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The Witcher 2Alchemy specialization useless?(16 posts)(16 posts)
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Posted May 21, 2011
So, having a look at the skill tree, I see no reason to invest in Alchemy over Swordsmanship or Signs.

Anyone with a better understanding of the gameplay (or playing on something higher than normal) willing to argue otherwise?

I always have more ingredients than I need so the need to upgrade the duration of potions or the amount of ingredients I pick up seems pointles. And since you can't earn XP for traps (I read this somewhere and hope that's wrong otherwise that's ridiculous), I really don't see any reason to invest here, especially as the game won't let you use potions prior to a lot of boss fights, thus making relying on them a risky prospect.
Posted May 21, 2011
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Vitor121796: So, having a look at the skill tree, I see no reason to invest in Alchemy over Swordsmanship or Signs.

Anyone with a better understanding of the gameplay (or playing on something higher than normal) willing to argue otherwise?

I always have more ingredients than I need so the need to upgrade the duration of potions or the amount of ingredients I pick up seems pointles. And since you can't earn XP for traps (I read this somewhere and hope that's wrong otherwise that's ridiculous), I really don't see any reason to invest here, especially as the game won't let you use potions prior to a lot of boss fights, thus making relying on them a risky prospect.
No xp for traps? I wonder if that's true.....

Otherwise i was actually thinking of going alchemy on my 2nd playthrough, bombs and traps will be far more improved, although you'll probally need to use more ranged weapons(throwing daggers) at the later stages on hard. A issue that some others found is the fact that you can't meditate for some of the bossfights in the game(it is possible for the more difficult ones, although you'll find out when it's possible after dying thrice...)

But overall complete investment into potions is rubbish... i advise people to throw some points in the bombs and traps, and rush towards the less negative and more positive effects(will only cost you about 5 talents to get there) After that chose either swordsmanship or Signs.
Post edited May 21, 2011 by Rajin
Posted May 21, 2011
Bombs are where it's at.

I play through the game on hard at carried something north of 150 bombs on me at certain points in the game (Grapeshot, Samum, Dancing Star). My goal was to die as little as possible without actually committing to insanity mode on my first playthrough (would be madness without knowing what hits how hard etc)... So, bombs really were the way to go. But I didn't go full alchemy, I just put enough points in to get the +get more herbs skill.


What I'm saying is, while the bomb tactic worked splendidly, it'll be that much more effective when you go full alchemy. Which is really damn necessary. :D



For reference: My skill tree for the first playthrough, hard, died 25something times:

Put most points in swordsmanship, enough in Magic to get all the Quen upgrades, enough in Alchemy to get the "more herbs" skill so I could make a shit ton of bombs.
Posted May 21, 2011
I skipped the alchemy tree purely because I couldn't be bothered dealing with the horrible new system for drinking potions/crafting things. Maxed quen and swordmaster made the game a cakewalk on hard.
Posted May 21, 2011
In short.. hell no. The most OP thing in this game is mutating skills and impregnation makes it even better.. the greater critical effects mutagen with both levels invested gives 6% chance on top of anything/everything else for EVERY critical effect (bleeding, poison etc.)

Now bear with me.. the sword and spell trees only have 2 or 3 mutable skills.. alchemy has 5, and most of them are damned good skills anyway (berserk mode = win). So if you, for example, take the two mutable skills in the training tree + those 5 and the impregnation skill you get (provided of course you find that many greater mutagens) 7x6% which is a ridiculous 42% chance that any of those nasty effects will be caused by EVERY sword blow.

Now just add to that what the equipment and runes give you and slap on some extra effects from the sword tree and you're looking at like 70% + chance that EVERY blow will burn/freeze/knockdown/poison etc foes.. doesn't really get much better than that..
Posted May 21, 2011
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EbonKnight: In short.. hell no. The most OP thing in this game is mutating skills and impregnation makes it even better.. the greater critical effects mutagen with both levels invested gives 6% chance on top of anything/everything else for EVERY critical effect (bleeding, poison etc.)

Now bear with me.. the sword and spell trees only have 2 or 3 mutable skills.. alchemy has 5, and most of them are damned good skills anyway (berserk mode = win). So if you, for example, take the two mutable skills in the training tree + those 5 and the impregnation skill you get (provided of course you find that many greater mutagens) 7x6% which is a ridiculous 42% chance that any of those nasty effects will be caused by EVERY sword blow.

