Unleashing Aerondight’s Full Potential: A Guide to Socketing the Legendary Silver Sword
Yes, absolutely! You can add sockets to Aerondight in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. This is achieved through the Runewright, an NPC introduced with the Hearts of Stone expansion. The Runewright allows you to enhance your weapons and armor by adding sockets, where you can then insert runestones and glyphs to grant various bonuses and effects. Socketing Aerondight is crucial to maximizing its effectiveness and truly turning it into the ultimate silver sword.
Enhancing Aerondight with the Runewright
The Runewright is located at the Upper Mill in northeastern Velen. Keep in mind that unlocking the Runewright’s full potential requires completing a series of quests and investing a significant amount of crowns. The process involves three tiers, each requiring a larger sum of money to unlock progressively more powerful enchantments and the ability to add more sockets.
The Socketing Process
Adding sockets to Aerondight is a straightforward process once you’ve unlocked the Runewright. Simply speak with him, select the “enchant” option, and choose Aerondight from your inventory. The menu will display the option to add sockets, along with the cost.
The cost increases with each socket you add. The first socket is relatively inexpensive, but the second and third will require a substantial investment. Be prepared to spend a considerable amount of crowns and potentially gather rare crafting materials to fully socket your Aerondight.
Choosing the Right Runestones
Once you have sockets on your Aerondight, the next step is to choose the right runestones. There are various types of runestones, each providing different bonuses. Some enhance damage output, while others improve critical hit chance, stamina regeneration, or other stats.
The best runestones for Aerondight depend on your playstyle and build. However, popular choices include:
- Devana: Increases attack power.
- Chernobog: Increases bleeding chance.
- Stribog: Increases critical hit damage.
Experiment with different combinations to find what works best for you. Don’t be afraid to swap out runestones as your build evolves or as you encounter different types of enemies.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Aerondight and Socketing
1. Where can I find the Runewright?
The Runewright is located at the Upper Mill in northeastern Velen. Look for the quest marker associated with the “Open Sesame!” quest, which is part of the Hearts of Stone expansion. You need to complete a couple of starting quests for the Runewright before you can fully use his services.
2. What is the maximum number of sockets I can add to Aerondight?
You can add a maximum of three sockets to Aerondight.
3. Does adding sockets to Aerondight affect its leveling mechanic?
No, adding sockets to Aerondight does not affect its leveling mechanic. Aerondight continues to level up with you, regardless of the number of sockets added. The sockets simply provide additional bonuses on top of the sword’s inherent scaling capabilities.
4. Can I remove runestones from Aerondight after I insert them?
Yes, you can remove runestones from Aerondight, but it will destroy the runestone in the process. Therefore, carefully consider your choices before inserting a runestone. It’s generally a good idea to save before inserting valuable runestones, just in case you change your mind later.
5. Is it worth investing in the Runewright just to socket Aerondight?
Absolutely. While the Runewright offers other enchantments, the ability to add sockets to Aerondight is a significant advantage. It allows you to further customize the sword to your playstyle and significantly increase its effectiveness. Given that Aerondight is widely considered the best silver sword in the game, investing in the Runewright is definitely worthwhile.
6. What happens if I get Aerondight at a low level?
Aerondight is designed to level up with you. If you acquire it at a low level, it will start at a lower base damage, but it will automatically increase its damage as you level up. This ensures that Aerondight remains viable throughout your playthrough. Remember to kill enemies with a fully charged Aerondight to increase its damage capacity.
7. Can Aerondight break?
No, Aerondight cannot break. Like all Witcher gear, it requires occasional repairs, but it cannot be permanently destroyed.
8. Is Aerondight a silver or steel sword?
Aerondight is a silver sword. It is specifically designed to be used against monsters. Steel swords are more effective against humans and non-monster creatures.
9. What is the best way to charge Aerondight?
Aerondight charges by landing consecutive hits on enemies. Each successful hit increases its damage by 10%, up to a maximum of 100%. Once fully charged, it also guarantees a critical hit. Avoiding being hit is key to maintaining the charge.
10. Can I obtain Aerondight without the Blood and Wine DLC?
No, Aerondight is only available through the Blood and Wine DLC. It cannot be obtained in the base game or the Hearts of Stone expansion.
11. Is there a better sword than Aerondight?
While there are other powerful swords in the game, Aerondight is widely considered the best silver sword due to its unique leveling mechanic and the damage bonus it provides. Gesheft has good damage, however Aerondight levels up as you do, making it the superior option in the long run.
12. What is the maximum level Aerondight can reach?
Aerondight’s maximum level is tied to your own character level. As you level up, Aerondight’s potential maximum level increases as well. When you reach level 100, you will unlock Aerondight’s final maximum potential level.
13. Can I use any runestones on Aerondight?
Yes, you can use any runestones that are compatible with silver swords on Aerondight. This includes runestones that increase attack power, critical hit chance, stamina regeneration, and other stats.
14. Does the New Game Plus (NG+) affect Aerondight?
Yes, New Game Plus (NG+) does affect Aerondight. You can carry over Aerondight into NG+, and it will continue to level up with you. This allows you to further enhance its power and reach even higher levels. This also means that the stats of Aerondight will again increase after you level up.
15. Where does Aerondight come from in the Witcher lore?
In the Witcher lore, Aerondight is bestowed upon Geralt by The Lady of the Lake. It is considered a legendary sword with mystical properties and is often associated with Arthurian legends. This connection adds to the sword’s mystique and makes it a prized possession for any Witcher.
Conclusion: Mastering Aerondight
Adding sockets to Aerondight is a crucial step in maximizing its potential and turning it into the ultimate silver sword in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. By investing in the Runewright and carefully choosing the right runestones, you can significantly enhance Aerondight’s damage output and tailor it to your specific playstyle. So, embark on the Hearts of Stone expansion, seek out the Runewright, and unlock the full power of Aerondight!
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