Specters

Those who have died under horrible circumstances, who were not laid to rest in proper graves, or who felt abandoned or betrayed by those they called lover or friend, or those who simply have regrets over their life, all can potentially return to the world of the living as vengeful spirits. Dealing with these partly-ethereal entities is a common contract for the Witcher.

BARGHESTS

Danger Alert

Frequency

Simpletons claim committing particularly rotten acts will bring down the wrath of the gods in the form of phantom dogs known as “Barghests” that stalk the roads at night. Even if this is their origin, Barghests are a threat to saints and sinners alike, for they attack both with equal ferocity.

Vulnerable Against

Enemy Attacks

Barghests, like wolves, are stronger in packs. Together they surround their prey, leaping at it and tearing it apart with their teeth. If their prey defends itself too determinedly, they strike it with a blast of phantom fire. Since they are fast and agile, they can easily evade attacks directed at them.

Bite and Leaping Bite: After emitting a snarl, a Barghest will make a short leap and bite at you, or less of a leap and a simple bite if very close to you, just like a wolf. Listen for this snarl, and simply dodge or roll (usually backward or to the side) to avoid the attack. Or parry the bite.

Circling: While one Barghest launches biting attacks, others may circle around you, before leaping in afterward. Simply keep an eye on all your foes, and block if you’re worried about being struck. You can block even if the Barghest’s attack is to your side or rear.

A Pack Mentality: Packs of up to eight Barghests have been known to tear lesser warriors apart, as they work much better as a team: one Barghest will bite, followed by another, then another, keeping you on the defensive and attacking from all angles.

Ethereal Leap (ranged): In addition to attacking like a wolf with its teeth and claws, a Barghest can assume ethereal form and take a long, spectral leap at or near you, then return to its material state.This covers ground quickly and can knock you back.

Ectoplasmic Fire (close): A close-range fire breath attack is used on you as a last resort, if you’re already surrounded or the Barghest is too close to leap at you. Expect to receive fire damage; dodge to avoid it. If you are using the alternate Quen shield, expect this to quickly destroy your defenses.

Dodging: After attacking, a Barghest continues moving away from you and back into attack position while another from the pack launches at you. Barghests have perfected quick dodges that take them out of your attacks’ range. So step back yourself and engage with ranged ordnance, or wait for a Barghest to leap in and engage in melee while the beast recovers from its attack.

Resistances: They cannot be burned, but fire hurts them as if they were of flesh and blood, so utilize Igni or offensive capabilities using fire, but don’t expect a prolonged effect.

The Best Battle Tactics

Encountered in small packs, Barghests use their speed and ethereal attacks to constantly keep their opponent on the defensive. The best tactics to defeat a pack of Barghests is quick and nimble movement, constantly dodging and rolling to avoid becoming surrounded. Crowd-control tactics are encouraged, such as area-of-effect bombs (especially Moon Dust which stops Barghests from launching their ethereal leaps or breathing fire). If surrounded, Igni and Aard can drive off a pack, if just for a moment, allowing you some time to recover Stamina.

Barghests usually try to keep you at medium distance, so they can launch running and leaping attacks, snapping and clawing you before retreating again, and letting the pack attack once or twice at a time. Retaliate by purposefully dodging and rolling without using offense against multiple Barghests, until they cluster together. Then quickly strike with Aard, before charging in and delivering killing blows before they recover. Keep continuously moving: dodging and rolling in different directions before stepping in with a swift light strike or two, and moving again. Wights are able to command Barghests to aid them.

BEANN’SHIES

Danger Alert

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Beann’shies are Wraiths which use their piercing cries to wake the dead to fight their foes. Their cries can additionally stun enemies, making them easy targets for direct attacks.

Vulnerable Against

Enemy Attacks

Old gossips claim Beann’shies are the spirits of women stuck between life and death due to traumatic experiences. Their wails and howls are considered ill omens of imminent, inevitable death, though they are said not to attack the living themselves. Most often they appear in the form of pale, tear-streaked women with shriveled faces and wrinkled, corpse-like bodies.

Banshee Wail: After taking damage from your attacks, a Beann’shie will rise to her place of death and let out a scream that could wake the dead--literally. This summons a group of five or more skeletal foes (and she is invulnerable for a few moments during and after the wail). The Beann’shie then heals while you’re preoccupied with the skeletons (who are easily dispatched like Bandits, or blown backward with Aard and stabbed while prone).

Banshee Scream: Beann’shies have a second scream that’s just as ear-piercing, but is used to stun you instead of summon skeletons. Beware of this and dodge or roll away from the sound wave.

