The most fearsome creatures in the Witcher saga

The Witcher game series is known for its grim and merciless medieval world populated with grotesque monsters and creatures waiting to be shown the business end of your silver sword. Some are a nightmare to face in battle, some have unsettling backstories, and some just look plain horrible. 

So, stock up on potions, sharpen your blade of choice, and saddle up Roach for an unsettling journey through the weird and wonderful world of the Witcher series’ most horrifying monsters.

Contents:

• The Caretaker
• Hyms
• Archgriffins
• Gaunter O’Dimm
• Leshens
• The Crones
• The Wild Hunt
• Draug
• Zeugl
• Fiends

The Caretaker

You come across this faceless wonder guarding the grounds of the Von Everec Estate, and while the Caretaker is scary enough based solely on his grotesque appearance, he gets even more frightening once you start fighting him. 

This Pan’s Labyrinth cosplayer heals every time he hits you and can use the souls of the dead around him to do the same, making your face-off (pun absolutely intended) with him especially intense.

Hyms

Hyms are the perfect example of how dark the Witcher world gets. Rather than physically attacking their victims, these shadowy spirits act as an incarnation of guilt and torment them psychologically, playing on their fears, regrets, and dark deeds from their past.

The Hym’s ultimate goal is to drive its victim insane or lead them to suicide by torturing them with nightmares. Best to clear your closet of any skeletons to avoid attracting one to you.

Archgriffins

Griffins are majestic beasts with a level of grace and nobility far beyond your average animal, right? Not in the Witcher’s world they’re not. Griffins are mean, twisted carnivorous brutes that cause havoc for farmers by devouring their livestock and spitting venom.

Archgriffins, as the name suggests, are the same but much more powerful. Facing one in combat is a nail-biting affair, as at any moment it can ship you off to meet your maker with one swing of its giant wing.

Gaunter O’Dimm

This fellow may not look very imposing, but don’t let his appearance fool you. This mysterious figure is a deceiver and a malevolent collector of human souls, which he wrangles off his victims by making Faustian bargains with them.

Although always polite, his ability to stop time and the questions around his real name and origin make him an unsettling character. Also, in case you didn’t notice, his initials are G.O.D.

Leshens

With a stag skull as a head and a body made of gnarled dry wood, these towering forest horrors are enough to make anyone nervous about going near the woods. They can call on crows and wolves to help them out in battle and will try to crush you using their underground roots.

Fortunately for Geralt, they’re vulnerable to fire attacks and move pretty slowly. Still, you definitely don’t want to run into one on a woodland stroll.

The Crones

Witches, like many things, tend to come in threes, unfortunately for anyone who comes across this terrifying trio. The Crones control the woods of Crookback Bog and use people’s severed ears to monitor everything that is said on their lands.

They can also take the form of attractive young ladies to lure in their victims, but don’t worry; like most of the baddies on this list, they come to a sticky and violent end eventually.

The Wild Hunt

The Wild Hunt are the main antagonists of the Witcher 3, despite barely actually appearing in the game. They serve more as an ominous force looming ever closer in the background, and ominous they are, riding through the sky in their skeletal armor and striking fear into the hearts of peasants and gamers alike.

This group of sinister elves are essentially interdimensional slavers who travel through portals to capture new victims from other worlds and, as such, definitely deserve a good slaying at the hands of the witcher.

Draug

Sometimes you don’t have to look creepy to be scary, it’s enough to just be a huge walking chunk of armored rage with fire for a face and a sword twice the size of a person.

Draug is the second boss you face in the Witcher 2 and was a nightmare to defeat as he combines speed, brute strength, and fury, as well as commanding other enemies to come and pester you at the same time.

Zeug

You come face-to-face with one of these disgusting sewer-dwelling octopus creatures in the first Witcher game, where you face it in a boss battle. 

Its unsettling unseeing eyes and multiple jaws, combined with the fact that it survives on sewage and dead bodies are enough to make you want to dispatch this monstrosity as quickly as possible and get back to the surface for some fresh air.

Fiends

The second monstrosity on this list with a healthy set of antlers, Fiends are a kind of twisted mixture between a stag and a rhino, with a terrible temper. Not only are they enormous, they’re also extremely aggressive and can charge you down in an instant when you think you’re at a safe distance.

Your only hope of taking it down is to stun it to give you a chance to do some damage before high-tailing it away again.