Spoiler warning: this guide discusses signets and abilities revealed through Onyx Storm. Each section names the book where a reveal happens.
Signets in Fourth Wing are magical abilities that a rider manifests through a bond with a dragon. No two riders are guaranteed the same ability. Violet Sorrengail wields lightning through her dragon Tairn, Xaden Riorson wields shadows through his dragon Sgaeyl, and other riders manifest abilities such as ice, metalworking, retrieving objects or reading memories. This Fourth Wing Signets guide lists every signet I could confirm, explains how signets connect to dragons, and marks where sources disagree. For the dragons themselves, see Fourth Wing dragons, and for the wider cast, the Fourth Wing characters guide.
What Are Signets in Fourth Wing?
A signet is the ability a rider gains after bonding a dragon. The rider channels the dragon’s magic, and the result is a specific power: wielding an element, reading minds, seeing far or manipulating objects. Riders at Basgiath War College generally manifest a signet after Threshing, though the timing varies. Fourth Wing shows Violet taking longer than most of her fellow first-years.
Iron Flame adds a thematic idea: signets reflect what a rider needs most. That is an in-world interpretation voiced by characters, not a mechanical rule, so treat it as flavor, not a formula.
How Do Signets Work in Fourth Wing?
Signets flow from the rider-dragon bond. The rider draws on the dragon’s power, and the type of power appears as that rider’s signet. The books state a general principle that a more powerful dragon means a more powerful signet. Beyond that, the sources I checked do not give a rigid rulebook. They do not tie a signet to a dragon’s color, tail type or age in any way I could verify.
Key points the books establish:
- A signet belongs to the rider, not the dragon. The dragon supplies the power.
- Signets vary widely in rarity and in what they can do.
- Using a signet has costs. Channeling too much power is dangerous, which Iron Flame and Onyx Storm both show.
Fourth Wing Signets List
| Rider | Signet | What it does | Dragon | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violet Sorrengail | Lightning wielding; dream walking (second) | Wields lightning; enters and influences dreams | Tairn, Andarna | Second signet revealed in Onyx Storm |
| Xaden Riorson | Shadow wielding; intention reading (second) | Controls shadows; senses others’ intentions | Sgaeyl | Second signet revealed in Iron Flame |
| Dain Aetos | Retrocognition | Reads recent memories by touching a face | Cath | Used on Violet without consent in Fourth Wing |
| Rhiannon Matthias | Object summoning (retrieval) | Makes items vanish and return to her | Feirge | Called retrieval or summoning |
| Ridoc Gamlyn | Ice wielding | Creates and controls ice | Aotrom | Described as a common signet |
| Sawyer Henrick | Metallurgy | Manipulates metal | Sliseag | Cannot create metal from nothing (per one guide) |
| Liam Mairi | Farsight | Sees at a distance | Deigh | Marked rider |
| Garrick Tavis | Air wielding; distance wielding (second) | Controls wind; distance-based power | Chradh | Sources disagree, see below |
| Imogen Cardulo | Memory erasing; stone wielding (second) | Wipes memory; manipulates stone | Glane | Second signet shown in Onyx Storm |
| Aaric Tauri (Cam) | Precognition | Foresight | Molvic | Revealed in Onyx Storm |
Bodhi Durran’s signet is disputed. One guide lists countering, while others list it as unknown. I could not verify it, so it is not stated here as fact.
Fourth Wing Signets Explained
Violet Sorrengail’s Signet
Violet Sorrengail wields lightning, a rare signet, through her bond with Tairn. Her second signet is dream walking. See the dedicated section below, and her profile on the Violet Sorrengail .
Xaden Riorson’s Signet
Xaden Riorson wields shadows through his bond with Sgaeyl. See the dedicated section below, and the Xaden Riorson.
Dain Aetos’s Signet
Dain Aetos has retrocognition: by touching a person’s face, he can read their recent memories. His dragon is Cath, a red Swordtail. The ability is valuable to Basgiath’s leadership, which is why it matters in Iron Flame, where Varrish orders him to read Violet’s memories. Dain uses it on her without her knowledge in Fourth Wing, which damages their friendship. See the Dain Aetos
Rhiannon Matthias’s Signet
Rhiannon Matthias can make objects disappear and then retrieve them to her. Sources call it summoning or retrieval. Her dragon is Feirge, a green Daggertail. In Iron Flame she uses it to hide a dagger. See the Rhiannon Matthias .
Ridoc Gamlyn’s Signet
Ridoc Gamlyn wields ice. His dragon is Aotrom, a brown Swordtail. One source also notes he can cool himself while channeling.
Sawyer Henrick’s Signet
Sawyer Henrick works with metal (metallurgy). His dragon is Sliseag, a red Swordtail.
Liam Mairi’s Signet
Liam Mairi has farsight. His dragon is Deigh, a red Daggertail. See the Liam Mairi page.
Garrick’s Signet
Garrick Tavis is reported to wield air, with distance wielding as a second signet revealed in Onyx Storm. Two secondary sources agree on air and distance, but one competitor lists only air and others list his signet as unknown. Verify against the text before publishing.