Dash Attack: If you’re stunned, the Beann’shie bursts forward with great speed and performs a powerful melee attack; don’t let this happen by avoiding the scream in the first place!

Melee Combo: Expect some nasty clawing, which can strike you up to four times (usually three or four hits). These are quick and light, and can therefore be parried. She quickly floats backward after each successful attack or counter that she performs.

Counter: If you’re successful with two or more melee attacks, the Beann’shie attempts a counter attack: a very quick spin that causes heavy damage and pushes you (and her) away from each other. You’re encouraged to strike twice before adjusting and striking again in order to avoid this.

Regeneration: Beann’shies can regenerate, but this does not mean they cannot be defeated; just ensure you know what to do during each part of the fight, which is more segmented than most other battles.

Resistances: The critical effects of Signs, Bombs, and bolts do not affect a Beann’shie. She is slow, attempting to stay at medium range and away from your attacks, only approaching when attempting a dash or melee combo strike. When fighting a Beann’shie, there is no point using bombs or bolts, for they will do the Wraith no damage.

The Best Battle Tactics

Use tactics previously reserved for Wraiths: Yrden to slow a Beann’shie down enough to dart in with a couple of hard-hitting, specter-oil-coated attacks, then whittle down her health until she starts her

infamous wail. As soon as the skeletal foes appear, defeat them as quickly as possible using fast attacks and knocking them over with Aard; this means the Beann’shie has fewer opportunity to heal herself, and you can continue this combat of attrition.

A Beann’shie strafes, tries a melee attack, dashes away, tries the scream to stun you, then uses her dash attack if successful; then she begins this attack pattern again. If wounded, she stops this pattern and summons her bony brethren. When she does, remove the skeletal threats quickly, before attacking her with well-timed sword strikes once again.

HYMS

Danger Alert

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These Wraiths only latch onto particularly despicable individuals who have committed some unspeakable crime. To all others, they remain completely invisible. When they do show themselves to the one they torment, they appear as a tall, shadow-clad, humanoid silhouette with long, sharp claws.

Vulnerable Against

Enemy Attacks

Those tormented by a Hym are incapable of restful sleep, for they are tormented by ever-more-frequent, incredibly-realistic nightmares. At times the victim will become extremely on edge, yelling pleas or threats at invisible phantoms or confessing his guilt out loud in the hope this will end his torment. This act does not, however, bring any relief, for the Hym will not leave until it has addled its victim’s wits completely or driven him to suicide.

Ethereal Claws: Hyms do not move quickly, compared to other Spectres. Their ethereal claws have great reach, and they can sap the life out of their victims with a mere brush, which makes up for their slowness. Evade or roll past the claws and try to strike the Hym before it can react.

Into Darkness: Be aware that after several strikes, the Hym will teleport to another corner of its room, so change your view to ensure you see the Hym before it strikes you. The cover of darkness makes this spirit difficult to see, which it uses to its advantage.

The Best Battle Tactics

Once a Hym is exposed possessing a victim, the Witcher way of exorcism comes into effect. Moon Dust keeps this Specter corporeal, while a silver sword coated with Specter oil finishes the task.

The battle against Udalryk’s Hym takes place in two phases, one in the main chamber of his old home, and one in the cellar. During the first phase, damage the Hym whenever possible, using Moon Dust bombs to keep it physically present. This is a long fight, and unless you are significantly stronger than the Hym, you will be at this for a while. It helps to cast Quen and have this magical shield to absorb the first raking strike a Hym attempts, so you can be more carefree with your sword flailing.

When Udalryk begins to succumb to the Hym’s madness, immediately use Axii on him to force him to remain calm. Igni and Yrden are both great help at keeping the pressure on the Hym. Being lit on fire doesn’t have particularly dramatic effect on the Hym, but it helps keep it more visible. Yrden slows down the already slow Specter, making it easier to deal damage.

When the Hym retreats to the cellar, pursue it quickly before it can regenerate. The cellar has candles you must light with Igni to help keep the Hym corporeal. Continue fighting defensively, evading its claws and striking as openings present themselves until the Hym succumbs.

A similar plan is necessary if you encounter a Hym during your battle through the Realm of Rumination, during Hearts of Stone Main Quest: Whatever a Man Soweth… (see page 309), though it is better to ignore any Hyms here as time is of the essence.

NIGHTWRAITHS

Nightwraiths Danger Alert

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Jenny O’ the Woods Danger Alert

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One might ask, how much harm could a pale, withered woman in a tattered dress do? The answer: quite a bit. Instead of finding this out the hard way, avoid crossing fields and meadows at night at all costs.

