The Witcher 2 Skill Tree And Talents Guide

Our Witcher 2 character skills/abilities and talent tree guide help you select the best abilities and invest talent points effectively.

As you advance through The Witcher 2’s narrative, you’ll encounter enemies with increasing health and damage, making it difficult to proceed further. To do so, you must level up fast and invest points into your Talent Trees. As you unlock more skills in your skill tree in Witcher 2, Geralt becomes stronger and can cleave through anything the game throws at him.

In this guide, we’ll go over the basics of each Skill Tree and their talents in The Witcher 2.

The Witcher 2 Training Tree

Before you go on to invest in swordsmanship, magic, or alchemy, you need to invest a minimum of six talent points in the training branch of the skill tree in Witcher 2. This tree is more general and focuses on several different talents.

Do note that the other Talent Trees will remain locked until you invest six talent points in this tree.

AbilityLevel 1Level 2
Vigor RegenerationVigor regeneration out of combat increases by +25%
HardinessVitality +10Vitality +50
ParryingAllows you to parry blows from all sidesReduces damage while parrying by +100% with a full vigor bar
Dagger ThrowingLets you throw daggersIncreases Dagger damage by +20%
Arrow RedirectionEnables you to redirect arrowsArrow allows redirection to the shooters
FortitudeIncreases Vigor regeneration in combat by +10%Increases Vigor by +1

The Witcher 2 Swordsmanship Tree

The Swordsmanship Talent Tree is centered around Melee and critical damage. Investing in this tree will make you a melee powerhouse, allowing you to strike down your opponents quickly.

AbilityLevel 1Level 2
PositionDamage taken by backstab: 150%This ability allows you to execute a group finisher. When activated with a full adrenaline bar, sword attacks regenerate adrenaline.
RiposteAllows retaliationIncreases the chance of Instant Kill by backlash by +10%
FootworkIncreases dodging distance by +100%Increases dodging distance by +200%
ViolenceIncreases Sword damage by +5%Increases Sword damage by +15%
WhirlCauses damage to multiple opponents at a time. Secondary enemies take 50% damageIncreases secondary enemy damage to +100%
GuardReduces Vigor required to block by -25%Reduces Vigor required to block by -50%
Tough GuyDamage taken is reduced by -5%Damage taken is reduced by -15%
SchemerVigor regeneration in combat is increased by +10%Vigor regeneration in combat is increased by +40%
HardyIncreases Vitality by +25Increases Vitality by +100
PrecisionIncreases the chance of critical bleeding by +10%Increases the chance of critical bleeding by +10%. Increases Sword damage by +5%
Sudden DeathIncreases the chance of Instant Kill by +2%Increases the chance of Instant Kill by +5%
FinesseIncreases the frequency for all critical effects by +5%Increases the frequency for all critical effects by +15%
InvincibleIncreases Vitality by +50 and reduces damage taken by -5%Increases Vitality by +150 and reduces damage taken by -15%
Combat AcumenIncreases adrenaline generated by sword blows by +30%. All resistances and chances of all critical effects increase by +20%Increases damage dealt by +10% and reduces damage taken by -10%
WhirlwindIncreases adrenaline generated by sword blows by +10%. all resistances and chances of all critical effects increase by +10%Increases adrenaline generated by sword blows by +10%. All resistances and chances of all critical effects increase by +10%

The Witcher 2 Alchemy Tree

Using Alchemy, Geralt can craft potions and mutagens to aid him against both men and monsters. The more talent points you invest in the Alchemy skill tree, the more effective the mixtures will be and the longer they last in Witcher 2.

AbilityLevel 1Level 2
AlchemistIncreases damage dealt by bombs and traps.
SynthesisIncreases Vitality by +20Increases Vitality by +100
Side EffectIncreases the chance of producing a mutagen as a by-product of alchemy by +2%Increases the chance of producing a mutagen as a by-product of alchemy by +10%
Specialization: PotionsIncreases potion duration by +10%Increases potion duration by +40%
HarvesterIncreases the amount of alchemical ingredients harvested by +1Increases the amount of alchemical ingredients harvested by +2
CatalysisIncreases the effects of all potions
Specialization: OilsIncreases the duration of oils by +10%Increases the duration of oils by +40%
TransmutationIncreases the duration of all oils
ImpregnationIncreases the effects of all mutagens
TasterAllows the consummation of an additional potionIncreases damage dealt while you’re poisoned by +15% and reduces damage taken while you’re poisoned by -10%
CondensationIncreases Vigor regeneration while poisoned by +15%Increases Vigor regeneration while poisoned by +35%
MetathesisIncreases damage dealt when poisoned by +5%Increases damage dealt when poisoned by +25%
BerserkerIncreases the chance to instant-kill while poisoned by +1%It allows you to use the Berserker mode, activated by the adrenaline bar, and allows you to fill your adrenaline bar while you’re poisoned.
MutantAllows you to use the Berserker mode, activated by the adrenaline bar, and allows you to fill your adrenaline bar while you’re poisoned.Increases the amount of adrenaline generated while poisoned by +25%
AmplificationIncreases the amount of adrenaline generated while poisoned by +15%, Increases damage done while poisoned by +10%, and reduces the amount of damage taken when poisoned by -5%Increases the amount of adrenaline generated while poisoned by +50%, Increases damage done while poisoned by +30%, and reduces the amount of damage taken when poisoned by -25%

