Vampires inThe Witcher 3: Wild Hunthave different aspects: From those that resemble giant bats, to those who can be mistaken for humans, such as the infamous Beast of Beauclair. Although they are different in aspect, they all have some similarities in how to fight them and how to defeat them; for example, they all are susceptible to Vampire oil.
Although lesser vampires are more monsters than humans, so the player could think they are more powerful and dangerous than higher vampires, this is not the case. Higher vampires are the most brutal vampires to face, as well as some of the toughest creatures of allThe Witcher 3: Wild Hunt’s world.
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Alps
Alps are members of a vampiric race that inhabit the Northern Kingdoms' lands sincethe Conjunction of the Spheres. Alps are vampires that resemble Bruxae in appearance. They are called “phantoms” by some, a name which fits well enough, for like phantoms they haunt and torment men. They usually take on the form of a woman, though they can also appear as animals. They are most often found prowling near villages.
They attack at night and are most active when the moon is full. Alp’s saliva can make Geralt fall asleep and can invoke horrible nightmares when applied to a sleeping man. Some suggest they are the cause of legends about men who go to sleep healthy and are found in the morning white as snow, not a drop of blood in their veins.
In combat, Alps display supernatural speed and incredible stamina.The sign Yrdenis recommended, for it weakens an Alp’s defenses. Another strategy is to drink the Black Blood potion, for Alps suck the blood of their victims to deprive them of strength and regenerate their own powers. Unlike Bruxae, Alps cannot turn invisible, yet like Bruxae, they emit a shrieking noise whose shock wave can incapacitate. When in human form, they easily blend in with the surrounding community, making them very dangerous.
Bruxae
The Bruxa is a higher vampire and a post-Conjunction creature, an intruder in our world. She appears as a beautiful woman, but when she is hungry or attacking, she is terrifying. As a vampire, the Bruxa drinks blood. She often finds a victim to become her lover and a constant supply of sustenance at the same time. They can only be faced in theBlood and Wineexpansion, and the most powerful one is the Bruxa of Corvo Bianco.
The Bruxa finds the smell of garlic to be socially inconvenient at most, and she considers holy symbols to be interesting examples of handicrafts. She endures the sun’s light well, but she prefers the darkness of the night. Apart from silver, she can be wounded with fire and a stake provided that the latter is as long as a wagon’s drawbar.
Less powerful Bruxae often hunt in packs, making it easier to corner prey. If threatened, they attack with their talons and rip the victim apart, pausing only to savor the blood of their dying foe. The greatest threat to a witcher is their voice. The creature can screech with such force that the shockwave will knock even a giant man down, making him easy prey for the vampire. Blindness is as great a threat as this ghastly scream. Bruxae deprive their enemies of sight to play cat and mouse with them. Until sight returns, one should defend against their attacks in any way possible, for example, by usingthe sign Quen.
The Bruxae have masterful control over their blood circulation, rendering poisons and oils that increase bleeding ineffective against them. They are good at defending themselves against Witchers' tricks, but they are vulnerable to fire and can be knocked down and finished off as they try to get up.
Dettlaff van der Eretein
Dettlaff, also known asthe Beast of Beauclair, is a higher vampire and one of the most terrifying creatures the world has ever known. Some vampires of his sort live among men easily and inconspicuously, sometimes even gaining the respect and admiration of their community.
Dettlaff strikes in surprising and unique ways when in his two-legged form, so the player must be extremely alert and attentive. His razor-sharp claws, wielded with great strength and precision, are his chief weapons, yet he can also wield weapons of human devising with extraordinary skill.
Like allhigher vampires, Dettlaff can turn into fog and envelop opponents. When fighting a vampire in this form, the player must watch out for magic puddles and attacks from the air. When wounded, Dettlaff tends to assume his winged form, using these powerful appendages to stun his foes near effortlessly.
Geralt must remember higher vampires are immortal creatures and thus do not fear for their lives while fighting, meaning they take every risk. They are able to turn invisible and can regenerate strength during combat. All in all, they are supremely tricky foes, even for a Witcher.
Ekimmaras
Like other vampires, Ekimmaras are not, despite what village gossip might say, undead humans. Instead, they are post-Conjunction monsters with no particular feelings about garlic, holy water, or religious symbols. Unlike their portrayals in ballads and legends, they look nothing like handsome, pale aristocrats with charming eastern accents, though they do bear a strong resemblance to overgrown bats. A powerful and old type of Ekimmara is Sarasti which can be found in Velen.
