“I know him. He’ll get confused, lost in his own philosophising and wallow in self-pity. He’ll vent his anger and hack at anyone and anything he comes across. Then, in expiation, he’ll do some grand but pointless deed. In the end he’ll be slain, stupidly and needlesly, with just a stab in the back...” Yennefer of Vengerberg
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
“I know him. He’ll get confused, lost in his own philosophisingand wallow in self-pity. He’ll vent his anger and hack at anyone and anything he comes across. Then, in expiation, he’ll do some grand but pointless deed. In the end he’ll be slain, stupidly and needlesly, with just a stab in the back...”
2.8.7 Talents per level ............................................................................................ 33 2.9 Character Rebalance ................................................................................................ 34 2.9.1MonstersinEasyDifficultyPack..................................................................34 2.9.2 NPCs ............................................................................................................ 35 2.9.3 Fist Fighting ................................................................................................. 37 2.9.4MonstersinHardDifficultyPack.................................................................38 2.10 Item Rebalance ...................................................................................................... 39 2.10.1 Steel Swords ............................................................................................... 39 2.10.2 Silver Swords ............................................................................................. 39 2.10.3 Other Weapons ........................................................................................... 40 2.10.4 Armors ........................................................................................................ 413. Other Changes in General .............................................................................................. 414. Some Fighing Hints ....................................................................................................... 445. FAQ ............................................................................................................................... 466. Known Issues ................................................................................................................ 487. Uninstallation ................................................................................................................ 488. Authors .......................................................................................................................... 49
Thank you for showing us the true potential of this gameTheuserman
I feel much more like a Witcher nowMothra
I could never go back to original version of The WitcherHithlain
(...) Combined with FCR it’s easily one of the best games of the decadewww.atomicmpc.com.au
5 4
Full Combat Rebalance
Full Combat Rebalance 1.6The Witcher mod
MANUALThe FCR modification thoroughly changes the combat mechanics in the game. In this document you will find a list of every changed aspect of the game and answers to the majority of your questions. Reading the manual will help you understand the new rules that govern the game under FCR, so that you can play with more knowledge and less frustration.
1. Foreword
FCR is my second approach to the combat system of The Witcher after Flash Mod. Many people enjoyed Flash Mod, and it was such a big success that it was even included in The Witcher Platinum Edition. Still, the general tone and atmosphere of the combat in Flash Mod was the opposite of the tone and atmosphere of combat in the series of books on which The Witcher is based. FCR is an attempt to more closely match the lore of The Witcher Saga, though it is necessarily a compromise between realism and the limits of computer games.
The Full Combat Rebalance project began in January 2009. After 5 months, thefirstbetaappeared.Sincethen,withv1.5,20versionsofthemodhavebeenmadeavailable. I want every player to have as much fun as possible playing The Witcher, and I hope FCR will increase your fun. In addition to FCR, there are many mods made by others in the community that can add to your experience of the game, and I encourage you to check those out.
CheersAndrzej Flash Kwiatkowski
5
Full Combat Rebalance
2. List of Changes
FCR is composed of many separate parts, each of which can be installed alone or in combination with any of the others. This means that you can choose to install whichever aspects of FCR you want, without having to take the whole package. Ifacertainaspectofthemoddoesn’tfityourtaste,simplyuncheckitintheinstaller.
2.1 Monster Ecosystem
Since version 1.5, FCR has the option of lowering of how often and how many monsters may occur. If you are fed up with the virtually unlimited numbers of drowners in the swamps, if you feel that higher vampires should be more rare but stronger, if you prefer hunting to constant battle, choose the “Monster ecosystem” option – it is made for you.
2.1.1 Monster behaviour
With the ecosystem changed, new monster behaviours have been introduced to themod.Monsterswillnolongersimplyjumpout throughastonefloor, instead,they will walk around the location or feast upon their ill-fated victims. A hierarchy will be present among different species of monsters. Rational beings in most cases will cease to attack creatures stronger than they are. Instead of running unthinkingly to their doom, they will run for their lives. Creatures on top of the food chain may ignore or attack another monster, varying on what type of being it is. A cemetaur, for example, will ignore ghouls getting out of his way but it will attack a pestering, mindless drowner. It is also possible that a demonstration of strength will occur in the pack and the cemetaur will show who is the king of the necropolis. Yet another interesting behaviour is the one of wraiths, which roam the world unaware of mortals around them. Such beings will not attack us unless we attack themfirst.OneshouldnotmistakethesekindofwraithswiththeWildHunt.
