The Continent is a dangerous place, and witchers are trained to be prepared for combat in a wide range of environments. One of the most annoying places to get caught in battle inThe Witcher 3is while underwater, where drowners often lurk. While combat inThe Witcher 3is, for the most part, versatile and dynamic, underwater combat is limited to using Geralt’s crossbow.
Drowners are often killed without a thought by many players while on land, but combat against them while underwater is tedious because of Geralt’s restrictions and the limited drowner animations. As there aren’t many otherunderwater enemies inThe Witcher, underwater drowner combat could be so much more dynamic by unlocking the potential for both the player character and the drowners inThe Witcher 4with new combat animations, weapons, and allowing the player character to use signs.
Expanding on Underwater Combat in The Witcher 4
These underwater encounters mean thatdrowners encountered underwater are often defeated in just one or two hits, and are deeply unsatisfying. This is a pity, because underwater combat sets up a scenario for a high-stress, high-reward combat situation for several reasons. Underwater combat is fairly rare compared to other combat scenarios inThe Witcher 3. The added stress of having a time limit thanks to a lack of oxygen, the limited visibility, and the limit on movement makes underwater combat a unique scenario.
Encountering drowners underwater inWitcher 3, who usually pose little to no threat to Geralt, suddenly and unexpectedly makes them incredibly dangerous, especially in larger numbers.The Witcher 4could turn the threat of drowners on its head during these underwater combat scenarios by increasing their combat capabilities and numbers while underwater. Drowners' underwater abilities could be expanded upon through claw attacks, grappling onto their prey, releasing clouds of venom into the water, swarming their prey in groups, and dragging their prey downwards when they attempt to surface for air.
Introducing Balance to The Witcher 4’s Underwater Combat
As underwater environments are the natural habitat of drowners, an expansion of their combat repertoire while underwater would not be unexpected, and would also give the protagonist ofThe Witcher 4a greater challenge. To encourage more chances of encountering drowners underwater,high-level loot, high-level armor witcher and weapon sets, and interesting missions could involve underwater sections. However, these must be balanced carefully, as encountering groups of efficient drowners every time the player character goes for a swim could quickly become tedious.
To balance the challenge of underwater battle with drowners, underwater combat forThe Witcher 4’s protagonist must also be expanded upon, and cannot be purely limited to the crossbow.Witchersigns should be able to be used underwater, but could be expressed differently than above water, such as Igni heating water to boiling in its path and scorching enemies. Aard could be used to push away drowner venom clouds. Using swords would still be difficult, but a smaller blade like a silver dagger should still be a viable option for underwater combat. ExpandingThe Witcher 4’s repertoire of weapons in this way would also make combat and crafting more versatile in other areas ofThe Witcher 4, rather than limiting weapons to two swords and a crossbow.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
WHERE TO PLAY
You are Geralt of Rivia, mercenary monster slayer. Before you stands a war-torn, monster-infested continent you can explore at will. Your current contract? Tracking down Ciri — the Child of Prophecy, a living weapon that can alter the shape of the world.PLAY AS A HIGHLY TRAINED MONSTER SLAYER FOR HIRETrained from early childhood and mutated to gain superhuman skills, strength, and reflexes, witchers are a counterbalance to the monster-infested world in which they live.Gruesomely destroy foes as a professional monster hunter armed with a range of upgradeable weapons, mutating potions, and combat magic. Hunt down a wide variety of exotic monsters, from savage beasts prowling mountain passes to cunning supernatural predators lurking in the shadowy back alleys of densely populated cities. Invest your rewards to upgrade your weaponry and buy custom armor, or spend them on horse races, card games, fist fighting, and other pleasures life brings.EXPLORE A MORALLY AMBIGUOUS FANTASY OPEN WORLDBuilt for endless adventure, the massive open world of The Witcher sets new standards in terms of size, depth, and complexity. Traverse a fantastical open world: explore forgotten ruins, caves, and shipwrecks, trade with merchants and dwarven smiths in cities, and hunt across the open plains, mountains, and seas. Deal with treasonous generals, devious witches, and corrupt royalty to provide dark and dangerous services. Make choices that go beyond good & evil, and face their far-reaching consequences.
