Any tricks for beating the combat mage/Nilfgaardians in chapter 3?

[meep_meep]

I'm really struggling with the fight against the combat mage and other Nilfgaardian soldiers in the Where is Triss Merigold quest in Chapter 3 (on normal). I've mostly gone down the swordmaster's path, but it seems like I just can't avoid getting hit in this fight. Too many ranged opponents at the same time. I'm using quen constantly but the problem is that actions just take too long. It seems like if I get staggered at all, or stop to throw a bomb, I get hit 3 or 4 times by arrows and die. Any tricks to this fight, or do I just need to load an earlier save and level more?

[max.strauss]

Originally posted by Samantha Traynor:

Too many ranged opponents at the same time.

Here you have to seek the key for this fight.

1. Keep moving. Ranged attackers are struggling with targets moving quickly. Roll aggressively to the ranged attackers, then they mutate to weak melee fighters with bad armour.
2. Use your strongest weapon enhancements. Grindstone?
3. Try to take out the ranged attackers first - or as soon as possible.
4. After killing the ranged attackers you have time to throw bombs. Red Haze works wonders.

I have no video fitting exactly. My Geralt had the staff of the operator (Roche's path). Then the fight is a breeze, even in dark mode:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdHpFmA-HV0

(DL: hard)

[meep_meep]

Originally posted by max.strauss:

Originally posted by Samantha Traynor:

Too many ranged opponents at the same time.

Here you have to seek the key for this fight.

1. Keep moving. Ranged attackers are struggling with targets moving quickly. Roll aggressively to the ranged attackers, then they mutate to weak melee fighters with bad armour.
2. Use your strongest weapon enhancements. Grindstone?
3. Try to take out the ranged attackers first - or as soon as possible.
4. After killing the ranged attackers you have time to throw bombs. Red Haze works wonders.

I have no video fitting exactly. My Geralt had the staff of the operator (Roche's path). Then the fight is a breeze, even in dark mode:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdHpFmA-HV0

(DL: hard)

Yeah, your video seems to suggest that I'm just not leveled enough. You're doing far more damage per blow then I'm able to do and I have one of the better steel swords. I'm level 33(?) and playing on normal there hasn't been any point in this game where I felt like I had to grind to advance, but maybe I really just need to go back and grind a bit in the sewers.

I totally missed the whole operator quest so I guess I'll have to save that for a second playthrough.

[max.strauss]

Originally posted by Samantha Traynor:

Yeah, your video seems to suggest that I'm just not leveled enough. You're doing far more damage per blow then I'm able to do and I have one of the better steel swords. I'm level 33(?) and playing on normal there hasn't been any point in this game where I felt like I had to grind to advance, but maybe I really just need to go back and grind a bit in the sewers.

I would like to save you from an erroneous conclusion. The staff of the operator is the strongest weapon in the whole game. So you can't compare it with your steel sword.

Lvl 35 is the end of the road. So I don't believe that grinding will help you out. Do you have good runes for your sword (fire rune, Ysgith Rune) and reinforcements for your armor (diamond armor reinforcements)? And think of red haze: The knights will tinker with each other and not with Geralt!

https://youtu.be/BpRghTYsKzU?t=110

[meep_meep]

Originally posted by max.strauss:

Originally posted by Samantha Traynor:

Yeah, your video seems to suggest that I'm just not leveled enough. You're doing far more damage per blow then I'm able to do and I have one of the better steel swords. I'm level 33(?) and playing on normal there hasn't been any point in this game where I felt like I had to grind to advance, but maybe I really just need to go back and grind a bit in the sewers.

I would like to save you from an erroneous conclusion. The staff of the operator is the strongest weapon in the whole game. So you can't compare it with your steel sword.

Lvl 35 is the end of the road. So I don't believe that grinding will help you out. Do you have good runes for your sword (fire rune, Ysgith Rune) and reinforcements for your armor (diamond armor reinforcements)? And think of red haze: The knights will tinker with each other and not with Geralt!

https://youtu.be/BpRghTYsKzU?t=110

Yeah, I have good gear. I'll try crafting more Red Hazes right before the fight and see if that helps.

[Magistik]

Obojnia AUUUU

[meep_meep]

OK, I found that the easiest way I had to beat this as a swordmaster was to isolate several enemies at a time down each of the tunnels to either side so that the arrows couldn't reach me, then just beat them down using parry/riposte. It was slow going but I won eventually. Then managed to beat the rest of the game in about 30 minutes, the dragon was a joke lol.

[max.strauss]

Originally posted by Samantha Traynor:

OK, I found that the easiest way I had to beat this as a swordmaster was to isolate several enemies at a time down each of the tunnels to either side so that the arrows couldn't reach me, then just beat them down using parry/riposte. It was slow going but I won eventually. Then managed to beat the rest of the game in about 30 minutes, the dragon was a joke lol.

Congrats, Samantha! The own solution is always the best solution.

Now the next playthrough, changing sides? It's worthwhile because you don't know 1/3 of the terrain, quests and story at this point.

[meep_meep]

Originally posted by max.strauss:

Now the next playthrough, changing sides? It's worthwhile because you don't know 1/3 of the terrain, quests and story at this point.

Yeah, I'll probably play Witcher 3 and then go back and play the whole series again in a couple years so that I can look at it with fresh eyes again. I've played pretty much as a non-human sympathizer throughout this playthrough (sided with Yaevinn and Iorveth) so I'll need to do a playthrough where I side with the humans.

[Oliverio]

git gud