The Witcher 3

Best Character Builds

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Best Early Game Skills and Builds

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This is a guide to the best character builds you can make for Geralt in the game The Witcher 3. Read on to learn more information on which skills, glyphs, and runestones you should equip to make each build stronger and more effective.

Best Character Build

Pure DPS (Critical) Build

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Pure DPS (Critical) Build mainly relies on increasing your raw damage and critical hit damage when using fast attacks to hit with enemies with maximum damage.

Skills

Cat School TechniquesCat School Techniques Branch: Combat
Cat School of Techniques drastically increases the damage of your critical hits.
Fleet Footed 1/5Fleet Footed Branch: Combat
Main defensive tool, making you invulnerable to attacks when dodging and also increases your Adrenaline Point gain.
Precise Blows 1/5Precise Blows Branch: Combat
Increases both your fast attack critical chance and fast attack critical damage.
Muscle Memory 1/5Muscle Memory Branch: Combat
Strengthens the damage of your fast attacks and Adrenaline Point gain.
Deadly Precision 1/2Deadly Precision Branch: Combat
Works well fast attacks because of its multiple hits in a short period of time giving Deadly Precision more chance to activate and instantly kill the enemy.
Whirl 1/5Whirl Branch: Combat
Gives you more Adrenaline Point gain and also gives you a strong attack where you can spend all your stamina.
Undying 1/5Undying Branch: Combat
Drastically increases the survivability of the build specially against enemies that can kill you with one hit.
Battle FrenzyBattle Frenzy Branch: General
Alternative way of increasing your critical chance without sacrificing weapon damage for critical chance.

Skills Ranking and Tier List for Pure DPS Build

Recommended Runes & Glyphs

Runestones
Greater Chernobog runestoneGreater Chernobog runestone Increases your raw attack power, dealing massive damage to enemies while building your Adrenaline Points to Increase your critical chance.
Greater Svarog runestoneGreater Svarog runestone Increase the Armor Piercing of your sword attacks making your critical hits deal more damage.
Glyphs
Greater Glyph of AardGreater Glyph of Aard Increasing your Aard Intensity increases the chances of your Aard Sign to knock down surrounding enemies. This makes them vulnerable to your sword attacks and critical hits.

Pure Sign Build

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Pure Sign Build focuses on using signs and building up sign intensity during combat. Each Sign casted are more effective with its bonus effect, while raising stamina regeneration and consumption.

Skills

Delusion 1/3Delusion Branch: Sign
Gives you more options to choose from during dialogues. Usually gives the best outcome to obtain more crowns and experience.
Melt Armor 1/5Melt Armor Branch: Sign
Permanently weakens the enemy armor making your attacks more effective during combat.
Puppet 1/3Puppet Branch: Sign
Allows you to control enemies to attack each other giving you the fighting chance even against high level enemies.
Rage ManagementRage Management Branch: General
Gives you more flexibility during combat even if you run out of stamina.
Aard Sweep 1/3Aard Sweep Branch: Sign
Guarantees your Aard Sign to hit enemies and knocking them down for you to position yourself better or strike them Igni during combat.
Pyromaniac 1/5Pyromaniac Branch: Sign
Makes your Igni more effective by increasing the chances of applying Burning on enemies when hit, to deal damage every few seconds for a short duration.
Igni Intensity 1/5Igni Intensity Branch: Sign
Increases the intensity of your Igni Sign, which is your main tool in dealing damage to enemies.
Aard Intensity 1/5Aard Intensity Branch: Sign
Increases the intensity of your Aard Sign making it more effective for combat.

Skills Ranking and Tier List for Pure Sign Build

Recommended Runes & Glyphs

Runestones
Greater Veles runestoneGreater Veles runestone This Runestone increases your Sign Intensity in general, making your offensive and defensive signs more effective.
Glyphs
Greater Glyph of IgniGreater Glyph of Igni This Glyph will drastically increase the effectiveness of your primary tool in dealing damage to enemies.
Greater Glyph of AxiiGreater Glyph of Axii Boosts your Axii Intensity and increases the duration of your Axii making it more effective during fights.

Combat and Alchemy Hybrid Build

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This build focuses on using heavy armor for increased survivability and maxing the effectiveness of potions for more health and increased damage.

Skills

Strength Training 1/5Strength Training Branch: Combat
Strengthens your primary tool when fighting and gives you more Adrenaline Point gain.
Synergy 1/5Synergy Branch: Alchemy
Makes the equipped Mutagens more effective and increases the duration of Potions.
Bear School TechniquesBear School Techniques Branch: General
Boosts your vitality while making your strong attack damage more effective.
Heightened Tolerance 1/5Heightened Tolerance Branch: Alchemy
Allows you to use more Potions without having to worry about overdose. This ability also increases the duration of Potions.
Acquired Tolerance 1/3Acquired Tolerance Branch: Alchemy
Drastically boosts your Maximum toxicity to use more potions and decoctions for combat.
Refreshment 1/5Refreshment Branch: Alchemy
Increases the effectiveness of your Potions, giving you more healing for more survivability.
Crushing Blows 1/5Crushing Blows Branch: Combat
Increases the chances of your strong attack to land a critical hit with increased damage. This ability also inreases your Adrenaline Point gain.
Undying 1/5Undying Branch: Combat
Gives you more survivability making you extremely difficult to kill even when spamming slow strong attacks.

