Just like its expansive world, The Witcher 2 has a highly flexible character development system. Though its one in which you really can’t go wrong (such as those seen in games like The Elder Scrolls), an individual new to the concept can become rather overwhelmed by the large amount of abilities and investment system in the game.
In this guide we’ll go over the trees and abilities and which ability to invest talent points into for a given set of desirable attributes.
Note that apart from the Training tree (which we’ll discuss in detail), everything else is highly flexible and almost entirely up to the player and his/her play-style, so opinions may not necessarily align (or contradict) with the recommendations listed here.
For more help on The Witcher 2, read our Romance, Armor, Weapons and Crafting Diagram Locations Guide.
Browse through the guide – Basics, Talent Trees Overview, Talent Builds.
Basics
There are up to 51 different abilities distributed in 4 different trees Geralt can invest his talent points in, with each ability having two levels of investment.
Now, the problem is that the maximum level Geralt can attain is 35, and he gets one talent point per level, excluding the first one.
That means that there will be 34 points in total for the first play-through. That also means that you will not have the luxury of attaining all abilities in your first go at the game.
Many abilities are linked with other higher/lower ranked ones; the higher ones cannot be purchased if the lower hierarchy abilities or prerequisites are not activated.
The linkage of abilities in the 4 different trees allows players to follow a specific line of development path so to attain a streamlined build for Geralt. However, 6 mandatory points have to be invested in the Training tree before the other trees are unlocked.
Choosing Your Play-Style
Though the Training tree is mandatory, how you develop Geralt after the availability of the three main trees is entirely up to you.
Generally, players like to build their character according to their style of playing. We can categorize them in three ways:
- Specialists who master one tree only with barely any investment in the other trees. This is a good practice in The Witcher 2 as it allows for rapid strengthening for Geralt. The downside is that it works best only for specific circumstances and may not be ideal for slightly different situations.
- Those who expertise in two trees. This is my personal favorite formula for any RPG game, as it gives a hybrid style of play (which is my way of doing things) and can allow one to deal with multiple types of situations. This method is slightly difficult to apply as it is time consuming and shows its upsides later in the later levels.
- The jack of all trades. This is super-risky in The Witcher 2, though it’s one used by many. The jack of all trades will invest equal number of points in all the trees. This will mean you won’t have mastery over any particular type of scenario, and instead will be suited to survive in all types. This will also mean that Geralt will be significantly weaker in some regions for a long time, and the effectiveness of this type of build is only visible at around level 30-35.
Witcher 2 Talent Trees Overview
So, there are three main trees, and one Training tree. That makes a total of 4 trees in the game. Only the Training tree is mandatory – 6 points must be invested in it before unlocking the other trees. The other three trees are Swordsmanship, Magic and Alchemy (Formula).
Now, let’s look at the abilities in every tree:
Training Tree:
Vigour Regeneration
Prerequisites: None
Level 1 effects: +25% vigour regeneration outside of combat
Level 2 effects: +25% vigour regeneration in combat
Hardiness
Prerequisites: None
Level 1 effects: Vitality +10
Level 2 effects: Vitality +50
Dagger Throwing
Prerequisites: None
Level 1 effects: Unlocks the ability to throw daggers
Level 2 effects: Damage dealt by daggers +20
Parrying
Prerequisites: Vigour Regeneration OR Hardiness OR Dagger Throwing
Level 1 effects: Unlocks ability to parry attacks from all directions
Level 2 effects: Parrying reduces damage inflicted by 50%
Arrow Redirection
Prerequisites: Parrying
Level 1 effects: Unlocks ability to repel arrows when blocking
