Highlights

• Mages in The Witcher series gain power and experience as they age, living longer lives than ordinary people.
• Power in the mage world is not just about talent, but also political clout, intelligence, and magical ability.
• Some influential mages in the series include Sorel Degerlund, Istredd, Assire var Anahid, Margarita Laux-Antille, Alzur, Artorius Vigo, Ortolan, and Sabrina Glevissig.

The Witcher series, as a fantasy story, has a multitude of magic users and mages. These mages vary in power and ability, but the most powerful certainly make themselves known when concerning events across the story. As mages tend to live much longer lives than ordinary people, they gain power and experience as they grow older and wiser.

Power comes in many forms, not all of them in the form of talent or natural ability. Mages who find themselves in the courts of royalty play games and machinations to better themselves, all for power and influence. While even a mediocre mage with enough charisma and strategy may do well within the courts of kings in The Witcher 3 franchise, the most powerful and influential are often those with the greatest political clout, intelligence, and magical ability.

Updated February 15th, 2024 by Jacob Buchalter: Magic in the Witcher series is incredibly powerful, even more so than a lot of other fantasy franchises. Sorcerers and Sorceresses in this setting can basically halt their aging, turn the tide of entire battlefields on their own, and travel through space and time if they're strong enough. And, thankfully, a lot of the magic users in this series are pretty diverse in their magical interests. Some, like Vilgefortz, use their magic primarily for combat while others, like Artorius Vigo, use their magic to bring fantastical worlds to life. Let's take another look through all the magi presented by this IP and see which ones seem to be the strongest or most influential overall.

20 Sorel Degerlund

Ortolan's Assistant

First up is a name that very few fans of even The Witcher books will recognize, Sorel Albert Amador Degerlund. Sorel was the assistant of Ortolan, a name that will be elaborated on further down this list, and he was a man who worked very hard but often on taboo or forbidden rituals and magic. For example, Geralt himself encounters Sorel as a result of a job he takes on to 'get rid of a demon' that Sorel was believed to have summoned.

After stumbling upon an unconscious Sorel, Geralt wakes him up only to fall for Sorel's lies and get poisoned by Sorel so he can use Geralt in more experiments before eventually killing him. After escaping from Sorel's capture, Geralt eventually tracks Sorel down and kills him for his crimes, a deed that would only get Geralt into more trouble at the hands of Ortolan.

19 Istredd

Yennefer's Intelligent Ex

This next character is a pretty unique case, as those who watched the Netflix series only are more familiar with this character than book readers are. Istredd is known as the sorcerer with a keen interest in Archaeology and monoliths in the Netflix series. He was Yennefer's closest friend and romantic partner during their time at Aretuza, and the show shows a lot more of this character than the books ever seemed to.

Regardless, Istredd was a very capable sorcerer, and one of the rare few in the franchise to actually keep an interest that isn't dark like 'experimentation' or 'delving into the taboo', he just likes history and archaeology. Of course, Istredd wasn't notable enough to be among the strongest sorcerers, but he absolutely knew his way around mage as a whole.

18 Assire var Anahid

A Well-Known Sorceress of Nilfgaard

Starting this off with a Nilfgaardian Sorceress, Anahid is often one that a lot of Witcher fans either entirely forget about or underestimate. While she doesn't have many moments in the lore, the books, or the games where she gets to show off her prowess, people need to remember that Anahid is trusted by Emhyr var Emreis AKa the Emporer of Nilfgaard.

Nilfgaard usually treats their mages as lower-class citizens or even as tools, so being well-respected as a mage in a country that typically looks down on practitioners of magic is a great achievement.

The only way this could really have happened was if Assire var Anahid proved herself in combat during the iconic Nilfgaardian war. On top of all this, she's also one of the founding members of the Lodge of Sorceresses, so it's safe to say she's absolutely earned a spot here.

17 Margarita Laux-Antille

The Rector Of Aretuza

Spoiler alert, just about every member of the Lodge of Sorceresses is going to be on here somewhere, even the ones readers/players know very little about, as the Lodge are the magic-users seen the most over the course of the Witcher stories. And, one such magic user who doesn't have a lot of information on her is Margarita Laux-Antille, another founding member of the Lodge.

She seems to be of a similar age to Yennefer, but while Yennefer is out and out doing whatever she pleases, Margarita became the rector of Aretuza, which is just about the most notable magic university out there. And, one doesn't become the head of a school like this without a whole lot of magical prowess, so it's safe to say Margarita was at the very least capable if not obscenely powerful. All that said, she did need to be saved by Yennerfer and Geralt in The Witcher 3, so it can really go either way when it comes to how 'strong' she is.

