Combat Techniques

Learn essential combat techniques for The Witcher 4, including melee attacks, ranged combat with the crossbow, powerful finisher moves, and effective evasion strategies like blocking, staggering, dodging, and rolling.

This guide covers the fundamental combat techniques available to Geralt in The Witcher 4, focusing on melee, ranged, finishers, and defensive maneuvers.

Melee Combat

Melee attacks are Geralt's primary source of damage. He wields a Silver Sword for monsters and a Steel Sword for humanoids, automatically switching as needed. Players can enhance basic light and heavy attacks by investing skill points in the Combat skill tree. Light attacks are faster but deal less damage, while heavy attacks are slower but more damaging. Heavy attacks are best used on stunned or unaware enemies due to Geralt's vulnerability during their wind-up animation. Skill tree investments can improve critical strike chance, bleeding effects, and damage for both fast and heavy attacks.

Additional melee abilities can be unlocked:

• Whirl: A spinning area-of-effect attack.
• Rend: An armor-ignoring overhead slash dealing massive damage.

Ranged Combat

Geralt is equipped with a crossbow for ranged attacks. Time slows slightly when aiming, providing a larger window to fire. The effects of crossbow attacks can be modified with different crafted bolts. Investing points in the Marksmanship portion of the Combat skill tree can further enhance ranged combat by slowing time more while aiming, increasing critical hit damage, and temporarily disabling enemy special abilities.

Finisher Attacks

Dealing enough damage to an enemy can trigger a stylish execution attack via a button prompt. On lower difficulties, Geralt is invincible during these animations, allowing players to avoid damage. Automatic finishers are enabled by default but can be toggled on or off in the menu; disabling them is recommended for higher difficulties.

Avoiding Attacks

Geralt has several methods to avoid or mitigate incoming damage. Investing in the Defense portion of the Combat skill tree unlocks additional bonuses and abilities.

Default abilities include:

• Blocking: Nullifies most standard melee attacks and reduces damage from others. Less effective against magical or elemental damage.
• Staggering: Timing a block just before an enemy attack deflects it and temporarily stuns the enemy, leaving them open for a follow-up. Only effective against melee attacks.
• Dodging: A quick side or back step to evade danger while maintaining close distance. Useful for unblockable attacks and creating counterattack opportunities.
• Rolling: Similar to dodging but covers more distance, creating greater separation from the enemy. More useful against large bosses with area-of-effect attacks than against human enemies.

Additional defensive abilities can be unlocked:

• Deflect Arrows: Timing a block just before an arrow or bolt hits deflects it, preventing damage.