Vulnerable Against

Enemy Attacks

When they attack, Nightwraiths remain immaterial for most of the time, meaning physical blows pass right through them. They only take on more tangible form for the brief moments in which they strike.

Floating Swipes: The Wraith floats with some degree of finesse and speed, swiping at you once (and occasionally twice) as she passes through or by you. Expect to take damage if Quen isn’t active. The attacks can be parried but not countered.

Ethereal Doppelgängers: When weakened, Nightwraiths create several projections of themselves which cannot attack directly, but act as transmitters of sorts through which the Nightwraith can sap her victim’s vital energy. Dismiss each projection with a swift sword swipe in order to find the Nightwraith herself. If dashing about isn’t to your liking, employ bombs or crossbow bolts to quickly destroy Nightwraith projections.

Ethereal Form: Nightwraiths can turn immaterial and are at such times very difficult to wound. In order to force one to take on corporeal form, trap it with the Yrden Sign or hit it with the blast of a Moon Dust bomb.

Day or Night, Time to Fight: Do not believe the old wives’ tales and think yourself completely safe from Nightwraiths during the day. They appear under the light of the sun as well, but are much weaker then than after dusk.

The Best Battle Tactics

Nightwraiths favor the dark. If you seek to claim a bounty on a Nightwraith, you have to meditate until the moon hangs in the sky. Unfortunately, this is also when the Nightwraith is at its strongest. If you are patient, you can find a Nightwraith during the day, when it is at its weakest.

Mostly incorporeal, a Nightwraith must be made corporeal, either through Yrden, or Moon Dust bombs. Particularly troublesome to a Nightwraith is the Yrden Magic Trap ability; zapping this Specter while slowing it down is most effective! Employ Quen during the offensive parts of battle. When forced to become corporeal, silver swords can be employed to finish the Wraith off. When weakened, a Nightwraith can split into three copies of itself. Destroy these with all haste (using swords, bombs, or crossbow bolts), during this state the Nightwraith saps vital energy from nearby sources. Destroying the copies forces the real Nightwraith to reveal itself. Cast Quen during this time, in preparation for the next round of combat.

NOONWRAITHS

Danger Alert

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Danger Alert

Frequency

On particularly searing summer days, when the sun reaches its zenith, Wraiths will at times appear, resembling sun-scorched women dressed in long, white robes. These are Noonwraiths, the spirits of young women and girls who died violent deaths right before their weddings.

Vulnerable Against

Enemy Attacks

Noonwraiths do not bleed and are for the most part immune to the effects of Witcher Signs. They can create mirror images of themselves which circle their victims in a kind of morbid parody of a dance. This Ghastly ritual drains their victims’ life energy while adding to their own strength. Noonwraiths are also able to manipulate the physical world to a limited degree, kicking up clouds of dust which temporarily blind and disorient their opponents.

Floating Swipes: The Wraith floats at you, swiping at you once (and occasionally twice) as she passes through or by you. Expect to take damage if Quen isn’t active. The attacks can be parried but not countered, and are more damaging than those of a Nightwraith.

Ethereal Dopplegangers: When weakened, Noonwraiths create several projections of themselves which cannot attack directly, but act as transmitters of sorts through which the Noonwraith can sap her victim’s vital energy. Dismiss each projection with a swift sword swipe in order to find the Noonwraith herself. If dashing about isn’t to your liking, employ bombs or crossbow bolts to quickly destroy Noonwraith projections.

Dust Cloud: Kicking up a blinding cloud of dust can cause slight disorientation, so dodge or roll and avoid becoming staggered by this attack.

Ethereal Form: Noonwraiths can turn immaterial and are at such times very difficult to wound. In order to force a Noonwraith to take corporeal form, one must first trap it with the Yrden Sign or strike it with a Moon Dust bomb. Once the monster has regained physical presence, one can mount a fast attack with a silver blade, preferably one coated in Specter oil.

Night or Day, Time to Pay: Contrary to popular belief, Noonwraiths can also be encountered at night, but are much weaker then than during the day.

The Best Battle Tactics

Noonwraiths are similar in nature to Nightwraiths, save for their preference of the sunlight, and a greater mastery of physical attacks. They can blind foes with dust they kick up. Noonwraiths can also create copies of themselves when threatened, consuming the lifeforce of their victims until they are destroyed. Bombs and crossbow bolts can destroy Noonwraith Doppelgängers. Yrden forces a Noonwraith to become corporeal and vulnerable. In all other respects, combat should be the same as if encountering a Nightwraith.

