Need a bit of a Triss/Yennefer guide. Personalities and such.. *mild spoilers*

It's my understanding that you end up having to decide whether or not to choose Triss before you even really spend any time seeing what Yennefer is like. Since I haven't read the books, she's kind of a completely foreign entity to me.

I've been all over the forums and seen some debate, but I'm just curious about some of their basic personality traits. It's going to be hard for me to move through the Triss section with this looming thought about possibly preferring or hating Yennefer in the future, and I don't tend to play a game twice, so this it's now or never most likely.

Any general comments about these 2 characters? What I know: Triss is...actually I don't know anything about her other than that she's been a pretty good friend to Geralt over the course of the games. Yennefer...previous love that he forgot, think she slept with some other guy, and supposedly she's a bit controlling? But I think I've also heard that Triss is a manipulative liar as well? Just looking for thoughts on both, not a "this girl is better" sort of answer. Minor spoilers are fine with me.

Triss is unhappily in love with Geralt. She adores him but there is an insecurity about her and a recklessness.

Yennefer is ambitious, calculating and uses Geralt like a toy. When it's good, it's really good. Otherwise it's bad.

Save yourself the trouble and snuggle up to Zoltan.

Yennefer was Geralt's first love, she stood by him during the war and while a bit harsh and unforgiving at times she truly does care for the wolf...however she never truly tried looking for the gray one (Witcher 2) and that can leave a man wondering....

As for Triss...she loves Geralt with the fiery passion of two suns. She nursed him back to health after he "died", and they have been traveling together ever since. She's also helped restore his memory, he's saved her life countless times and while she is a bit naive at times, her compassion moves Geralt. While she is clingy...she did save and nurse the wolf heavily. She's wifey material, Yen is more of the "lets give it a try for now" type.

Well that's informative. I'm kind of leaning towards Yennefer recently. Not at a point of no return yet though.

Shani is still better, even if she went from obsessed to controlling.

gace789 posted...

Shani is still better, even if she went from obsessed to controlling.

This, and Killi forgot about all of the lies Triss told (TW-TW2...) not that it should sully the TC's opinion or anything

Triss went after Geralt even though she knew that Yen and Geralt were an item. She and Yennefer are actually friends. And despite all this, she continuously tried to get Geralt to fall in love with her. She adores Geralt and would do anything for him. Geralt, before losing his memory, truly liked her, but was always more deeply infatuated with Yennefer overall, and Yen didn't even need to use magic on him to evoke those feelings.

Yennefer and Geralt go further back. When they first met, she was trying to control a Djinn to gain power from its wishes, and Geralt ended up saving the two of them from certain death by using the Djinn's last wish, and using it bind her to him, because he had immediately fallen for her. Both of them slept with other partners over the years, because both of them sort of try to defy the fate of this last wish, as well as they try to figure out if they really love each other or are even worthy of love themselves. This self-abusive behavior and recurring infidelity between the two of them is why their relationship was so complicated. But something that connects them deeply is that Yennefer always sought a way to bear a child despite her infertility, and then Ciri came along, to whom Geralt was basically father/guardian, and Yennefer embraced the role of Ciri's mother.

The games paint Triss as a sweet and caring woman. This is true, but she's also selfish in that she exploited Geralt's amnesia and Yen's absence over the course of the first two games, using the opportunity to cozy up to Geralt.

The third game paints Yennefer as self-centered and uncaring. This is mostly a facade she wears, and while she is undoubtedly arrogant (even more so than Geralt) she is a lot more selfless and helpful than she lets on. It's implied, in the first two games, that she gave her life to save Geralt during the Rivian pogrom. Almost everything she does in the events of The Witcher 3 is for Ciri's sake.

Geralt deeply loved Yennefer before he lost his memory, and Triss was "only" one of his best friends. Whichever woman he chooses to confess his love to in The Witcher 3 is technically a "correct" choice, because it's quite feasible to think that something more than just friendship grew out of the relationship Triss built with him during the events since his amnesia, but it's also equally plausible that his love for Yennefer transcends his memories. Thus the player is given some choices in the matter, because it's open to your interpretation.

Wratts posted...

Triss went after Geralt even though she knew that Yen and Geralt were an item. She and Yennefer are actually friends. And despite all this, she continuously tried to get Geralt to fall in love with her. She adores Geralt and would do anything for him. Geralt, before losing his memory, truly liked her, but was always more deeply infatuated with Yennefer overall, and Yen didn't even need to use magic on him to evoke those feelings.

Yennefer and Geralt go further back. When they first met, she was trying to control a Djinn to gain power from its wishes, and Geralt ended up saving the two of them from certain death by using the Djinn's last wish, and using it bind her to him, because he had immediately fallen for her. Both of them slept with other partners over the years, because both of them sort of try to defy the fate of this last wish, as well as they try to figure out if they really love each other or are even worthy of love themselves. This self-abusive behavior and recurring infidelity between the two of them is why their relationship was so complicated. But something that connects them deeply is that Yennefer always sought a way to bear a child despite her infertility, and then Ciri came along, to whom Geralt was basically father/guardian, and Yennefer embraced the role of Ciri's mother.

