If you've ever watched Geralt of Rivia stride into a village with two swords on his back and wondered whether he's compensating for something, you're not alone. It's one of the most-asked questions about The Witcher: why does a witcher carry two swords?
The short answer is steel for humans, silver for monsters. The longer answer is much more interesting, so pour yourself something strong and let's get into it.
Steel for humans, silver for monsters
In Andrzej Sapkowski's novels and CD PROJEKT RED's games, witchers are professional monster hunters, mutated and trained from childhood to deal with the creatures that plague the Continent. The job comes with two very different kinds of enemy, so a witcher carries two very different swords:
- The steel sword is for humans, elves, bandits and ordinary beasts: anything made of flesh and bone that isn't touched by magic.
- The silver sword is for monsters: the cursed, magical and otherworldly creatures that shrug off ordinary steel.
It isn't showing off. It's having the right tool for the job, which is about the most witcher thing imaginable.
Why silver?
Silver's power against monsters goes back long before The Witcher. European folklore is full of it: silver bullets for werewolves, silver against vampires and evil spirits. Sapkowski built that old belief into his world, where many monsters are especially vulnerable to silver.
There's a practical problem, though: pure silver is far too soft to make a good sword. It won't hold an edge, and it would bend at the first hard blow. So witcher silver swords aren't solid silver. The lore generally describes them as steel blades clad or edged with silver, combining the strength of steel with the bite silver has against monsters. In the games, they're often inscribed with runes and glyphs for extra punch.
Why not just carry one?
Because the wrong sword can get a witcher killed. Silver is softer and more precious, so you don't want to waste it hacking through bandits, and steel simply won't cut it against a wraith or a striga. Carrying both means a witcher can switch the moment a fight changes, which in The Witcher happens a lot.
It also marks them out. Two swords are the unmistakable sign of a witcher, which, depending on the village, is either a comfort or a very good reason to lock your doors.
Swords of the witcher schools
In The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, swords and armour are tied to the old witcher schools. Wolf School gear is Geralt's own, alongside the Cat, Griffin, Bear, Viper and Manticore schools, each with its own style and set of blades to hunt down and upgrade. Finding them all is half the fun of the game.
Aerondight: the legendary silver sword
Then there's Aerondight, the most famous silver sword of all. In the Blood and Wine expansion for The Witcher 3, Geralt can claim it in the land of Toussaint. It's a legendary blade that grows stronger the more you fight with it, and it's the one many players carry to the very end of the game.
Geralt of Rivia's swords, made by Raven Forge
This is where we get to geek out properly. Working in collaboration with CD PROJEKT RED, we created officially licensed replicas of Geralt's legendary blades as part of our Legends Collection:
- Geralt of Rivia's Silver Sword: the blade for monsters.
- Geralt of Rivia's Steel Sword: the blade for men.
- Aerondight: the legendary silver sword from Blood and Wine.
Get the silver and steel together and you've got a proper witcher's pair, just as Geralt would carry them. See all three in The Witcher swords.
More for witcher fans
- Our officially licensed Witcher desk mats, featuring Geralt, Yennefer, Triss and the Wild Hunt.
- The Witcher Hip Flask Gift Set: something to toast a successful contract with.
Witcher sword FAQs
Which sword does a witcher use on humans?
The steel sword. The silver sword is saved for monsters.
Are witcher silver swords made of solid silver?
No. Solid silver is too soft for a sword, so they're generally described as steel blades with silver, combining steel's strength with silver's effect on monsters.
What is Aerondight?
A legendary silver sword that Geralt can claim in The Witcher 3's Blood and Wine expansion. It grows stronger the more it's used.
Are Raven Forge's Witcher swords officially licensed?
Yes. They were made in collaboration with CD PROJEKT RED and are officially licensed The Witcher merchandise. You must be 18 or over to buy them.
