Section 1. Optical/cosmetic changes
(a) Gerald
Overall, the CDPR has done a fantastic job with Geralt’s aesthetic, although it is quite different from the description in the books, so the list of mods that change Geralt’s appearance is as follows.
Geralt’s face has been improved (retextured): It makes Geralt’s face look less beautiful. Books never directly call him ugly, but describe him as pale and with an unpleasant smile. This mod seems to be a good balance between an attractive protagonist and a mutant killing machine (just avoid the 4k texture file, it seems a bit out of place compared to the rest of the game).
The witch’s real eyes are Geralt’s: This fashion offers different colors and eye types, so let’s go for darker shades. Hence the question of whether you prefer Geralt with a cat pupil or a human pupil (books say both, his eyes look relatively normal, but he can squeeze cat pupils like slits to order).
New hairstyles and beards for Heralt (enhanced DLC2) : There are several mods that do the job we need, but because of the extra features that allow you to enjoy the game, I recommend this one. For this tutorial, use the long, headband style (alternatively). This gives Geralt his characteristic leather headband with long white hair, as described in the books. (Note that this mod has different banner styles, so you may prefer a different one from the list).
Season of Burning Witch material: A gearbox that looks a lot like a Manticore gearbox. Dark colored leather and silver nails to match the description of the equipment in Geralt’s book. (Note that this mod also has a set of surprisingly accurate swords, and even rider gear)!
No more dresses: Another cosmetic option that offers a few outfits, most from TW2 and some reused from TW3. You can skip this one, it will only broaden your horizons.
Felling: A simple and well-made mod has multiple capes and hoods, similar to the ones Geralt uses multiple times in books to hide his unique features.
(b) Witches
I even considered making it a section because of the minimal changes, but precision is precision.
Eskyl fashion face texture: Go for the bonus version. He’s repairing the scar that left a mark on Eskel’s face. It always bothered me to see how different his scar was, especially when it was clearly described in books. He had a completely human face, disfigured by a long, ugly semi-circular scar that ran from the corner of his mouth to his ear and down the length of his cheek.
Medallion in book style: Again, correct a minor inconsistency. Books describe medallions as flat panels on which to write. This fixes every medallion, so it wasn’t included in the Geralt section.
(c) Jennefer
The CDPR did an excellent job with Jena, so there are only minor changes here.
A friendly face and eyes for Yennefer: The face becomes slightly narrower, the jaw tightens and it looks slightly paler. It’s exactly how I imagined it in the books. As icing on the cake, it also gives her the curls she should have instead of the straight hair we have now.
Black and white Laura dresses for Yennefer: Do what it says on the box. Give Yena a dress all in black and white, and take the navy and brown accents out of her regular outfits. Also, Jena often wears very long and extravagant dresses, so bonus points here too. (Although fashion suggests the color of the pants she is wearing in the basic set if you prefer the practical design, it is usually great).
(d) Triss
While I love what CDPR does with the design, it deviates a lot from the source material (more than most of the main characters), so let’s get that straight.
Rokenz Triss: Provides several modified views for Triss. If you choose option D, his hair color is replaced with a more realistic red instead of the neon color that goes with it. This fashion is mainly aimed at rejuvenating Triss. In the books she is described as exceptionally young, even among wizards, she seems to be somewhere in her early twenties. It also gives him cannon-blue eyes.
TW2 Triss: The goal here is to cover her breasts. Triss said she never wore cleavage because of the burns she suffered at the Battle of Sodden Hill. This does not solve the problem, but covers it with a legendary and friendly outfit.
Section 2. Practical changes
There are a few minor inconveniences that come with a game of this magnitude. It could be something as simple as content that was apparently meant to be implemented but never was, or a revision to the gameplay. This section looks at all the mods of the variety.
Battery protection : This should be the norm for playing in the marshes. A lone pickpocket from a village in the middle of nowhere shouldn’t be able to beat Geralt, end of discussion.
E3dodgesystem: trying to fix the way Geralt fights. Replace his gimmick with a pirouette and his little gimmick with a little step backwards. This gives a much more danceable combat feel, rather than rolling around the ground like a man possessed to hit someone in the flank.
Steel is all you need: A mod that allows you to use steel efficiently against monsters and vice versa. Especially since Geralt rarely uses his silver blade in this book, and it certainly doesn’t go dull on a pack of teasers. Also, don’t forget to install a version where you can also use money for men, just for realism.
Increase the multiplier for enemy health: Designed to combat infestation in the late game, which is becoming a common problem. Geralt is a mutant, not a superhero, so his powers must be limited (God knows we’re all tired of killing a lesbian with three or four blows). Personally I use the x5 version, but x3 will be sufficient for the first games.
Galloping through the cities: This one probably needs no explanation either, it’s a different lifestyle of quality of life.
