Skills Ranking and Tier List

This is a tier list of the skills viable for different builds in the game The Witcher 3. Read on to learn more about the effects and synergies of skills that works on different builds.

Skills Ranking and Tier List

Pure DPS (Critical) Build

This build focuses on building up Adrenaline Points quickly from fast attacks, while increasing your bonus critical hit damage for the maximum damage output.

Tier	Skill	Strengths
S	Cat School Techniques	Branch: Combat ・Drastically increases the damage of your fast attacks and critical hits.
	Fleet Footed	Branch: Combat ・Main defensive tool to increase survivability. ・Negates all incoming damage while dodging.
	Precise Blows	Branch: Combat ・Increase the chance of landing critical hits. Increase the damage of critical hits. Bonus Adrenaline Points gain.
A
	Muscle Memory	Branch: Combat ・Best way to increase the base damage of your fast attacks and Adrenaline Points gain.
	Crippling Strikes	Branch: Combat ・Applies Bleeding to enemies hit with your fast attacks for a few seconds. Extra DPS for enemies with high Vitality.
	Razor Focus	Branch: Combat ・Boosts your Adrenaline Points as soon as you enter combat. Additional Adenaline Point Gain.
B
	Deadly Precision	Branch: Combat ・Can instantly kill enemies depending on your current Adrenaline Points. It has a long cooldown of 15 seconds.
	Whirl	Branch: Combat ・Continous attacks that deals high damage but slowly drains your stamina and Adrenaline Points.
	Undying	Branch: Combat ・Additional tool that can help you survive fights longer. Best skill to invest your skill points on combat branch to unlock better skills.
	Battle Frenzy	Branch: General ・Optional skill if you want to get 100% Critical Chance. Works well with Razor Focus and other Adrenaline Points source. Slightly reduces the damage output of your fast attacks.
C
	Counterattack	Branch: Combat ・Optional skill depending on your play style. Deal increased damage with your counter attacks.
	Attack is the Best Defense	Branch: General ・Alternative source of Adrenaline Points during combat. Requires only 1 Skill Point.

Best Skills, Runestones and Glyphs for Pure DPS Build

Pure Sign Build

Pure Sign build mainly uses its increased sign intensity and maximizing the status effect inflicted by signs, while utilizing your stamina regeneration and consumption.

Tier	Skill	Strengths
S	Delusion	Branch: Sign ・Gives you more options when selecting dialogues. ・Increased Stamina regeneration in combat.
	Melt Armor	Branch: Sign ・Permanently weakens the armor of enemies hit. Increased Stamina regeneration in combat.
	Puppet	Branch: Sign ・Extremely useful against 2 or more high level enemies and force them to attack each other. ・Increased Stamina regeneration in combat.
	Rage Management	Branch: General ・Allows you to cast signs even at low stamina using Adrenaline Points. ・Helpful when using roll to escape enemy attacks.
A
	Aard Sweep	Branch: Sign ・Increases the area of effect of Aard but reduces the chance of knocking-down on lower levels. Increased Stamina regeneration in combat.
	Pyromaniac	Branch: Sign ・Drastically increases the chance to apply burning. Additional source of damage when fighting against enemies with high vitality. ・Increased Stamina regeneration.
	Igni Intensity	Branch: Sign ・Increase the damage output of your primary skill against enemies. Increased Stamina regeneration in combat.
	Aard Intensity	Branch: Sign ・Increases your Aard Intensity and the chances of Knocking-down the enemy. ・Increased Stamina regeneration in combat.
	Gorged on Power	Branch: General ・Versatile skill and helps you keep the one bonus sign intensity from any Place of Power.
B
	Griffin School Techniques	Branch: General ・Works well with Griffin Equipment Set to drastically increase your Sign Intensity.
	Adrenaline Burst	Branch: General ・Effective with Rage Management to continously cast Signs with Adrenaline Points.
	Exploding Shield	Branch: Combat ・Excellent defensive tool to increase your survivability against enemies.
C
	Domination	Branch: Sign ・Situational skill that can only be helpful when fighting against multiple high level enemies. ・Increased Stamina regeneration in combat.
	Firestream	Branch: Sign ・Optional skill that only works on certain situations. ・High damage output but makes you vulnerable to attacks.

