Ultimate Midgame Wolf School Sword and Sign Build - Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Overview

Witchers of the Wolf School are staunch traditionalists, who mastered the combined application of martial might, and magic. It is also the school to which Geralt, and many other witchers we encounter throughout the game belong to.

Whether you are here because you want a more lore-friendly yet effective build, are interested in the elaborate dancing playstyle which combines signs with sword strikes, or simply because you find the Wolf School set to be the best looking, this build has got you covered.

The Wolf School set is a versatile "Jack of All Trades - Master of None" type gear set, offering various possible avenues for buildmaking, each of which is individually outshined by the other armors in the game. However, only the Wolf set so masterfully combines the strengths of all 3.

To get the most out of the set and the build, we need to unlock the Runewright, and enchant the armor set with Levity, as that would boost both our sword damage, and our stamina recovery. Additionally, we want to enchant our Steel Sword with Elation, as that helps us generate more adrenaline points to maintain the damage boost, and also use Flood of Anger with more frequency.

Overall, I judge the uniquely interesting gameplay to be a major upside of this build. The precise movement, well-placed sword strikes, and devastating signs bring about a gameplay loop that is deeply reminiscent of Geralt's battle with the Striga in the first book. In many ways, this build comes the closest that I've seen to replicating the Geralt we are shown in the pages of that story.

Gameplay

The skill Flood of Anger is the main lynchpin of this build. It enables this hybrid playstyle, allowing us to momentarily trade adrenaline for sign intensity, and added skill points. This allows us to cheat the limited number of skill slots provided by the game, while remaining flexible with our use of Signs.

Building up adrenaline

This build has 3 main ways fo getting adrenaline:

• Razor Focus + Superior Maribor Forest to start a fight with 2 adrenaline
• Basic Sword Strikes
• Elation - 1 Adrenaline point gained on every killing blow.

Due to the bonuses to adrenaline gain provided by the Wolf School Gear, and the hefty bonus from Razor Focus and other skills, we can very quickly activate Flood of Anger at the start of every fight.

Flood of Anger - Which Sign to use?

The best sign to use with Flood of Anger is Yrden. Every single skill in its tree greatly enhances iitst's utility, and Static Discharge makes it a valuable damage option and a great crowd control tool. Its long duration means we are happy only to cast it 1ce or 2ce per fight, while it's unconditional utility means we can use it as soon as we can, rather than hoard Adrenaline.

Aard is a solid secondary choice. The alternate form of the sign is a perfect "get off me" button that can be used to create space, and buy yourself valuable time to reposition. It deflects arrows, and due to the added 330% effective sign intensity with Flood of Anger, is very likely to knock down opponents long enough for you to finish them with a stab to the heart.

We are already investing significantly into Quen in this build, making it casting it with FoA an ineffective use of our adrenaline. Meanwhile, Igni gains the least from unlocking all of its skills for a single cast, as most of its skills are not useful. 

Build Focus - Damage Over Time

This is a rare example of a Damage over Time focused build, as it combined Bleeding, Burning, and static discharge to melt enemy health bars. We want to apply these effects to as many enemies as quickly as possible, and then play defensively as the clock starts ticking. This is quite different from the usual process of focusing on one target at a time. It also performs great against Bosses, as you can deal damage while focusing on self preservation during most of the fight, which is helpful if you are fighting them for the first time.

Final Skills

• Razor Focus -  Whenever Geralt enters combat, we start with 1 adrenaline point. Additionally, sword strikes generate 30% more adrenaline points. Sequencing is important, first enter the fight to trigger Razor Focus, then drink Superior Maribor Forest, otherwise you will not trigger the skill. 
• Crippling Strikes - Solid source of added damage. Best against humans and bosses.
• Flood of Anger - When casting a sign, if 3 Adrenaline Points are available, they are consumed to cast the sign with 300% sign intensity, and with all the upgrade skills unlocked. 

• Exploding Shield - When Quen shield breaks, it explodes, dealing damage and knocking back enemies, with a chance for knockdown.
• Active Shield - Alternate Sign form. Maintain an active shield that heals a portion of the damage it absorbs.

• Synergy - Increase mutagen bonuses by 50%.

• Cat School Technique - Increase light attack damage by 5% and critical damage by 25% for every piece of light gear. All gear counts as light due to Levity enchantment.

Mutagen Farming

If you are struggling to upgrade your mutagens, check out my mutagen farming guide.

Alchemy

While this is not an Alchemy focused build, every build can benefit from at least 1 decoction and a couple potions. Here are my suggestions for the optimal potions and decoctions for this build.

Decoctions

Decoction	Image	Description
Arachas		Level 30 Arachas can be farmed Northwest of the Druid camp in Skellige.  Can be acquired by completing the "Missing Brother" Witcher contract.
Ekhidna		Acquired by completing the "Here Comes the Groom" contract on Spikeroog, Skellige.

