The Witcher, my Geralt's build for hard mode

This is this the overview of the build I used to play in "The Witcher" in hard difficulty.
I tried to describe the chosen talents, minimizing the bronze/silver/gold talents used in order to be effective without touching level 50 (God mode on).
I also tried to clarify some mechanics, infos I didn't find on the manual or on the wikia.

The mod used on Enhanced Edition

When I started to play to "The Witcher", it was clear I wanted to face the game at max difficulty, trying to improve my game experience at best; that's why soon I searched mods to accomplish this. In this section I show which mod I have chosen.

There are 2 mods that improve the game experience:
Flash Mod: light mod that touches difficulties (tougher creatures and more experience) and some features like damage/armor system and weapons skin.
Full Rebalance Combat Mod: based from Flash Mod this also adds a full combat rebalance, damage based on weapon quality and not by skill talents, replace of the axii sign tree with a new one.

Site of both the mods[ifrit.pl]

I opted for Flash Mod because I don't like the game mechanics changes done by the FRC mod, neither the respawn system balance that cuts off the population of areas (making impossible to complete some contracts quest) or any change to the weapon skill.

Flash Mod settings:

• Difficulty: harder (than vanilla hard), that improves a lot the health of mobs and slightly increase their resistance, meanwhile the other difficulties (hardest and insane) simply improve the hit chance of creatures and their resistance at crazy value.
  
• No intro, to avoid the movie at each start game.
  
• Equipment, in order to stack up to 999 pieces in one equipment slot, handy for reagents.
  
• Armor change: all armors have 3 potion slots and 2 short weapon slot.

The build concept

My build is melee oriented, with traps like crowd control and debuff; aoe power-up damage for group of mobs, and strong sword style to finish off the already debilitated and scattered creatures.

Behind the wip build:

I wanted to use the three consumables in order to save early talents:

• Potions[witcher.wikia.com]: mainly for early immunities, damage boost on late game;
  
• Oil[witcher.wikia.com]: damage boost, only for silver swords (for steel sword I use Temporary runes[witcher.wikia.com] and Diamond dust[witcher.wikia.com]);
  
• Bombs[witcher.wikia.com]: for early aoe fear and blindness (very important).

Buzz[witcher.wikia.com] is an early immunity to pain, and the damage boost is good, and it works with intoxication by alcohol, the drunk build is my dream.

Buzz has malus, so it needs to improve vitality and any type of damage absorbing: Quen[witcher.wikia.com].

Quen makes any power-up skill possible, that's why Yrden[witcher.wikia.com] smiles to me.

Quen and Yrden aren't viable at the early stage of the game so the first steps are to improve direct damage, and the sign Igni[witcher.wikia.com] is the right choice because it's always usefull (early and late game), the build already uses 2 signs and has a wide usage of the intelligence attribute tree.

How works Quen and the power-up skills

This section is very important, because this game mechanic isn't described anywhere, not in the manual neither in the wikia.

Quen + any power-up skill is a powerfull combo. How it works:

Quen shield absorbs ALL the damage from ANY source at ANY level.
Already at level 1 Geralt doesn't take damage for a short time, BUT can be knocked down by enemy skill.

Power-up skills are the left-holding skills.
Any sword style has a power-up skill when the level 4 of the weapon is unlocked;
Each level of each Sign has an empowered power-up effect namely student, apprentice, specialist, expert, master.
Any damage taken INTERRUPTS the charging of the power-up skill.

That's why Quen is used to cover any power-up skill.

Aard: 4 bronze

Aard[witcher.wikia.com]
4 bronze talents are enough to do the act I and all the game if empowered with the intelligence tree.

Aard (level 1) -> Stun
Aard (level 2) -> Gust

Stun needs to be a fast pick at act 1, all the creature in this chapter are susceptible to knockdown and stun effect, making your life easier.
Gust is optional in act I, but disarm isn't that useful once you have both stun and gust.

Power-up only worth if it's mastered, but I don't want spend talents in Aard tree.

Igni: 5 bronze, 5 silver, 2 gold

Igni[witcher.wikia.com]
In act I is the only effective way (besides knockdown followed by instant kill) to deal with magic creature.
Consider to take level 4 during act 2 before the swamp, it will boost the damage a lot, making your life much easier.
Indeed the damage isn't amazing at low level, but does his work; at higher level is a great alternative to clear mobs once weaked.

