For those who are still confused on the main character's skill tree in the famous action rpg The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, then here's a guide which will help you know better each skills of Geralt. Even more, this guide will give you some information on how each skills works and lastly, this guide will give you a suggested skill build that you can use or refer to, to make your very own skill build.
Enjoy Guys!
Combat Skills
Fast Attack [Recommended Primary]
Rating: 5/5
Explanation: Fast Attack is your main means of dealing damage throughout the game. Going down this branch will increase the damage your basic melee attacks deal, a benefit that you will feel within every battle you engage in.
Strong Attack [Recommended Secondary]
Rating: 4/5
Explanation: You can get by most enemies without using Strong Attack. However, it shines against high armor enemies as it pierces armor. Since some of the harder enemies have thick armor, this branch is great for improving your capabilities.
Defense
Rating: 2/5
Explanation: Although half of the branch is useful, the first two items are underwhelming. This branch is outperformed by other options.
Marksmanship [Recommended Secondary]
Rating: 4/5
Explanation: The crossbow is a useful weapon amplified by this branch. As you go down the branch you will be able to slow time while aiming, critical strike more often, disable enemies, and restore Adrenaline Points. This is a great option as a secondary to fast attack.
Battle Trance
Rating: 3/5
Explanation: This branch increases your Adrenaline Point gains. It works well in tandem with several of the General Skills. You may want to dabble in this branch, but you will get more out of your points with other options.
Signs Skills
Aard
Rating: 3/5
Explanation: This sign is useful as a way to immediately zone enemies who are pressuring you. The branch will increase the knockback range of Aard and its damage.
Igni [Recommended Secondary]
Rating: 4/5 on lower difficulty, 3/5 on higher difficulty
Explanation: Igni is the highest damage dealing sign in the game. By going down this branch you are able to weaken enemy armor with Igni and apply a burning damage over time effect to foes. It is less effective on higher difficulties where survivability is a higher priority.
Yrden
Rating: 2/5
Explanation: Similar to Aard, Yrden is used to create space between you and enemies. While it won't immediately knock them back, it slows them down and with points placed in this branch will reduce their effectiveness.
Quen [Recommended Primary]
Rating: 5/5
Explanation: Quen is the easiest of the signs to use effectively. It provides a strong shield, and with points in this branch it will knock back foes upon breaking, reflect damage, and can even be used actively to mitigate damage.
Axii [Recommended Secondary]
Rating: 4/5, 5/5 if you want more dialog options
Explanation: Axii is the best crowd control in the game, allowing you to charm an enemy. With points in this branch the ability will turn the enemy into an ally temporarily and even be cast on more than one foe at a time. Axii also opens up more dialog options, increasing the value of this skill.
Alchemy Skills
Brewing
Rating: 2/5 on lower difficulty, 3/5 on higher difficulty
Explanation: This branch allows you to consume more potions at any given time as well as maintain potion effects. Delayed Recovery is a poor talent that pushes you to drink enough potions to maintain a high Toxicity. This branch is only good if you use potions frequently, which is recommended on higher difficulties.
Oil Preparation
Rating: 2/5 on lower difficulty, 3/5 on higher difficulty
Explanation: This branch improves your effectiveness in numerous ways, including the ability to apply poison on hit. It lacks the strong effects that you look for in a high priority branch, though. It is only advised if you regularly use oils, which is recommended on higher difficulties.
Bomb Creation
Rating: 1/5
Explanation: Bombs are enhanced in several ways with this branch, but bombs require too many materials to be used on a regular basis. This isn't a branch that will provide consistent benefits.
Mutation
Rating: 2/5
Explanation: This branch provides small stat percentage perks that are useful, but not dramatic enough to be high priority.
Trial of the Grasses
Rating: 1/5
Explanation: This is a general potion branch that doesn't provide much benefit for its investment.
General Skills
Sun and Stars
Rating: 1/5 on lower two difficulties, 2/5 on higher three difficulties
Explanation: On the three highest difficulties you will not be able to use Meditation to increase your health, so this skill is useful for avoiding dependence on food to regenerate. Since this skill doesn't aid you in combat, it's a skill of convenience.
Survival Instinct
Rating: 2/5
Explanation: More health offers you a buffer to avoid death. 500 Vitality is roughly 15% of a health bar at level 3. This skill does lose its effectiveness as you level and Vitality increases, which makes it a sub-par choice.
Armor Techniques
Rating: 5/5
Explanation: Early on you will want to commit to an armor type to wear throughout the game. Once you decide, place a point in the associated skill. For example, if you plan to use medium armor, place your point in Griffin School Techniques.
Steady Shot
Rating: 2/5
Explanation: Crossbows don't do much damage, but this skill helps. If you find yourself relying on ranged weapons often, this is a decent skill to place a point into. Make sure to place points into Marksmanship (Combat tree) if you commit to Steady Shot.
Rage Management
Rating: 2/5
Explanation: Signs are remarkably effective, but are limited by your cast refresh. This skill will allow you to use signs more often at the expense of Adrenaline Points. Unfortunately, it counters the benefits of Focus, a skill with better benefits.
Adrenaline Burst
Rating: 4/5
Explanation: This allows you to increase Adrenaline Points noticeably faster. Pair this with Focus to operate with higher damage more often.
Focus
Rating: 3/5
Explanation: This skill will scale your damage as your Adrenaline Points increase. Pair this with Adrenaline Burst for maximum benefit.
Metabolism Control
Rating: 1/5
Explanation: Toxicity isn't worth investing points into.
Recommended Skill Build
Fast Attack: Max this out as soon as possible.
Strong Attack/Marksmanship: Decide whether you prefer a better Strong Attack or crossbow damage and place points in the respective branch to meet the skill point requirement to move further down the tree for Fast Attack.
Armor Technique: Place a point in this once you've decided on an armor type to commit to and have a full set of armor of that type.
Quen: Place points into this as the game becomes more difficult for you.
Axii/Igni: Place points into one of these two branches to meet the skill point requirement to move further down the tree with Quen.
Adrenaline Burst: Place a point into this if you feel you aren't doing enough damage.
Focus: Place a point into this after Adrenaline Burst.
A Note on Alchemy: If you enjoy concocting potions, oils, and bombs, then by all means you can place points into this tree. Alchemy is too situational when compared to the consistent, non-circumstantial benefits of the other three trees. On higher difficulties it may be worth consideration.