Witcher 2 only lets you play one round, which removes some of the strategy the dice game in the first game had, but there are still ways to maximize your chance of making a profit. Step 4: Defeat the Incredible Lockhart at dice poker Your last enemy is the Incredible Lockhart, who can be found by the main square ( M31, 18 ). If you manage to win with him, you will be able to either take the gold or choose one of three items: Earth and Fire Runes, Runic Armor Enhancement or a pattern for Magic Wrap Armor Enhancement. Each player uses a set of five dice. Bet levels are based on the experience of the players. The goal of the game is to roll the strongest hand in two out of three hands. Place your bet and left-click 'roll dice'. Here's the a very good explanation for Dice Poker including statistics. It's for the first Witcher game, but it's mostly the same, except for those symbols. One circle is 1, two circles is a 2, and for the rest count the points, so the triangle is 3, etc. The unlabeled circles are a glitch.

The two Witcher games from CD Projekt RED were some of the best role playing games of this past generation. Based on a Polish series of novels, the world of The Witcher presents a more mature and morally gray take on the traditional fantasy setting. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is one of the most anticipated games of next year and based on trailers, it’s looking fantastic. Interestingly, The Witcher and The Witcher 2 Assassins of Kings are both very similar and very different in some major ways, so let’s compare the two and see which is the better game.

I actually loved dice poker, but in the first game. In the second one it is. Not in a good way. In Witcher 1 game would show you the overall result after every turn, it was easy to see why I am winning or losing. In second part it is not visually clear.

Gameplay

Going from The Witcher to its sequel, CDP RED made a lot of fairly significant changes to the core gameplay, and in particular the combat. The original game, while definitely classified as an action RPG, puts a much larger emphasis on strategy in combat than it does reflexes. As the witcher Geralt, you have two different kinds of swords as well as three different combat stances. This ultimately means your success in each encounter is determined by correctly choosing which of the six possible approaches is best for the type and number of enemies you are facing. Geralt also has a handful of signs (spells), which can turn the tide of battle, and using items and potions during combat is a key element of The Witcher.

In The Witcher 2, combat received a significant overhaul. Geralt still has two types of swords, but rather than stances you have different types of sword strikes. This makes combat much faster and more action oriented, while not diminishing the complexity. Enemies are still best dealt with in a specific way, but now things like dodging and positioning are much more important with the increased speed and responsiveness of the controls. Spells are also much easier to fire off in the heat of combat, and use of potions is limited to out of combat. The original Witcher felt like a tactical RPG (along the lines of Baldur’s Gate) that was attempting to be an action RPG, whereas The Witcher 2 feels like a proper action game with the added benefit of being an extremely deep role playing game.

The Witcher 2 has better gameplay.

The Witcher: 0

The Witcher 2: 1

Story

Like most role playing games, the Witcher series puts a large focus on telling a story. The first game introduces players to the world of The Witcher. We learn about what witchers are and how they are viewed by ordinary people, we get to know Geralt of Rivia and are given some agency to chart his path, and we are taken on a journey through the game’s core narrative. Along the way you’ll also have the opportunity to engage in side stories and meet and converse with various individuals.

The Witcher 2 doesn’t bother too much with establishing lore or introducing previous established characters, the game assumes you are already familiar with the world. The Witcher 2 picks up not too long after the original, but the main narrative involving assassinations of monarchs has little to do with the first game. While choice was present in the first game, the sequel gives choice a lot more meaning, which is something even the most choice heavy games fail to really deliver on.

So, in terms of which game has the better story, it’s hard to say. Both games deal with a lot of morally gray situations, political intrigue, and racial tension. The world and stories of the Witcher are so refreshing in that they aren’t yet more instances of role playing games that revolve around ancient evil and righteous heroes, and both of these games succeed in this respect. Also, while the main plot of each of these games is fantastic, the real story of this series has to do with Geralt’s memory and the Wild Hunt, which will be resolved in the final game. Because the underlying narrative thread of the series flows seamlessly through these two games, it’s hard to pick one as the clear winner.

Both games have exceptional stories, it is a tie.

The Witcher: 0

The Witcher 2: 1

Presentation

In past Sequel Showdowns I’ve made a point not to talk about graphics or presentation quality. The reason is twofold. For one, the past matchups would have been ties since the games involved looked identical and ran on the same engines with similar animations and overall presentation quality. The second reason is that it’s just not a fair category. In most instances the later game would win simply because it was released more recently. However, in this instance presentation will be a factor, and it will be clear why.