Level 2 effects: Unlocks ability to deflect arrows back to the shooter
Fortitude
Prerequisites: Parrying
Level 1 effects: Vigour regeneration in combat +10%
Level 2 effects: +1 Vigour
Swordsman Tree:
Position
Prerequisites: None
Level 1 effects: Damage incurred from backstabs 150%
Level 2 effects: Damage incurred from backstabs 100%
Riposte
Prerequisites: None
Level 1 effects: Unlocks ability to counterattack foes while parrying
Level 2 effects: Riposte instant kill chance +10%
Feet Work
Prerequisites: None
Level 1: Dodge distance +100%
Level 2: Dodge distance +200%
Violence
Prerequisites: Feet Work OR Whirl
Level 1: Sword damage +5%
Level 2: Sword damage +15%
Whirl
Prerequisites: Violence OR Hardy
Level 1: Attacks now affect multiple opponents per swing, secondary damage
50% of intended target
Level 2: All targets successfully hit by Whirl attacks take full damage
Guard
Prerequisites: Riposte OR Tough Guy
Level 1: Vigour required to block -25%
Level 2: Vigour required to block -50%
Schemer
Prerequisites: Feet Work OR Tough Guy
Level 1: Vigour regeneration in combat +10%
Level 2: Vigour regeneration in combat +40%
Tough Guy
Prerequisites: Schemer OR Guard OR Hardy
Level 1: Damage reduction 5%
Level 2: Damage reduction 15%
Hardy
Prerequisites: Whirl OR Tough Guy
Level 1: Vitality +25
Level 2: Vitality +100
Precision
Prerequisites: Hardy
Level 1: Critical effect: Bleeding +10% chance
Level 2: Critical effect: Bleeding +20% chance, +5% sword damage
Finesse
Prerequisites: Hardy
Level 1: Chance to inflict critical effects +5%
Level 2: Chance to inflict critical effects +15%
Sudden Death
Prerequisites: Hardy
Level 1: Chance of instant kill +2%
Level 2: Chance of instant kill +5%
Invincible
Prerequisites: Precison OR Finesse OR Sudden Death
Level 1: Vitality +50, damage reduction +5%
Level 2: Vitality +150, damage reduction +15%
Combat Acumen
Prerequisites: Invincible
Level 1: Group finisher enabled once adrenaline bar is full.
Level 2: Damage +10%, damage reduction +10%
Whirlwind
Prerequisites: Combat Acumen
Level 1: Adrenaline generated by sword blows +10%, all resistances +10%, chance to inflict critical effects +10%
Level 2: Adrenaline generated by sword blows +30%, all resistances +20%, chance to inflict critical effects +20%
Magic Tree:
Enhanced Aard Sign
Prerequisites: None
Level 1: Unlocks Aard Sign level 2, sign range +2m
Level 2: Unlocks Aard Sign level 3, sign affects entire areas, sign range +6m
Enhanced Axii Sign
Prerequisites: None
Level 1: Unlocks Axii Sign level 2, hexed opponent gets +20% Vitality, +20 damage inflicted on targets
Level 2: Unlocks Axii Sign level 3, hexed opponent gets +50% Vitality, +50 damage inflicted on targets
Destructive Magic
Prerequisites: None
Level 1: Sign damage +5
Level 2: Sign damage +10, Vigour +1
Enhanced Quen Sign
Prerequisites: Enhanced Aard Sign OR Destructive Magic OR Enhanced Axii Sign
Level 1: Enables Level 2 Quen Sign, Quen deflects 20% enemy damage back on opponents, Sign duration +20s
Level 2: Enables Level 3 Quen Sign, Quen deflects 50% enemy damage back on opponents, Sign duration +60s
Magical Vigour
Prerequisites: Enhanced Quen Sign
Level 1: Vigour +1
Level 2: Vigour +2
Venting
Prerequisities: Enhanced Quen Sign OR Enhanced Igni Sign
Level 1: Quen transfers reflected damage to two opponents
Level 2: Quen transfers reflected damage to three opponents
Magic Intensification
Prerequisites: Enhanced Quen Sign OR Fatal Attraction
Level 1: Sign intensity +1
Level 2: Sign intensity +2, Damage Reduction 5%
Fatal Attraction
Prerequisites: Magic Intensification OR Magical Vigour
Level 1: Axii Sign can bewitch two opponents at once
Level 2: Axii Sign can bewitch three opponents at once
Enhanced Igni Sign
Prerequisites: Venting OR Magical Vigour
Level 1: Enables Level 2 Igni Sign, Igni has chance to incinerate target, Sign range +3m
Level 2: Enables Level 3 Igni Sign, Igni now has an area effect, Sign range +6m
Enhanced Yrden Sign
Prerequisites: Fatal Attraction OR Enhanced Igni Sign
Level 1: Enables Level 2 Yrden Sign, two Yrden traps can be laid at once
Level 2: Enables Level 3 Yrden Sign, three Yrden traps can be laid at once
Glyph enhancement
Prerequisites: Enhanced Yrden Sign
Level 1: Yrden traps link once cast, foes making contact are stunned the same way as contact with the regular trap.
