The big fight in CH. 1 everyone complains about

Thanks for the tips, everyone. This fight is coming up on the horizon for me, and now I'm looking forward to it since I have all this help.

Blizzard absolutely rocks - even with the OTS view in my opinion (although switching to iso really is beneficial for some fights). Every "impossible" fight I have encountered is completely turned around with Blizzard and a Swallow.

Hats off to those of you who prevailed in getting through this fight. You are true gamers, young and steadfast, and with an undying love for the challenge. I, on the other hand, am simply too old for this kind of frustration… frustration born not out of a good challenging fight, but rather the horrible implementation of the game mechanics. I swear I'm going to have a heart attack with this particular gaming situation.

It takes a good 4 minutes (4 f#$%ing minutes!!!) for this scene to load… mind boggling frustrating when all you want to do is get right back at it and try again. Then comes the long cut scene… further infuriating - at least after the first time you see it. (That was a damned good cut scene!) Then, with nowhere to save, I'm dropped into the fight, surrounded, weapon sheathed (I could of sworn he unsheathed it in the cut scene) I wouldn't mind it so much if I was able to employ the different tactics you guys talk about, but after the cut scene, when the fight starts, I'm plagued the first few moments with mind numbing stutters because of all the loading. By the time I finally get my weapon out, I'm being nipped at all around and stunned, my guy just stands there taking a beating, regardless of my commands. He won't dodge or attack. And then I'm dead, never even aware of what appalling fate befalls that poor witch I failed so miserably. The crushing blow is that now I'm faced with another long reload and cut scene playthrough. God, give me strength. I swear I would try and try again and beat it sooner or later… if I didn't have to face the injustice of that humungus load time and the re-viewing of that long cut scene. But screw that! I just can't take it. It's just too much to ask of an old man's heart. Again, hats off to you guys with nerves of steel… and fast computers!

I'm highly insensed at not being able to save just after the cut scene. What a poor implementation of game mechanics herein in what really is an awesome game otherwise. I could pound somebody's head overthere at CDProjekt!

Thanks for letting me vent. I needed to get that out of my system.
God help me… something tells me I'll soon try again. If you don't hear from me soon, send the de-fibulator stat…

Did you try pausing right when you arrive at the Beast to let your computer load in peace?

you could also try dropping visual details in minimun before the fight and after the fight changing back to what you were using.

I recommand using the Aard sign as much as possible in the begining to get room fast. Switching camera angle could help too? I'm playing with OST, but maybe isometric angle could give a better view for you.

For me on this one the bottom line is that regardless of the possible workarounds, it is textbook 'bad game design', and really stands out from many of the good things they've done in this game.

CarcusRex: I feel your pain. I got so frustrated i wanted to kill my computer.

It is strange however how fast i started to forgive this game in chapter two. I really feel like this is master piece. But as you said TXA, since they done most other thing right, this poorly, poorly, poorly design choice is something you never expect to see. Its a rookie misstake, a no no never do this in a game ever.

Always put a save point after lengthy cutscenes if there is a boss fight. Or else, your killing your own game. The cutscene is too cool to be destroyed by frustration. Its the first part where i really loved the Witcher. How he snorted against the villager, showing the "real deal". But, then i started to despise him…

I hate repetetive characters!

Well guys, as testiment to this otherwise fantastic rpg, I could not keep myself away. And I prevailed!!! Glory be to God.

But what was rather disheartening, after cleaning up my situation prior to the cutscene, after another 2 or 3 miserable trys of the same thing, the final attempt was… so damned easy I just cannot figure it out. I focused on the green hounds around Abigail with group style, and a blizzard potion. Amazingly, I never got stunned and only after 3 or 4 of them, which fell easily, just the hellhound was left, and Abigail was still standing. Back to fast style, a few slashes, one aard cast, and that raging terror of a beast fell like an old hag with arthritis.

While I'm thrilled to move on, I must say there was something peculiar and even a little troubling about my victory. Just too damned easy after all that toil.

This is one rpg that shines all over the place, it reminds me alot of Gothic 2, but it's also got an obnoxious streak about it that makes me wonder…

Thanks for all the ideas and input. Movin' on…

Tactics actually matter. Attack an enemy with the wrong style, wrong weapon, wrong sign, wrong oil, or wrong immunities, and you'll be in deep doo-doo. Once you do figure out what works where, it becomes a lot easier.

By the way, I'm now a bit deeper in Act 3, and that bit about it getting too easy… passed. It's nice and challenging again.

