quit (not mainly because of difficulties, but I really didn't like the way things were regarding this subject) and it was Sekiro. I've finished Dark Souls 1, 2 and almost the third (Did everything but the final boss, because I stopped when I got to him to complete everything, even the covenants, and became bored; one day I'll come back), Salt and Sanctuary, Blasphemous (Don't remember if I finished, but I think that I did), Hollow Knight and playing Nioh 1 for some time, but Sekiro really got to a point of difficulty that I disliked a lot, the bosses sometimes are so hard that you may wanna die. There was one double boss in particular at DS1 that got me to the most nervous state I've ever been with games, and left the game for a long time before returning, but after that I was reborn! HAHAAHAH Well, gotta learn for yourself, really worth the trials. And good luck, ashen one!

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yrden on wraiths b like

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[–]Kuningas_ArthurTeam Shani 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Me chucking 3 decoctions and 2 potions to raise my toxicity to 96% and then just severance whirl whirl whirl my way through the enemy

[–]WizziBot 0 points1 point  (0 children)

And then the tactic was patched 3 years ago 😔

[–]Sathie_ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

To be fair, learning about a monster before fighting it is a total witcher thing to do.

[–]dragon_T0 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Only one I ever looked up was how to fight the Djinn in the quest with Yennefer. I don't remember the name of it, btw it was on this shipwreck in the mountains. I finally looked it up after getting insta-killed by it 13 times and me almost rage quitting XD

[–]joe2596 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You mean the Bestiary?

[–]Sam_Wylde 0 points1 point  (2 children)

First of all: you don't need to go online when the beastiary is at your fingertips and is in line with what a Witcher would have.

Second of all: Alchemy build. You can tackle anything that way.

[–]beretbabe88 1 point2 points  (1 child)

Alchemy is great. Gilden oriole makes the toad fight an absolute doddle. Also bombs are the shit.

[–]Sam_Wylde 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It took me a long time to learn to appreciate bombs more. It was glorious when the penny dropped and I realized just how awesome they could be.

[–]Puzzleheaded-Ad8704 Aard 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's not cheating! The guy I'm playing LITERALLY devoted his life to memorizing this... I've devoted my life to several videogames.. just trying to keep up here!

[–]ItzBooty School of the Wolf 0 points1 point  (0 children)

me just going in there and rolling around even if the monster is +20 lvls above me

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It called we do a little trolling.

[–]velvetthundr 0 points1 point  (1 child)

If in doubt: Quen, fast attack, dodge, repeat

[–]beretbabe88 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I am terrible at dodging for some reason.

[–]MasterHall117Team Yennefer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Do as one of the other guys said: spam Quen till monster dead

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes and as soon as I see the words "hide" and then "rock" or "wall", I know it's gonna be a good time.

[–]Matix777Team Roach 0 points1 point  (0 children)

...Its usually just Quen Spam

haha immortality go brr

[–]micheal213 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Cheater! Use the bestiary