Equipable items in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt have varying effects (aside from damage and armor) depending on their type and tier.
Witcher gear has all effects preset and static, with no change in values. Relic items also have entirely preset effects, but their corresponding values (such as % chance or resistance) may vary. However, item effects on the other three tiers - common, master and magic items - work within a slightly more elaborate scheme:
A common item may or may not have preset effects, but when it does they are both entirely static and more importantly inherited by master and magic items, which get random effects on top of that.
- Master items get 1 random effect, applied on top of the common base.
- Magic items get 2 random effects, applied on top of the common base, but also drawing from a wider pool of possible effects. Additionally, due to the unrestricted randomization, the drawn effects may stack. For example, drawing critical hit chance twice will result in only one visible effect, but with a higher % chance value.
There are only two exceptions to this rule:
- Crossbows (although with varying attack power) and bolts and have enitrely preset effects, regardless of their tier.
- Hearts of Stone expansion, Blood and Wine expansion and any crafted items may have one or both random slots also preset and static. Expansion items also may draw from larger effect pools.
For the possible random effects, refer to the following lists depending on item type:
Swords[]
Master effects:
- +10-40 Armor piercing
- +1-4% Critical hit chance
- +1-10% Critical hit damage bonus
- +1-5% Chance to cause bleeding
Magic effects:
- All master effects
- +1-4% Adrenaline Point gain
- +1-5% Chance to poison
- +1-5% Aard Sign intensity
- +1-5% Axii Sign intensity
- +1-5% Igni Sign intensity
- +1-5% Quen Sign intensity
- +1-5% Yrden Sign intensity
Expansion items only:
- +1-4% Resistance to poisoning
- +1-4% Resistance to bleeding
Chest armor[]
Master effects:
- No effect
- +1-4% Resistance to slashing damage
- +1-4% Resistance to piercing damage
- +1-4% Resistance to bludgeoning damage
- +1-4% Resistance to damage from monsters
- +1-4% Resistance to elemental damage
- +1-4% Resistance to burning
Magic effects:
- All master effects
- +10-50 vitality
- +1-4% Adrenaline Point gain
- +1-4% Resistance to poisoning
- +1-4% Resistance to bleeding
- +1-5% Aard Sign intensity
- +1-5% Axii Sign intensity
- +1-5% Igni Sign intensity
- +1-5% Quen Sign intensity
- +1-5% Yrden Sign intensity
Gauntlets[]
Master effects:
- No effect
- +1-4% Resistance to burning
Magic effects:
- All master effects
- +5-8% Attack power
- +1-4% Critical hit chance
- +1-10% Critical hit damage bonus
- +1-4% Resistance to poisoning
- +1-4% Resistance to bleeding
- +1-5% Aard Sign intensity
- +1-5% Axii Sign intensity
- +1-5% Igni Sign intensity
- +1-5% Quen Sign intensity
- +1-5% Yrden Sign intensity
Expansion items only:
- +10-50 vitality
- +1-4% Adrenaline Point gain
Trousers[]
Master effects:
- No effect
- +1-4% Resistance to slashing damage
- +1-4% Resistance to piercing damage
- +1-4% Resistance to bludgeoning damage
- +1-4% Resistance to damage from monsters
- +1-4% Resistance to elemental damage
- +1-4% Resistance to burning
Magic effects:
- All master effects
- +10-50 vitality
- +1% Stamina regeneration
- +1-4% Resistance to poisoning
- +1-4% Resistance to bleeding
Expansion items only:
- +1-4% Adrenaline Point gain
- +1-5% Aard Sign intensity
- +1-5% Axii Sign intensity
- +1-5% Igni Sign intensity
- +1-5% Quen Sign intensity
- +1-5% Yrden Sign intensity
Boots[]
Master effects:
- No effect
- +1-4% Resistance to burning
Magic effects:
- All master effects
- +1-4% Adrenaline Point gain
- +1% Stamina regeneration
- +1-4% Resistance to poisoning
- +1-4% Resistance to bleeding
Expansion items only:
- +10-50 vitality
- +1-5% Aard Sign intensity
- +1-5% Axii Sign intensity
- +1-5% Igni Sign intensity
- +1-5% Quen Sign intensity
- +1-5% Yrden Sign intensity