The Witcher 3 Bestiary List: Every Monster Weakness

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is a massive endeavor for players to take on, and like the previous games in the series, there are several monsters to hunt and slay. As you travel through the war-ravaged land of the Northern Realm, you’re bound to come across a Griffin, Foglet, or Drowner.

This guide will teach you everything you need to know to take on the most prevalent of these foul beasts, making sure Geralt lives to fight another day. So, without further ado, here's our The Witcher 3 Bestiary guide, which explains monster weaknesses and how to beat them.

The Witcher 3 Bestiary Guide

Dogs

Dogs tend to rush at their prey in packs, and usually go for victims that are elderly, drunken, or alone. Although fast in speed, they are generally dumb, and tend to attack in one-sided spurts. This makes use of the Aard Sign great for pushing them back, and for allowing Geralt time to recover.

Do not underestimate these early game beasts, however. They may not be as strong as some of the other foes, they are exceptionally quick, and can deal damage with fast, decisive bites.

• Weaknesses: Beast Oil
• Regions Found: Throughout Velen, Skellige, and Novigrad
• Droppable Loot: Raw Meat and Dog Tallow

Wolves

A close relative of the dog, wolves wander the land of the Northern Realms in large packs that range from three to twelve members. Similar to dogs, they attack quickly, and with viciousness. They are a bit stronger than their cousins, but still rank low against the many dangerous beasts of the world.

Unlike dogs, they are extremely cunning, and strike with coordinated efforts from all sides. If you find yourself surrounded, make use of Igni or Aard to ward them off, allowing time for Stamina and Vitality recovery. These creatures can also be controlled by Leshens, which makes them even more dangerous to deal with.

If you find yourself coming across the lycanthrope relative of the wolves - Werewolves - here's exactly how to beat Werewolves and stop their health-regenerating abilities.

• Weaknesses: Beast Oil
• Regions Found: Velen and Skellige
• Droppable Loot: Wolf Pelt, White Wolf Pelt, Wolf Liver, Dog Tallow, Raw Meat

Noonwraiths

Noonwraiths are strongest during the sunlight hours, and even stronger still when the sun is at its peak. Like their closely related variant, the Nightwraith, Noonwraiths can hide in a non-corporeal form, and thus negate physical attacks.

In order to bring them back into the physical world players will have to use items like Moon Dust bombs, or the Yrden Sign. When threatened greatly, Noonwraiths create shimmering copies of themselves, and zap life from nearby beings. Bombs and crossbow bolts can be used to easily defeat these doppelgangers, thus forcing the real Noonwraith back to the corporeal world.

• Weaknesses: Moon Dust, Specter Oil, Yrden
• Regions Found: No Man’s Land, White Orchard
• Droppable Loot: Noonwraith Light Essence, Specter Dust, Wraith Essence, Noonwraith Mutagen, Infused Dust, Amethyst Dust, Emerald Dust

Griffins

The first boss that players will face off against, and one of the most dangerous of the world’s hybrid creatures. The Griffin, which is half-eagle and half wildcat, is viscous, fast, and extremely strong. There was a time when such creatures weren’t found in the flatland areas like Velen and White Orchard. However, the waging war has driven them from their homes, onto the doorsteps of the common people. When facing down a Griffin it is important to watch out for its long, sharp talons as it swoops down from the sky. If you find the beast diving towards you, pull out your crossbow and shoot it in the face to send it tumbling to the ground.

This isn’t the end of the fight, however, as these beasts are still extremely dangerous on solid ground. Watch out for their high-pitched roar, as it stuns their prey. You also have to be careful of the slashes and bites they try to score as you attack. Use of the Quen Sign will negate most damage, and we found Igni to be quite useful against them, even though they aren’t particularly weak to it. The easiest way to score hits on a Griffin is to dodge to the side when it attacks, then slash at its unguarded sides.

• Weaknesses: Grapeshot, Hydbrid Oil, Aard, Quen
• Regions Found: Wilderness around Oxenfurt, Skellige, Velen, and White Orchard
• Droppable Loot: Griffin Egg, Griffin Feathers, Griffin Mutagen, Infused Dust, Raw Meat

Bears

Like many other creatures throughout the Northern Realms, bears come in different shapes, colors, and sub-species. This doesn’t change how you fight them, however, which is the best thing about this strong, powerful, and massive beast. They possess a high Vitality, strength, and feature long claws on their forepaws, which allow them to deal tremendous amounts of damage.

Stay out of their reach, except when attacking with your Silver Sword, and always make use of your Quen, Igni, and Yrden Signs to help wear them down. If you see this massive foe stand on its hind legs, dodge and run away, as it is about to pound the ground with its front paws, creating a force that could knock down even the most seasoned witcher.

• Weaknesses: Beast Oil, Quen, Igni, Yrden
• Regions Found: Every major area of wilderness in the world.
• Droppable Loot: Bear Fat, Bear Pelt, White Bear Pelt, Raw Meat

Ghouls

Ghouls have always been a problem during times of war, as battlefield graves are shallow and the bodies are left to rot. This of course attracts all kinds of beasts, but mostly you’re bound to find this annoying necrophages scampering around. Normally found feeding in small groups, nests of these creatures can pit a witcher against four or more ghouls. This means they are rarely found alone, and fighting them will require massive amounts of patience, and precision. As one ghoul heads in to attack, several more will flank Geralt, attempting to catch him off guard. This is where spells like Quen come in handy, as they can negate the damage you would have taken from the attacks at your back.

Do not attack too aggressively when fighting these creatures, as they can often manage to counter your attacks, and many times this means you’ll receive multiple hits from several ghouls around you. They are also great at jumping, which means you’ll need to worry about enemies further away, closing the gap quickly. If you find yourself outnumbered, make sure you have Quen equipped, or use the Yrden Sign to slow the ghouls down as you make your retreat.

• Weaknesses: Necrophage Oil
• Regions Found: Wherever there is plenty of death and rotting flesh
• Droppable Loot: Ghoul Blood, Venom Extract

Drowners

Another of the witcher’s most common enemies, Drowners like to attack in packs of three or more. They have a nasty habit of burrowing when they spot their prey, which just happens to be a good warning sign for witchers. They are extremely weak to the Igni Sign, and are more susceptible than most to be set aflame by the spell. When surrounded, we suggest casting the Yrden Sign to slow their movements, and then send a shaft of flames rushing into their midst with Igni.

Their most common attack is a claw swipe, which Geralt can easily counter. This becomes an issue, however, when multiple enemies are attacking from all sides, interrupting your counters with their own attacks. Whenever they burrow they will try to attack you from beneath, leaping up out of the ground. When killing other Drowners, the pack mourns and screams. This gives Geralt a few seconds of calm to cut them down as they stand defenseless.

• Weaknesses: Necrophage Oil, Igni
• Regions Found: Battlefields, places with high amounts of corpses, and shallow graves where flesh has been left to rot. They also like to make nests near water.
• Droppable Loot: Drowner Brain, Drowned Dead Tongue, Water Essence

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For more on The Witcher 3, why not check out our Romance Guide. Elsewhere, there's also our guides on the Endings, and on the best weapons and armor in the game.