7 6
Full Combat Rebalance
2.1.2 Occurance
The Wicked - The most numerous group of monsters in the vanilla version of the game has become a rarity in FCR. Drowners are animated bodies of criminals dumped in waters – not many of such bodies exist and the numbers of these do not grow day by day. Archespores, too, are uncommonly rare creatures but when they do appear, they, most often, appear in numbers. Such twisted beings do not respawn after being killed but there is a chance that not all of them will raise from their resting placeatfirstcontact.
Necrophages – They make the most numerous group of monsters now. After the war with Nilfgaard the amount of necrophages drastically increased. Ghouls now wanderingroupsoffivetoelevenwithoneortwoalghoulsleadingthepack.After killing off the group, areas abundant in food soon are taken by another pack. Graveirs and cemetaurs, although much more populous than before the war, are but a small portion of the whole of the population of necrophages. Graveirs and cemetaurs are not fond of each other and tend to hunt on their own. Devourers occur in few places but strong in number. They hunt in groups known as sabbaths counting thirteen witches. Cemetaurs and devourers do not respawn.
Vampires – They are very rare now. The least frequently occurring opponent in the game but also the most demanding. Normally they hunt alone but cases of joining in small groups are also noted. They feel aversion to necrophages so, in most cases, they chase them away their territories. They function as bosses and do not respawn.
Insectoids – They can be encountered in few locations. Kikimore workers occur very numerously near the nest, sometimes guarded by kikimore warrior. Until killing the queen, kikimore will respawn from time to time. Giant centipedes occur rarely and do not respawn.
Ornithosaurs – They are territorial animals. They live and hunt on their own, however they tend to join in pairs in some periods. Ornithosaurs will attack every intruder of body mass not bigger than their own who enters their territory.
7
Full Combat Rebalance
2.1.3 Monster Numbers
Taxonomy Name Number in group Respawn Threat
The Wicked
Drowner 1 - 5 - High
Drowned Dead 1 - 5 - Serious
Archespore 1 - 5 - Serious
Wraiths
Barghest 1 - 4 Each 24h Low
Wraith 1 - 3 - Critical
Noonwraith 1 - Critical
Nightwraith 1 - Critical
Necrophages
Ghoul 4 - 9 Each 24h High
Alghoul 1 - 2 Each 24h Serious
Graveir 1 - 3 Each 24h Critical
Cementaur 1 - Fatal
Devourer 13 - Serious
Vampires
Alp 3 - Critical
Bruxa 1 - Fatal
Fleder 1 - 2 - Critical
Garkain 1 - Fatal
Insectoids
Kikimore Worker 1 - 15 Each 24h High
Kikimore Warrior 1 - 2 Each 24h Critical
Giant Centipede 1 - Critical
Ornithosaurs
Wyvern 1 - 2 Each 24h Serious
Royal Wyvern 1 - 2 - Critical
Cockatrice 1- 2 - Serious
Basilisk 1 - 2 - Critical
FaunaBloedzuiger 1 - 10 Each 24h Medium
Wolf 5 - 11 Each 24h Low
Vodyanoi Vodyanoi 3 - 11 - High
9 8
Full Combat Rebalance
2.2 Vitality
Every character’s statistics have been completely recalculated. The new statistics are based on brand-new formulas, ones which depend on a completely different set of assumptions.
Enemy Type Base HP Additional HP per level Endurance Range
Witchers 40 - 1 to 5
Mutants 40 (Endurance + 2) / 2 4 to 5
Human 15 Endurance / 2 1 to 5
Elves 10 Endurance / 2 1 to 5
Dwarves 25 Endurance / 2 2 to 5
Specters 25 (Endurance + 2) / 2 5 to 7
Vampires 40 (Endurance + 2) / 2 5 to 8
Ornitoreptiles 30 (Endurance + 2) / 2 4 to 7
Monsters 25 (Endurance + 2) / 2 4 to 8
Insectoids 40 (Endurance + 2) / 2 6 to 8
Necrophages 40 (Endurance + 2) / 2 5 to 8
Animals 15 (Endurance + 2) / 2 3
Each character has been assigned a certain level of Experience and Endurance, and Vitality Points were calculated based on these levels. I have taken note of the average experience level that players have when they begin and end each chapter. In any given chapter, the enemies’ experience levels are set to be within the range of levels that the average player will have for that chapter.