Now just add to that what the equipment and runes give you and slap on some extra effects from the sword tree and you're looking at like 70% + chance that EVERY blow will burn/freeze/knockdown/poison etc foes.. doesn't really get much better than that..
Then again with my sign spec i had about 7 vigor which replenished very quickly, and i demolished everything with my igni spell. The AoE effect and the insane amount of adranaline made it very powerfull.
Posted May 21, 2011
There are a bunch of talents in potions that give you bonuses while poisoned. Do these talents actually mean bonuses based on toxicity?or do they really mean while poisoned and losing health. If you actually have to be poisoned then its not worth it, but if it is just for potion toxicity than it might be nice to have extra bonuses on top of the potions already taken.
Posted May 21, 2011
Same as witcher 1.. poisoned also means under the effects of full toxication.. much like you had the mutant mutagen in the first game, here it also works to your benefit to fill up your toxicity bar.

Also, I wasn't saying alchemy was BETTER than other trees (might have come off that way) but merely that it is easily just as good.. if anything, the sword tree is probably the weakest.
Posted May 21, 2011
Chapter 2 of my insanity playthrough at the moment, that said, from my experiences playing through that difficulty, its not so much alchemy is underpowered, its just that the sword tree is too essential for survival, the first 3 skills in the swordsmanship tree are complete life savers, increase dodge distance, no extra damage from backstabs and vigor reduction while parrying are sooooooo important for staying alive in group fights.
The abilities in alchemy on the other hand, just feel like icing, sure it would be nice to put some points into them, but you won't be dying constantly if you didn't.
Posted May 21, 2011
I like the Alchemy tree, and, yes, bombs rock.

One oddity I'm concerned about is the Axil sign. I just haven't seen it working - not yet - no foes ever hypnotized into fighting the other enemies (which I thought is what Axil is supposed to do?).
Posted May 21, 2011
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SlackerSupreme: I like the Alchemy tree, and, yes, bombs rock.

One oddity I'm concerned about is the Axil sign. I just haven't seen it working - not yet - no foes ever hypnotized into fighting the other enemies (which I thought is what Axil is supposed to do?).
hold down the button
Posted May 30, 2011
Reviving this to say that I love the Alchemy path.

Of course, this is my third play through, so I understand the game well. Nonetheless, I would recommend even first-timers to at least be brave enough to use the minimum to get to 2/2 Impregnation.

I could rave on and on.

But, the funnest thing about it is endless adrenaline. Berserker Mode is practically always active. And there is no cutscene or timewarp to go with it. Just massive damage.
Posted May 30, 2011
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SlackerSupreme: One oddity I'm concerned about is the Axil sign. I just haven't seen it working - not yet - no foes ever hypnotized into fighting the other enemies (which I thought is what Axil is supposed to do?).
You need to hold "Q" a few seconds until it works. First it stops an enemy and than takes him over. I used Axii on the troll under the bridge and it worked. "Come on big boy let's crush some bandits."
Posted May 30, 2011
I used a very heavy alchemy build in my first playthrough, apart from the witcher training tree I had maybe 4/5 points in swordsmanship.. everything else was in alchemy

don't be fooled by the tree, the sheer amount of bonus damage you gain through this, the 5 mutagen slots on key skills + the bonus to mutagen.. meant that by the end of chapter two you can get up to 50% more damage on your abilities and once berzerk is active things just go crazy.. everything was dying in a handful of swings from the sword.. I used alot of bonus to critical effects mutagen and I had monsters burning/poisoned/bleeding all over the place every fight.. very fun :)

on the occasions where I couldn't drink prior to fights.. I relied on bombs, 100% more damage on bombs is savage against almost anything in this game.. they really are very mean :)
Post edited May 30, 2011 by Auru
Posted May 30, 2011
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hanns.g: Reviving this to say that I love the Alchemy path.

Of course, this is my third play through, so I understand the game well. Nonetheless, I would recommend even first-timers to at least be brave enough to use the minimum to get to 2/2 Impregnation.

I could rave on and on.

But, the funnest thing about it is endless adrenaline. Berserker Mode is practically always active. And there is no cutscene or timewarp to go with it. Just massive damage.
Interesting - had no idea it was so potent. I read the 'poison' remark and thought it ridiculous at first as I'm rarely poisoned by enemies. I'm guessing that actually refers to toxicity of the potions you drink, right?

And considering the rarity of decent mutagens, surely the impregnation skill wouldn't be useful until later on?

I'm actually a little confused by the stats they use - how much does a +1 to strength or armour actually change things?
Post edited May 30, 2011 by Vitor121796
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The Witcher 2Alchemy specialization useless?(16 posts)(16 posts)
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