Signs vs Melee, what do you like and why?

[Grimgoren]

Struggling with what im going to build for my first play, i heard going pure signs is kinda dull in the gameplay depertment, true?

[M@crobyte]

I haven't started my 2nd playthrough, but for the first one, I did mainly signs. My main focus was YRDEN do to its trap slowness and turret-like trap. Once you get the intensity up over 100%, you can pretty much kill a group of enemies easily. Some enemies that are higher leveled than you won't be affected as much. But, the ones near your level and lower get destroyed. I plan to do all melee through my 2nd playthrough, but I am waiting for the release of all the DLCs

[Vellari]

Matters of taste. I prefer signs for controlling the enemy (aard/axii) and then mow down with quick attacks.

[Kalil]

I find swords more interactive and signs made the game feel a little dull and easier than it should have been.

I still use quen but recently dropped the flamethrower as it trivialises a lot of encounters and I'm just standing there waiting for things to burn rather than dancing around slicing things.

Use a bit of aard occasionally but again it can turn some encounters into aard then stab them while their down.

I do still use my enhanced grapeshot a bit though, mostly because I like the gib effect.

Overall I'd say a hybrid build is most fun, but I don't go as far as the second tier sign skills anymore.

[Tirigon]

Signs feel more witcher-like, but they are too weak. Otoh Quen is almost must-have on Deathmarch against some monsters, and without some points in signs your stamina regen is abysmal.


So far, the best combat style for me (both in terms of power and enjoyment) is full swordplay with some bombs, and the superior Tawny Owl potion to allow Quen spam.

Other signs I use only where needed, such as Yrden vs wraiths, Aard to knock flyers down etc..

[Mark]

Any pure build turns out to be really easy in the late game
Red: cut anything down with whirlwind
Blue: burn anything down with igni
Green: immortal + blow anything up with bombs

Do yourself a favour and go hybrid
My 2 cents

[Tirigon]

Originally posted by Markinho:

Any pure build turns out to be really easy in the late game
Red: cut anything down with whirlwind
Blue: burn anything down with igni
Green: immortal + blow anything up with bombs

Do yourself a favour and go hybrid
My 2 cents

Problem with hybrid builds is that all the cool talents are lategame talents...

TBH I feel they should make the cool stuff available earlier, and increase the difficulty to make up for you being stronger.

[Kalil]

Originally posted by Tirigon, the White Wolf:

TBH I feel they should make the cool stuff available earlier, and increase the difficulty to make up for you being stronger.

This is a very popular idea.

If they don't do it hopefully RedKit can allow us to work on it.

[Victim of the Demiurge]

only sign you'll ever need is quen

[blackwind777]

It depends on the own taste and gamestyle + individual preferences of the gamer on how to beat the upcoming foe.
Think a good mix of all available skills is desireable and would indeed be the best idea in sense of gemefun...

Makes you more flexible, also it wouldnt get you bored that fast as like watching Geralt randomly knocking out solemly one or two standard moves for ages. Diversity is the key in my viev.


cheers

[Wlerin]

Originally posted by Crni Gjuro:

only sign you'll ever need is quen

You must love noonwraiths.

[markdb92]

there is bomb for that

[Terminus]

So far I'm splitting my time between all three, but I found the most use out of red for straight damage buffs and arrow deflection and green for increasing toxicity tolerance and allowing me to roll around with a decoction in addition to Tawny, Swallow, and Thunderbolt. I did grab all the Axii for the conversation at the first tier, but I'm finding that other than Quen and maybe Aard I don't use signs much aside from specific situations, i.e. Yrden for wraiths.

I got really excited about pairing Igni with Dragon's Dream, but I find that the latter works equally well getting tossed at a campfire or in combo with Dancing Star without as much risk of getting caught in the explosion.

[NichoZefanya]

on my first play, i build entirely on melee, because i never played any witcher game before. It was good, so easy to fight and defence, but yeah no support at all. The second one, i tried Quenn + Igni. More more easy, i played defence and fight with fire + hack and slash. And the last one, now i tried playing axii + yrden. So funny, having another dudes fighting for you and get slowed down in the same time.

I never played bomb (green), its so freakin easy. Once you got high level and build good bombs, you bombed once, and 5 enemies will die

[Disposable Hero]

well since being a witcher you care for your silver sword so much for a reason, so doing signs only isn't really a "true witcher" way. half and half is the only way to play.

[KoalafiedKiller]

Alchemy is the best of both worlds. Potions buff attack power, adrenaline, intensity, and stamina regen.