Notice that increasing Strength no longer augments a character’s Vitality; instead, increasing Strength adds to the damage characters do in combat.
9
Full Combat Rebalance
2.3 Inborn Vitality Regeneration
Vampires now have the ability to regenerate Vitality Points. Vampires’ natural regeneration is equal to their Endurance level per second, and necrophages regenerate half of their Endurance level per second. Other monster types have minimal regeneration, an amount that has a very small impact on combat. Humans, elves, dwarves, ornithosaurs and animals do not possess natural health regeneration.
2.4 Hit Chance and Damage Points
In the books on which The Witcher was based, the only person who has ever beaten Geraltinaone-on-onefightwasVilgefortzofRoggaveen,aMasterofMagic.Asidefrom him, there is no human who is a match for Geralt in melee combat.
To make the game more closely match this reality, in FCR the hit chance of human enemies has been drastically decreased. In a duel with Geralt, humans have a very slight chance to hit the White Wolf successfully. The strength of these opponents comes from their numbers and tactics. No warrior, no matter how skilled and how well trained, has eyes in the back of his head. This is why enemies attacking Geralt from the side and from the back get a +50% bonus to their hit chance. When using FCR, you can not just stand still and whack things. You need to move constantly, and under no circumstances should you allow yourself to be surrounded. If you allow an enemy to get behind you, you will almost certainly be seriously wounded.
In an attempt to make FCR even more realistic, the damage Geralt deals has been set to a level that allows him to kill a human opponent in 2 - 3 hits, while 2 - 6 hits willsufficeformostmonsters.Whatallowsenemiestolastformorethanasecondin the face of Geralt’s sword is not Vitality Points but armour and regeneration. This iswhyitiscrucialtousetheappropriateoilsandfightingstyles,tomaximizeyourarmor penetration.
11 10
Full Combat Rebalance
2.5 NPC Armour System
On her white dress, slightly above her left breast, a red stain was visible beneath a slash no longer than a little finger. The witcher ground his teeth – the cut, which should have sundered the beast in two, had been nothing but a scratch.
“A Grain of Truth” (Danusia Stok)Fighting a Bruxa
Armours are assigned to each character individually based on the model. It means that each NPC will have the exact armour type we can see they have, and they will not receive an armour type shared by default by many other kinds of opponents.
Armour Type Damage Reduction Damage Threshold
LeatherJacket - 4
ExcellentLeatherJacket - 5
LeatherArmour - 9
ExcellentLeatherArmour - 10
Creature Skin - 13
Tough Creature Skin - 15
Creature Armour - 20
Tough Creature Armour - 25
Boss Creature Armour - 30
Ghost - 35
Specter - 40
Chainmail 65% -
Dwarven Scalemail 70% -
Order’s Knight Armour 75% -
Breastplate 80% -
Full Plate Armour 90% -
Boss Armour 95% -
Shield - 5
11
Full Combat Rebalance
2.6 Difficulty Level
FCR offers 6 levels of difficulty, 3 per package available to choose during the installationprocess.Theeasierdifficultylevelallowsanyonetoplaythegameina stress-freeway,virtuallywithoutusinganyalchemy,whilethehardestdifficultylevel makes the game even a bigger challenge than in the previous versions of the mod.
DifficultylevelsintheEasypackage:Casual – aimed at players uninterested in combat. Seldom will it be neccessary to useswordoilsbut,normally,fightswillbewonalmostautomatically.Geraltstartswith 200 Vitality Points and receives a +10 damage bonus.
Easy – using oils in clashing with monsters is required, although we can be sure thatafightwillnothavetoberepeatedifaseriousnegligenceofanykindhappens.Geralt starts with 120 Vitality Points and receives +5 damage bonus.
DifficultylevelsintheHardpackagewithstrenghtenedmonsters:High – a vast array of alchemical means is required, although a hefty supply of Vitality Pointsmakes a relatively stress-free fight possible.Geralt startswith 80Vitality Points.
Hardcore – it is intended for experienced players knowing optimal character development and using all of the means available for the witcher. Geralt starts with 60 Vitality Points.
Witcher – requires creativity and a very good knowledge of mod mechanics. Playingon theWitcherdifficulty level isunforgiving.Onlyforplayerswhomissthetimeswhenfightingbosseswererepeatedatleast10times.Geraltstartswith40Vitality Points.
