Witcher III : PT III : Blood and Winos

[Soliloquy of a Dogge]

Up to 175 hours now on my playthrough. Just finished Skellige completely. Including all those wonderful smuggler cache question marks. Figure by the time I get done with both expansions and the rest of the story I may be approaching 300ish hours with the completionist I am. Have about 225 quests completed; always taken aback by just how packed with content this game is.

Taking my time and savoring every second but that's just insane. Haven't tired of the game at all though I have taken a 2 month break and a three 1 month breaks from the game since I started my playthrough.

 

[ArGarBarGar]

How did you get 175 hours in it?

I'm pretty sure my first playthrough was less than 100, and I did all the side quests.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

My first play through was 95 hours

 

[Soliloquy of a Dogge]

How did you get 175 hours in it?

I'm pretty sure my first playthrough was less than 100, and I did all the side quests.

I don't fast travel, a lot a Gwent (I play every vendor), I kill most enemies I see, don't skip any of the dialogue etc. Probably have left the game open for 10 or 15 hours as well.

My friend's first playthrough clocked in at about 200 hours completing HoS. But he skipped dialogue, didn't complete every side quest and fast traveled. Doing it in about 100 seems impossible to me.

 

[ArGarBarGar]

I don't fast travel, a lot a Gwent (I play every vendor), I kill most enemies I see, don't skip any of the dialogue etc. Probably have left the game open for 10 or 15 hours as well.

My friend's first playthrough clocked in at about 200 hours completing HoS. But he skipped dialogue, didn't complete every side quest and fast traveled. Doing it in about 100 seems impossible to me.

Okay, weirdo.

 

[Soliloquy of a Dogge]

Okay, weirdo.

I know

Skellige was tons of fun with my insistence on avoiding it.

 

[SniperHF]

Skellige was tons of fun with my insistence on avoiding it.

See here's my theory on Skellige. Sure you could go get every nook and cranny of rando below level treasure and spend 20-25 hours doing it. OR you could play 1 really solid 20 hour game and skip it

 

[Corto]

How did you get 175 hours in it?

I'm pretty sure my first playthrough was less than 100, and I did all the side quests.

Yeah I get like 150 hrs per playthrough.

I don't skip cut scenes (they're so good), I do all the contracts and side quests, I spend hours on fashion (finding the right armor-beard-hair combination!)... And oh, gwent. Lots of gwent.

 

[Warden of the North]

Just bought this. Pretty awesome so far.

A little more difficult then I was expecting, but thays because I havent played a hack and slash like this in ages.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

I recommend you don't play it hack'n'slash, it pays off to be slow and methodical.

Although I played on the second hardest difficulty... I can imagine powering through enemies is doable on easier settings.

 

[SniperHF]

It's a "dodge & slash". As opposed to Witcher 2 was a "roll & slash".

Or Witcher 1 which was "LOL IGNI MURDER EVERYTHING LOL"

 

[Soliloquy of a Dogge]

See here's my theory on Skellige. Sure you could go get every nook and cranny of rando below level treasure and spend 20-25 hours doing it. OR you could play 1 really solid 20 hour game and skip it

That sounds way too reasonable and logical for me.

But yeah, in hindsight, the only thing that came out of it that I don't consider a complete waste of time was getting a glut of runestones and glyphs out of it.

 

[Soliloquy of a Dogge]

Another reason why my play time is higher is probably because of Death March and the insistence I had on taking on enemies 10-15 levels above me early on in Velen. Some of those fights took an hour or two or more with all the dying, dodging and sneaking the odd hit in while slowly whittling down their health.

 

[Warden of the North]

I recommend you don't play it hack'n'slash, it pays off to be slow and methodical.

Although I played on the second hardest difficulty... I can imagine powering through enemies is doable on easier settings.

Thanks for the tip. Will try it. I find it hard to be slow and methodical when theres more then a couple enemies though.

 

[snowden]

Combat takes some getting used to. In Skyrim, I just hacked and slashed everything and rarely used shouts and never any potions or whatever. Once I leveled up a bit I tore through everyone.

Just got this game a week ago and you definitely have to be a lot more cautious about how you attack. Lots of waiting to strike and I use a lot of my signs. Lots of fun, tho.

My question is do the monsters and enemies level up with you at all? I'm playing on the default because I prefer going through the story instead of spending hours on combat and avoiding things. I'm level 9 right now and went through a place on my map earlier and came back to find some level 23 ghouls. Every ghoul I'd encountered until then had been level 9 or 7. Wasn't sure if they were leveling or they appeared after I got through a certain part of the story.

 

[Soliloquy of a Dogge]

Combat takes some getting used to. In Skyrim, I just hacked and slashed everything and rarely used shouts and never any potions or whatever. Once I leveled up a bit I tore through everyone.

Just got this game a week ago and you definitely have to be a lot more cautious about how you attack. Lots of waiting to strike and I use a lot of my signs. Lots of fun, tho.

My question is do the monsters and enemies level up with you at all? I'm playing on the default because I prefer going through the story instead of spending hours on combat and avoiding things. I'm level 9 right now and went through a place on my map earlier and came back to find some level 23 ghouls. Every ghoul I'd encountered until then had been level 9 or 7. Wasn't sure if they were leveling or they appeared after I got through a certain part of the story.