Igni (level 1) -> Harm's Way I
Igni (level 2) -> Harm's Way II -> Incineration (take this in act 2 when in swamp)
Igni (level 3) -> Burning Blade (late game, only when unlocked the special of the silver group style)
Igni (level 4) -> Added Efficiency -> Inferno (late game, once put all the silver talents in Yrden)
Igni (level 5) -> Extended Duration

Wall of Fire, why not?

• Random;
  
• make to flee creatures that can be damaged by aoe;
  
• bombs are better and on demand.

Power-up? Ranged, doesn't fit in my build.

Quen: 7 bronze, 6 silver

Quen[witcher.wikia.com]

How works the power-up?
When any creature attacks and hits, the aggressor will lose % of his current health.
BUT it works until the total enemy's health is 50% above, then Geralt will parry all his attacks.
Improving this power-up only makes faster to reach the threshold, that's why isn't important going gold here.

Quen (level 1) -> Student -> Barrier I (late game, with waste points)
Quen (level 2) -> Extended Duration -> Apprentice -> Barrier II (like above)
Quen (level 3) -> Added Intensity (better rush to level 4 and take Added Efficiency) -> Specialist
Quen (level 4) -> Added Efficiency -> Expert

What avoid?

• Barrier III, there's a potion gives immunity to both.
  
• Survival Zone, the regen is too low to be effectvie in combat, potions and rituals are better.
  
• Resonance, knockdown means the creatures don't attack and don't lose health, so no gold.

All the parries are because all creatures are under 50%:

Yrden: 6 bronze, 8 silver, 3 gold

Everything here is good.
Power-up Quen -> Yrden -> Power-up Yrden -> any combo is possible:

• Quen -> Group special attack -> clear with Strong style on weakened creatures;
  
• Quen -> Strong special attack;
  
• Group base attack -> clear the left ones with Strong style;
  
• Aard -> pull creatures on the Yrden trap;
  
• Igni.

Yrden is my favourite sign, it deals amazing damage, has a great cc, and the power-up it's damage and debuff.
I recommend to level up this sign as soon as possible following my priorities, besides some talent, but only a few (Blinding Sign, for example, because you can use the bombs to have the same effect)

Yrden (level 1) -> Student -> Pain Sign
Yrden (level 2) -> Inscriptions -> Apprentice -> Prowess
Yrden (level 3) -> Stupor Sign (very important) -> Crippling Sign -> Specialist
Yrden (level 4) -> Added Efficiency -> Expert -> Blinding Sign (late game, bombs are better for this)
Yrden (level 5) -> Master -> Circle of Death

The combination Pain + Stupor Sign makes any creature, also the fast ones, being hit by strong style, that deals more damage than fast style.

Axii: nothing

Axii[witcher.wikia.com]
I don't want allies;
bombs are used for blindness;
same for fear.

Strength: 5 bronze, 6 silver, 3 gold

Strength[witcher.wikia.com]
This tree helps survivability and damage.
The health pool has an high priority because many damage boosts work on hp left, so more the health, less the danger staying with low hp.

Strength (level 1) -> Buzz (only after taken Quen)
Strength (level 2) -> Regeneration (early game, act 1, this talents is really usefull cause the low hp) -> Position (at the beginning, there are 2-3 times where you need to engage group fights in small environments, but without Quen, it's good thing to have some parry and dodge, but only with bronze talents + blizzard potions)
Strength (level 3) -> Vigor -> Survival Instinct
Strength (level 4) -> Aggression -> Stone Skin
Strength (level 5) -> Added Vitality -> Wound Resistance (after all the other golds)

What avoid:
Brawl, fistfights don't need this power-up skill, in dexterity there's another great talent;
Knockdown Resistance, having immunity with a potion;
Resistance to Bleeding, or this or Survival Instinct, I prefer to have a boost on damage and with all that massive hp bleeding isn't a problem.

Dexterity: 4 bronze, 6 silver, 2 gold

Dexterity[witcher.wikia.com]
I use this tree only to have a better chance to hit and to land a critical hit.

Dexterity (level 1) -> Flaying (free talent)
Dexterity (level 2) -> Repel -> Fistfight -> Deflect Arrows
Dexterity (level 3) -> Limit Incineration -> Resistance to Blinding (they are important because there'snt a potion against burning or blind)
Dexterity (level 4) -> Feint -> Incineration Resistance (like above)
Dexterity (level 5) -> Precision

What avoid?
Any silver and dodge talent: crowd-control and weakness already make the job to shut down enemies' attacks and I want to be hit when Quen power-up is on.

