Witcher Skills requiring certain conditions - Do you use them?

The thread topic is pretty explanatory, but I'll elaborate just in case -

In each skill tree there are certain skills that are only activated upon meeting certain criteria. e.g. "Heavyweight," "Predator," etc...

I personally have not put any talents into these because I don't like the idea of it only being beneficial when certain conditions are present. I'd rather invest in things that I know will always work.

Anyone else use them, and if so, why? How's it worked out? ---

I have only put talents in them toward the end of the game, once I have filled in all the main branches. I didn't see a great deal of improvement, but yes, they did help kill faster, and sort of looked cool as well. The ones that only kicked in when death was close, seldom kicked in by then as my level was too high for it to happen.

The prerequisites for the Predator skill went against the way I chose to play my Geralt, so I was never able to get the necessary ingredient to make the mutagen potion.


Otherwise I chose the same path as you. I avoided the "only in effect when drunk/bleeding/burning/close-to-death/etc" types of skill since I, like you, preferred to avoid the special condition altogether.

Hmm, I'm not much help it would seem. Sorry

No, that's cool. I wasn't looking for help, just other viewpoints.

Regarding the Predator skill, FB, I know it says requires consumption of a mutagen, but doesn't that mean just any mutagen? You spoke of a specific one??

Yes, the ones that say "require a mutagen" are quest related, I believe, JW. I didn't get the Predator one either for the same reason as fatbastard, but the two others I got required a special ingredient(=monster body part) only available from one particular monster. (This is assuming I'm remembering correctly )

AFA skills, I did take a few eventually, but as CM says, late in the game. As I was playing on low low difficulty, I wasn't experiencing a real need for them, but they did implement and work--at a harder difficulty, I'm sure they would come in quite handy.

Well this definitely sheds some light on things - I'm glad I started this thread.

I'm not sure that I like the idea of a hard-earned talent being wasted on a useless skill until you recieve said quest - or does choosing that skill trigger the quest??

Anyhow, I don't think I want my quest outcome decisions to be based on whether or not I chose that skill, so I think I'll pass, unless I end up with more talents than can be applied elsewhere. Does that happen?

You cannot tag a skill that requires a mutagen and drinking the mutagen in question automatically gives you the skill, so they're essentially free skill points.

Well duh... Of course that's how it would work. I'm an idiot.. Thanks Kaziklubey. Seriously, I never even tried to tag one of those skills so I didn't realize you actually can't. Sorry for the previous post.

One branch I did fill in early, which I just thought of, was the intelligence stuff. Learning the plants and monsters early in the game helps greatly. I tried to add one tick to that at least every other or third level up.

True dat, Cm... I do the same thing. Knowlege is the greatest weapon 'n' all that jazz.

I'm doing that for sure next, I'm so tired of not having the smarts when it comes to some certain kind of monster or plant, and having to run all over looking for some book!

I'm not using the conditionals either, except for the 'when fighting three or more opponents' one

I bought too many books... Now I can't afford my first armor upgrade that's priced at $5000. Still $2000 to go... Better hope I get lucky at some serious dice poker!

I did a test and it's possible to be a pure mage, with the exception of maybe 5% or so fights that resist Ingi, so that was nice they allowed for it and obviously getting those gold and silvers really helped, as did Tawny.

There are 4 total Mutagens based skills but there are a couple that do use tokens like the Drunk effects being lasting longer, especially if you don't make Wives Tears and are not near a campfire. Though I don't see any point of getting the increase and decrease Drinking Skill, giving you better dodge and less damage when fighting drunk.

Like all you guys and gals, I avoided the fur as well, so I only got 3 of the 4 mutagens.

I checked to see if Tk-102 had made a Save Game Editor yet so I could cheat and add one, but so far he only has the Extractor which doesn't have an interface, though I am posting to ask him too if he gets the time.

http://www.lucasforums.com/showthread.php?p=2404936#post2404936

I dumped points in INT and subsequently Herbalism and lo, the light hath shone down from above and all is clear now ='.'=