Signs

**Signs** are a form of magic that is most often used by Witchers. Mages are also able to learn and use Signs, but it is considered shameful or even laughable as true spells are more intricate and powerful. Mages can use Signs without any tools, while Witchers and others that wish to employ them require two things: A **vigor score** and a silver amulet made by a mage.

## Base Signs

 File:Two signs base.jpg
Every Witcher begins their adventures with the five base signs when entering the world of Neverwitcher: Aard, Igni, Quen, Axii and Yrden. These are awarded for free and add no additional costs to further skill progression. Base signs, like all signs, can be further augmented by spending skill points. For further explanation, scoll down to Advancement.

 Axii | A sign that temporarily stuns enemies. Can be used in conversations to influence people.

## Advanced Signs

 File:Two signs all.jpg
Signs beyond the base five are called Advanced Signs. These must be acquired by spending skill points before resting.

 Helioquen

## Alternate Sign Mode

An alternate sign mode is a variant of the original sign, symbolized by a new feat / icon that can be dragged into the hotbar and activated.

## Advancement

 File:Two signs augment.jpg
All signs can be further augmented by spending skill points. By selecting them in the Skill Distribution UI, one can open a sub menu, which allows further augmentation.

### Aard Advancments

* **Aard Beam**: *Alternate Sign Mode*: Instead of a cone you fire a continous stream of compressed air in straight line towards the enemy. The stream remains active until you cancel (using the feat again) or run out of stamina. Any enemy caught in your stream must roll every few seconds or be knocked prone, unable to move or slowed.
* **Aard Sweep**: *Alternate Sign Mode*: Aard strikes all opponents in a certain radius around you.
* **Chilling Aard**: *Alternate Sign Mode*: Aard does not just knock enemies prone but also causes frost damage. The damage is 5 + percentage Sign Intensity.
* **Aard Intensity**: Increases the Intensity of your Aard by 5% per rank.
* **Freezing Shock**: Chilling Aard has a chance to freeze enemies. If the enemy is wet the chance to freeze them solid is increased. Enemies frozen are helpless and any attack against them is a crit.
* **Stream Focus**: Reduces the cost to keep your Aard Stream up by 25%.
* **Charged Up Aard**: *Alternate Sign Mode*: Aard can be charged up with STA. Each point makes the DC to resist the knockdown effect harder.
* **Shock wave**: Aard now deals 10 points of damage per rank.

### Axii Advancements

* **Delusion**: Reduces the Axii cast time and increases duration by 10% per rank.
* **Puppet**: *Alternate Sign Mode*: A target under Axii will become a temporary ally.
* **Shatter Mind**: *Alternate Sign Mode*: A target under Axii will have its Mind Shattered, having them fall unconcious instead of being dazed. While unconcious the target is helpless.
* **Domination**: Axii can affect two/three opponents at once. The effect is 50% weaker.
* **Axii Intensity**: Increase the intensity of the Axii sign by 10% per rank.

### Heliotrop Advancements

* **Magical Parry**: *Alternate Sign Mode*: Heliotrop becomes the ultimate shield against magic, but loses any ability to block physical attacks. Any single target spell used against the Witcher will be absorbed and then fired back at the caster.
* **Physical Shield**: *Alternate Sign Mode*: Heliotrop becomes the ultimate shield against physical attacks, but loses any ability to block magical attacks. Instead of blocking one attack Heliotrop becomes a damage shield, blocking the Witchers vitality \* 2 before going inactive.
* **Heliotrop Intensity**: Increases the Intensity of your Heliotrop by 5% per rank.
* **Absorption**: When Heliotrop activates, 25%/50%/75%/100% of the damage you'd take will be turned into vitality instead. This does not count for Physical Shield.

### Igni Advancements

* **Melt Armor**:  Applies a "melted armor" debuff to the target, which reduces their Ablation and damages their armor. The debuff persists until removed with a repair kit. Reduces Ablation by 15%-45% (depends on rank).
* **Igni Blast**: *Alternate Sign Mode*: Instead of a cone of fire you release a fire bolt aimed at the targets face. It has a chance to stun enemies temporarily in addition to doing more damage on one target.
* **Igni Burst**: *Alternate Sign Mode*: Instead of a cone of fire you release a burst of fire in a circle all around you.
* **Firestream**: *Alternate Sign Mode*: You fire Igni continously out of your left (!) hand until no stamina remains.
* **Igni Intensity**: Increases the damage done by Igni by 25% per rank.
* **Pyromaniac**: Increase the chance of the target catching fire by 20%. If they do not catch fire they will suffer increase pain instead.

### Vertodi Advancements

* **Instill Terror**: *Alternate Sign Mode*: When you hit a monster with with Vertodi instead of running it will cower in fear on the spot. Any damage it takes will make it attempt to run, however.
* **Instill Madness**: *Alternate Sign Mode*: When you hit a monster with with Vertodi instead of running in fear it will become frenzied and attack everyone, its allies first.
* **Vertodi Intensity**: Increases the duration of the Vertodi effect on creatures by 20% per rank.
* **Burning Hatred**: Enemies under the effect of Vertodi will lose vitality each turn, their hatred consuming their soul. They will lose 10% per rank of their base vitality every six seconds for the duration of Vertodi.
* **Nemesis**: When using Vertodi on yourself to attract monsters you seem supernaturally menacing. You gain +25% hate per rank, ensuring monsters attack you and no one else.

