Most people were introduced to The Witcher after the much-beloved third installment in this series was released to major fanfare. The Wild Hunt was a groundbreaking title that put CD Projekt Red on the map when it came to delivering excellence in AAA video gaming. However, there are a few devout fans of The Witcher who will swear by The Witcher 2 as being the stepping stone for CD Projekt Red’s rampant success.
A major part of why people hold Assassins Of Kings so close to their hearts is the interesting duality between the two factions in their games and their leaders — namely, Iorweth and Vernon Roche. The morality of the actions conducted by both the elf and the human is quite dubious, and choosing between one or the other can honestly prove to be quite challenging. The idea of having both these fighters engage in a duel sounds enticing, especially since the result will be pretty close. The unique skillsets of both fighters will make their fight an interesting one indeed. In terms of who’s going to win this fight, here are five reasons each detailing out the strong points of both fighters and why they might just edge out the other in combat.
10 VERNON ROCHE: His Swordsmanship Skills Are Excellent
As a person who rose from poverty to become the commander of the Blue Stripes, it goes without saying that Roche had to hone his swordsmanship skills to a T so that King Foltest would even consider him to be worthy of such a position.
The years of training it took to sharpen his sword skills certainly made Roche a person to be feared in combat, but that doesn’t mean that Iorweth doesn’t stand a chance. If anything…
9 IORWETH: He’s A Natural When It Comes To Melee Fighting
One thing that absolutely must be said when it comes to Iorweth is the fact that he’s gifted when it comes to the art of melee combat.
His swordsmanship skills are good enough on their own, but Iorweth isn’t completely helpless without this weapon. He can grab any makeshift weapon around, or — at the very least — use his hand-to-hand combat skills to stun his enemies so that he can have a breather.
8 VERNON ROCHE: His Sense Of Righteousness Will Propel His Desire To Win
If there’s one thing that Roche has in spades, it’s a powerful moral compass that compels him to do what is right for his country and his ruler. This sense of innate righteousness and pride is what would give Roche the energy to defeat his opponents, no matter how skilled they may be.
Talking about a person having the most heart in a fight might be somewhat childish, but one can’t deny that this morale boost can play a major role in combat.
7 IORWETH: He’s Excellent At Using A Bow
Of course, melee combat isn’t the only thing that Iorweth excels in. If his enemy prefers to keep his distance, then Iorweth can force them into a corner with his bow instead.
His bowmanship skills are just as good as his swordsmanship, if not better. Suffice to say, Roche won’t even be able to maintain his distance if Iorweth constantly hounds him with a barrage of both ranged and melee attacks, But then perhaps, maybe it’s not Roche who will take a measured approach…
6 VERNON ROCHE: The Pressure He’ll Put On Iorweth Will Be Immense
Roche has a reputation for overwhelming his opponents using sheer force. While this might apply more from the context of group battles, there’s no reason to assume that Roche won’t go out of his way to put the pressure on his enemy in a one-on-one duel as well.
Iorweth might be an agile fighter, but even he’ll struggle in getting some breathing room in a fight against this proud Blue Stripe.
5 IORWETH: He’s Extremely Resilient And Can Find His Way Out Of Any Tight Spot
Iorweth hasn’t lived an easy life — nor has Roche, but that’s a different story — with the Aen Seidhe constantly being on the run against larger forces that sought his demise.
The fact that he’s managed to elude capture all this time — including the act of escaping an imminent execution — shows that the man knows exactly how to take care of himself in a tough situation.
4 VERNON ROCHE: His Intellect In Battle Is Quite Immense
A person doesn’t become a commander through sheer combat skills alone — they also need to have the ability to read the battlefield and figure out the best course of action that can be taken to ensure a victory with minimal loss of human life.
This would definitely apply to a one-on-one duel as well, and Roche will definitely use his battle IQ to figure out the best course of action that can be taken to win the fight.
3 IORWETH: His Dual-Wielding Skills Can Take Roche By Surprise
However, even the tightest battle strategies can completely collapse like a deck of cards if an enemy has a hidden trick up their sleeve.
In Iorweth’s case, this comes in the form of his dual-wielding skill, which can be a pain for Roche to handle if he’s getting used to a particular flow of combat.
2 VERNON ROCHE: Ves Will Always Be By His Side
While the whole point of a duel is destroyed if Roche gets some outside help, it goes without saying that Ves will never leave her commander’s side — especially if he’s stuck between a rock and a hard place.
This is one of Roche’s best qualities — he’s a natural leader, and the fact that Ves would go above and beyond the call of duty to protect him shows just how great of a commander he actually is.
1 IORWETH: He Has Proved His Mettle In Battle Several Times
While this is not saying that Roche’s combat experience is lacking, one has to admit the fact that Iorweth has been in tougher battles that have tested every inch of his combat skill.
From surviving the massacre of the Vrihedd Brigade to escaping countless hunts by Temerian forces, Iorweth has done more than enough to prove his mettle in battle.
NEXT: The Witcher: 10 Monsters From The Witcher 2 That Could Appear In Season 2