The games paint Triss as a sweet and caring woman. This is true, but she's also selfish in that she exploited Geralt's amnesia and Yen's absence over the course of the first two games, using the opportunity to cozy up to Geralt.

The third game paints Yennefer as self-centered and uncaring. This is mostly a facade she wears, and while she is undoubtedly arrogant (even more so than Geralt) she is a lot more selfless and helpful than she lets on. It's implied, in the first two games, that she gave her life to save Geralt during the Rivian pogrom. Almost everything she does in the events of The Witcher 3 is for Ciri's sake.

Geralt deeply loved Yennefer before he lost his memory, and Triss was "only" one of his best friends. Whichever woman he chooses to confess his love to in The Witcher 3 is technically a "correct" choice, because it's quite feasible to think that something more than just friendship grew out of the relationship Triss built with him during the events since his amnesia, but it's also equally plausible that his love for Yennefer transcends his memories. Thus the player is given some choices in the matter, because it's open to your interpretation.

Well this is probably the most informative post I've seen on these relationships yet. Never did get what people were talking about with this wish Geralt had made, and now all the sleeping around makes a lot more sense as well.

Overall, sounds like Yennefer will be a more interesting option, though Triss sounds like that girl that always ends up alone at the end of the movie. You feel sorry for her, even though she did something she shouldn't have. Almost makes me want to choose Triss...but I don't think I will.

Honestly, I like Yennefer's type anyway. The reasons most people hate her don't particularly bother me >_>. Thanks for the detailed response Wratts.

Wratts posted...

Triss went after Geralt even though she knew that Yen and Geralt were an item. She and Yennefer are actually friends. And despite all this, she continuously tried to get Geralt to fall in love with her. She adores Geralt and would do anything for him. Geralt, before losing his memory, truly liked her, but was always more deeply infatuated with Yennefer overall, and Yen didn't even need to use magic on him to evoke those feelings.

Yennefer and Geralt go further back. When they first met, she was trying to control a Djinn to gain power from its wishes, and Geralt ended up saving the two of them from certain death by using the Djinn's last wish, and using it bind her to him, because he had immediately fallen for her. Both of them slept with other partners over the years, because both of them sort of try to defy the fate of this last wish, as well as they try to figure out if they really love each other or are even worthy of love themselves. This self-abusive behavior and recurring infidelity between the two of them is why their relationship was so complicated. But something that connects them deeply is that Yennefer always sought a way to bear a child despite her infertility, and then Ciri came along, to whom Geralt was basically father/guardian, and Yennefer embraced the role of Ciri's mother.

The games paint Triss as a sweet and caring woman. This is true, but she's also selfish in that she exploited Geralt's amnesia and Yen's absence over the course of the first two games, using the opportunity to cozy up to Geralt.

The third game paints Yennefer as self-centered and uncaring. This is mostly a facade she wears, and while she is undoubtedly arrogant (even more so than Geralt) she is a lot more selfless and helpful than she lets on. It's implied, in the first two games, that she gave her life to save Geralt during the Rivian pogrom. Almost everything she does in the events of The Witcher 3 is for Ciri's sake.

Geralt deeply loved Yennefer before he lost his memory, and Triss was "only" one of his best friends. Whichever woman he chooses to confess his love to in The Witcher 3 is technically a "correct" choice, because it's quite feasible to think that something more than just friendship grew out of the relationship Triss built with him during the events since his amnesia, but it's also equally plausible that his love for Yennefer transcends his memories. Thus the player is given some choices in the matter, because it's open to your interpretation.

It's true that Triss knew about Yennefer and Geralt's on and off again relationship, but Geralt has had a relationship with Triss in the past before even the Witcher 1.

So in Triss defense, she could have not known Geralt and Yennefer's current state of their relationship because they were often on and off again. Geralt has had sex with Triss quite a few times in the past as it is implied in Witcher 1 and that is why she fell in love with him.

Knowing Geralt, he has always been the on to initiate relations with women. So in the end, it's really Geralt's fault for getting himself in this love triangle.

IMO, Yennefer is one of those abusive relationships that people get into where they think the level of heart pain equals to the level they love someone. It's toxic. Triss is a good girl and everyone gets along with her.

Who should you choose? Who you have more in common with.

If you're a kind Geralt that helps out others and sometimes gives the coin back to people who try to reward you, then go with Triss.

If you're a Geralt that gets impatient during conversations and rush them to end, bargain for every coin and only help people if it benefits you, then go with Yen.

I chose Triss, but I like Yen as a character as well. I felt really bad when I had Geralt tell her he didn't love her.