Death March Help

[Ash]

I'm doing my 2nd playthrough, this time on death march difficulty. I'm enjoying it so far, having to really think things through more in combat, and the challenge itself. I need advice on what to focus on first, better weapons, or better armor. I'm only level 3 and just arrived at the barons place. I'm investing most of my skill points into the shield ability, and fast strikes. Also when are heavy attacks better than fast attacks? I feel like they're hard to pull off most of the time, and fast attacks are just the better way to go. Any thoughts on that? Thanks for any comments / help.

[Thermal Lance]

Personally I went for fast attacks and relied on critical hits for most of my damage output. I also picked the skill that negates damage when dodging. I didn't put much points into Quen since I found the basic skill to be enough for my needs.

[charly4711]

Always played fast attack builds, too ... Gourmet skill cheese helped a lot on DM.

[Yumeko]

i dont get this. Vanilla DM is still like playing on baby mode.

[Thermal Lance]

Originally posted by Hi im Royeen:

i dont get this. Vanilla DM is still like playing on baby mode.

Flexing much?

[n1x0r]

@Ash, find the "Viper silver sword" and the "Viper steel sword" in White Orchard and craft those. For armor, you want to use all light armor because "Cat school technique" general skill is strong. The merchant in white orchard has the best set until Feline at level 17, if you can afford it.
As for weapons upgrades afterwards:
11: Griffon
17: Feline
20: Ursine
23: Feline enhanced... etc.
Look for: Crit, critical hit damage, bleed%, weapon damage. Rate 1% crit to 10% crit damage, unless you got killing spree (see later). Use bleed runes.

Skills:
1: Cat school grace
5: Muscle memory
3: Resolve (partly to open up)
5: Precise blows
--- All of the above scales your damage and crit early the most efficient way.

After this there are a few ways to go, consider alchemy:
3: Aquired tolerance
1: (optional): Metabolic control.
^These 2 skills can be snapshotted if you want. Equip them, drink 3-4 decoctions, unequip them. Only potion toxicity damages you.

5: Poisoned blades (Poison and %Bleed from Devana runestones are strong for red mobs, as they tick their percentage health)
5: Protective coating
--- Damage reduction is additive percentages from all sources. Arachas decoction, Griffing decoction, monster damage reduction(Ursine), protective coating, etc. Stack enough and you're invulnerable.

If you find it annoying to use oils with every single enemy, consider grabbing an addon of some sort to do it for you.

From here its up to preference. Killing spree (alchemy) is strong (100% crit to scale your critical hit damage). If you snapshot your toxicity with the skills for decoctions, open up with Tissue Transformation for 3000-5000 vitality. If you use toxicity normally with potions, then Heightened tolerance is good - as it allows you to use the Water Hag decoction / Tawny all night. Synergy is very strong later.

Whirl+Razor focus can be fun. Just use Fleet-footed or something to open. Deadly precision is a damage increase. Crippling strikes is a damage decrease/Trap, because it overrides the %damage bleed inherent in your wepaon.

When you're level 20 or higher make an Ursine set and do the enchanting quest. Enchant the Ursine armor with levity, so it can be used with cat school techniques. The monster damage reduction stacking with protective coating is what you're looking for and what makes this setup handle level 12+ enemies on DM.

Bombs I found decent are Northern Wind & Dancing Star.
Some good decoctions are:
Water hag
Ekhidna
Arachas
Succubus
Ekimmara
...Basilisk is bad, but it is only 40 toxicity which can be situational.

Playstyle is fairly simple. Keep Quen up, take small dodge-steps around the enemy and fast strike when you can. When Quen goes down, play defensively, when quen is up, dodge around/into the enemy.
Never use heavy attacks.
Remember to use grindstones in town for +20% damage & workbenches for +20% armor.

Not going to touch on the blood & wine DLC things to scale all of this further. You're only level 3 :P

[Ash]

Originally posted by n1x0r:

@Ash, find the "Viper silver sword" and the "Viper steel sword" in White Orchard and craft those. For armor, you want to use all light armor because "Cat school technique" general skill is strong. The merchant in white orchard has the best set until Feline at level 17, if you can afford it.
As for weapons upgrades afterwards:
11: Griffon
17: Feline
20: Ursine
23: Feline enhanced... etc.
Look for: Crit, critical hit damage, bleed%, weapon damage. Rate 1% crit to 10% crit damage, unless you got killing spree (see later). Use bleed runes.

Skills:
1: Cat school grace
5: Muscle memory
3: Resolve (partly to open up)
5: Precise blows
--- All of the above scales your damage and crit early the most efficient way.

After this there are a few ways to go, consider alchemy:
3: Aquired tolerance
1: (optional): Metabolic control.
^These 2 skills can be snapshotted if you want. Equip them, drink 3-4 decoctions, unequip them. Only potion toxicity damages you.

5: Poisoned blades (Poison and %Bleed from Devana runestones are strong for red mobs, as they tick their percentage health)
5: Protective coating
--- Damage reduction is additive percentages from all sources. Arachas decoction, Griffing decoction, monster damage reduction(Ursine), protective coating, etc. Stack enough and you're invulnerable.

If you find it annoying to use oils with every single enemy, consider grabbing an addon of some sort to do it for you.

From here its up to preference. Killing spree (alchemy) is strong (100% crit to scale your critical hit damage). If you snapshot your toxicity with the skills for decoctions, open up with Tissue Transformation for 3000-5000 vitality. If you use toxicity normally with potions, then Heightened tolerance is good - as it allows you to use the Water Hag decoction / Tawny all night. Synergy is very strong later.

Whirl+Razor focus can be fun. Just use Fleet-footed or something to open. Deadly precision is a damage increase. Crippling strikes is a damage decrease/Trap, because it overrides the %damage bleed inherent in your wepaon.

When you're level 20 or higher make an Ursine set and do the enchanting quest. Enchant the Ursine armor with levity, so it can be used with cat school techniques. The monster damage reduction stacking with protective coating is what you're looking for and what makes this setup handle level 12+ enemies on DM.

Bombs I found decent are Northern Wind & Dancing Star.
Some good decoctions are:
Water hag
Ekhidna
Arachas
Succubus
Ekimmara
...Basilisk is bad, but it is only 40 toxicity which can be situational.

Playstyle is fairly simple. Keep Quen up, take small dodge-steps around the enemy and fast strike when you can. When Quen goes down, play defensively, when quen is up, dodge around/into the enemy.
Never use heavy attacks.
Remember to use grindstones in town for +20% damage & workbenches for +20% armor.

Not going to touch on the blood & wine DLC things to scale all of this further. You're only level 3 :P

Well that about covers it all lol. Very helpful, thank you

[n1x0r]

You\re welcome. Feel free to necro the thread if you run into any other questions

[Pouyakaaf]

you only need this guide for your play-through. Only this guide!
https://youtu.be/0CTt6wdopHU