The Witcher 3 - Mutations system explained

The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine introduces a little extra beyond its new area and new quests, with some all-new mechanics coming into play. Here you'll learn all about the Mutations system, which when used in conjunction with other Ability buffs can add a new dimension to the way you play.

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The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine's Mutations

Once you've completed the Turn and Face the Strange secondary quest you'll gain access to a new upgrade system for Geralt. By spending Upgrade Points and using Greater Mutagens you can add new bonuses to strengthen Geralt in combat as well as unlock additional Ability slots to use. Only one Mutation can be active at a time and Abilities placed in the new slots must match the colour of the active Mutation, but combining the two can provide huge boosts - for example, Bloodbath alongside four red Greater Mutagens each maxed out with other red Abilities can theoretically give you up to a 435% increase in Attack Power against some enemies.

Tier 1 Mutations cost 2 Ability Points and require 2 Greater Mutagens of the appropriate colour, tier 2 require 3 Ability Points and 3 Greater Mutagens, and combined mutations require 5 Ability Points and 2 Greater Mutagens of one colour and 3 of the other.

Red Mutations

• Deadly Counter: Sword attacks deal 25% more damage to monsters or to humans immune to counters. For all other enemies, performing a counter when they're at 25% Vitality or less will trigger an automatic finisher.
• Bloodbath: Each fatal strike of your sword triggers a finisher or dismemberment, and every blow you land will increase your Attack Power by 5% (up to a max of 250%) until either the fight is over or you take damage. (Requires Deadly Counter)

Blue Mutations

• Magic Sensibilities: Signs can deliver Critical Hits. The crit chance and damage scales with sign intensity.
• Piercing Cold: Aard gains a 25% chance to freeze opponents, and if the blast also knocks them down it will kill them instantly. Enemies who escape the freezing take 1922 damage instead. (Requires Magic Sensibilities)

Green Mutations

• Toxic Blood: Whenever you take damage the attacker receives 1.5% of the damage they inflicted for every point in your Toxicity level.
• Euphoria: Each point of Toxicity increases sword damage and Sign Intensity by 0.75%. (Requires Toxic Blood)

Red+Blue Mutations

• Adrenaline Rush: When starting combat against more than one enemy, Attack Power and Sign Intensity increase by 30% for every additional opponent for the first 30 seconds, after which they drop by 10%. (Requires Bloodbath and Piercing Cold)
• Conductors of Magic: Drawn magic, unique, and Witcher swords increase Sign Damage by 50%. (Requires Pirecing Cold)
• Second Life: If your Vitality hits 0 you recover 100% of it and gain brief invulnerability. The effect has a 3 minute cooldown. (Requires Adrenaline Rush)

Red+Green Mutations

• Cat Eyes: Base crossbow damage increases from 119 to 899, crit chance increases by 50%, and bolts will either pierce, stun, or knock down opponents. Foes at full health will take 15% damage when shot. (Requires Bloodbath and Euphoria)
• Mutated Skin: Each Adrenaline Point decreases the damage you take by 15%. (Requires Euphoria)
• Metamorphosis: Critical effects on enemies will activate a random decoction (to a maximum of 2) from your supply for 2 minutes at no Toxicity cost, and as a bonus it also improves Witcher Sense in dark areas. (Requires Cat Eyes)