13 12
Full Combat Rebalance
2.7 Alchemy
Using alchemy is much more important in FCR than it was in the vanilla version of the game. The Witcher’s steel and silver will not do much harm to monsters without the addition of certain oils. Moreover, drinking potions drastically increases your chances of survival and also prevents exhaustion from prolonged battles.
2.7.1 Oils
Every witcher should have a supply of oils targeted to the monsters that one expects to meet. The tough skin of vampires and necrophages - in addition to their extraordinary regeneration - forces witchers to use every means possible. In extreme situations, ancient vampires can heal their wounds a second after they are exposed to Geralt’s blade.
Wraiths, being non-material, are a special case. To hit through the mysterious wall separating the world of the living from the world of the dead, it is necessary to pour Specter Oil on the blade. Only then will it be possible to hit the wraith successfully.
WeaponModificators Damage Bonus Armour Penetration Critical Hit
Specter Oil 20 - -
Necrophage Oil 10 - -
Vampire Oil 10 - -
Insectoid Oil - 40% -
Ornithosaur Oil - 40% -
Argentia 30% - -
Whetstone 1 - -
Grindstone 2 - -
Diamond Dust 4 - -
Temporary Rune Vodon 25% - -
Temporary Rune Svarog 30% - +5%
Temporary Rune Perun 40% - +5%
13
Full Combat Rebalance
2.7.2 Potions
Onhigherdifficulty levels,youshouldusepotionsforeveryfight.Blizzard is an especially important potion, which considerably decreases the chance of being hit. The Swallow and Tawny Owl potions are also extremely useful. Although their regeneration rates were reduced, they are still essential, not because they allow Geralttosurviveonefightbutbecausetheymakeitpossibleforhimtotacklethenextone.WithouttheSwallowpotion,theWhiteWolfwouldsurviveasinglefight,but he would probably be barely alive at the beginning of the next one.
2.7.3 Toxicity
One of the more frequent questions concerning game mechanics on the official The Witcher forum is about the consequences of a high toxicity level. Many guesses have been made about the possible penalties to Geralt’s statistics. Among all the guesses, one was missing - potion overdose does not cause any penalties to any statistic. FCR repairs this oversight and introduces overdose consequences.
Potion overdose - decreases damage dealt and the chance to dodge and parry by 25%.
Serious potion poisoning - decreases damage dealt and the chance to dodge and parry by 50%. Moreover, it results in degeneration of Vitality by 0,5 points per second and Energy by 1 point per second. Degeneration of Vitality may end with Geralt’s death.
In case of overdosing, you should immediately detoxify, either by drinking the White Honey potion or by meditating.
15 14
Full Combat Rebalance
2.8 Character Advancement
The skill tree known from the vanilla version of the game has gone through serious modifications.ParticularAttributesnowgivenewbonuses,Signsworkabitdifferently, the Axii Sign has been replaced by the Heliotrop Sign described in The Witcher Saga,andfightingstylesrelate to thenewenemyarmoursystem.Thenumberoftalents granted each level has been decreased, which forces players to specialize.
2.8.1 Witcher Signs
Yrden - a magic symbol drawn on the ground; touching it causes critical effects and damage. Highly recommended for use on wraiths.
Quen - a shield that absorbs physical attacks. Reduces damage, decreases the enemy’s hit chance, and provides resistance to physical effects.
Igni - an extremely useful sign, even on the lower levels. It allows attacking from a distance, without exposing yourself to potential damage.
Heliotrop - a barrier that protects Geralt from all non-physical attacks. The barrier reduces damage and provides resistance to critical effects.
Aard - has a chance of exposing the enemy to a finishingmove; it is possible to use it to eliminate three opponents at once.
The Heliotrop Sign has replaced the Axii Sign, which is the least used among players. Out of all the Signs in the game, including Heliotrop, Axii was the Sign that was the furthest from the Saga’s lore. In the story „A Grain of Truth,” Geralt used the Axii Sign to calm his horse, and even this did not work completely. In the game, Geralt can make meek and mild allies out of higher vampires. The Heliotrop Sign may not be all that useful in the game, but when choosing between two rarely used Signs, FCR errs on the side of sticking closely to the lore.
Fast -usedinfightingarmouredopponents.Whenthebodyisprotectedbysteel, scales or chitin armour, strength does not matter anymore. The fast style consists of quick, precise hits aimed at unprotected spots.
Group -usedasadefensivefightingstyle.Incaseofbeingsurrounded,a series of sweepy cuts discourages enemies from attacking you and even causes them to move away to a safe distance.