Stamina: 5 bronze, 4 silver, 3 gold

Stamina[witcher.wikia.com]
Mainly used to improve the endurance regeneration.

Stamina (level 1)
Stamina (level 2) -> Endurance Regeneration -> Poison Resistance -> Absorption
Stamina (level 3) -> Endurance Regeneration
Stamina (level 4) -> Brawn
Stamina (level 5) -> Potion Tolerance -> Added Endurance (both later in game, after other golds)

What avoid:
Heavyweight, use the potion, don't be too long intoxicated or you can't cast signs;
Pain Resistance, use the potion/buzz;
Revive, use the potion for the immunity to stun and knockdown;
Stun Resistance, like above.

Intelligence: 4 bronze, 7 silver, 3 gold

Intelligence[witcher.wikia.com]
Sign-power-boost and unlock consumables oils and bombs.
This is the first tree to get gold.

Intelligence (level 1) -> Potion Brewing (free)
Intelligence (level 2) -> Herbalism -> Oil Preparation
Intelligence (level 3) -> Bomb Preparation -> Ingredient Extraction (also useful for contracts)
Intelligence (level 4) -> Focus -> Magic Frenzy -> Knowledge of the Life Ritual (stacks with the swallow potion)
Intelligence (level 5) -> Intensity -> Mental Endurance

What avoid:
Monster Lore, the books are better;
Knowledge of the Cleansing Ritual, it's like the potion White Honey.

Strong steel: 8 bronze, 4 silver, 1 gold

Strong steel[witcher.wikia.com]
The strong steel style is mainly used during the first two act, and the later ones.
Consider to invest points only when appears human enemies and only after taking all the level 3 Yrden talents.

Strong Steel (level 1) -> Crushing Blow I -> Cut at the Jugular I -> Bloody Rage I (only early game, or pass)
Strong Steel (level 2) -> Crushing Blow II -> Cut at the Jugular II -> Boody Rahe II (like above)
Strong Steel (level 3) -> Crushing Blow III -> Cut at the Jugular III
Strong Steel (level 4), power-up skill
Strong Steel (level 5)

What avoid:
Bloody rage III, it has a good dmg boost but 15% hp left is really too low, and personally, in late game, vs humans in 1vs1 never dropped under 50%.

Fast steel: 4 bronze

Fast steel[witcher.wikia.com]
To be clear, both fast style are useful early game, when I don't have access to Yrden level 3 and 4.
After, with aoe pain and weakness, strong style can hit fast opponents, making obsolate the fast style.

Fast Steel (level 1) -> Hail of Blows I
Fast Steel (level 2) -> Hail of Blows II

Save your silver talents for others.

Group steel: 6 bronze, 4 silver

Group steel[witcher.wikia.com]
The power-up worth spending points here, also because many fights are with groups.

Group Steel (level 1) -> Half-spin I -> Precise Hit I
Group Steel (level 2) -> Half-spin II -> Precise Hit II
Group Steel (level 3) -> Half-spin III -> Precise Hit III
Group Steel (level 4), power-up skill, but not good as the silver one

What avoid?
Trip, for previous considerations;
Level 5, groups will rarely survive after the Quen-Yrden combo or after the third group style chain.

Strong silver: 8 bronze, 5 silver, 1 gold

Strong silver[witcher.wikia.com]
Silver style is stronger than the steel one, and has more appealing things.
About combat, same rules of the steel one.

Strong Silver (level 1) -> Patinado I (best talent out there) -> Mortal Blow I -> Deep Cut I
Strong Silver (level 2) -> Patinado II -> Mortal Blow II -> Deep Cut II
Strong Silver (level 3) -> Patinado III -> Mortal Blow II -> Deep Cut III
Strong Silver (level 4) -> power-up skill
Strong Silver (level 5)

Fast silver: 4 bronze

Fast silver[witcher.wikia.com]
Like the steel style.

Fast Silver (level 1) -> Flash Cuts I
Fast Silver (level 2) -> Flash Cuts II

Group silver: 6 bronze, 4 silver

Group silver[witcher.wikia.com]
Also here no gold, but the power-up skill is incredible powerful.
Every single points here worth.

Group Silver (level 1) -> Tempest I -> Critical Hit I
Group Silver (level 2) -> Tempest II -> Critical Hit II
Group Silver (level 3) -> Tempest II -> Critical Hit III
Group Silver (level 4), great power-up skill, also add the incineration effect

Don't take Knockdown and the level 5, no1 will survive after the power-up skill.