So, The Witcher was released in 2007 and The Witcher 2 was released in 2011, it’s obvious that the newer game is the better looking, but there’s a lot more to it than that. Back in 2007 when The Witcher came out, it looked average at best compared to other games of the time. In 2011 The Witcher 2 was one of the best looking games available, and is still to this day one of the most beautiful games on PC, easily outmatching many AAA games released this year. Additionally, the cinematic quality of The Witcher 2 is a huge improvement over the original. Voice acting is better across the board, cinematography during dialogue and cutscenes is hugely improved, and the animations look monumentally better. The Witcher 2 is a supremely impressive game in most aspects of its presentation, while the original was underwhelming even at the time of its release.

The Witcher 2 has better presentation.

The Witcher: 0

The Witcher 2: 2

Design

Both games are designed very similarly to each other in most ways. The games are divided up among chapters, with each chapter taking place in a specific location. In most instances you are given a significant amount of side quests to go along with your main quest in each location. Typically, once you complete the chapter there isn’t any opportunity to return to the location. The Witcher gives you more opportunity to make your way back to previously visited areas, but the areas themselves are smaller and some are used for multiple chapters. In fact, the most stale aspect of The Witcher is the re-use of environments, with one in particular being used for 15+ hours of game time.

As I said before, both games put a large emphasis on choice, but The Witcher 2 really delivers. The Witcher 2 consists of 3 chapters, but the developers actually made 4 chapters. There are two entirely different chapter 2s in the game. Each has its own location, side quests, and storyline, but players will only experience one of them on a single playthrough, determined by a choice made toward the end of chapter 1. The result is a game about 10 hours shorter than the original, but the sheer boldness of the developers to create a dozen hours of content that may not actually be experienced by every player is something to be commended. There is nothing more frustrating than feeling like your decisions all lead to the same outcome regardless, and it’s exciting to see a developer spend so much effort to really make the player feel like their choices matter.

Some of the more complex (some might say tedious) aspects of the original Witcher were streamlined a bit in the sequel. For one, finding research materials is still an option, though no longer necessary. If you don’t feel like tracking down a book, you can simply fight the monster a bunch and learn through observation. Additionally, restrictions on where you can or can’t meditate have been removed and alchemy has been made a bit simpler. These changes aren’t even remotely approaching the dreaded realm of “dumbing down”, but I did feel like something was lost. Though it could get tedious and frustrating, I liked the idea of having to hunt down reference materials in order to learn the strengths and weaknesses of various monsters. Sure, you can still do it, but there is no point since you can just learn through combat. Despite my reservations with some of the simplified elements, they are not enough to cancel out the the presence of more varied environments, larger and more open areas, and of course, choice that actually matters.

The Witcher 2 has better design.

The Witcher: 0

The Witcher 2: 3

Dice Poker

Dice poker was one of the most fun and addicting ways to waste time in The Witcher. It’s a simple combination of yahtzee and poker, but it’s enjoyable for what it is. It made a return in the sequel, but they ruined it! The wager system was changed to favor NPCs, matches were cut from two rounds to one (which erased all strategy) and worst of all the easy to see and understand real world style dice were replaced with confusing stylized fantasy looking dice. They took the first thing I did whenever I came to a new area in the first game and made it something I did a handful of times and ignored in the second game. Obviously this is an extremely minor gripe, I just want to acknowledge that they totally ruined this mini-game in The Witcher 2 for no apparent reason, and I hope they fix in the next game. The Witcher 2 may be the hands down better game in almost every regard, but there is at least one thing the original does better; dice.

The Witcher has better dice poker!

The Witcher: 1

Dice Poker Hands Witcher 2 Console Commands

The Witcher 2: 3

Well, there you have it, The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings is the clear cut winner. Let’s not forget, however, that the original is a great game in its own right. It may have some rough aspects, especially in comparison to the sequel, but it’s still a game worth playing. If you call yourself a fan of RPGs, you owe it to yourself to check these games out if you haven’t already. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is set for release sometime in 2014.

Dice poker returns as a mini-game in The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings. Due to its inherent reliance on sheer luck, it is not a good way of making money.

The game is essentially unchanged from the original game, except that you now must physically 'roll' the dice and you have the possibility of losing one or more of them if they roll off the playing surface. The game now also takes one round only so there is more room for luck and less for tactics.