2.8.3 Attributes
Strength -itisresponsiblefordamagedealtinmeleecombat,fistfightingand other offensive skills. Contrary to the vanilla version, the number of Vitality Points and defensive skills do not depend on this attribute.
Dexterity - it is responsible for the chance of dodging and parrying enemy attacks.Italsoinfluencesdefensiveskillsandthechanceforacriticalhit.It does not affect resistances to critical effects.
Endurance - it is responsible for the number of Vitality Points, resistances tocriticaleffects,andregenerationrate.Itdoesnotinfluencethenumberof Energy Points.
Inteligence - it is responsible for the number of Energy Points, Sign intensity, and skills connected with alchemy and Places of Power.
17 16
Full Combat Rebalance
2.8.4 Night vision
‘Can you see it?’ repeated Nivellen, baring his fangs‘I can’‘Who are you?’‘I don’t understand’. ‘You don’t understand?’ The monster raised his head; his eyes shone like a cat’s. ‘My portrait is hung beyond the candlelight. I can see it, but I’m not human.
„A Grain of Truth” (Danusia Stok)Nivellen talking to Geralt.
One of the element of training a witcher is The Trial of the Grasses. Asevendays longprocessofChanges, leavingonly twooutoffiveboys alive on average, ensures the superhuman skills of witchers. On the seventh day of the lethargy, the surviving boys awake.
The male awoke and opened his eyes, and his eyes were as those of a viper...
„Blood of Elves” (Danusia Stok)
In FCR Geralt receives an innate ability of seeing in the dark as a skill typical of witchers.Thenightvisionnolongerhasthecontroversialfisheyeeffect,andthelight lightening locations has changed its colour from blue to white.
17
Full Combat Rebalance
2.8.5 Experience points
Experience points given for defeating enemies have been balanced adequately according to the threat an enemy poses. The vanilla version of The Witcher rewarded us in a chaotic manner, giving, for example, 300 EXP for a Greater Brother, one of the stronger opponents in the game, which appears in Act V, but 750 EXP for a cockatrice, an average enemy from Act III.
Threat Experience Points
Low 50
Medium 100
High 150
Serious 300
Critical 500
Fatal 1000
Boss 5000
2.8.6 Skill Tree
A good deal of talents has been added to the skill tree, whereas talents whose functions repeated themselves have been deleted. The improvements of the skill branches now offer much more worthwhile bonuses. The impression as if some of the talents were divided into smaller ones, or forced to existence so the number of talents is equal, is now gone.
Elven Sword of the Blue Mountains 15 5% - - - 1000
Harvall 16 - - - - 1500
Ceremonial Sword of Deithwen 16 5% - - - 2000
Gwalhir 17 - - - - 3000
Dol Blathanna Rune Sword 17 5% - - - 4000
D’yaebl 18 5% - - - 6000
Ornate Sword 18 - - - - 5000
Mahakaman Rune Sihill 20 - - - - 8000
Ard’aenye 22 - - - - 10000
Meteorite Sword BBB 19 - - - - 1900
Meteorite Sword BBY 18 - 16% - - 2200
Meteorite Sword BYY 17 - 33% - - 2500
Meteorite Sword RBB 18 5% - - - 1700
Meteorite Sword RBY 17 5% 16% - - 2000
Meteorite Sword RRB 17 5% - - - 1500
Meteorite Sword RRR 16 5% - - - 1300
Meteorite Sword YRR 16 5% 16% - - 1800
Meteorite Sword RYY 16 5% 33% - - 2300
Meteorite Sword YYY 16 - 50% - - 2800
The letters “R” “B” “Y” stand for the colours of meteorite steel.* Monsters receive 10 less points of damage.
2.9.2 Silver Swords
Name Damage** Parry Bonus Silver Sensitivity Price
Witcher’s Silver Blade 10 - - -
Aerondight 13 5% - 6000
Moon Blade 14 5% - 16000
Rune Sword EEE 13 - - 1900
Rune Sword EES 12 5% - 1700
Rune Sword ESS 12 5% - 1500
Rune Sword MEE 12 - +10% 2200
Rune Sword MME 12 - +20% 2500
Rune Sword MMM 12 - +30% 2800
Rune Sword SME 11 5% +10% 2000
Rune Sword SMM 11 5% +20% 2300
Rune Sword SSM 11 5% +10% 1800
Rune Sword SSS 12 5% - 1300
The letters “S” “E” “M” stand for the colours of the runes.** Monstersreceive10morepointsofdamage,5inhardermonstersoptionforLowerNumbers.