16 Alzur

The Founder of the Witchers as a Whole

Next up is a mage who arguably had the most impact on the course of history in The Witcher series, Alzur. Alzur, the only name of his that remains (no surname or title), was a renowned mage who was known worldwide during his time. He started out as a lonely and downtrodden orphan who was adopted by the nobles of Maribor City due to the implication of him being one of their 'illegitimate children'.

Not only did Alzur create multiple spells of his own including Alzur's Double Cross, Alzur's Thunder, and Alzur's Shield, but he was also the one who did the majority of the work creating the Witchers themselves.

And, while his early life was sad and depressing due to the lack of love and constant bullying from his siblings, Alzur only became more virtuous in response, apparently. He eventually started to actively look for ways to prove his valor and ideals, which usually left him beaten within an inch of his life at the hands of bandits. But, eventually, Alzur comes to discover his magical abilities, is then taken in by a powerful mage, and quickly grows into his power.

15 Artorius Vigo

The One Who Brought Fairytales to Life

Yet another character who looked widely different in the Netflix series (at least compared to his Gwent card art) is Artorius Vigo. In The Witcher games, Vigo was mostly known for his position as one of the best Toussaintois mages, with a specialization in illusion magic. He, along with his niece Fringilla Vigo, were very much unlike other mages of their time who were either performing horrifying human experiments for the sake of magic or killing and betraying to further their political power.

Instead, Artorius lived a nice life in Toussaint and eventually created the 'Land of a Thousand Fables' for the sake of his family which players who explored the Blood and Wine expansion in The Witcher 3 almost unanimously fell in love with.

14 Ortolan

An Old Man Who Made Time Stand Still

Ortolan was the Grandmaster at Rissberg Castle, the place where it is thought the concoctions that mutated people into Witchers first originated (which is why many speculate about his connections to Alzur). Not only that, Ortolan is the one who invented the elixir that stops the aging process that both mages and sorceresses would utilize for ages to come. But, because he was so old by the time he created it, it didn’t return his appearance to a younger age, but rather just stopped his aging altogether, which must have been a bit of a bummer but in the end, an elongated life is still an elongated life. Ortolan was an eccentric dedicated to his work, so much so that he thought the de-aging elixir should be and actually was made public to everyone.

But, as it turns out, Ortolan was fooled by the Brotherhood of Sorcerers into believing this lie, as his potion was seemingly only used by mages and sorceresses.

When it comes to Geralt, Ortolan helps his lover and assistant Sorel in catching Geralt, but eventually dies from a stroke when he finds out the Witcher succeeded not only in escaping from Sorel but in killing him as well.

13 Sabrina Glevissig

The Martyr Saint Of The North

The Lodge of Sorceresses, by design, was intended to have its members integrated throughout every corner of the realm, and Sabrina Glevissig was the member who represented Kaedwen in the North. Not only was Sabrina every bit as hardy and outspoken as those in the Northern Kingdoms tend to be, but she also knew how to use her beauty to her advantage as well, apparently. Now, this information might surprise some, as the Sabrina seen in the Netflix series looks nothing like the one seen in The Witcher games, and is a lot meeker comparatively.

In any case, players can either visit the site of Sabrina's burning at the stake in The Witcher 2 or actually meet her themselves with the Price of Neutrality premium module for the first Witcher game. In either case, Sabrina quickly proves that she lives up to her reputation as one of the most powerful sorceresses of the North. In fact, Sabrina was so powerful that during an integral battle, she summoned a meteor storm onto the field, which ended up killing both friend and foe indiscriminately, leading to her losing her position as King Henselt's advisor and ultimately being burned at the stake. Thankfully, some did see this action as one that was necessary, and that Sabrina herself was a martyr for the sake of her fellow countrymen, so her popularity only rose after her tragic death.

12 Francesca Findabair

The Elven Queen

The Queen of Dol Blathanna, Francesca Findabair is all over the place in terms of her loyalties and the people she’s worked with. She sides with Nilfgaard during the coup on Thanedd Island, which is what led her to rule over Dol Blathanna in the first place, yet she hates humans in general. In fact, her disobeying her father and fighting in a rebellion against humans when she was younger is a big part of the reason elves were so ruthlessly persecuted and slaughtered after the Conjunction of the Spheres. Luckily, during her appearances in the books, she has already learned more about how to play the political game.

Sadly, when she finally reclaimed the Valley of Flowers after the war with Nilfgaard (during the Cintrian Peace Agreement), the people leaving the Valley burned the country down as they fled it, leaving the elves with a 'Valley of Ashes' instead. Her story is tragic, but one thing that should never be looked down upon is the Queen's power as one of The Witcher's most notable mages.

