I don't mind a good challenge, but what I really HATE is having to watch the previous dialog animation if I die during the fight and respawn to try again. It would be one thing if I could just save the game just as the fight starts, then I wouldn't be forced to go through the same movie elements each time.

I don't understand what the thinking was to make that part of the game like that. It's not like re-watching that scene adds to the gameplay or the story in any significant way...it's just an irritant. It makes me not want to bother playing the game rather than feel like I'm being challenged by this particular battle.

I enjoy the game, but man that is one really poor game design decision :\

Huh. Not sure you are asking anything with this post but, just in case you don't know if you mouse clic during a cutscene it will skip to the next part of the custscene. Not really a full skip but it will speed things up.

EDIT : Also, since you have to "judge" who is guilty during the cutscene it might change the fight. Not sure since i only played this part once (i'm in act 2) and didn't try both options.

I was just venting about a strange design decision by the games makers to require the player to replay the entire "judging" scene if they get defeated by the beast. It seems like a poor design decision that doesn't offer a challenge to the player , just a source of frustration.

Yes you can click through the scenes but you have to still make your dialog choices over again each time, then you have to ESC click through the next scene, and after that you can't ESC click the final movie...you just have to wait for it to finish before your jumped by the Beast and his hellhounds.

If you could just respawn at the battle scene without repeating the "judgement" scene that whole sequence of events would have been much more enjoyable.

Don't get me wrong I'm really enjoying the game, ...with the exception of that one part which just seemed like it was meant to frustrate more than challenge.

I completely agree. The Beast is one of the toughest fights in the game and repeating that cutscene each time I lost was really annoying.

The upside is that there isn't anything that bad in the rest of the game. Chapter 2 is when things really start getting good.

(Sorry, spoiler tags aren't working for me today, comment withdrawn.)

Actually, if you are very quick you can save right after the judgement. I was able to do it by pausing immediately after the end of the cinematic and then go to the menu. Save game was available. You probably only have one second or two to do it thought.

Do this. Seriously, do this.

Also, the game fast-forwards to midnight when you exit the cave. If you meditate until 11 PM before buffing up, all of your weapon oils and potions will still be active when it's time to fight the Beast, which can save you a LOT of time at the start. The second thing is that the Beast is NOT immune to knockdown. It's possible to do a coup de grace on him after an Ard, especially if you've put points into that. Petri's Philter will boost your signs too, but I don't think it's available at that point in the game. It's kind of a cheesy way to end the fight, but it's a heckuva lot easier than fighting him straight, and he's a cheesy boss himself.

I got so disgusted with this fight today, I gave up on the game for now.

I have done a crapton of reading, and realized from Steam, IGN, etc, etc, how many were frustrated with this boss fight. I guess I know tactics now, but have died so many times, I just don't have it in me anymore today. Maybe another time, but I can only try things maybe 20 times, before I have to give up.

Worst thing is I got The Beast down with Aard and killed him with a blow, one time. Then got killed by the villagers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I could not believe I died to them. I guess I was so over the boss fight, I thought the villagers would be easy. Not! Thought it started me again with full life, and I was doing Group attack, but no dice. May have only killed a few before I was dead.

For this game to not give an Autosave, AFTER you kill the Beast, and me to now have to get lucky and somehow kill him again, is just a horrific game design.

I managed to get an F5 save just before the Beast starts....not sure if I can after he dies and before the Villagers. But, then again, not sure I'll ever get there again, I'm so pissed.

Pretty surprised it's been years and none of the new players were frustrated with this nonsense of a game design for a boss fight.

It REALLY sucks, as I was having a blast with the game, and am just giving up on it now. I am playing on Normal, OTS. I had few difficulties before this.

Why? I'm sure you will manage this bossfight.