Bodhi’s Signet
Bodhi Durran’s signet is not clearly established in the sources I could verify. One guide says countering. Treat that as unconfirmed.
Violet’s Signet in Fourth Wing
Violet Sorrengail’s primary signet is lightning wielding, which she manifests through her bond with Tairn. It is considered one of the rarest and most dangerous signets and had not been seen in centuries. Violet takes longer than her peers to manifest a signet at all.
Does Violet have more than one signet? Yes. Her second signet is dream walking, revealed in Onyx Storm (reported as Chapter 50). Andarna confirms it. It makes Violet an inntinnsic, a rider whose power works on minds, like Xaden.
How does it connect to her dragons? Lightning is tied to Tairn. The books also show Andarna briefly granting Violet a time-related power in Fourth Wing, which is a one-time gift and is not listed as a signet. The second signet is linked to Andarna by some sources, though how bonds map to each signet is not spelled out in full.
What makes her signets different? She has two dragons, which is unprecedented, and one of her signets works on minds, which is dangerous because dreamers cannot shield themselves.
Xaden’s Signet in Fourth Wing
Xaden Riorson wields shadows through his bond with Sgaeyl. Shadows can shield allies, cut off visibility, bind targets and act as extensions of his person. In Fourth Wing, he kills attackers with them.
Iron Flame reveals a second signet: reading people’s intentions. That connects to Sgaeyl’s earlier bond with Xaden’s grandfather. As a direct descendant of a former rider, Xaden would gain a second signet or go mad, according to a rule stated in Iron Flame. For more on the dragon, see Sgaeyl.
Fourth Wing Signets of the First Six
“The First Six” refers to the six founding riders of Navarre’s history in Iron Flame. Violet and her friends investigate them while researching the wards. The search phrase “signets of the first six” is ambiguous, and I could not verify a list of their signets. Onyx Storm also mentions that the six most powerful signets have walked the world together only once before. Neither claim should be treated as a confirmed list of named signets.
The Rarest and Most Powerful Signets
The books do not rank signets officially. Different words mean different things:
- Rare: Lightning wielding is described as unseen for centuries. Shadow wielding is described as rare. Ice wielding is described as common.
- Destructive: Lightning and Xaden’s onyx storm in Onyx Storm.
- Strategically valuable: Retrocognition and farsight.
- Dangerous: Mind-based signets such as dream walking.
- Versatile: Shadow wielding.
Any ranking is editorial, not canon.
Fourth Wing Signets and Dragons
A rider’s signet comes through the dragon bond, but the books do not give a formula linking a dragon’s color or tail to a signet. Violet’s lightning is tied to Tairn, and Xaden’s shadows are tied to Sgaeyl. The stated principle is that stronger dragons give stronger signets. Details on each dragon are on the Fourth Wing dragons page, Tairn, Andarna and Codagh, whose rider Melgren has battle foresight.
A signet is not a dragon’s own ability, a rider’s learned skill or a weapon. Keep them separate.
Can a Rider Have More Than One Signet?
Yes, in several confirmed cases. Canon: Violet has two (lightning and dream walking), Xaden has two (shadows and intention reading), and Onyx Storm reveals second signets for Garrick and Imogen. Liam’s second signet is reported by one source and not verified here. The reasons differ by case: Violet has two dragons, and Xaden’s comes from Sgaeyl’s earlier bond with his grandfather. A general rule for all riders is not stated.
Can Signets Change or Evolve?
The books show signets developing in control, but do not state a rule for “evolving.” Violet’s dream walking becomes more lucid between Iron Flame and Onyx Storm, per reports. No progression system is established.
What Is the Strongest Signet in Fourth Wing?
The books do not name one strongest signet. “Strongest” can mean raw destruction, versatility, rarity, control or battlefield impact. Lightning and shadows are often cited as powerful, but that is interpretation.
Fourth Wing Signet FAQ
What are the signets in Fourth Wing?
Abilities riders manifest through dragon bonds, such as lightning, shadows, ice, metallurgy, retrocognition, farsight and object summoning.
What is Violet’s signet in Fourth Wing?
Lightning wielding, with dream walking as a second signet revealed in Onyx Storm.
What is Xaden’s signet?
Shadow wielding, with intention reading as a second signet.
What are the six rarest signets?
The books do not give an official list of six.
What are the six most powerful signets?
Not established. Onyx Storm mentions the six most powerful signets walking the world together only once.
What signet is illegal in Fourth Wing?
I found no verified answer. Dain’s retrocognition is treated as sensitive, and using it without consent is wrong in the story.
What chapter does Violet get her signet?
I could not verify a chapter. She manifests it later than many peers.
Hi, I’m Nisbah – a blogger with over 2 years of experience creating content and a fantasy enthusiast who loves exploring magical worlds, fantasy books, captivating stories, and unforgettable characters. I share book recommendations, reviews, fantasy insights, and story discussions and creating guides to help readers discover their next great adventure.