11 Sheala de Tancarville

Someone Truly Dedicated To Her Research

Sheala de Tancarville, otherwise known as Síle de Tansarville in her appearances throughout the action RPG games, is another oddity of a sorceress. All of the descriptions and Codexes about her in the books and games make it sound like she was only dedicated to her research, not involving herself with politics or the affairs of man. Yet, after reaching the end of The Witcher 2, it seems she did dip her toes into the political world quite a bit, usually by working hand-in-hand with Phillipa Eilhart (especially if it concerned Ciri).

She appears again in The Witcher 3, (if she’s left to escape near the end of TW2), and is basically a different person altogether that Geralt's decisions ultimately influence the fate of. The atrocities she’s suffered in the dungeons of King Radovid are unspeakably cruel, but in her prime (and in the books), Sheala is one of the most memorable and strongest Sorceresses in the Lodge.

10 Stregobor

A Master Illusionist Obsessed With The Black Sun

Stregobor was not exactly a “powerful” mage by the standard definitions, but a master illusionist capable of creating incredibly lifelike illusions. Sure, he could also perform other magicks, but his primary craft was illusions that, unlike Artorius Vigo, were more for his own sake than for others. That said, his 'elegant' manner of speaking and way of dressing was also an illusion in a way, as the mage was a staunch believer in the Curse of the Black Sun, and dedicated his life to torturing any young woman even rumored to be born during an eclipse in order to 'learn' more about the Curse.

Stregebor appears in The Last Wish and in the first episode of the Netflix adaptation as the mage partially responsible for Geralt’s alias as the Butcher of Blaviken.

It turns out an ex-princess, Renfri, chased him all across the Northern Lands in an attempt to get revenge on him for his part in her horrific childhood, ending up in Blaviken where she slaughtered much of the town in an attempt to get him to come out of his magical tower. And, when Geralt has to put a stop to her madness as that is the 'lesser of two evils', he does so by slaughtering both her and her entire band of mercenaries.

9 Ermion AKA 'Mousesack'

By Far The Most Memorable Druid

Mousesack, otherwise known as Ermion, is what's known as a 'druid' in The Witcher universe, AKA a mage who is very closely associated with nature. While still technically considered a mage, druids follow a completely separate purpose and path with their magic, tending to care for nature and wildlife more than anything else. He was trained by the druids of Skellige as a child. As an adult, he formed part of the contingent from Skellige for Pavetta of Cintra's engagement. He formed a close relationship with the royal family of Cintra, as well as with Geralt himself.

Mousesack's competence in druid magic and his connections to powerful people across the Continent place him as one of the most powerful mages on the Continent. And, his intelligence and empathy make him one of the more likable characters in the franchise, especially the version of him seen in the Netflix adaptation.

8 Vilgefortz

A Genius Unlike Any Other

Vilgefortz was a powerful member of the Chapter of Sorcerers. Though he was young (by magic-user standards) at under 100 years old, he was an uncommonly gifted and talented sorcerer. In fact, he’s likely the most diversely talented magic user in the series, thanks to his expertise in combat-oriented magic, hand-to-hand combat, mastery of swordsmanship, druidic magic, and more.

Vilgefortz was positioned as an antagonist to Geralt and his allies and this is primarily because he wanted to take Ciri’s blood and make it his own. To this end, he tortured many innocent women, captured and tortured Yennefer, killed plenty of people while working for Nilfgaard, and beat Geralt multiple times. In fact, Vilgefortz is one of the only people at all to beat Geralt in a fight, and what's even scarier is he did it the first time without using any magic at all.

7 Fringilla Vigo

The Nilfgaardian Sorceress

Fringilla is a Nilfgaardian sorceress, a position that places her at odds with many other magic users and sorceresses on the Continent. Obviously, this is because Nilfgaard is particularly aggressive, as seen in The Witcher 3. Yet, Fringilla is relatively amicable in all her appearances, though the version of her seen in the Netflix adaptation is a lot more 'cold' than the version of her in The Witcher 3.

Fringilla has faced many of her peers in battle and even blinded Yennefer at the Battle of Sodden. Her experience, position within the Nilfgaardian Empire, and magical talent make her one of the most powerful mages on the Continent. That said, her area of expertise is illusion magic, so among the Lodge, she’s still one of the weaker sorceresses in terms of combat ability.

6 Tissaia De Vries

A Truly Respected Sorceress

Tissaia de Vries is only mentioned in The Witcher games, never actually appearing at any point (which makes sense for anyone who has read the books) but the sorceress plays a large part in the Netflix series and in the books.