Preparation:

1. The fight will begin at 0.00 - no matter when Geralt arrives in the cave. So potions and oils may expire.
2. Meditate in the cave until 23 h. Apply Specter Oil. Geralt consumes swallow and tawny owl.
3. Leave the cave. Interrupt cutscenes with ESC, interrupt dialogue lines by clicking into the screen.
4. If your Aard is strong enough or you're lucky enough the fight will be done in some seconds:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAFgYQ0jGk0

If not:
5. Choose group style before leaving the cave.

It's important to keep Abigail on her feet: She's a healer, and a good one - as long as she is in the upright position for obvious reasons.
6. Stay near Abigail and kill the barguests first (group style!!!). If the barguests are eliminated then switch to strong style and attack the beast. Aard may be useful - but not necessary.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWzvem7mUsE

Good luck!

Well, I still haven't beaten this boss fight. It's utterly ridiculous....tried another 10+ times tonight. Giving up.....another time, and I'm going to try the between the houses method.....just wish I could find that one You Tube.

One big problem is I seem to be unable to make Oils....so can't make the Specter Oil. I guess I screwed up earlier in the game with the Witch.....no way am I going back...don't even think I have a save before then.

There's so much mis-information on this boss fight, as well. I did go back a little in saves, before the Witch in the cave. I tried my Swallow and Tawny then, at 11pm. Sure seems like they are not active when the boss fight starts.

So, I'm thinking I'll take my Swallow and Tawny, run between the houses and see what we can do there. I've seen many say that works. But, I still died there once, the other night I tried.

I hate to give up on the game, due to this asinine boss fight.....so I'll try that next.

Still would love to know how the one time I got lucky and Aard and insta-killed him, I died to the the townsfolk!!!!!!! When I was Grouping them. Everything I've read said they should fall easily, so I don't get dying there. If that happens again, after all these efforts, I just might be shelving the game!

This is strange. For reasons of clarification: Geralt applies Swallow and Tawny Owl at 11 pm in the cave in company of Abigail, leaves the cave immediately after and the potions are not active? (You can check it if you have a look at the lower ring of the Witcher-medallion.)

Pls upload your savegame before leaving the cave and post the link. Then I will see if I can help you.

If you go to where you can see in the pic, the hounds won't follow you, you can jump out, hit them and retreat.
Look at the mini map. It's the last shed in the street.
Is that the between the houses method?
The pic was from after the fight, I didn't have a save close enough to show you during the fight.

Yes, I figured out how it shows what potions are active under the upper left thingie.....didn't show a thing during the fight....like it did in the cave, at 11:30pm.

As far as the house pic goes, thought there was only one gap between a house and shed, with a bench you can squeeze past....and only one of them can follow you at a time....so, theory is if you can get the Beast to come, you can deal with him, hopefully. Or, backtrack and heal, if need be.

The time I did it, it was not working so well...but there's only so many places to go inside the fire ring, so that has to be it.....maybe I didn't go back far enough. I was certainly taking damage, and died.

Thanks for the posts....I'll give it another shot today, I think.

Edit: Well, been trying this for another hour.....space between houses helps me not to dfe, but still not killing him. I can regain health and energy, but only the minions come up and it's hard as hell to do combat. And, hard to run or jump out. I've been getting it done eventually, though....but problem is, just like the normal way, when I use Aard on the Beast, he jumps up in a millisecond, before I can even get to him to start a strong attack.....guess that's the main problem. And, just like many I've seen talk about it....it's just luck, that you stun it long enough to get the attacks in. Like I did the one time.

Just not sure how long is long enough to put into this nonsense.....sigh.

Post your saved game from in the cave, into Dropbox, or something, and someone will fight the beast for you.

Maybe a silly question, but what level is your character, and have you spent all the 'points' on abilities?

This fight is incredibly difficult, though, especially with the 'wrong' skills. It's arguably the toughest fight in the game, which is darn silly so early.

Amazingly, there is something similar in Witcher 2, which I couldn't get past no matter how hard and how long I tried, without putting the difficulty down to Easy. So I know how frustrating this is :(