Best Skills, Runestones and Glyphs for Pure Sign Build

Combat and Alchemy Hybrid Build

This build focuses on utilizing the high defense of heavy armors to increase survivability and improving the effectiveness of mutagens to increase its damage.

Tier	Skill	Strengths
S	Strength Training	Branch: Combat ・A must have skill because of its ability to drastically increases the damage of your strong attacks.
	Synergy	Branch: Alchemy ・Maximizes the effeciveness of your mutagens to give additional Vitality and Attack Power.
	Bear School Techniques	Branch: General ・Increases your maximum Vitality for survivability and increases the damage output of your strong attacks.
A
	Heightened Tolerance	Branch: Alchemy ・Allows you to drink more potions and decoction to buff your attacks and increase your defense even at high toxicity without any negative effects. ・Also adds more duration for your potions for longer fights.
	Acquired Tolerance	Branch: Alchemy ・Increases your maximum toxicity cap and allow you to drink more potions and decoctions. ・Makes your potions last longer.
	Refreshment	Branch: Alchemy ・Makes all of your potions heal an extra 25% of your maximum vitality for more survivability.
B
	Crushing Blows	Branch: Combat ・This ability works best on this build because your primary attack will be strong attacks. It gives your strong attacks a chance to critical hit and deal more damage. Also provides a bonus Adrenaline Points gain.
	Undying	Branch: Combat ・This ability makes you almost impossible to die because of its ability to instantly refill your Vitality to maximum upon dying. ・Rarely used because of your high vitality and defense.
	Resolve	Branch: Combat ・Prevents you from losing Adrenaline Points upon getting hit by the enemy. This will maintain your damage at maximum even when taking damage. Can be skipped if you play more cautiously.
	Sunder Armor	Branch: Combat ・Ranked lower because of its high ability point requirement. Can be effetive against strong enemies with high defense.
C
	Razor Focus	Branch: Combat ・Gives additional Adrenaline Points from your sword attacks. High Ability Points Requirement.
	Poisoned Blades	Branch: Alchemy ・Not required but can also slightly increase your damage output when using oils. ・Gives additional potion duration time.
	Metabolic Control	Branch: General ・Best alternative to Acquired Tolerance and only requires 1 skill point.

Best Skills, Runestones and Glyphs for Combat and Alchemy Hybrid Build

Combat and Signs Hybrid Build

This build utilizes both sword and signs in dealing damage and maximizing the bonus damage received from Adrenaline Points generated by both your sword and your signs.

Tier	Skill	Strengths
S	Flood of Anger	Branch: Combat ・Utilizes your Adrenaline Points to maximize the effectiveness and intensity of your Signs.
	Razor Focus	Branch: Combat ・The best way to generate Adrenaline Points in the game to maximize your damage output.
	Focus	Branch: General ・Makes your sign intensity benefit from the Adrenaline Points you accumulate during combat.
A
	Resolve	Branch: Combat ・Main tool to maintain your Adrenaline Points at high percentage even after taking hits.
	Adrenaline Burst	Branch: General ・Another useful skill to quickly generate more Adrenaline Points during combat.
	Griffin School Techniques	Branch: General ・Drastically increases your Sign Intensity and Stamina Regeneration for combat.
B
	Undying	Branch: Combat ・Gives you an additional tool for survivability while adding more points to Combat branch to unlock better skills.
	Melt Armor	Branch: Sign ・Weakens your enemies defense making your sword attacks more effective.
	Delusion	Branch: Sign ・Optional skill to take to invest more points to Sign Branch and unlocking more dialogues for the story.
C
	Muscle Memory	Branch: Combat ・Gives your fast attacks more damage and gain more Adrenaline Points in each attack.
	Strength Training	Branch: Combat ・Boosts the damage of your strong attacks and generate more Adrenaline Points.
	Pyromaniac	Branch: Sign ・Optional skill that can increase you damage output when hitting them with Igni.

Best Skills, Runestones and Glyphs for Combat and Signs Hybrid Build

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