Somehow, it’s been an entire decade since The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt swooped onto our screens and made monster hunting look dangerously like a viable career path. That’s right, ten years of moral ambiguity, of playing Gwent, and of asking ourselves, “Wait, how did Roach get up there?”.
To celebrate this monumental monster-slaying milestone, we’re diving fang-first into the fiercest foes that Geralt’s ever faced, from higher vampires to archgriffins, one for every year of the game so far.
So, draw your sword, chug a Cat potion, and prepare yourself to count down the ten most terrifying, totally uninvited guests in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.
As part of the celebration, we’ve also put together a special 10-year anniversary Displate collection—a tribute to the game’s unforgettable monsters, moments, and mood. Consider it our way of honoring a decade of silver swords and spectral threats.
10 Years of Killing Monsters
Counting expansions and reskins, fans estimate there are around 136 monsters in the game (what a terrifying concept…). And, while we’d love to pore over the pages of the bestiary for hours, only the fiercest and most powerful monsters are making the cut for our 10-years-10-monsters-mash-up list.
10. The Toad Prince
Did you also fall into the trap of underestimating this fiendish frog because he sounded like the butt of a joke from a fairytale? Everyone does it. This oversized and overpowered amphibian offers Geralt an unexpectedly tough ride as the Hearts of Stone expansion’s first boss.
With tongue attacks, venom spit, and devastating leaps, the Toad Prince presents a lethal assault course for its victims to navigate. He’s got plenty of health too, so staying nimble and slashing when you can is the only way to take this croacking beast down.
9. Hyms
While most of the monsters in The Witcher 3 rely on brute force, strength, or powerful magic to bring you down, hyms are in a league of their own. Master manipulators, these specters somehow manage to win fights without even having a body to fight with.
If you’re planning to face off against a hym, word of advice: clear your mind. They feed on guilt to drive their victims to suicide without so much as lifting a finger, making you your own worst enemy.
But it’s not all mind games with these foes, oh no. What makes hyms so powerful is their slippery status as specters. It’s not as simple as running a well-aimed blade through their heart. Instead, you’ll need to use a combination of wit and trickery to win against these shadow monsters.
8. Fiends
Gaining a few extra fear-factor points for their looks, fiends grow more fearsome the longer you spend staring. But don’t stop for too long; they’re as deadly as they come, with unexpected speed for their size and horns that you definitely don’t want to be on the receiving end of.
There’s more than just brute force here, too; fiends use their third eye to lure foes into hypnosis, forcing them to see naught but the eye itself. But this light in the darkness offers no salvation, as the fiend will charge while its victim is trapped in the fugue state, tearing through them with ease.
7. Djinns
Think you’ve seen a djinn before? Think again, because djinns in The Witcher 3 take being a genie to a darker, more twisted place…
When contained they can grant up to three wishes for their captor, turning the most novice of mages into a master, sparking an inescapable love between two targets, and fulfilling whatever else one can imagine. But once all three wishes are granted and the djinn is freed from its containment, that’s when you really need to worry.
Fights with djinns are never fisticuffs; their spell-casting abilities are unmatched and they can teleport short distances to attack and evade, meaning you really need to have your wits about you. Be warned, though, when a djinn is nearing defeat, they grow even more dangerous. Try taking one on and you’ll know what we mean. Or just trust us, up to you.
6. Archgriffins
Head and shoulders (and wings) above your regular griffins, archgriffins are incredibly impressive on account of their strength and size. With deadly attacks, sharp claws, and the ability to spit acid, archgriffins are a formidable feathered foe that you really don’t want to encounter unless you know your way around a crossbow. The one lurking in Skellige, in particular, is widely accepted to be one of the toughest monsters in all of The Witcher 3.
5. Leshens
Some beasts are more blatant, hunting the innocent even when unprovoked. But there’s something far more terrifying about the others — the ones who loom in the shadows, just out of sight, until they’re forced to act. This is how leshens, beings determined to protect the natural world, behave when human settlements encroach a little too far on their land.
The outcome for these intruders is pure horror. Leshens aim to make a point — to ward off future offenders — so they string up their victims in twisted roots that wrap through and around them. Taking one on in a fight isn’t any less intimidating either; beyond summoning wolves to tear at your flesh, their towering size, razor-sharp bone claws, and elemental control can overwhelm even the toughest witcher.
4. The Wild Hunt
You don’t name an entire game after a group of enemies unless they’re a serious problem. Meet the Wild Hunt — spectral riders from another world, freezing the air around them and your blood in the process.
Led by the fearsome Eredin, this terrifying cavalry doesn’t just chase you across continents for fun — they’re out for Ciri, and nothing short of cataclysm is going to stop them. Riding skeletal horses across the world like it’s no big deal, they make every appearance feel like a cutscene you don’t want to be in.
The Wild Hunt is armored, magic-wielding, and commands an aura of pure dread. You can fight them — technically. But most of the time, it’s more about surviving long enough to get away. If you ever need a reason to whisper a quick prayer to Melitele, this is it.
3. The Caretaker
This is a monster who lives up to his name — but definitely not in a comforting way. There’s nothing warm or helpful about this towering nightmare from Hearts of Stone.
Arguably one of the scariest encounters in a game overflowing with horrors, the Caretaker’s fighting style is a cruel gift that keeps on giving, healing itself every time it strikes — like the frightening, faceless menace that he is.
So, prepare to dodge every swipe and attack he throws your way, and make good use of that Quen sign if you can.
2. Detlaff van der Eretein
Ah, yes, everyone’s (least) favorite higher vampire, Detlaff. Encountering him as a boss in Blood and Wine has to be one of the most challenging parts of the entire game.
Not only is he impressively overpowered, but he’s arrogant too. To quote Detlaff: “If you acknowledge any gods, start praying now.” He’s good and he knows it. The Beast of Beauclair is so tough to fight because not only is he quick and quick-witted, but he’s nearly immortal, too.
And just when you think the battle is over, Detlaff unleashes his true power. Cornered and consumed by rage, he transforms into a nightmarish, monstrous version of himself — the final and most terrifying stage of the fight.
1. Gaunter O’ Dimm
Taking the top spot on our list, we have Gaunter O’Dimm. He’s shadowy, devilish, shrouded in mystery, and truly the stuff of nightmares. Appearing as a man, though no one knows if he’s human, he certainly has a monstrous appetite for snatching souls.
O’Dimm, or Master Mirror, can teleport, bend the laws of time, and trick even the wisest minds into falling to his will. And if that wasn’t enough to convince you this is a worthy opponent, he also controls an entire realm of terrifying illusions and monsters that yield to his every whim.
The one saving grace against O’Dimm? He can’t resist playing games and making deals. As perhaps the closest thing to the Devil Geralt has ever encountered, he asks for payment in the form of your soul. Though he almost always wins, the truly cunning might just slip away… if luck is on their side.
Monstrous Decor At Displate
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt might be a decade old now, but our posters are fresh as anything. If you’re a Witcher super fan, and you’re partial to some tasteful dark fantasy decor, browse our range of Witcher-themed posters to deck out your walls Continent-style.
From sorceresses’ spells to the Path scenes, we’re celebrating all things The Witcher for its 10-year anniversary this year with a new anniversary collection of Displates.
What are you waiting for? Wind’s howling.