Compared to the first game, the camera angle at which the board is shown and the results of the rolled dice are more difficult to parse, making it more difficult to get a general overview of the situation. Another less than desirable change, the quick view of the current dice combinations for each player after the initial roll has been taken away resulting in a less accessible mini-game.

The gambling aspect is also weighted against the player; the most that Geralt can bet is 10 orens on the first round and another 10 on the second, however the opponent can potentially raise Geralt's initial bet by another 10 orens and his second bet by another 10 orens (which they will only do if they have a good hand), effectively meaning that the stakes are going to be higher when the opponent has a good hand than when Geralt has a good hand, so on average you stand to lose more than you gain, all other things being equal.

It is possible to save before starting playing and then saving again if you win but relaoding the save if you lose, thus only ever winning games, however this is a very slow and tedious way of making orens.

Basics[edit edit source]

• Each game consists of one round unless a draw occurs.

• The round starts with you placing the bid. The opponent accepts or raises the bid and you are given the first option to take or to pass. (Note that on the 360 it is quicker to initially bet the minimum 5 orens and accept your opponents raise than to bet the maximum and wait while the console works out that it can't raise you. The opponent will generally / always raise if you bet the minimum to start).

• You and your opponent roll all five dice. This is done by placing them above the board and clicking the left mouse button (360: flicking the right analogue stick). Moving the mouse (360: right stick) when rolling influences the direction the dice will roll and how strong the throw will be. (On a 360, the left stick decides the initial starting position). You must be careful not to throw them beyond the board. (On the 360 a gentle push downwards with the right stick should always keep all five dice in play).

• At this moment you can choose to re-roll any dice or none.

• After selecting the desired dice and confirming by pressing space (on the PC), both you and your opponent have once again an opportunity to raise the bid, match it, or resign.

• You re-roll selected dice if any and can see the final result. Whoever has the better combination of dice after re-rolling wins the game. If both players have the same combinations, the highest roll wins. If both rolls are exactly the same it's a draw and another round begins with the same bid.

• winning combinations are (highest to lowest):
  • Five-of-a-kind – five dice showing the same value
  • Four-of-a-kind – four dice showing the same value
  • Full House – a pair and a three
  • Six-high straight – dice showing II, III, IV, V and VI
  • Five-high straight – dice showing I, II, III, IV and V
  • Three-of-a-kind – three dice showing the same value
  • Two pairs – dice showing two matched pairs of values
  • One pair – dice showing a single matched pair of values

Associated Quests[edit edit source]

Players[edit edit source]

Prologue[edit edit source]

• an unnamed soldier among the tents in Foltest's army camp will initiate Geralt to the game

Chapter I[edit edit source]

• a trio on the lower level of the Flotsam inn
  • Casimir
  • Bendeck
  • Zindrab (only after the first two have been defeated)
• the French Monk (DLC)
• Einar Gausel (only after the trio at the inn have been defeated)
• Sendler (only after Einar Gausel has been defeated)

Chapter II[edit edit source]

• behind the smithy in Vergen:
  • Cornelius Meyer
  • Bruno Biggs
• outside the Kaedweni camp canteen:
  • Fragile
  • Gondor
• Cecil Burdon, only after beating the innkeeper at The Cauldron)
• Haggard, the blacksmith's apprentice (only after beating Cecil Burdon)
• Lasota (only after Madame Carole has been defeated)
• Madame Carole (only after Zyvik has been defeated on Roche's path)
• Skalen Burdon, to win the Dun Banner cloak
• Zyvik (only after Gondor and Fragile have been defeated)

Chapter III[edit edit source]

• inside a ruined building in the northeastern part of Loc Muinne
  • Aylaya
  • Filly
  • Hadrian the Black (only after defeating Aylaya and Filly)
  • Adelina (only after defeating Hadrian the Black)
• The Incredible Lockhart (only after defeating Adelina)

Galleries[edit edit source]

In the Army camp[edit edit source]

In Flotsam[edit edit source]

• Casimir

• Bendeck

• Zindrab

In Vergen[edit edit source]

• Cornelius Meyer

• Bruno Biggs

In the Kaedweni camp[edit edit source]

• Fragile

• Gondor

In Loc Muinne[edit edit source]

Dice Poker Hands Witcher 247

• Aylaya

• Filly

• Hadrian the Black

• Adelina