41 40
Full Combat Rebalance
2.9.3 Other Types of Weapons
Name Damage Bonuses Price
Temerian Iron Dagger 5
Valu
es a
re th
e sa
me
as in
the
vani
lla v
ersi
on
50
Temerian Steel Dagger 6 100
Assassin’s Dagger 7 200
Mahakaman Dagger 10 300
Deithwen Dagger 8 300
Mahakaman Rune Dagger 15 500
Small Axe 12 200
Temerian Iron Axe 10 200
Temerian Steel Axe 13 400
Dwarven Axe from Carbon 15 800
Mahakaman Dwarven Axe 16 1000
Mount Carbon Rune Axe 20 1500
Holy Axe of the Order 17 1000
Temerian Battle Flail 12 300
Order Battle Hammer 13 500
Holy Battle Hammer of the Order 18 1000
Mahakaman Battle Hammer 15 1000
Stone Hammer 8 50
LightClub 10 100
Kourbash 13 200
Chain Mace 15 300
Axe 15 200
Two-handed Steel Axe 22 500
Mahakaman Two-handed Axe 27 1500
Mutant’s Battle Hammer 30 -
Two-handed Morningstar 18 200
Heavy Club 12 50
Halberd 24 -
Pike 24 -
41
Full Combat Rebalance
2.9.4 Armour
Name Damage Reduction Damage Threshold Price
StuddedLeatherJacket - 4 2500
ExcellentLeatherJacket - 6 5000
Raven’s Armour of the Order 20% 4 10000
Raven’s Armour of the Elves 20% 4 10000
Raven’s Armour 20% 4 10000
3. Other Changes
+ A possibility to install a minimalistic interface has been added.+ Binding the walk key is now available in the game options.+ Binding a key turning off the graphic interface for screen shot purposes is now
available in the game options.+ The game intro and/or company logos can now be turned off.+ Theflamingswordicon,indicatingthenextattackinthesequence,cannowbe
turnedononthehardestdifficultylevelorturnedoffoneverydifficultylevel.+ One slot in the inventory can contain up to 999 items of the same type.+ Optiontodecreasedicepokerdifficultyhasbeenadded.+ New music track from The Witcher bonus DVD is available in the main menu.+ The witch in Act 4 sells werewolf’s fur. This prevents the inexplicable
punishment of the player for choosing a positive solution to the „Beauty and the Beast” quest.
+ As a mild hallucinogen White Gull potion now allows entering meditation state.- The bug with kikimore’s being hugely oversensitive to magic damage has been
fixed.- ThebugwithOrderhound’sbeingsensitivetosilverhasbeenfixed.- Thebugwiththedevourer’swrongrace(vampire)hasbeenfixed.- Thebugwithpermanenteffectsofoilsonswordshasbeenfixed.- ThebugwithspawningtheSalamanderBossfromAct2inAct1hasbeenfixed.- Fixed an error in the description of „Echoes of Yesterday” quest phase.- Fixed a typo when putting a sephirah into an obelisk and during one of
Grand Master visions.- Removed the crosswise stripe on the blade of Berengar’s sword.
43 42
Full Combat Rebalance
- Each weapon cut leaves visible wounds on the character model.- Blood stain size increased.+ A new sword with an unique model has been added to the game.- Animations of some of Geralt’s attacks have been changed. The most interesting
animations will come up much more often.- The texture of Harvall’s hilt is now improved. It is now evenly covered with
leather.- Bodies of defeated opponents disappear only after you leave the site, not when
you turn your eyes away.+ Every witcher has now vertical eye pupils (previously, only Geralt had them).- The effect of slowing down time has been eliminated from the Blizzard potion. Slowing down time for two hours, the duration of the potion, would be very
arduous in playing the game (tested).- Theeffectofslowingdowntimehasbeenaddedtofisstech.- The maximal levels of zoom in and zoom out in all camera types have been
increased.- Echinopsae were replaced by archespores due to inconsistency with Saga.
Echinopsae parameters in most cases remain unchanched.- Damagedependsontheweapon,thestrengthattributeandthefightingstyleas
inmostRPGgames.Previously,damagewasfixedtoaparticularattackmove,and weapons and other talents only made the damage higher in percentage terms.
