Witcher

A witcher (or hexer) is someone who has undergone extensive training, ruthless mental and physical conditioning, and mysterious rituals (which take place at "witcher schools" such as Kaer Morhen) in preparation for becoming an itinerant monsterslayer for hire. Geralt, the central character in Andrzej Sapkowski's Witcher series and the subsequent games inspired by them, is said in the stories to be one of the greatest witchers; he is certainly legendary, but whether famous or infamous is more open to interpretation (and/or subject to gameplay, as the case may be).

Taken in as children, witchers-to-be are subjected to intense alchemical processes, consumption of mutagenic compounds, and relentless physical and magical training to make them dangerous and highly versatile against their vast array of opponents, many of which possess superhuman speed, strength and/or other deadly powers. These procedures ultimately mean that each fully-trained witcher is a mutant built specifically to hunt and kill inhuman prey. The key permanent results of mutations shared by all witchers include:

Though they cover proficiency in basically any weapon that comes to hand, a witcher's training focuses on two primary tools:
 * Sterility (which partially explains selection from the outsiders, as they cannot breed to pass on their traits).
 * Cat-like eyes that grant very acute nightvision - witchers can constrict their pupils to see in blinding light or open them to see in near pitch darkness. This nightvision can be further enhanced with the cat potion, but in general, it is good enough by itself to not require further enhancement.
 * Tremendous resistance to disease (which functions in most cases as complete immunity) and a boosted immune system, allowing them to consume large quantities of potions that could prove easily deadly if consumed even in small amounts by a normal man.
 * Exceptionally increased strength, speed, reflexes, and endurance, far beyond any normal or well-trained human, that allows them to swiftly end fights with minimal effort, and perform physical feats non-witchers couldn't hope to match. A witcher's physical skills alone are sufficient to defeat most monsters single-handedly if combined with extensive training and proper weaponry, whereas regular men could only hope to accomplish this in large groups.
 * Having the ability to perform simple yet incredibly versatile combat magic in the form of signs. They also develop a sixth sense that allows them to "feel" things around them, be it items of importance or people's immediate intentions. This explains their uncanny ability to track and hunt people and monsters.
 * Accelerated healing granting quick recovery from injuries.
 * Incredibly long lifespan (Vesemir is said to be at least a few centuries old).


 * [[Image:Weapons Witchers steel sword horizontal.png|130px|Witcher's steel blade]] The Steel sword
 * [[Image:Weapons Witchers silver sword horizontal.png|Witcher's silver blade]]    The Silver sword

These swords are typically carried on the back. A steel blade used for more mundane beings, while a silver blade for beasts of the supernatural. Witchers are also frequent mixers and users of powerful potions, having developed an advanced tolerance to their inherent toxicity, but still limited to a few at a time (even one of their weaker brews would be fatal to an ordinary human). Finally, their formal magical training deals with signs, a low-level yet versatile form of magic that allows witchers to cast spells and enchantments with simple hand gestures. Without extensive improvement and practice, these are mere tricks compared to what a sorceress can do, but they serve very well for someone with a sword in one hand to add a variety of improvisation to their efforts. Also, the more powerful magic used by mages often takes a lot of time to prepare while all signs are instantaneous. Additionally, witchers are trained by seasoned mages in how to use these signs to the best effect.

In general, a witcher is a formidable and often overwhelming opponent to more mundane races thanks to their superhuman physical prowess, regenerative capabilities, and magic. However, they are not infallible, as they can still make mistakes, take a misstep in battle against mundane men or supernatural demons, or be overwhelmed by sheer numbers and individuals who have the skill to match a witcher, though rare is the individual who managed to slay a witcher out of skill rather than dumb luck or by ambush.

Though a witcher's eyes are one way to stick out, another standard means of identification is the witcher medallion. This device aids in the detection of monsters, and no witcher would part with one willingly. (And of course, witchers are known for being 'hard to kill' - Leo Bonhart boasts a collection of three such medallions as proof of his martial skill.) The form of an individual medallion (head of a wolf, cat, griffin, etc.) indicates the school at which its owner was trained.

It is a common belief, even among witchers themselves, that they have no capacity for emotion. This may be debatable, and rather relative, considering the rigors of their training and the dangers they face on a day-to-day basis. Perhaps they have simply never had the time or exposure to society to develop or recognize the reactions to mundane experiences that most take for granted. It may also be explained that a combination of their hard training, genetic modifications, and seclusion from society that may encourage blunted emotional expressions, as Geralt, Lambert, and Eskel all exhibit emotional heights concerning love, joy, fear, anger, lust, and sympathy among various others.

