I've tried using the sign against quite a few creatures. The only time it's worked is during the tutorial vs Vessimer. Otherwise, anything I try it against just walks right through the ring, completely untrapped.

Anyone else having this problem? Is there something wrong with my copy?

It slows enemies. Particularly enemies like the noonwraith you can face early on.

In MMO parlance, It's a "snare". It won't outright freeze anything (although I haven't looked at the upgrades for it - maybe those add something), but it will slow them down a great deal while they're in the zone that it creates, which is helpful when you're dealing with mobs of melee-based enemies.

Some creatures also have abilities that can be shut down by snaring them, such as the noonwraith that paladin181 mentioned.

I've found it to be more effective with certain enemies than others.

This yrden isn't like the one in The Witcher 2. It just slows the enemies, maybe some arrows, and forces wraiths to materialize, so you can deal more damage to them.

I have impression that Yrden indeed works odd, it was slowing Vesemir in tutorial down, but I noticed very little if any difference with noonwraith's behaviour. At the end I feel like Geralt rolled more for that fight alone than he did in entire Witcher 2 game. Yes, I put Yrden skills into active slot.

Ah. Ok, so I guess that it slows rather than traps enemies. I grew used to using the strategy of deploying the Yrden to trap enemies and then finishing them off in Witcher 2. I guess I'll just have to adjust to this change. Thanks all for answering my question, and +1 for everyone. :)

I hated Yrden in Witcher 2

Same here.....

I think Yrden is too strong.
Nerf!

- In every confusing situation nerf paladins.
- We don't have paladins!
- Nerf Yrden then.