- Precise hit has been removed and replaced by the new mechanism of critical hit. Critical hit is available as a 5th level upgrade of the Dexterity skill tree.
- Monsters now have resistances corresponding to their type.- The kikimore queen, Dagon and the headhunter can now be beaten in a fair
fight.- The armours and accuracy of NPC’s have been assigned according to their
character model.- Food and drinks now ensure a small, but long-lasting regeneration bonus.- Dodgenowworksdifferentlyinfistfighting-dodgewillreducethedamage
taken by 5 and there’s also a chance, which is equal the sum of dodge bonuses from Dexterity and potion effects, of completely avoiding an attack.
- All armours now have all the slots for potions and additional weapons unlocked.- The price of talents has been changed - levels 1-3 of the main skill trees require
silver talents, levels 4 and 5 require gold talents, while all improvements in the main trees require bronze talents.
43
Full Combat Rebalance
- Vampires will not announce their arrival with scream and snarl anymore.- Salamandra mages use a new ability called Protect, which has a similar effect to
the Quen Sign.- The critical effect of bleeding triggers an animation of pain (before, there was
none). It prevents players from using that gap in the game mechanics.- Active dodges - like pirouettes, somersaults and rolls - add 100% chance to
dodge.- The chance of being poisoned by monsters has been increased.- The duration of the critical effect of fear has been drastically reduced.- The durations of critical effects triggered off by bombs have been drastically
reduced.- EnemiesstunnedwithSamumbombarenotsusceptibletofinisherhit.- Vesna Hood has been given high-class armour, which allows her to survive the
“She’s No Early Bird” task.- Unique named enemies are immune to knock-down and stun effects.- Fistfightinghasbeenmademuchmoredifficult.- NPCs have been re-equipped. High-level opponents do not have average level
weapons anymore.- Bonuses from the Places of Power and focus stones have been adjusted to the
new rules of the mod.- The prices of whetstones and rune stones have been increased.- Tradesmen buy weapons for 10% of their worth.- The availability of meteorites in shops has been reduced, while the availability
of runes in shops has been increased.- The wealthier NPCs now play for higher stakes in dice poker.- Weapon prices have been increased.- Selling your old armour before buying a new one is now possible.- Items marked as Witcher Secrets can no longer be sold.- A reward in the form of a red meteorite is available in both storylines from the
Prologue.- A recipe for oil against vampires was added; it can be bought from Thaler in the
second Act.- Dol Blathanna rune sword and Berengar’s sword can now be acquired.- Full compatibility with the Scabbard Mod and The Doppler Essence mods.- Added compatibility with mod „Stuff that make Geralt’s life easier”.- Allthechangesinthemodarereflectedinthedescriptionsinthegame,which
areavailableintwolanguages:PolishandEnglish.
45 44
Full Combat Rebalance
4. A Few Tips on How to Fight
• Injured opponents have a lower resistance to knock-down and fall effects.BeforeusingtheAardSign,it isworthit toworkonanenemy’shealthfirst.
• It’sagoodideatousethefirst2-3silvertalentsonattributesthatwillincreaseyour chance of survival. After that, it is good to develop skills like herbalism and making oils, which will make the game much easier.
• Ifyouarenotabletohitanopponent,itmeansthedamageyou’redealingislower than the damage threshold of his armour. Use the appropriate oil for the opponent type in order to penetrate his armour.
• Rememberthatyoudonothavetowaitfortheanimationofanattacktofinishbeforeyoucanmove. Ifyouarefightingwitha fewopponentsatonce, it is better to stop the attack halfway through and move to a safe place than to wait and expose yourself to blows from a couple of opponents at the same time.
• Itisworthusingdifferentcombinationsofrunesandmeteoriteswhenforging a sword. For example, a sword made from one red and two blue meteorites combines high damage and a bonus to parry.
• Opponentsattacking from the sideor thebackgeta+50%chance tohittingGeralt. You do not want to be surrounded!
• Group Style can save your life in dangerous situations. Bonuses to parry work even when you are not attacking.
• Swords that are forged with an armour penetration bonus are perfect for hunting kikimores, ornithosaurs and … knights. It is worth having a few swords for different occasions.
• Bombsareareliablewayofmakingafighteasier.They’rereliablebecausetheyignore the opponent’s resistance. A bomb will always work!
• Inafight,usetheareaaroundyou.Withdrawingtoastaircasewhilefighting in a building forces the opponents to stand in a queue. On the other hand, when fightinginanopenspace,runningaroundstonesandboughscanseparateyouropponents and allows you to attack them one by one.
