Still don't understand how Geralt is so poor in the books.

[I Am Klaus]

Food and inn shelter are dirt cheap, Geralt brews his own oils, potions and bombs, and while there are not nearly as many monsters in the book as portrayed in the game, their contracts are still considerable, particularly when an entire village takes up a collection for the fee. And at least according to the books, most village peasants aren't flat broke or in complete poverty.

So why is Geralt poorer than dirt most of the time if his contracts pay well and he hardly has any expenses to worry about?

[ZumZoom]

From what I remember it can be months between good contracts, so that might explain it. Though in later books where he was looking for Ciri he did earn tons, just to spend them immediately on info (or was it creating a false story that she was dead so her father doesn't look for her?).

[tinypi]

I think "hardly any expenses" misses the mark a bit, as it seems likely the games simplify quite a few concepts and the books wouldn't make much of a mention of others (cause they're boring to read about).

Geralt has armour and weapons to take care of beyond simple patch jobs and sharpening - skills he doesn't have and needs to pay someone else for. Similarly, Geralt has Roach to care for and putting up a horse for a night, feeding it, shoeing it, etc, can be expensive things.

Food and shelter prices would differ depending on location, how nice the place is, how high demand is, etc. I think it's also implied that people will arbitrarily raise prices simply because he's a Witcher and people don't like Witchers. Consider also that in the games, Geralt doesn't technically need either as he gets the same benefits from meditating near a campfire.

As for the potions/oils/bombs, sure, Geralt makes them himself, but this is very simplified in the games - there's 5 or 6 "types" of potion component and most ingredients will be 1 or 2 of those component types. In a real (well, "real" fantasy) world scenario, you probably wouldn't be able to just substitute ingredients this randomly. If a potion needs a drowner brain but there's no drowners nearby, Geralt has to either buy them or he's ♥♥♥♥ out of luck. Also, Book Geralt can't just wander into people's houses and take their food and alcohol and grease (which he needs to brew stuff), he has to buy them.

And there's one more thing that the books mention that doesn't exist in the games or the show - most countries have their own currency and not just Generic Fantasy Coin. Unless there's a bank in town that can exchange whatever he's got, Geralt can have all the Temerian money he wants - the inn keeper in Kaedwen is not going to accept it either way.

Keeping all of this in mind and combining it with ZumZoom's comment that it can be months between contracts, I think it's actually pretty likely that Geralt usually doesn't have a lot of money.

[I Am Klaus]

If this is how it is for a Witcher, to have the most dangerous line of work possible and always be poor as a curbside bum, why would anybody, Geralt included, ever choose to do this (become a Witcher/monster hunter) willingly? Who would WANT this kind of life?

[ZumZoom]

None of them chose to be a mutant.

[I Am Klaus]

Originally posted by ZumZoom:

None of them chose to be a mutant.

They wanted to be witchers meaning they had to undergo the mutations. That's a choice.

[ZumZoom]

Do you even lore, bro? :D
All of them were taken in their childhood (~6-10 years old) either as a consequesnce of the "law of surprise", or after being abandoned by their parents, or just plain orphans.
None of them wanted to be a witcher, you can't make such a choice as a child. Only 3 of 10 survived the trial of the grasses (mutation), which also may have mentally scarred them for life.

[Cappsbo1]

Some random Witcher: "It ain't much, but it's honest work."

[Cappsbo1]

Originally posted by 76561198012352069:

Originally posted by ZumZoom:

None of them chose to be a mutant.

They wanted to be witchers meaning they had to undergo the mutations. That's a choice.

Meh...they were young boys left at the castle. It's either perform the trial, or be left out in the cold and probably die of starvation or be eaten by local monsters. Not much of a choice there. You can say I have a choice in whether or not I pay my taxes, but the alternative is jail, so...

[AwfulAwkward]

The Nightmare of The Wolf animated movie on Netflix seems to cover the reasoning behind this pretty well, I think. The movie itself is a little too over the top anime style when compared to how grounded (as grounded as a fantasy series can be, at least) the games and live action show are. I only recently saw it for the first time last night. It was a good watch and filled in a lot of missing gaps in lore for me that I'm not sure were even in the books.

Don't think this is spoiling anything, but just in case... It is from Vesemir's point of view from when he was a kid up to the point where Kaer Morhen and the remaining Witchers are left to him. As best as a single movie can, at least.

[I Am Klaus]

To that end, I also want to know why Witchers seem to prefer studded/leather armor over full plate or even over ringmail/chainmail at times. Is hard iron/steel not effective in protecting against monster claws and fangs?

[ZumZoom]

Originally posted by 76561198012352069:

To that end, I also want to know why Witchers seem to prefer studded/leather armor over full plate or even over ringmail/chainmail at times. Is hard iron/steel not effective in protecting against monster claws and fangs?

Speed and agility is more important to them, as most monsters they fight are so fast or strong that there isn't much point to being in full armor. Being able to dodge and move fast is more important.