Skills Ranking and Tier List for Combat and Alchemy Hybrid Build

Recommended Runes & Glyphs

Runestones
Greater Triglav runestoneGreater Triglav runestone Stunning the enemy will give you the opportunity to start dealing massive damage with your strong attacks without being punished.
Greater Zoria runestoneGreater Zoria runestone Freezing the enemy and slowing them down will give you more time to start winding up your slow devastating attacks.
Glyphs
Greater Glyph of QuenGreater Glyph of Quen Boosts your defense preventing you from being vulnerable as soon as you start to winding up your slow strong attacks.

Combat and Signs Hybrid Build

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This Hybrid Build of Combat and Signs utilizes Adrenaline Points to increase the damage of both your Signs and your sword to combat enemies.

Skills

Flood of Anger 1/5Flood of Anger Branch: Combat
Using Signs with full Adrenaline Points unlocks all the bonuses of the used Sign with a large boost on your Sign Intensity.
Razor Focus 1/5Razor Focus Branch: Combat
Generates Adrenaline Points as soon as you enter combat, giving you a huge damage boost.
FocusFocus Branch: General
Allows your Signs to also benefit from the Adrenaline Points damage boost on combat.
Resolve 1/5Resolve Branch: Combat
Prevents you from losing Adrenaline Points even when you take damage. This also increases your Adrenaline Point gain when you land your attacks.
Adrenaline BurstAdrenaline Burst Branch: General
To give your Signs the ability to generate Adrenaline Points everytime it is used.
Griffin School TechniquesGriffin School Techniques Branch: General
Works well with Griffin Witcher Armors with set bonus to increase the effectiveness of your Signs.
Undying 1/5Undying Branch:Combat
Increases your chance surviving enemies that can kill you with a single blow without Quen. This ability also increases your Adrenaline Point gain.
Melt Armor 1/5Melt Armor Branch: Signs
Permanently weakens the armor of enemies, making them more vulnerable to your sword attacks and signs.

Skills Ranking and Tier List for Combat and Signs Hybrid Build

Recommended Runes & Glyphs

Runestones
Greater Perun runestoneGreater Perun runestone Increases the Adrenaline Point gain, which is the main focus of this build, to stack up on damage for long fights.
Greater Chernobog runestoneGreater Chernobog runestone Increases your attack power in general making your hits deal more damage.
Glyphs
Greater Glyph of IgniGreater Glyph of Igni Increases the overall damage of your Igni Sign.
Greater Glyph of QuenGreater Glyph of Quen Gives you an additional defensive tool in combat while generating more Adrenaline Points.

The Witcher 3 Related Links

Beginner
See All Beginner Tips & Guides

Completing the Story
Controls and Techniques Difficulty Level Differences
Does Dialogue Matter? How to Fast Travel
Most Important Side Quests for the Story Romance Guide
List of Endings and How to Get the Best Ending What is Enemy Upscaling?
Things to Know Before Starting Witcher 3 What is New Game+?
Should You Simulate a Witcher 2 Save File? Which Version to Buy?
Fighting Like a Pro
Combat Guide and Tips Sign Tier List
Healing During Battle & Meditation Is Repairing Weapons and Armor Worth It?
What are Adrenaline Points? How to Fight on Horseback
How to Fight Underwater What is Toxicity?
What are Mutations What are Mutagens
Leveling Up & Getting Beefy
How to Level Up Fast Place of Power Locations
Best Character Builds Best Early Game Skills and Builds
Skills Ranking and Tier List Top Five Best and Most Useful Skills
How to Get Magic Acorn How to Reset Ability Points
Best Death March Build and Tips for Survival Max Level and Level Cap for Geralt
Obtaining Weapons & Armor
Best Early Game Weapons and Armor The Best Weapons, Armor and Equipment Sets
How to Upgrade Weapons and Armor Most Rewarding Side Quests and Contracts
Witcher Gear Locations Where to Find Blacksmiths and Armorers?
Which Trophy is the Best? Best Crossbow and Bolts
Managing Money & Items
Managing Your Inventory Best and Worst Items to Sell
Where to Sell Junk Where to Find Ingredients and Crafting Materials
Should You Loot Everything? How to Dismantle Items
How to Make Money Fast Can You Cook Food?
What Items to Buy From Shops -
Just for Fun
List of Hairstyles Best Looking Armor for Geralt
How to Get Paintings How to Win Horse Races

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