Not to mention by far the most imaginative storytelling I've come across in a cRPG in a long, long time. It's a shame about the translation, but the actual story is Planescape level at its best. This game shamelessly plunders everything from Lovecraft to King Arthur, stirs it up, sits it on its head, and serves it with a nice dose of wry and occasionally refreshingly st00pid humor.

Good to know it picks back up, Prime J. I find Geralt to be quite the dry humorist, though I must say some of the cutscenes are strangely garbled. Your plan to learn Polish might help with that.

Made it through this fight fairly easily, leaning on fatbastard's advice mainly (for the Spectral Oil and the planning. Many thanx, fb) Some great cutscenes here.

While I like a good challenge, I have to agree with txa1265 - this particular fight really is a matter of bad design. Not the fight itself, but not being able to save.

Originally Posted by Maylander
While I like a good challenge, I have to agree with txa1265 - this particular fight really is a matter of bad design. Not the fight itself, but not being able to save.

Perhaps the saddest thing is that many folks who are console gamers wouldn't know the difference … that sort of thing litters console RPG's to an embarrassing extent!

You know, you can save at the start of the fight. Not that it's done me much good, because I just don't have a swallow pot or a specteral oil on me. This fight is quite annoying, so much harder than everything before it. I'm playing on hard, but so far none of the fights have been all that hard - it's just a matter of knwoing your enemy and using the right pots before some of the tougher fights.

Well, time to load an earlier save so I can properly prepare for this fight. Can't wait for Ch2! I've enjoyed the game a lot so far, and everything I've heard is that Ch2 is much better than chapter 1.

Hm, didn't succeded to save before the fight. I tried though.

I could only reloaded it before the dialog and cutscenes.

Good luck anyway! It seems like luch is the biggest factor for everyone doing this fight. Tactics and learning tactics hasn't been part of the fighting …

I had a little trouble with this fight, and IMO, the hardest part is that the Beast puts the "pain" status on you, making you a sitting duck. After two or three tries I just tapped pause repeatedly as the fight drew near, and paused the moment I was able to, tapped quicksave, then went at it. Suprisingly it worked first time then. Best way I think is to use a potion of Swallow, and then just repeatedly use the Ard sign on the Beast then attack. If you're lucky he'll get stunned and die quickly, if not you can switch to group style and kill the minions while he's knocked down at least. The healing from Abigail really helps here, so try and keep a little pressure off here if you can.

Yup, Aard works on the Beast quite well, even when it's at full strength, and especially if you've upgraded it a bit. However, to make sure, you can whittle him down a bit first, e.g. with a few swipes of the group style -- if you're using specter oil, that'll work quite well too.

Originally Posted by Prime Junta
Yup, Aard works on the Beast quite well, even when it's at full strength, and especially if you've upgraded it a bit. However, to make sure, you can whittle him down a bit first, e.g. with a few swipes of the group style -- if you're using specter oil, that'll work quite well too.

I used Arad as soon as I saw him, and one shotted the beast.

I was having the same problems as most everyone until I used Arad and clicked him right away, he went down with one swing. I was amazed. This works on hard difficulty with no problems. Just make sure you click him right away.

Well, I'm trying not to spoil my surprises as I play through this game, so I didn't read this thread until I actually experienced it firsthand. Just now (I'm really limited in playtime so still stuck in Chap. 1) I encountered this boss battle. I died rather quickly, and it's late so I only gave it the one chance. Still, I'm happy to see that all of my ideas for the second go-around are the right ones - Specter Oil, which I made previously, thinking I may need it, Swallow, Tawny Owl, and Blizzard.

BTW, I also agree that Blizzard is very effective and one of my favorite potions. I don't like how distorted it makes everything look though.

@ Mute: Blizzard looks like it slows everything down, including Geralt, but in fact Geralt moves faster. I know this because I had taken a Blizzard potion just before saving Vesna from the rapists, after which I had to escort her to her house. After running a ways forward, I turned to see if she was still behind me, and I had left her completely in the dust, way more so than if you are running without the potion's effects.

Anyways, tomorrow night I'll give it another shot. Kind of dissappointed to learn I won't be able to tidy up any outstanding quests, but oh well. I think they deserve an Oscar for that cut-scene! And I must say the moral choices in this game are indeed captivating. I stewed for several minutes trying to decide whether to side with Abigail or the village. I can see both sides, but in the end I think the Reverend is the biggest crook.

I have come to love Blizzard to… The game really doesn't shine until chapter 2 and i made some quick conclusions in chapter 1 which i dearly regret now.



Playing Mass Effect right now and my mind wander to The Witcher. There really isn't a better RPG (The Witcher that is) this year.

Yet.