Potions

Potion	Image
Superior Maribor	Increases adrenaline gain from sword blows by 15%. Superior potion ability grants 1 instant point of adrenaline when first consumed. This effect can only be triggered once while the potion is active. Superior recipe can be purchased from Gremist in Skellige.
Thunderbolt	Recipe obtained as part of the main quest. +25% / 30% / 35% Attack Power. Superior potion special effect grants Geralt 100% crit chance during thunderstorms. 30/60/90 second duration.
White Raffard's Decoction	Instantly Heals us for most of our Health. Superior version grants 3 seconds of invulnerability.

Skill Order

Order	Skill	Description
1	Muscle Memory	This is the first ability that I recommend getting. It will instantly increase the damage output with fast attacks
2	Cat School Technique	Increases light attack regular, and critical hit damage while wearing light armor. +5% damage and +25% crit damage for every piece of Light gear.
3	Resolve	Each adrenaline point increases Geralt's sword damage by 10%, but we lose them when we take a hit. This skill allows us to preserve that damage bonus.
4	Precise Blows	Gives an additional 12% chance to crit with a light attack, as well as increasing the damage of those crits by 75%.
5	Delusion	Take this skill to give ourselves an easier time in dialogues, earn extra exp, and avoid unnecessary fights.
6	Exploding Shield	When it breaks, Quen will push back and damage nearby opponents, with a small chance of knockdown. Can be repeatedly triggered by casting and dropping Active Shield.
7	Active Shield	When fully upgraded, Geralt can hold the Active Shield indefinitely. Furthermore, this skill allows us to regenerate health in combat. Can trigger Exploding Shield on demand.
8	Acquired Tolerance	With each new formula, you will increase Geralt's toxicity limit. This will allow you to use more potions before any negative effects appear.
9	Undying	A more defensive option to be used instead of Crippling Strikes. If you have any adrenaline points, consume them and heal yourself to 66%.
10	Razor Focus	Fantastic QoL skill, granting us 1 free adrenaline point at the start of every fight.
11	Whirl	An underwhelming skill on this build, stepping stone toward Flood of Anger. We need our Adrenaline points for Flood of Anger, so cannot use this skill.
12	Flood of Anger	Core component of this build. When casting a sign, if 3 adrenaline points are available, they are consumed to cast the sign with +300% Sign Intensity, and with all upgrade skills unlocked.
13	Crippling Strikes	Very solid damage skill against Bosses that can bleed and humans. Nice supplement to our damage for when we do not need to use Razor Focus
14	Heightened Tolerance	Useful skill that serves to increase the amount of potions we can safely consume, though we don't have a slot for it at level 34.
15	Protective Coating	This skill increases our damage resistance by 15%. I recommend enabling automatic oil application in-game settings for improved QoL.
16	Tissue Transmutation	At max full upgrade level, this Skill gives us 900 health (~20%) for every decoction we consume. Solid skill, but we have no space for it now.
17	Synergy	A powerful skill and a staple in many builds. This skill increases the stat bonuses from mutagens by 50%, giving us more attack power, Sign Intensity and Vitality.
18	Far Reaching Aard	Increases Aard's range by 3 yards. The in-game description does not make it obvious how big of a difference this makes, but in practice, it is quite significant. Useful against sirens and harpies.
19	Quen Intensity	Increases Quen Sign intensity by 30%. All-round useful skill, increasing our healing from Active Shield, and chance to block more than 1 hit. with regular Quen.

Equipment

The Wolven set is among the last ones to be found in the Witcher 3 base game, meaning we will have to find alternative options before then. I recommend you use these items until you acquire the final gear listed further down.

Progression Items

Level	Image	Description
11-34+	Assassin's Gauntlets	+10% Crit Chance. Craftable since level 11. Very strong damage item for the entire game. Superior to the Nilfgaardian Gauntlets for sword damage.
17-34	Feline Boots	+5-10% attack power. Ok resistances. Consistent Location
17-34	Feline Trousers	+5-10% attack power. Decent elemental resistance. Consistent location.

Final Gear

Level	Image	Description
34	Mastercrafted Wolven Steel Sword	+10% sign Intensity +10% Adrenaline Gain +10% Crit Chance +10% Bleed Chance Elation Enchantment grants us 1 adrenaline for every kill, enabling more uses of Flood of Anger.
34	Mastercrafted Wolven Silver Sword	+10% sign Intensity +10% Adrenaline Gain +10% Crit Chance +10% Bleed Chance Infused with Attack Power runes as Elation does nothing against most Boss Fights.
34	Mastercrafted Wolven Armor	+20% Adrenaine Gain Excellent Resistances Counts as Light Armor due to Levity enchantment.
34	Assassin's Gauntlets	+10% Crit Chance. Craftable since level 11. +10% Quen Intensity due to greater Quen glyph Very strong damage item for the entire game. Superior to the Nilfgaardian Gauntlets for sword damage.
34	Mastercrafted Wolven Trousers	+10% sign Intensity +10% Attack Power +30% elemental resist +20% Quen Sign intensity, due to 2 greater Quen glyphs.
34	Mastercrafted Wolven Boots	+10% Attack Power Decent Resistances +10% Quen Intensity due to greater Quen glyph.