### Somne Advancements

* **Sleep Bubble**: *Alternate Sign Mode*: Instead of targeting one enemy with Somne you can target a small radius. Costs more STA, but has the same effect as Somne on a group.
* **Dreameater**: *Alternate Sign Mode*: Instead of putting an enemy to sleep you steal the refreshing effect natural sleep had on them, restoring your own base Stamina and causing them to suffer reductions to all skills based on concentration and awareness. Dreameater can affect a target only once per day.
* **Deep Slumber**: *Alternate Sign Mode*: Instead of putting an enemy to sleep you grant an ally a buff called "Deep Slumber". When they next rest they will recover much more vitality than normal and gain a 50% bonus to their starting stamina. Only one Deep Slumber buff can be applied to a single ally at a time (they do not stack).
* **Somne Intensity**: Increases the DC to resist the effect of Somne by 20% per rank.
* **Morning Sickness**: When a target snaps out of the Somne induced sleep they will be confused and unable to act until they succeed in a will save. Confused enemies will not attack outright, but being attacked ends their confusion.
* **Lullaby**: When a target affected by Somne fails three (3) saves to wake up in a row they will keep on sleeping until they take damage or are magically forced awake.

### Supirre Advancements

* **Echo Sounding**: *Alternative Sign Mode*: You cast Supirre between your hands, allowing you to become aware of everything around you. This will detect invisible enemies and reveal even hidden objects.
* **Deafness**: *Alternate Sign Mode*: You overload a living targets sense of hearing by amplifying all the sounds for their eardrums. They must succeed in a fortitude save or become deaf, unable to hear anything. Even if they succeed, they must roll a will save or fall over, their sense of balance overloaded as well.
* **Zone of Silence**: *Alternate Sign Mode*: Instead of amplifying sounds you supress the ability for any sound to be uttered in a small circle. Monsters and magic users in this Zone of Silence cannot use abilities/spells that require a verbal component or are based on emitting sound.
* **Supirre Intensity**: Increases the Supirre Sign intensity by 5% per rank.
* **Infrasounds**: The range of Echo Sounding and the DC of Deafness are increased by 25% per rank.
* **Overshock**: When a target leaves a Zone of Silence they must make a fortitude save or be overwhelmed by the returning soundscape, dazing them for a number of turns. Each rank increases the DC they must resist. If they roll a 1 they will also lose balance and fall over.

### Quen Advancements

* **Active Shield**: *Alternate Sign Mode*: Creates an active shield. Attacks / monster abilities deflected are absorbed by the shield, restoring player Vitality - as long as there is enough STA available to maintain the shield.
* **Dome**: Alternate Sign Mode: Forces the user to remain stationary, creating a shield bubble that protects them and all allies within a 5 meter radius. Each attack deflected consumes STA, the shield breaks when no STA remains.
* **Exploding Shield**: Enemies that stand in front of the user get magically shocked when Quen deflects an attack. They must succeed a fortitude save or become dazed for a short while.
* **Quen Intensity**: Increases the sign intensity of Quen by 5% per rank.
* **Helioquen**: Combining Heliotrop and Quen, creating the ultimate shield. Helioquen appears as a golden bubble that absorbs all damage (of any kind) from all sides as long as STA can be sacrificed for the negation.
* **Quen Discharge**: Reflects 15%/25%/35% of the damage that would have been dealt to the user back to the attacker. Magical effects (such as sleep) are not reflected.

### Yrden Advancements

* **Charged Yrden**: *Alternative Sign Mode*: Damages and slows all enemies within a 10-yard radius. Destroys projectiles passing through this area.
* **Yrden Barrier**: *Alternate Sign Mode*: You charge an object with Yrden, creating a barrier. This can lock doors, chests, sarcophagi, even portals. Only one object at a time can be blocked by Yrden. It cannot create a stand-alone barrier, it can only target something that can be locked already. If Yrden Supercharge is unlocked any attempt to open the locked object will damage the attempting creature.
* **Magic Trap**: *Alternative Sign Mode*: The first enemy that steps into Yrden will be held and damaged either until Yrden runs out of power or the target dies. Held enemies cannot move, but they are not helpless.
* **Sustained Glyphs**: Increases the sign duration by 2 seconds per rank. At rank 2 and 4 you may place an additional Yrden down (maximum of 3).
* **Supercharged Glyphs**: Enemies under the influence of Yrden lose 10 point(s) of Vitality or Essence per second, per rank.
* **Yrden Intensity**: Increases the Yrden Sign intensity by 5% per rank.

## Trivia

* Vertodi is a combination of two latin words: Verto (to turn away) and odi (hate/loathing/dislike). Thanks to the user "Rose" from the Neverwitcher Discord for naming it properly. It is based on the hate-reflecting sign from the Witcher comics.
* Aard Beam is based on how Geralt used the sign in the Witcher 1 intro cutscene.