The Witch

When reports of women viciously attacking first responders initially surfaced, the incidents were not immediately linked to the outbreak. These were largely thought to be isolated incidents caused by women who had “snapped” due to the stresses of the crisis.

But as more detailed reports trickled in, it became clear that these were more than women suffering a psychological breakdown.

All the attackers exhibited similar attributes and characteristics, including pale white skin, long claw-like fingers, and glowing red eyes—clearly signs of infection-based mutations.

Furthermore, they were all sobbing uncontrollably when discovered, a behavior that has caught many a good samaritan completely unprepared. As word of similar attacks spread, these infected became known as Witches.

Firsthand accounts of Witch attacks are rare and somewhat dubious, but that hasn’t stopped the proliferation of rumors and tall tales. In some of these stories individual Witches have been credited with wiping out entire squads of well-armed troops.

While the body counts differ from story to story, there are a few disturbing common threads in these tales: the Witch’s alarming speed, her tenacious ferocity, and extreme resilience.

Anti-Witch Tactics

While aggressive behavior is a common trait shared by all infected, the Witch is the only variant that has a truly passive side.

It’s entirely possible to walk past a Witch (at a distance) without provoking her. But if startled she will attack, singling out the individual responsible for the disturbance.

As with Tanks, the presence of a Witch is easy to detect if you listen closely. For one, she has her own spooky musical soundtrack, which plays as long as you’re within her area.

Second, you can hear her crying, creating a very eerie atmosphere—the closer you get, the louder the cries become. So when you hear these cues, pay very close attention and consider slowing down until the Witch’s location is revealed.

Witches are very sensitive to light, so turn off all flashlights when one is detected. Shining a flashlight directly in a Witch’s eyes is a good way to get your face torn off.

Like all infected, Witches are randomly spawned by the director to increase the difficulty. Sometimes they’re placed in areas that can be bypassed, and at other times the director puts them right in your team’s path.

In these cases you must kill the Witch. Distance is your best ally when confronting a Witch, so back off as far as possible before opening fire. When everyone is at maximum range, open fire simultaneously.

The Witch will come charging at the first player who hit her, so if that teammate is knocked down, be sure to provide protection. Given the Witch’s speed, it’s tough to score headshots, but this is by far the quickest way to kill her.

If you can’t engage a Witch at long range, look for other ways to delay her attack. If she’s in a room, toss a molotov at her and shut the door.

She’ll eventually claw her way through the door but will sustain heavy damage from the molotov while doing so. Pipe bombs will not draw her attention, but she will attack whoever threw it.

Sometimes Witches are spawned next to cars equipped with alarms, testing your team’s ability to remain calm. If the car alarm is set off it not only startles the Witch but also triggers a swarm attack.

This is a very bad situation and is best avoided, but if it occurs, kill the Witch first, then turn your attention to the incoming horde.