Canonically, Tissaia is the headmistress of Aretuza, the one who trained Yennefer, and one of the most well-respected sorceresses of all time.

Tissaia also served as one of the key members of the Council which predated the Lodge of Sorceresses. When Tissaia committed suicide, her loss was so great to the Council that it fell apart, making way for the Lodge of Sorceresses to come into being. While Tissaia wasn’t the most...warm person on the outside, she was incredibly wise, honorable, and above all, powerful.

5 Triss Merigold

A Magic User Not To Be Underestimated

Triss Merigold's story can be a bit confusing as it changes in a lot of ways across the books, games, and Netflix series. One of her characteristics that remains consistent is her magic and skills as a sorceress. What people familiar with the games (and even more familiar with the character) might not expect, however, is that Triss is best known for her incredible Alchemical skill in the books, not her fire magic, especially in the making of healing potions. This is especially ironic given how Triss herself is actually allergic to magical potions in general.

Though Triss is younger than many other sorceresses on the Continent, she is a formidable Witcher mage AKA sorceress who easily makes friends with anyone she meets, including Yennefer of Vengerberg. She even becomes close enough with Cirilla that the two basically consider each other sisters throughout the entirety of Triss' well-written character arc.

4 Philippa Eilhart

The Leader of the Lodge of Sorceresses

Philippa Eilhart stands as one of the most powerful sorceresses on the Continent not only because of her skills in magic but also because of her tactical and political skills. Philippa was the founder of the Lodge of Sorceresses, a testament to her connections, leadership, and magical skill.

Philippa served as the advisor to the King of Redania but was forced into hiding by King Radovid, who ordered her eyes plucked out while he had her imprisoned. Not surprisingly, given her abilities, this blindness did little more than inconvenience Philippa and only strengthened her vendetta against Radovid. Eventually, it was Phillipa who ultimately assassinated the mad king. Phillipa might be one of the most powerful mages in The Witcher series, and should absolutely have more appearances in Witcher-related media.

3 Yennefer Of Vengerberg

Geralt's True Love

Yennefer of Vengerberg is one of the more notorious mages in The Witcher, in part due to her resistance to joining any organization, the multitude of fights she gets in, and her fated ties to Geralt. She prefers working on her own, which makes her success as a sorceress and mage all the more impressive.

Despite her portrayal in the series, especially in the Netflix adaptation, Yennefer's origins were notoriously humble. Her success is a testament to her strength of will and talent in magic. Yennefer is seen doing great feats of magic throughout the series, including forbidden arts such as necromancy. Her practicality, strength of will, and talent are what make Yennefer so formidable. Nothing is off-limits for her if helps advance her progress toward her goals, and this ideal is one of the main reasons she played such a big part in finding Ciri in the beloved action RPG that is The Witcher 3.

2 Avallac'h

The Sage Who Leapt Through Time & Space

Avallac'h is an elven sage or 'Aen Saevherne' who is far above other elves in terms of magical prowess. He also has the ability to travel between dimensions, something that comes in handy when both he and Ciri are traveling together to escape the Wild Hunt.

Avallac'h plays a large role in protecting Ciri from The Wild Hunt during the events of The Witcher 3. He trains Ciri to control her magic, something that no one mage or sorceress had any success in attempting. And, crazily enough, Avallac’h is also the one Lara Dorren (whom Ciri is a descendant of, giving her the 'Elder Blood') was originally supposed to marry (what a power couple) before she fell in love with Cregannan of Lod. The fact that Avallac’h has lived this long, was able to keep Ciri out of Eredin’s clutches, and traveled through time and space with ease cements him inarguably as one of the most powerful users of magic within the series.

1 Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon

The Elder Blood Holder & Lion Cub Of Cintra

Finally, as the Lady of Space and Time, Ciri is the most powerful magic user in The Witcher series. Ciri is the last inheritor of the Elder Blood, and so is able to use magic in unique and powerful ways which are inherent to her. She can travel to other worlds, teleport using portals, create after images, and control magic to a much deeper degree than even Sages. Essentially, she has the potential to do and go wherever she wants within The Witcher's vastly expansive world.

Her magic is impressive enough on its own, but Ciri also received tutelage from Yennefer and Triss, two of the most powerful sorceresses on the Continent. Avallac'h also took an interest in training and guiding Ciri as well, and he knew plenty about the source of her power. Then, stack her Witcher training from her surrogate father Geralt on top of all of that, and Ciri is like the second coming of Vilgefortz, but with more potential and less of an insatiable thirst for power. Plus, thanks to her grandmother, the late Queen of Cintra, Ciri is about as stubborn and steadfast as they come.