The position values are normalized: Again, this should be very clear. Geralt is a wizard, there is no reason to restrict him from using a certain set until you have reached a sufficient level. It’s very optional, but I could never have made the game work without using it these days.
Casual encounters: Almost necessary for the suites. Adds random battles with humans and monsters. It offers a lot of customization options, although it can be very difficult to make it work.
Upgrades for multiple companions : A must for after the game. This allows you to seed almost any person or beast from the files to walk alongside you and help in battle. Plus, some of the main characters, like Triss, Jena, and Kiri, have (minimal) dialogue trees that you can use.
The memory of the blade is a new silver sword: Add the sword used by the witch Cohen to the books. Geralt gets that sword in the first game, so he should still have access to it.
Improved drawing effects : Makes the panels more visually appealing. Here’s how.
Section 3. Choice of games
This is where it gets spicy. Without bringing completely new skills into the game, we will try to make Geralt’s skills and abilities as accurate as possible. The basis for this is the use of potions for harder fights and a strong emphasis on fast-paced combat. This assumes you have B&W installed for mutations, and are either using a mod that allows levels above the ceiling, or are on an NG+ run, as this build is extremely difficult to set up on the first playthrough. We discuss each skill we take and why, in the order of the tree they appear in.
a) Fighting tree
Muscle Memory 5/5 : It’s obvious. Quick shots hurt more.
Accurate strokes 5/5 : Gives a critical damage bonus and a chance to succeed. It makes you feel like a god, the rare times you get hit by creatures.
Vortex: An obvious choice to complement Geralt’s fighting style. This association is very good at precise shots, as fast shots leave a lot of room for a few good critical shots.
Paralytic Strikes 5/5 : Applies a bleeding effect that makes our mutation effect viable, which we’ll talk about later.
3/3 Deflection of arrows : All books of witches can drop arrows from the sky, so it’s an obvious choice.
Fleet 5/5 : This is especially necessary because of the way TW3 handles damage. You’re saving a few unnecessary deaths for the spaghetti monster under the hood. It also gives you more leeway as you get used to the new dodge mechanics.
Fatal shot 2/2 : A small chance to kill an enemy instantly, the more adrenaline Geralt gets. A fair book is right, as Geralt sometimes goes too far in combat and hurts his opponent far more than necessary.
Go for the 5/5 : Keeps his adrenaline from dropping when he’s in pain. This makes sense in shooting, as Geralt has been seriously injured more than once, but he keeps his cool and finishes his opponent effectively.
Razor Focus 5/5 : Geralt enters the fight with a well-stocked adrenaline bar, reflecting the way witches immediately heighten their senses in battle.
(b) Signature tree
Nature intensity 5/5 : Earth will essentially be the only character you will use. Geralt often uses Aard in combat to throw his opponent off balance. Try to mimic it with a powerful Earth strike, then flank your opponent to inflict good damage.
Active shielding 3/3 : Acts like Quen in the books, where the character must be actively supported to protect Geralt. (After all, I had very few signs in that building. Geralt’s book has a lot of signs, but he rarely uses them all except for the Earth sign. This tree should encourage you to do the same).
(c) Alchemy
Increased tolerance 5/5 : It’s obvious to anyone who uses potions that you want to have a few decoctions before a big fight, so it’s a must.
Side effects 5/5 : I put this into practice, because it seems that the witch’s body changes completely when she is under the influence of potions. You can certainly trade it in for a skill of your choice.
Synergy 5/5 : There must be skills for each physics. It doesn’t matter much for accuracy, but it is important for survivability and damage performance.
Killer Wave 5/5: Great for the blood lust that would have defeated the witch with her concoctions. Basically, the more you kill = the better you kill for the rest of the fight, like Geralt in the books kills the entire Renfry group in Blaviken and becomes more efficient.
(d) an ordinary tree
Focus: This is the only skill you take from the general, it’s for both damage production and accuracy of knowledge (another link to the idea that the witch becomes increasingly bloodthirsty as the battle progresses.
(e) Selection of mutations
For your mutation, you must choose metamorphosis. Combined with the Stun Blows skill (which gives you a short spell bonus when hit) and the secondary bonus it gives, the idea of bloodlust is reinforced when you use your wizarding senses. It perfectly mirrors the way Geralt’s eyes work in the books, where he can manually allow or block light with his cat eyes, but also needs a cat potion to see well in the dark and focus on the fight.
Concluding remarks
This list is far from perfect, it’s more of a work in progress at this point. I plan to update it over time with other templates or changes to the skill tree. I would also appreciate any input from you. There are many things I’m sure I’ve overlooked, and most of all, I want this advice to be as accurate and accessible as possible for all who want to experience something closer to books.
Thank you for reading.
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