The build: gold and silver talents priorities

Gold and Silver points[witcher.wikia.com]

The build counts 18 gold and 59 silver, and only reaching level 47 (45 if you get gold points from potions) you can place all the gold talents.

What gold talents are vital?
Intelligence (level 5) -> Mental Endurance
Yrden (level 5) -> Master
Stamina (level 5)
Strength (level 5)
Dexterity (level 5)
Igni (level 5)

At level 37 (or 35) you can get all of them, with also 41 silver points.

The scheme for the silver talents is more flexible:

• try to prioritize the reduction of endurance cost;
  
• take the talents for consumables when avaible;
  
• upgrade together Quen and Yrden to survive and kill faster;
  
• then boost the damage or the survivability;
  
• prefer silver style talents over the steel ones during the mid game.

[ernitis]

Yo man. I am doing a permadeath run on hard. I am wondering if you recommend this build to me. It looks amazing since it uses basically every tool available (cept Axii). Also, would you say that this build can survive being not complete? Or should I camp cockatrices until I can complete it?

[PichuYang]

Thanks you for this guide and let me discovered a very fair mod! I'm first into Witcher series and I just recently replayed in Hard with Harder mod. Got rekted many times but I'm doing well and adapting my own build. I just found out that Fast Silver power-up is more reliable than Strong Silver, so I buffed that instead. Yrden is really fun to use but super weak power-up on early level. Not a fan of bomb. Experiment a lot before I replay on Chapter IV Crypt's Cave.

Now replay this in Hard without Cursor Hint and I realized the early levels are disaster. Aard is super useful XD Thanks again!

[Zyvoxx]

@Asha Man

Here you can find a guide that goes very in depth about this : https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/pc/950892-the-witcher-enhanced-edition/faqs/64245

Its a bit far down but there is a legend for easy navigation at the top.

[Asha Man]

Read through the guide a couple times, just started to play, having very difficult time figuring which talents take the most priority, which to get first. Should add a summary to your guide that very specifically tells which talents to get in the order you get them.

[timmy]

Hey, nice guide.

Playing on the hardest difficulty with FCR, everything went well, but got problems with the archespore in odo's garden.

A question about talents:

Are some talents named wrong?

Strength Level 2 has no regneration.

Also see no Vigor or survival instict in level 3

--

My dexterity skill tree also hasn't resistance to blindness.

Well, if you still have the game installed or could look that up, would be nice

[I love pushups]

I own this game on GOG and found this guide very helpful. Thank you!

[Harley]

will this build work for easy mode as well? cause thats what im playing on cause im new to the game

[mammasaura]

The guide also says that fast style helps at start, and you want and need to put points there, but than it's outclassed by the tools this build provides during mid/late game. I clearly remember I put points in fast style at the beginning, maxing it out before the big city than no more points.
It helped me with teh first memorable encounter in the house.

In the second act silver style points are mandatory.

Potions, use a lot of potions, they're awesome, Tthey're really helpfull and make things hard a lot easier. It's a bad habit to not use the,m, I literally learned to use them.
I think the guide cover most of the concerns pointed out, hope I cleared the doubts. Cheers!

[mammasaura]

If you go full melee or full signs you can put all the points without thinking and yolo the game easily, but its boring, there're tons of guides about those builds, mine is different and is what I want.

There're priorities like showed in the last paragrah that covers the problem of endurance.
Blade styles (group and strong) aren't a priority to be honest: utilities, stats and signs have a bigger impact at start. Quen, aard, potions, reduction endurance are the things to focus on.
Igni lvl2 (lvl1 is weak) is vital at the swamp, act2.

Group style power up is amazing once you have the combo yrden+quen+power up: the screenshots show that combo, you can easily tank 5+ mobs, yrden them, group power up and strong style to finish the survivors, but it's late game.

[grapez]

part 4 strong only seems to work on fast monsters on fire - and since you can only cast 1-2 times, you'll be running around half the times waiting for your endurance to recover. lastly, when you're surrounded, you will see you can go from full health to death very quickly. smart players will not level up group styles, and constantly throw themselves into the middle of a death mob, which basically is what you have to do to fully utilize that branch. a majority of the game, you will be using a hit and run style of attacking. you need to level up strong and fast styles. not group styles. only put skills into group styles if youre a sword master and you have extra points. having said all this, sometimes, group style is particularly effective in dealing with a small group of monsters that are not very dangerous to you very quickly. but i still believe any skill points past level 3 in group styles is not a good idea. good luck guys.