The Witcher 4 discussion thread

[SHR-51]

So, we got the first cinematic trailer at The Game Awards 2024.

I really like Ciri's look as the main character; she looks incredibly badass. Also, playing as a pre-defined character is a plus for me compared to creating your own witcher, which was rumoured earlier.
However, this trailer does raise some lore questions and concerns for me. I'll just list them:

• How did Ciri get mutated to become an actual witcher? Will we get an explanation for this?
• Why is she not using her Elder Blood powers? Did she lose them? What happened to her after Witcher 3 ended?
• What is this water magic she's using? Is it normal sorceress-type magic or something entirely different?

What did you think about the trailer and what do you want from The Witcher 4 overall?

 

[Frindis]

However, this trailer does raise some lore questions and concerns for me. I'll just list them:

• How did Ciri get mutated to become an actual witcher? Will we get an explanation for this?

They recently shared some info: "Ciri has undertaken the famously painful Trial of the Grasses which has mutated her into a powerful and resilient warrior" - https://www.ign.com/articles/inside-the-witcher-4-cd-projekt-reds-plans-for-its-next-big-rpg

My new theory is that while Ciri had the elder blood in her veins and drank some of the witcher potions, something happened to her body while she grew up. Perhaps she started to mutate and this made her body very resiiliant to the point of her being able to do the Trial of the Grasses.

• Why is she not using her Elder Blood powers? Did she lose them? What happened to her after Witcher 3 ended?

I can't remember exactly what happened to her after Witcher 3, but I do think she removed her elder powers because she did not want it anymore.

• What is this water magic she's using? Is it normal sorceress-type magic or something entirely different?

Good question. Could it possibly be that some of her elder blood is still in her veins? Like she can't do powerful magic but can manipulate elements to some degree. Maybe we'll see a hybrid of witcher/elder power in the skill tree.

What did you think about the trailer and what do you want from The Witcher 4 overall?

I did not like the trailer that much, but this is mainly because of how Ciri looks. She looks like a Hollywood actor with Botox on her face. It looks like it is made of plastic and not naturally looking or with a natural glow. I do appreciate the darker turn of the trailer, so at least we know we will be getting a mature witcher game. I mean, I would not expect anything else from the company, but we have also seen some major changes in other franchises into a more soulless look *cough* Dragon Age: Veilguard.

 

[SHR-51]

They recently shared some info: "Ciri has undertaken the famously painful Trial of the Grasses which has mutated her into a powerful and resilient warrior" - https://www.ign.com/articles/inside-the-witcher-4-cd-projekt-reds-plans-for-its-next-big-rpg

My new theory is that while Ciri had the elder blood in her veins and drank some of the witcher potions, something happened to her body while she grew up. Perhaps she started to mutate and this made her body very resiiliant to the point of her being able to do the Trial of the Grasses.

That's interesting. I hope we'll get to experience all of this in-game and not just in an intro cutscene or something like that.

I did not like the trailer that much, but this is mainly because of how Ciri looks. She looks like a Hollywood actor with Botox on her face. It looks like it is made of plastic and not naturally looking or with a natural glow.

I don't agree with this, but I definitely see where you're coming from. My view on it is, that she looks like that specifically because she's mutated and not a "natural human" anymore. At least, I hope that's the case.

 

[Zloth]

I would worry about anybody that's glowing!

Elder Blood could end up being one of the skill trees for all we know. The game is still a long way off.

 

[SHR-51]

I would worry about anybody that's glowing!

Elder Blood could end up being one of the skill trees for all we know. The game is still a long way off.

That would be very concerning from the lore perspective. If she has access to 'superpowers', why did she need to go through an incredibly painful process of becoming a witcher?

 

[Master_Shifu]

Ciri as main character? Brave choice, but I like it! Her becoming a full fledged witcher is interesting. I wonder if the Trials of the Grasses were altered or accelerated because of her Elder Blood. Or maybe the Wild Hunt had something to do with it. And her powers, maybe she’s learning to use them in a new way, a mix of witcher and sorceress abilities.

As a witcher series fan, a rich graphics world, inclusion of moral choices decision affects and a good story is what I expect from The Witcher 4.

 

[Zloth]

That would be very concerning from the lore perspective. If she has access to 'superpowers', why did she need to go through an incredibly painful process of becoming a witcher?

To make Geralt proud? To be able to drink those potions without dying? To get disqualified from being an empress like I told her to do because that world is in desperate need of somebody with political power who isn't massively corrupt...

<ahem> Let's just say there are many possibilities.