Level 2: Yrden barrier deals 5 damage per second to foes which attempt to pass
Energy Flow
Prerequisites: Enhanced Yrden Sign
Level 1: Signs chance of critical effects +5%
Level 2: Signs chance of critical effects +25%
Magical Life Force
Prerequisites: Enhanced Yrden Sign
Level 1: Vitality +50
Level 2: All resistances +5
Sense of Magic
Prerequisites: Glyph Enhancement OR Energy Flow OR Magical Life Force
Level 1: Enables Heliotrope Sign, activate when Adrenaline bar hits maximum.
Level 2: All resistances +5%, Adrenaline generation through Signs +50%
Control over the Power
Prerequisites: Sense of Magic
Level 1: All resistances +20%, Sign Damage +3, Adrenaline generated through Signs +10%
Level 2: All resistances +50%, Sign Damage +10, Adrenaline generated through Signs +75%
Alchemy Tree:
Alchemist
Prerequisites: None
Level 1: Bomb damage +30%, Trap damage +20%
Level 2: Bomb damage +100%, Trap damage +100%
Synthesis
Prerequisites: None
Level 1: Vitality +20
Level 2: Vitality +80
Side Effect
Prerequisites: Alchemist OR Harvester
Level 1: Chance of generating mutagens through Alchemy +2%
Level 2: Chance of generating mutagens through Alchemy +10%
Specialization: Potions
Prerequisites: Synthesis OR Harvester
Level 1: Potion duration +10%
Level 2: Potion duration +40%
Harvester
Prerequisites: Side Effect OR Specialization: Potions
Level 1: +50% alchemical ingredients harvested
Level 2: +100% alchemical ingredients harvested
Catalysis
Prerequisites: Harvester
Level 1: Positive effects of potions +25-50%, negative effects of potions -30% (Actual % varies depending on actual potion involved)
Level 2: Positive effects of potions +50-100%, negative effects of potions -80% (Actual % varies depending on actual potion involved)
Specialization: Oils
Prerequisites: Harvester
Level 1: Oil duration +10%
Level 2: Oil duration +40%
Transmutation
Prerequisites: Specialization: Oils
Level 1: Oil intensity +25-50%
Level 2: Oil intensity +50-100%
Taster
Prerequisites: Specialization: Oils
Level 1: Geralt can now drink 4 potions in total
Level 2: Damage +10% while poisoned, Damage reduction +10% while poisoned
Impregnation
Prerequisites: Specialization: Oils
Level 1: Mutagen effects +33%-250% depending on mutagen type
Level 2: Mutagen effects +80%-500% depending on mutagen type
Metathesis
Prerequisites: Transmutation OR Taster
Level 1: +5% damage inflicted while poisoned
Level 2: +25% damage inflicted while poisoned
Condensation
Prerequisites: Metathesis
Level 1: Vigour regeneration while poisoned +15%
Level 2: Vigour regeneration while poisoned +40%
Berserker
Prerequisites: Metathesis
Level 1: Chance of Instant Kill while poisoned +1%
Level 2: Chance of Instant Kill while poisoned +3%
Mutant
Prerequisites: Condensation OR Berserker
Level 1: Enables Berserk mode, activate when adrenaline bar hits maximum
Level 2: Adrenaline generated while poisoned +25%
Amplification
Prerequisites: Mutant
Level 1: Adrenaline generated while poisoned +15%, Damage inflicted when poisoned +5%, Damage reduction while poisoned +5%
Level 2: Adrenaline generated while poisoned +50%, Damage inflicted when poisoned +15%, Damage reduction while poisoned +15%
Training Tree Build Up
Building the main three trees might be entirely arbitrary, best suited to the likings of an individual, but the point investment in the Training tree can be slightly tricky, especially since it’s the first character development tree you will face, and is one that cannot be accessible later on.