The Witcher 2 Magic Tree

The magic branch of the ability tree allows you to improve your abilities and unlock additional effects such as numbness, cremation, or damage reflection.

Geralt uses Signs, which are basic spells to use inside and outside battle. As you upgrade them, you increase their effectiveness, allowing our favorite Witcher to hold his own against even some powerful mages.

AbilityLevel 1Level 2
Enhanced Aard SignUnlocks Aard level 2 and increases Sign range by +2mUnlocks Aard level 3, increases Sign range by +6m, and gives you a wider AOE
Destructive magicIncreases sign damage by +5Increases sign damage by +10 and increases vigor by +1
Enhanced Axii SignUnlocks Axii level 2 and increases damage by +20%. Bewitched opponent gets +20% vitality.Unlocks Axii Level 3 and increases damage by +50%. Bewitched opponent gets +50% vitality.
Enhanced Quen SignUnlocks Quen level 2, sign duration increases by +20s, and damage deflected increases by +20%Unlocks Quen level 2, sign duration increases by +60s, and damage deflected increases by +50%
Magic IntensificationIncreases sign intensity by +1%Increases sign intensity by +2% and reduces damage taken by -5%
VentingQuen transfers the reflected damage to 2 additional opponentsQuen transfers the reflected damage to 3 additional opponents
Fatal attractionAxii can bewitch two opponents at onceAxii can bewitch three opponents at once
Magical VigorIncreases Vigor by + 1Increases Vigor by +2
Enhanced Igni SignUnlocks Igni level 2 and sign range increases to 3m. Incineration chances increase by 50-60%, Incineration damage increases by +4-+6, and Incineration duration increases to 8-12s.Unlocks Igni level 3 and sign range increases to 6m.
Enhanced Yrden SignUnlocks Yrden level 2, allowing you to set 2 Yrden traps at onceUnlocks Yrden level 3, allowing you to set 3 Yrden traps at once
Glyph enhancementLinks all Yrden traps together. Enemies cannot move between traps.The links between the Yrden traps deal 5 damage per second
Energy FlowThe chance of critical effect of a sign increases by +5%The chance of critical effect of a sign increases by +15%
Magic Life ForceIncreases Vitality by +50All resistances increase by +5%
Magical SenseAllows the use of the Heliotrope sign and allows you to fill the Adrenaline meter through sign usageAll resistances increase by +5%, and Adrenaline generation through Signs increases by +50%
Power ControlIncreases all resistances by +20%, Sign Damage by +3, and Adrenaline generated through signs by +10%Increases all resistances by +30%, Sign Damage by +10, and Adrenaline generated through signs by +60%

The Witcher 2 Mutagens

Mutagens allow you to enhance your abilities even further. You can acquire them in two ways: loot one from a defeated enemy or invest points into certain skills.

To undergo mutation, enter meditation, select the ‘Character’ option, and find an ability with a mutagen slot.

The mutation cannot be reversed. Mutagens usually take one of three forms: lesser, basic, and greater. Each of these forms raises the character’s statistics but by different amounts. These are the different mutagens in The Witcher 2:

MutagenEffect
Critical Effects MutagenIncreases the chance of causing critical effects
Range MutagenIncreases the range of Aard, Igni, and Axii Signs.
Vitality MutagenIncreases vitality (health)
Power MutagenIncreases sword damage
Strength MutagenIncreases damage reduction
Concentration MutagenIncreases sign damage

How to Respec Talent Points in The Witcher 2

In The Witcher 2, you can respec your talent points. However, this can only be done once. To do so, you need to complete the Chapter 2 quest “From a Bygone Era. During the quest you can pick up a mysterious note titled “Malget’s notes”. Keep them with you until you reach Act 3.

Once you’re in Act 3, take the note to Bras of Ban Ard, who will instruct you to make your way to some tunnels. In the tunnels, you’ll encounter a character to whom you can present Malget’s note, and you’ll be given the option to receive your Talent Points.

Alternatively, you can use cheats and console commands to do the same. Several trainers are available that let you unlock skill points for free or respec them without the need to complete a separate quest.

Ali Hasan is writer at SegmentNext.com with a deep love for immersive action role-playing games and well-crafted narratives. His weapons of choice include controllers and keyboards.