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Has anyone made a run where you just placed one skill point in each of the little circles? I know we are supposed to choose one of the three trees for a concentration, so I was wondering what would happen if we chose not to specialize, and instead did level one of as many as we could. So, Has anyone done this yet? if so, What were the results?
Jack of all trades approach. Don't know if it would be a good idea. My goal was to get to the end of my chosen tree as fast as possible, then start upgrading skills, most of them in the same tree.
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cooper: Has anyone made a run where you just placed one skill point in each of the little circles? I know we are supposed to choose one of the three trees for a concentration, so I was wondering what would happen if we chose not to specialize, and instead did level one of as many as we could. So, Has anyone done this yet? if so, What were the results?
I have not done this yet. But it could be pretty powerful for at least 2 reasons.
a) If you invested 2 points in Mutagen Upgrade. You have so many mutagens you would probably be overpowered.
b) Stacking adrenaline skills.
During my playthrough I tried to do something as you proposed, and the result is: my Geralt is not especialized in any of the three branches, so he can't get the most of any of his skills. For example, he has a decent level in Signs, a little improvements of the potions lasting, in life and vigor points... but those little improvements are nothing compared to what my Geralt could have become if he had specialized.

When I play my second playthrough in a better PC -perhaps in a couple of years- I will specialize in Swordfightinh, I think. I think is the most efficient path when it comes to eliminate enemies in good speed.
I did something similar. I initially went with the swordsman path and only spent points on what I felt were the most useful talents after my first playthrough. Some things I spent two points on, others I didn't get at all. Then I started upgrading my signs, buying only 1 level of each talent until I had unlocked Heliotrope, and then going back and purchasing a second level of the most useful talents (like the one that gives you an extra vigor point, etc.).

The end result was quite impressive, as I had a Geralt that was strong at armed combat and who could generate adrenaline very quickly through landing sword blows. Then when the adrenaline bar was full I could simultaneously trigger a group finisher and Heliotrope, which is ridiculously powerful. Some enemies drop dead, and the rest are slowed to a crawl by Heliotrope. And in a large battle Geralt can recharge adrenaline so quickly through sword blows that it's possible to keep Heliotrope constantly active (just hack away at the slowed enemies, and your adrenaline bar will be full again before the sign dissipates).

Using this I was able to fight my way to the center of the Flaming Rose camp (on the Iorveth path, playing on Hard), though unfortunately it's not possible to wipe them all out as new Flaming Rose NPC's keep spawning indefinitely. It's quite effective against The Operator and his gargoyles, as well.

I also got some extra mutagen slots out of this strategy, but I don't think that really made much of a difference. Certainly nothing on par with being able to charge the Heliotrope sign by hacking away with my sword.
Post edited June 21, 2011 by aroth
The two halves of the game are not balanced for difficulty. The first half with you getting to chapter 2 is much harder than the second half. It really doesn't matter what you pick once you reach level 20 or so. There have been tons of posts about people not even assigning talents after this level. So you can spread them out and not have to worry about it. What you do have to be careful of is how you spend the first 14 or so talents, especially if playing hard/insane.
There's also an secret boss in the game who can reset your skills in act 3 if you make mistakes.

Also If you decide to fight him, he's hard as heck to kill, even more than the dreaded Letho or dragon.
I ran into that guy already in one play through. I remember the door to get to him as much harder than getting rid of him. My brain just doesn't really work for puzzles well- hahaha.
It is a thought though that all skill points after about 15 are just there and not really important. That makes some sense for what I have seen in my runs already now that I think about it.
I have always done the sword path so far, so I know I want those skills, I was just thinking it might be fun to play with the others- Yes jack of all trades sounds right- so probably master of none.
Anyone else want to express an opinion, it is fun reading. Thanks for the replies already posted.
Well, that's the first time I've had a post disappear on me, surprisingly; good thing it was short.

I focused on magic on my playthrough, there were some things on swordsman that I want, but can any of them really beat a fully upgraded Quen? Area stun and incineration from Aard and Igni respectively also mean that most of my sword strikes contact defenseless foes.

