Signs -- the spells used by witchers to disable or destroy their opponents -- often felt inessential in The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings. The utility magic certainly served its purpose in numerous situations, but those encounters rarely required much more than sword slashes between dodge rolls. I used them when I remembered I had them, and forgot shortly after. In The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Geralt of Rivia lives and dies by both the sword and the spell. Even on the easiest difficulty, ignoring Signs is the quickest way to lose in battle.

Combat in The Witcher 3 is complex and challenging in a way that’s even more satisfying than the last two games. The newfound importance of magic is secretly the most important reason why. Early on, each of Geralt’s five Signs function similarly to The Witcher 2: useful, satisfying, but unsophisticated. The flaming Igni and telekinetic Aard spells operate similarly, blasting an energetic force toward enemies. Igni’s small chance to set enemies alight is its differentiating factor, but as it levels and becomes a devastating, targeted flamethrower, it starts serving a different purpose than Aard’s fierce knockback and increasingly effective crowd-control. The Quen shield, like it did before, can deal damage by exploding when it takes enough damage. It also comes with the invaluable benefit of converting damage into health when leveled appropriately.

This is the key. “When leveled appropriately” is the constant, crushing variable in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Sign upgrades come at the cost of not upgrading Geralt’s alchemical skills, his overall hit points, the damage he deals, and the regeneration of his valuable stamina. Wild Hunt’s Ability Points are limited -- you’ll earn one each time you level, and one for each of a certain rare, hidden obelisk you discover. As such, unlocking additional Sign skills is an agonizing decision every time. Improved area-of-effect for Aard means you won’t deflect incoming arrows this time around. Converting Axii’s confusion into full-blown possession, so enemies fight for you rather than stand around holding their heads, could mean your large Yrden slowing field doesn’t last very long.

Signs improve dramatically throughout The Witcher 3, and unlocking a new one always gave Geralt a more recognizable and significant bonus in battle. The 2% chance to kill an enemy with a sword strike is ridiculously powerful if luck is on your side, but the certainty that you’ll live to keep fighting that foe is more reassuring and rewarding for my play style.

My play style, as suggested earlier, was to stab something until it stopped trying to devour my head.

Opting against Sign upgrades puts you at such a disadvantage compared to giving your bombs the ability to spread out into more bombs (for the record: pretty awesome). Of course, the freedom to upgrade Geralt in that way is rewarding in its own way. Naturally, the healing benefits of the Alchemy skill tree has its own blatant advantage over leveling your Signs. But try casting Axii on two wolves and get back to me. Try telling me that fighting alongside allied lobos sucks compared to the 5% critical strike you almost got you during the last boss battle.

For the first time playing a Witcher game, I am always thinking about my magic. Signs make dismembering bandits with a blade easier. They make me feel confident when I run up to a humongous, disgusting bug living inside a seashell the size of a house. Magic makes brawling more involved, deeper than the already impressive strategic smashing of blades into armor. He who casts, wins.

Mitch Dyer is an Editor at IGN. He hosts IGN Arena, a podcast about MOBAs. Talk to Mitch about Dota 2, movies, books, and other stuff on Twitter at @MitchyD and subscribe to MitchyD on Twitch.