2014 brought gamers one of the most critically acclaimed games of all time, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. To this day, CD Projekt Red’s title is regarded as the benchmark for action RPG titles. After much delay, last month brought fans and new players alike another opportunity to replay the title.
The long-awaited next-gen update arrived, changing much of the game’s systems, ushering in new graphical modes, and much more. Of note, the game’s combat system has seen quite a few reworks, with a bevy of the changes targeting the Witcher’s magical tools of the trade, Signs.
Signs provide a supernatural edge over Geralt’s foes, and the next-gen update strived to change how they were used to speed up the flow of combat. While it does succeed on that front, hidden changes were implemented that affect Sign functionality.
As detailed in the above video by Neon Knight, whether it be beneficial or a slight nerf in some cases, most of Geralt’s Signs have seen some form of rework to them. Knight starts by mentioning changes to the “Shockwave” perk in the Aard tree, making it a force to be reckoned with, albeit receiving two nerfs to its “insta-kill knockdown” potential and the Piercing Cold skill.
Conversely, Igni has seen a rework to the “Pyromaniac” skill to make it a skill worth using, and Quen has seen changes to its damage over time effects and to the “Active Shield” skill. Finally, Yrden’s “Supercharged Glyphs” has changed to scale with enemy health, making it a powerful skill against tank-like foes.
Neon Knight goes into incredible detail on these changes, and for new fans or returning veterans, it’s a great reference point. The next-gen update for The Witcher 3 has changed quite a bit, and it’s easy to miss when just dipping your toes into the water.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is available on PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch.