On topic, I like the powerful stuff too much to view spreading skill points as a good decision.
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Iromai: There's also an secret boss in the game who can reset your skills in act 3 if you make mistakes.
Possibly only on Roche's path. You're unlikely to reach an area with the relevant item if you took Iorveth's.
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aroth: I did something similar. I initially went with the swordsman path and only spent points on what I felt were the most useful talents after my first playthrough. Some things I spent two points on, others I didn't get at all. Then I started upgrading my signs, buying only 1 level of each talent until I had unlocked Heliotrope, and then going back and purchasing a second level of the most useful talents (like the one that gives you an extra vigor point, etc.).
Did something like that my first run. Found certain nasty battles easier that way than with my second run, an almost pure mage, and the rapid adrenalin-generation feeding Heliotrope + Group Finisher was a fair part of it. You can even do Quen + slashing, and *both* the slashing and damage absorbed by Quen will result in adrenaline. It arguably wasn't quite as nasty against large groups as being a walking area-effect flamethrower, but fared quite nicely in general.
Post edited June 22, 2011 by lw2jgog
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Iromai: There's also an secret boss in the game who can reset your skills in act 3 if you make mistakes.
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lw2jgog: Possibly only on Roche's path. You're unlikely to reach an area with the relevant item if you took Iorveth's.
no it isn't..... if you're talking about the item I think you are then it is available on both paths, and the quest simply starts once you pick it up, not unlikely at all for anyone who explores the map either before or after a certain major quest in the second half of act 2.
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cooper: Has anyone made a run where you just placed one skill point in each of the little circles? I know we are supposed to choose one of the three trees for a concentration, so I was wondering what would happen if we chose not to specialize, and instead did level one of as many as we could. So, Has anyone done this yet? if so, What were the results?
I never actually play with 1 tree only, i dabble in all 3 trees for a bit. I already try to get the +2 vigor in the sign tree and the whirl in the sword tree. the dodge talent in the sword tree makes moving around the battlefield soooo much easier. if you use potions at all, spending 5 points and get the catalysis talent 2/2 will let you use tier 2 potions without much side effects. all of those talents are pretty much must haves.

when sword build it is nice to get the extra vigor for parrying/blocking :P the tier 2 potions will help your end game that much better. sign build and alchemy build are the same thing, they all benefit from the talents I listed.
Well , it depends the level of difficulty one plays IMHO

One thing to keep in mind is that you have only 28 points that you can spend "freely " , the rest is necessarily in training (34 total points - 6 )

the other thing to keep in mind is that the most powerful talents are at the end of each tree except 3 of them ( boosted mutagens , boosted potions , and additional vigors )

Another factor is that the most powerful stuffs are "attribute boosting" talents , so mutagens , potions , damage/vitality/vigor and adrenalin boost ,

Finally , the most useful talents are achieved only when you put the second point , if you put only one point in every skill , you are going to be weaker than someone who has less talents , but has spent 2/2 on the most powerful talents


Personally , my experience is that spreading into 2 trees produce the most powerful build ( namely Alchemy-sword build , with for instance 18 in alchemy and 10 in sword you end up with 10 mutagens with doubled stats (mutagens really shine when you double their power and have more than 5 slots , 10 slots is ideal ) , fastest adrenalin charger , highest HP or armor or criticals depending which mutagens you applied , can drink 4 super potions , stack the damage/vigor regen/adrenalin bonuses of sword tree and alchemy tree etc .. )

Magic-sword , or Magic alchemy is powerful too , especially magic-sword . But spreading into 3 trees in my opinion and experience is the weakest thing you can do (even though you can still finish the game easily as it is almost impossible to "screw" a build in TW2) , because even though you can have a few interesting talents from each 3 trees , you won't get the "absolute best " of 2 trees , so it can only be weak due to the fact that there are only 28 points , well IMHO .

Going full specialization in only one tree is powerful ( and easy to play at the beggining if you go full sword ) , but not the most powerful in the end because you stack nothing from two trees .

Generally speaking , a strong pure mage will be almost invincible in 1vs1 (bosses ) , but more "vulnerable" against powerful mobs (because of limited vigor ) , whereas pure sword build will be "generally speaking " less strong against bosses but will breeze through the mist and encounters where you are facing groups of enemies (thanks to whirl , +dmg with sword etc ) , so going for a hybrid build with points invested in two trees gives you the most "flexible" build too , well just my opinion
Post edited June 22, 2011 by Ianis
That was a beautiful set of replies.

I just loaded the game and hand counted the skill tree-- is 51 correct?
hmmm-- there will never be a game that gets one in each skill . giggles, silly me for thinking this might be fun to try. ok, new plan. How about reaching the end points for each tree, will that be possible? 28 divided by three..... go ahead , I'll catch up.
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cooper: That was a beautiful set of replies.

I just loaded the game and hand counted the skill tree-- is 51 correct?
hmmm-- there will never be a game that gets one in each skill . giggles, silly me for thinking this might be fun to try. ok, new plan. How about reaching the end points for each tree, will that be possible? 28 divided by three..... go ahead , I'll catch up.
Pretty sure you can just spash points to get to the end of each branch.
Looks like it costs 8 points each for magic and sword, 9 for alchemy.