Ekimmaras are unusually cruel and exceptionally swift. They can quickly land blow after blow, capable of smashing even the best armor into tiny shards. They should be fought with a silver sword, remembering that they can regenerate back health over time. They are vulnerable toDevil’s Puffball, vampire oil, and the sign Igni.
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Fleders
Fleders are classified as lesser vampires. Though weaker than the rest of their ilk in every aspect, from the physiomagic to the physiognomic, they should not be underestimated. Fleders cannot be mistaken for any other creature, with their wide, toothy jaws, flat, unpleasant faces, and completely hairless, often warty bodies. These vampires mainly fight with their teeth and claws, flailing them blindly and not stopping even when their victim is already dead. Even a solitary Fleder is strong enough to take down a trained soldier.
Compared to other vampires, Fleders display meager intelligence, seen most clearly in the mindless rage, which causes them to try with all their might to attack and tear to shreds any weaker being. When fighting Fleders, it is best to take advantage of their particular method of movement. These creatures do not run, but they try to catch their prey and knock it over by leaping. They are vulnerable toBlack Bloodand vampire oil.
Gael
Contrary to popular belief, monsters are not all alike. Like people, individual members of the same species can each have their own unique traits, preferences, and weaknesses. An excellent example of this is the Katakan which once fed on the inhabitants of Oxenfurt, best known as Gael. Perhaps influenced by its proximity to the hard-drinking student youth of the city, this vampire had developed a keen appetite for blood spiked with a hefty dose of hard alcohol.
Gael had clearly thrived on its high-octane diet. It had grown powerful and gained the ability to regenerate lost life quickly, cause heavy bleeding with its claws, and if all that were not enough meld into the air and appear again behind its opponent’s back. Luckilythe sign Quen and Yrdenare helpful.
Garkains
Garkains, like Fleders, belong to the class of particularly dangerous vampires whose strength exceeds even that of Fiends. An encounter with one of their number almost always ends in death, which is why there are not many eyewitness accounts of them, but it seems these horrible monsters do not content themselves with drinking the blood of their victims. A powerful species is the Alpha Garkain, which Geralt can face in theBlood and Wineexpansion.
Garkains belong to the group of creatures known as lesser vampires. They often gather around themselves members of other subspecies of lesser vampires, acting in such situations as leaders of the pack. They cannot run but can jump a great distance and often attack their prey in that way. They usually keep their distance from their foes during combat, trying to incapacitate them using a blast of mental energy provoking visions that delight and disorient.
Before fighting a Garkain, the player should drink the Black Blood potion and stock up on vampire oil. Furthermore, Samum and Moon Dust bombs are always effective weapons against any mental attacks.
Higher Vampires
Only a mutual thirst for blood links Higher Vampires to their distant and much more primitive cousins. Higher Vampires are, in fact, much more similar to humans than to those bat-like blood slurpers. They resemble us in appearance and share our intelligence and behavioral patterns. This means they do not squat in distant forests or hide in the shadows. On the contrary, they are particularly fond of cities, like inNovigrador Toussaint, where they live out deceivingly normal lives. Even Witchers cannot recognize them at once, for their medallions remain perfectly motionless in the presence of Higher Vampires.
Luckily Higher Vampires are extremely rare and not all are dangerous to humans. Though they do have a taste for blood, they do not need to drink it to survive. Some Higher Vampires have renounced feeding on humans altogether and do not harm anyone, but others give in to their desires.
A Witcher who wants to fight a Higher Vampiremust bear in mind that he faces a monster endowed with incredible strength, one able to manipulate men and animals, turn invisible and transform into a giant bat, and one which it is nearly impossible to kill. In other words, even an experienced monster slayer should think twice before accepting a contract on one of these creatures.
Katakans
Katakans are the embodiments of human fear. They hide in the shadows and feed on blood. They resemble enormous bats, though with long fangs and even longer talons. And, as if that weren’t terror enough, they can turn invisible, waiting unseen while dread of their unpreventable attack overwhelms their victim. Like other monsters and vampires, they have theirGwentcard in the Monster deck.
When fighting a Katakan, the player must pay particular attention to its shadow, often the only way to know its location. Katakans are invulnerable to steel, regenerate quickly, hear acutely and move at incredible speed. To even the odds, the player can temporarily immobilize Katakans using the sign Yrden. Unfortunately, the legends are wrong, and the sun’s rays do not turn Katakans to ash. However, they are vulnerable to sunlight, and when the sun stands at its zenith, their regeneration is considerably slowed.
The Witcher 3: Wild Huntis available now on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
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