No. The enemies don't scale.

Though you can change that with mods.

 

[snowden]

Well that's good. Do enemies show up after learning about them because I never saw any of the Insectoid ones until I learned about them

 

[Do Make Say Think]

Thanks for the tip. Will try it. I find it hard to be slow and methodical when theres more then a couple enemies though.

The enemies telegraph their moves, so once you've identified how they move you should be good to go.

Whenever you encounter enemies, it pays to let them make the first move; when dealing with mobs you should kite them (move around and attract them in such a way that they get separated).

Then remember Quen (shield magic): that allows you to make mistakes and live.

 

[Soliloquy of a Dogge]

Well that's good. Do enemies show up after learning about them because I never saw any of the Insectoid ones until I learned about them

You're talking about the entries in the bestiary? Enemies can show up in the wild before you learn about them. Some of them are confined to more concentrated areas, so they can be tough to come across at first if you don't go off the beaten path. The first time you fight a newly discovered enemy, its information will automatically be entered into your bestiary. And read books about them will add additional information, or vice versa.

 

[McPuritania]

I'm a little annoyed at my game right now. I'll put the issue in spoiler tags as I see there are people in this thread playing the game for the first time.

[spoil]So, I went to do the Letho quest line, and for some ****ing reason, He isn't there, and I can't do the quest. I tried to research a little bit on why that may be, and it seems that if you played the Witcher, and the Witcher 2, you can import your game into the Witcher 3. If you killed Letho in that game, you can't get him in this one. But, ffs, I never played any of those games. I also saw people talking about answering questions while being shaved, and I didn't answer any damn questions about Letho when I was being shaved.

I have no idea why I'm being denied this quest line, and an ally. In my first play through I came upon Letho, and did the quest line no problem. Why the **** am I being denied this time? I really wanted to do things right with this second go. I wanted to correct a few mistakes I had, and I wanted to get every single person's aid possible for the battle later on. I'm really, really, annoyed right now.[/spoil]

 

[SeidoN]

think of him as a reward for having played #2. if you have never met him, theres no reason for him to know you and side with you

seems weird you met him during your first playthrough tho *shrug*

 

[ArGarBarGar]

I'm a little annoyed at my game right now. I'll put the issue in spoiler tags as I see there are people in this thread playing the game for the first time.

[spoil]So, I went to do the Letho quest line, and for some ****ing reason, He isn't there, and I can't do the quest. I tried to research a little bit on why that may be, and it seems that if you played the Witcher, and the Witcher 2, you can import your game into the Witcher 3. If you killed Letho in that game, you can't get him in this one. But, ffs, I never played any of those games. I also saw people talking about answering questions while being shaved, and I didn't answer any damn questions about Letho when I was being shaved.

I have no idea why I'm being denied this quest line, and an ally. In my first play through I came upon Letho, and did the quest line no problem. Why the **** am I being denied this time? I really wanted to do things right with this second go. I wanted to correct a few mistakes I had, and I wanted to get every single person's aid possible for the battle later on. I'm really, really, annoyed right now.[/spoil]

[spoil]Highly doubt you were not asked questions about him. They ask every single time when you play.

Did you get to the point where you can trigger the quest? I thought you had to start the widow's questline for it to work.[/spoil]

 

[McPuritania]

think of him as a reward for having played #2. if you have never met him, theres no reason for him to know you and side with you

seems weird you met him during your first playthrough tho *shrug*

Yeah, I did the questline in my first go through, but I've never played #2 before. I heard that [spoil]If you killed Letho in the second game, you won't have him in the third, but otherwise you should.[/spoil]

[spoil]Highly doubt you were not asked questions about him. They ask every single time when you play.

Did you get to the point where you can trigger the quest? I thought you had to start the widow's questline for it to work.[/spoil]

[spoil]I don't know man, I don't remember ever answering questions about Letho at all in the game before meeting him. I even started a new playthrough recently, but I don't recall a single mention. What is asked about him? Do you guys remember?

Yeah, I did the entire Fall of House Reardon questline. Went into the loft, wasn't there, after completion the ladder to the loft is removed. Can't even go back up there.[/spoil]

 

[SniperHF]

[spoil]RE: Witcher 2, I never felt like leaving Letho alive made much sense from a character perspective. It's a neat thing to let the guy go in a gamey/RPG sense but story wise I don't think it works.[/spoil]

 

[wingsnut19]

Yeah, I did the questline in my first go through, but I've never played #2 before. I heard that [spoil]If you killed Letho in the second game, you won't have him in the third, but otherwise you should.[/spoil]



[spoil]I don't know man, I don't remember ever answering questions about Letho at all in the game before meeting him. I even started a new playthrough recently, but I don't recall a single mention. What is asked about him? Do you guys remember?

Yeah, I did the entire Fall of House Reardon questline. Went into the loft, wasn't there, after completion the ladder to the loft is removed. Can't even go back up there.[/spoil]

[spoil]The guy asks you directly about whether Letho is alive or not.

EDIT: Sorry, he doesn't asks directly, but there is a conversation about him where you say whether you killed him or not. Here is a video of the questions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXR30lx43dY [/spoil]