Here are the recommended abilities you should choose in order of earliest to last:
- Dagger Throwing (lvl1)
- Parrying (lvl1)
- Fortitude (lvl1)
- Fortitude (lvl2)
- Arrow Redirection (lvl1)
- Parrying (lvl2)
Witcher 2 Talent Builds – Swordsmanship, Magic and Alchemy
Now this is a tricky one; investing the points in the trees is almost entirely up to the player.
Do remember that in this game nearly every tree has something of importance, and a good Geralt is one that has excess to all trees and masters one or two of them.
This means that you should try to invest minimum points in every tree and then invest a few points extra in the tree you are aiming to master.
Recall that there are only a maximum 34 points available in the first play-through, and that too if you grind your Geralt to reach level 35.
Six points are subtracted from that for the mandatory Training tree. That leaves you with a total of 28 points to invest.
I recommended you get these abilities in the main trees:
Swordsmanship:
- Hardy (lvl1) is definitely recommended for sword-heavy players/those looking for swordsmanship mastery.
- Invincible (lvl1) once again recommended for sword-heavy players/those looking for swordsmanship mastery.
- Combat Acumen (lvl1) recommended for sword-heavy players/those looking for swordsmanship mastery.
- Whirlwind (lvl1) recommended for sword-heavy players/those looking for swordsmanship mastery. Level 2 recommended for hardcore swordsman.
- Riposte (lvl1) recommended for most, irrespective of mastery or orientation.
- Position (lvl1) recommended for most if you can make room for it. Prioritize others above this though.
Swordsmanship is perhaps the easiest build to choose from. Irrespective of your build, make sure to add a few points into preliminaries like Riposte and Position. The rest is really up to your style and what type of character you are planning to make.
Magic:
- Enhanced Aard Sign (lvl1) highly recommended for both magic-based and other type of players.
- Enhanced Axii Sign (lvl1) recommended only for magic-based players
- Destructive Magic (lvl1) recommended only for magic-based players
- Enhanced Quen Sign (lvl1 and lvl2) highly recommended for all player types.
- Enhanced Igni Sign (lvl1 and lvl2) recommended only for magic-based players.
- Enhanced Yrden Sign (lvl1) recommended only for magic-based players.
- Energy Flow (lvl1) recommended only for magic-based players.
- Sense of Magic (lvl1) recommended only for magic-based players.
- Control over the Power (lvl1 and lvl2) recommended only for magic-based players.
As you can see the Magic tree has a lot of variety and powers to offer. You should choose which of these abilities to go with based on the Signs you will actually use. Do some thorough pre-planning of the type of Signs you will use and what kind of magical impact you wish in fights.
Alchemy:
- Alchemist (lvl1) recommended for all types of players.
- Side Effect (lvl1) recommended for anyone not ignoring Alchemy.
- Specialization: Potions (lvl1 and lvl2) recommended only for alchemy-based players. Useless for any other player type.
- Harvester (lvl1) only if Specialization: Potion has been chosen.
- Catalysis (lvl1 and lvl2) only if Harvester has been chosen.
- Specialization: Oils (lvl1) only if Harvester has been chosen.
- Taster (lvl1 and lvl2) only if Specialization: Oils has been chosen.
- Impregnation (lvl1) only if Specialization: Oils has been chosen and hardcore Alchemy mastery is desired.
- Metathesis (lvl1) recommended for hardcore Alchemy mastery.
- Condensation or Berserker (lvl1 and lvl2) for hardcore Alchemy mastery and to complete Mutagen skillset.
- Mutant (lvl1 and lvl2) recommended if looking to enhance Berserk mode.
- Amplification (lvl1 and lvl2) recommended if Mutant has been chosen.
The Alchemy tree is perhaps the most complicated tree, and the Alchemy specialization is perhaps the most complicated of the lot. Potions in The Witcher 2 don’t have as much effect as they did in the first game – the only reason one would wish to fully master Alchemy is for the Mutagen abilities.
However, this is one very long trip – one with many entanglements as so many abilities have chains of prerequisites in the tree.
Apart from Alchemist and Side Effect – which should be chosen irrespective of the character-build type, the Alchemy builds are ridiculously point-intensive, and investment in them should be made only if you are planning to take the build all the way.