Occasional references to witchers as 'nonhuman' are somewhat at odds with the original stories (in which Geralt only identifies witcher as a profession, never a race). There is certainly no official classification as such, and the relevant references (in the first game at least) are usually from Geralt identifying with the mistrust and/or hostility faced by elves and dwarves in human society. Likely it is used as a slur against the mutants, likening them to elves and dwarves, though it's worth noting that an in-game text found in Wild Hunt mentions that the Cat School of witchers "are for the most part of elven stock," indicating that there are (or were at one time) indeed nonhuman witchers. Whether or not there actually are any elven witchers during the contemporary timeline of the story is unknown.

Known Witchers
Known witchers in Andrzej Sapkowski's books are Trained by Witchers
 * Ciri

Witcher Schools

 * Wolf School
 * Cat School
 * Griffin School
 * Viper School (appears only in and )
 * Bear School (appears only in )
 * Manticore School (appears only in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Blood and Wine Expansion)

Wiedźmin: Gra Wyobraźni only

 * Cormac

Additional witchers:
 * George of Kagen
 * Berengar
 * Raven (mentioned only)
 * An unknown witcher from The Witcher outro

Witcher-in-training:
 * Leo - could not use signs after breaking his fingers during training; not subjected to mutations

From the Viper School

 * Letho of Gulet
 * Auckes
 * Serrit
 * Two unnamed Witchers (mentioned)

Journal Entry

 * Despite my long friendship with Geralt, I know little more about this peculiar brotherhood or guild than learned tomes provide. On top of that, I am obliged to discretion, so I shall write nothing more than necessary on the subject. Once as numerous as the beasts they fought, today the witchers are seen as a relic of times long gone. The exact character of their training remains a mystery. It is known it consists, among others, of the Trials - processes that transform the organism using a specific combination of secret herbs and infusions. Those who survive them gain superhuman reflexes, speed of reaction, the ability to see in the dark and many other traits making them lethal foes. During their training they learn swordplay and basic magic, known as signs. Armed with this set of abilities, the witchers can effectively fulfill their objective, that is protecting humans from the monsters inhabiting our world.

From the Bear School

 * Gerd (mentioned)
 * Jonud of Belhaven (mentioned)

From the Cat School

 * Aiden (mentioned)
 * Axel (mentioned)
 * Cedric (mentioned)
 * Gaetan
 * Jad Karadin
 * Joël (mentioned)
 * Kiyan
 * Lexandre (mentioned)
 * Schrödinger (mentioned)

From the Griffin School

 * George of Kagen (mentioned)
 * Jerome Moreau (mentioned)

From the Manticore School

 * Merten (mentioned)

From the Viper School

 * Ivar Evil-Eye (mentioned)
 * Kolgrim (mentioned)

From the Wolf School

 * Adona of Carreras (mentioned)
 * Barmin (mentioned)
 * Elgar (mentioned)
 * Varin (mentioned)

Unspecified school

 * Olivier of Gulet (mentioned)

Name
The original Polish name for "witcher" is "wiedźmin". The English translation preferred by Andrzej Sapkowski was initially called a "hexer" and is the name used in the international version of the film adaptation. However, CD Projekt chose to translate it to "witcher" in the computer game, and this word was subsequently adopted by Danusia Stok (in her translation of The Last Wish) and even by Sapkowski himself (in Historia i fantastyka).

Warlock has been used in informal English translations, although "witcher" - being a neologism in English (as wiedźmin in Polish) - is arguably better at capturing the spirit of Geralt's and a Witcher's profession.

In other languages
In languages from the novel
 * Vedymin
 * Vatt'ghern (Elder Speech)

In languages from the game
 * Witchmolol-bool (Vodyanoi)

Trivia

 * A Witcher is a character class in The Witcher: Versus


 * Only human Witchers are known to exist, although it is believed that elven Witchers may exist or have existed in the Cat school.


 * There is a Witcher Larp group in Germany.

Notes & references
Zaklínači Hexer Μαγειουργοί Brujo Sorceleur Witcher Witcher Raganiai Witcher Wiedźmin pt-br:Bruxo Вичер Häxkarl