• Always carry some White Honey in case of potion overdose or the need to detoxify after curing yourself with White Raffard’s Decoction.
• Blizzard is the number one potion in the ranking of a witcher’s favourite drinks.
• Active dodges - rolls, somersaults, and pirouettes - provide a +100% bonus to the chance to dodge.
• You do not have to attack everything that moves. Some of the monsters in the game do not have to be killed, so if you cannot handle one of the opponents, and theplotdoesnotrequiredefeatingit,withdrawfromthefight.
• Whenafightwithatoughopponentisprolonged,sometimesitisworthittouse different combat styles alternately in order to trigger off two critical effects - such as pain and bleeding.
• It is a good idea to cast Yrden Sign before the start of each battle.
47 46
Full Combat Rebalance
5. Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
Question:Do I have to start a new game after installing the FCR?
Answer:Yes.Afterinstallingthemod,Istronglyrecommendthatyoustartthegamefromthe beginning or that you use saves from previous versions of the mod. Continuing the game usingsavesmadewithoutthemodificationmayleadtoerrorsintalents’functioning.
Q:What are the main differences between Flash Mod and the FCR? I do not know which one to pick.
A:FlashModsignificantlyincreasesthedifficulty,butleavestheoriginalgamemechanics, whereasFCRisanoverhaulofthetalentandfightingsystem,which,apartfromincreasingthedifficulty,alsomaximisestherealism,whilemaintainingthegameplayatthehigheststandardat the same time. FCR is a set of completely new and original rules for The Witcher.
A:TheFCRisbasedonapercentagechancetohit,triggeringoffcriticaleffectsetc.,thereforeyou can say that victory depends on luck. The same thing is in The Witcher without the mod, alsoinBaldur’sGate1and2,IcewindDale1and2,Planescape:Torment,Fallout1,2and3,StarWars:KotOR1and2,Arcanum,NeverwinterNights1and2,andmany,manymoreRPG’s.
Q:Do the changes that the FCR introduces affect additional adventures?
A:Themodificationworkswith theExtendedEditionofThe Witcher which means with a patch not older than 1.5 or 1.4.
Q:Is the new version of the mod compatible with saved games from the previous version?
A:Fornowallofthepresentandfuture(un)plannedversionsofthemodarecompatiblewitheach other. You can continue the game using saved games from the previous versions of the mod.
Q:Is itpossible to installall theextraswithout increasingthelevelofdifficulty? I would like to play the game in a laid-back kind of way.
A: Just as with FlashMod, in the FCR you can install just the extras without changing themechanicsordifficultylevel.AllyouneedtodoistickofftheFCRoptionintheinstaller.
Q:I read that the mod adds a new sword. Where can I get it?
A:Thesword iscarriedbyaheadhunter thatcomesafteryouifyoukill the townguards. You can also buy it from the blacksmith in Act 4.
Q:I have properly installed the mod, and I still have the old descriptions of items.
A:Thedescriptionsoftheequipmentthatyoualreadyhavearesavedinthegamestatus.Thismod does not affect the saves; that is one of the reasons why you need to collect new items or start the game over. Remember, when using FCR, I recommend that you start a new game.
Q:Is it possible to install both the FCR and Flash Mod?
• Sign power-ups cost a bronze talent, but you need to have at least one silver (or gold later) talent. Silver talents are not spent in learning the power-up. This bugiscausedbythemod,butitssourceliesinthegame.Themodificationdoes not have errors itself, and for now there is no solution for this problem.
• Sometimes Geralt and opponents have the tendency to die long before their Vitality drops to zero. This occurs during longer sessions with The Witcher without turning off the game, probably as a result of the computer running out of memory. If it happens you should restart the game.
• Sometimes while attacking an opponent, he can damage us without the attack animation. This is not a bug, only the game mechanics. In fact the opponents are carrying out an attack, but since Geralt’s animations have priority, Geralt’s animations cancel the opponent’s attack animations.
7. Uninstallation
Therearetwowaystouninstallthismodification–bystartinguptheunins00.exefilefrom The Witcher directory or from the Windows control panel.
Special thanks toMarcin CalBeastBrzezińskiforinvaluablecriticismandconsultationCD Projekt RED for creating such a wonderful game and their support for modders
This mod includes Walk Mod made by J_Slash. Thanks for all that you have done!