Witcher Author Calls Game’s Schools “Completely Unnecessary”

The author of The Witcher book series, Andrzej Sapkowski, claims the witcher schools in the games are a “completely unnecessary” addition based on a single “narratively incorrect” line from the first book.

During an “Ask Me Anything” session on Reddit’s Fantasy page (via VGC), Sapkowski invited fans of the books to ask him questions.

One user queried Sapkowski about his thoughts on the game series adding numerous witcher schools absent from the books and whether he planned to introduce new schools in future books to reconcile this discrepancy.

In the games, seven witcher schools exist – Wolf, Cat, Griffin, Bear, Viper, Manticore, and Crane – with protagonist Geralt belonging to the School of the Wolf. Each witcher sports a medallion representing their school.

However, according to Sapkowski, these schools bear no relation to his novels, and he doesn’t understand why the games expanded what was originally a throwaway line:

The matter of ‘witcher schools’ requires – apologies – a longer explanation. A single line about a ‘School of the Wolf’ mysteriously appeared in [the first Witcher short story collection] The Last Wish.

Later, I considered it unworthy of expansion and narratively incorrect, even damaging to the plot. Thus, I never again included or referenced any Gryffindor or Slytherin witchers. Never.

However, that single sentence sufficed. The adapters, especially game fans, latched onto the idea with remarkable tenacity and multiplied these ‘witcher schools’ magnificently. Completely unnecessary.

Sapkowski stated he remains undecided on addressing witcher schools going forward – whether to completely remove the prior Wolf School reference or expand on witcher medallions’ meaning rather than assigned schools.

“I still don’t know what to do about this situation,” he said. “Perhaps, taking the path of least resistance, I’ll delete the line about the ‘school’ from future editions of The Last Wish.”

“Or maybe I’ll want to expand and clarify the matter somehow in subsequent books? Perhaps I’ll shed some light on the question of Witcher medallions, their meaning, and connection to specific individuals? There are many possibilities, and the sky’s the limit,” he concluded.