How do I beat this plant??
 

Just entered the swamps for the first time last night. Came across several plants that are not listed in the Bestiary. I can't remember their names, but they are not Archspores and not Echinopsae… I think they began with a 'C' perhaps???

Anyway, I died 4 times trying to fight just one of them. They kill me with about 5-6thorn shots, and quicker if I get close enough to use a sword. I'm trying to light them up with Igni but no luck - they have more range than I do it seems. At the time I had approx 5 bronze talents devoted to Igni including some level II. Since then I leveled up and maxed out the sign (for bronze), but haven't tried it on the plants yet. I don't see it making that much difference but maybe…

…As far as my character build, I'm pretty much maxed out on bronze talents except for a few sword skills.

Can anyone tell me the obvious answer and point out what a lame Witcher I must be?? - Thanks! :lol:

It's the Coccacidium, a trophy plant that can spawn in several locations. I think it's a named archespore. Anyway, pump up on potions (swallow, tawny, blizzard (preferably with the rubedo and nigredo active substances)), run in, hit it with Igni until it ignites and hack away. Repeat the last two steps until the monster is killed.

Are you sure their plants. The only plants that I remember from the swamps were Archespores and those were a real pain in the butt to kill. If they pop out of the ground then their Archespores. What I always do when faced with thorn throwing plants that can kill you in a few hits is buff out with potions, sharpen those swords with diamond dust and attack. If more than one are attacking you make sure you position yourself between the plants. So that one plant will hit the other with its thorns instead of you. That helped a lot. Strong attack, Igni, potions and diamond dust did the trick for me.

Anyways if you find out their name let me know I'm curious now if there is something I'm forgetting :)

Edit: Thanks Kaz, I remember that sucker…It still is an archespore though just a heck of a lot meaner.

You could also wait a chapter and kill it later. It's easier with a bunch of silver talents under your belt. ;)

Okay, thanks guys, now I don't feel so bad. Yes, that's the name definitely - Coccacidum. Why is it not listed in the Bestiary? (No, my own is not complete - I'm referring to the one on the Witcher Wiki) Oh well.. for now I just scream and run past them.. maybe I'll get up the nerve to try again later. ;)

wow, Jabberwocky, we're still on the same page w/ the Witcher. I just hit the swamps yesterday, and ran into the very same thing, in fact I was killed by one of those things.

I wasnt really prepared tho, I kinda hit the scene with a pretty full inventory and no potions, just trying to do a little exploring during the day and maybe knock out a simple drowner quest or two and gather some herbs. Munch on a chicken leg or something if I need it, you know. Speaking of which, I accidentally ate a Drowner brain (blech!), which didnt bode well for my toxin level.

But yeah, night fell, things got a little crazy and I got turned around, tripped over one of those plant things and it was over before it even began!

I'm back in Vizima now, I'm going to hit my stockpile and fire up some potions and get ready to hit the swamp in earnest.

I agree with wait a few levels on that one plant. I have also found fire (forget how to spell it, Ingi?) helps. If you can easily kill the Anchespore you should be close to ready to take that one on. There are three levels of these plants, and the Cocc.. one is the top level.
I also suggest you move in close to them, it seemed to me I could do more damage and take less damage when I was standing at the base of the stem. I may be wrong and just imagined it, but it sure felt like my hits were more consistent when I got right on top of them.

Running past them is my strategy. Far too expensive (in terms of potions etc.) to take them out so far.

I was able to kill it by using Igni. My range with Igni was just a little farther than its range with thorns. I'd rush up to it so it'd come out of the ground then run just out of its range and fire a charged Igni spell. You must have ranged level two with Ignite under the Igni sign for this to work. If your igni shoots like a fireball, then it's charged.

I'm in Chapter 4 now which is a complete change of pace from the rest of the game. It's kinda like an interlude chapter.

Swallow, Go next to it, Fire 2 Ignis, run away but don't make it disappear in the ground just go out of the range of thorns, wait until your Endurance and Vitality is full then repeat
4 times maximum it will die, I did on hard on the first time I entered the Swamp , I needed the cash.

Tough little sucker; I beat it first time with about 2 HP's to spare. I found the cave that's full of the plants much tougher as I'd regularly get caught in a three way crossfire!!

You mean the cave from the first act? Yea, those were a real pain. I don't know how many times I died trying to do that quest. Oh yea and don't use the pain causing grease(don't remember the name) like I did, it doesn't do anything to plants DUH!!!. Took me awhile to catch onto that fact in the first act.

Well, thanks to all for the suggestions. I took care of the quest necessities in the Swamp and now I'm back in Vizima to persue some newly opened up things there.

I now have the Igni skills pretty much topped out for my current level. We'll see how that does the next time I go into the swamp…

Incedentally this brings me to another question:
Why can't I charge up my spells?
I know the skill tree says something about right-click and hold to charge up spells, but I can't do it - mine just fire the moment I right click - doesn't matter if I'm holding the button down or not. Is this normal or is something wrong?

That sounds odd. It does work for me: when I right-click and hold, a little elongated diamond appears at the bottom of the screen and starts filling up; when I release before it hits the right edge, there's a bigger whoomp.

I've had difficulties with the power up spells or swords. Especially right after I swing a few times then try to fire up my spell. Sometimes I'm holding it for a few seconds and nothing happens. Then I let go and try again and it works.

With the full power up the diamond can be tricky. I'll power it up all the way and then release just as soon as it hits the edge of the triangle. Instead of a powered up spell or sword swing I get the non powered up version. I find if I hold it for about half a second after it is fully charged it will release the powered up spell or sword attack.

So anytime I'm powering up I make sure I got that sucker all the way up and hold for a heart beat, then release. Works for me till they patch it.

Wow. I honestly don't know what you guys are talking about…. I've never seen any kind of diamond shape on-screen.

Okay, just to be sure I've got the ability in the first place - I currently have all availible bronze skills in Aard except for "gust."

I have all availible bronze skills in Igni except "harm's way II."

There are two icons on the magic skill tree called "Student" and "Apprentice." Clicking or hovering over the "Apprentice" icon pops up the explanation of the right-click and hold thing. Talents are not applied to this icon best I can tell, it's just there to signify the start of that particular branch of the skill tree.

Either I'm just missing something very obvious, or something's broke.

I'm wondering if it could be a mouse compatibility issue? - I'm using a Logitech MX 610 cordless laser.

The Alt Attack Icon doesn't appear on screen till you press and hold, just like the Fist fighting.
It's on the bottom of the screen center, try to test it when no enemies are around like at night to get used to it.

Bingo: you do have to apply talents to those icons in order to get the charge-up.

However, unlike the others, you don't have to have the talent to get the others in the tree, which is a bit confusing.

I'm sure you know what you're talking about PJ, but at the same time, I seem to remember clicking on those icons when I still had talents to spare, and they did nothing. I'll have to check this but I sure thought they were not 'spendable'.

Jabber, you are going to have to read all the branches and see which ones let you boost spell, increase power of, etc. Once you have enough of the right ones you will see the boost diamond. It is a matter of having the right amount of endurance available, the skill tree filled in sufficiently for the spell boosts, and the strength and stamina high enough to do it. It is a combo of skills that makes it show up.