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The Polish term that is translated as “witcher” in these games, wiedźmin, can also be translated as “hexer.” This gets at the core of what makes Geralt an unusual figure in his universe. He is one of that world’s few spell-slinging swordsmen, not quite warrior or mage. While Geralt doesn’t command the world-shaping power of a pure sorcerer, he can use his signs to dramatically alter the course of his battles.

That means you, the player, should become familiar with the basic signs and their combat roles. Geralt’s witcher signs are a far cry from the typical magical abilities most often encountered in action games, and it may take you some time to get comfortable with his unusual range of abilities.