PLAGUE MAIDENS

Danger Alert

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When plague ravages a region, a spirit will sometimes walk its lands, a ghost resembling an ill woman whose flesh rots off her bones and in whose wake crawls a cavalcade of rats. No one knows whether this spirit brings the pox with her or is merely drawn to it like a moth to a light.

Vulnerable Against

Enemy Attacks

As the name “Plague Maiden” suggests, these Wraiths take the appearance of females, though exactly why that is remains a mystery. Some speculate they, like other such Specters, arise from the powerful emotional charge associated with certain circumstances of death, such as death preceded by a long and particularly painful illness.

Floating Swipes: The Wraith floats at you, swiping at you once (and occasionally twice) as she passes through or by you. Expect to take damage if Quen isn’t active. The attacks can be parried but not countered, and can inflict poison damage.

Plague Cloud: A swarm of revolting insects can cause slight disorientation and poisoning, so dodge or roll and avoid becoming staggered by this attack.

Ethereal Form: Plague Maidens can turn immaterial and are at such times very difficult to wound. Force a Pesta to take on a corporeal form by trapping it with the Yrden Sign or strike it with a Moon Dust bomb. Once the monster has regained physical presence, mount a fast attack with a silver blade, preferably one coated in Specter oil.

Poisoning Aplenty: Plague Maidens are immune to poison attacks, and also have a chance to inflict poison if any of the previously-listed aggression strikes you.

The Best Battle Tactics

Also known as Pesta, a Plague Maiden is one of the more insidious Wraiths a Witcher can come across. When provoked, Pesta call forth clouds of plague-ridden insects that seek out their foes. The insect clouds can be destroyed with Igni or a slice of a silver sword. Aard can push the clouds back. Plague Maidens have fewer overt weaknesses compared to other Wraiths, but are still vulnerable to Yrden. This can help keep the maiden both corporeal and still while you strike with a silver sword, but it also means you will be swarmed by the plague clouds. Otherwise, the stratagems learned when fighting Nightwraiths and Noonwraiths come into play here.

UMBRA

Danger Alert

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According to some philosophers, everything we do in life leaves a permanent trace in the delicate matter which makes up our souls. Evil deeds, especially harm done to innocent creatures, can torment the soul of a sinner and cause it to remain restless, even after death. The spirit causing that torment is known as an Umbra.

Vulnerable Against

Enemy Attacks

According to some moralizing village gossips, an Umbra is merely an unclean conscience, one tormented by guilt and unforgiven wrongs. They claim stories of Umbrae arise when a man wallows in sin with loose women and can’t sleep at night, then invents hokey about some Umbra or phantom and blabbers about it at the tavern. Witchers, though, know these phantoms are real. And dangerous.

The Best Battle Tactics

An Umbra takes the form of a spectral horse, said to be visible only to those who are cursed by the spirit. Those who have ingested certain rare herbs brewed into a hallucinatory concoction have also witnessed this black, wild-eyed filly. Should an Umbra turn violent, it takes on other forms (specifically panthers and the spirit of a cursed knight), with attack patterns and combat strategies based on battling the living version of each threat, with the one exception that Specter oil must coat your blade.

WRAITHS

Wraiths Danger Alert

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Penitent Danger Alert

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Clerics and scholars agree on what happens to spirits who, for one reason or another, remain in our world after their body breathes its last: they transform into Wraiths. To hear their mournful howls, one can surmise this is not a fate to be envied.

Vulnerable Against

Enemy Attacks

Wraiths suffer endless, indescribable pain. Filled with anger and a sense of having been wronged, they both envy the living and brim with overwhelming hatred for them.

Sword Strikes: A Wraith attacks victims with sword in one hand, and a lantern in the other. Like other Wraiths, these Spectres can turn incorporeal at any time, so Yrden and Moon Dust are useful tools. Skilled Witchers have been able to counter a Wraith’s sword with their own silver blades (at least the first couple of strikes), even while they are incorporeal. Otherwise, dodging, rolling, or slowing down these strikes with Yrden is advisable.

Ethereal Form: Wraiths can turn immaterial and are at such times very difficult to wound. They also have a predilection to warp out of existence, appearing at your sides or back, and attacking (especially if you’re engaged with another of their ilk). One can, however, force them to reassume a physical presence by trapping them with the Yrden Sign or by hitting them with slivers from a Moon Dust bomb.

Resistances: Like other Specters, they are immaterial, meaning they are not harmed by fire, poison, or weapons designed to provoke bleeding.

The Best Battle Tactics

As with any such ghostly being, one should fight them using silver swords, preferably ones smeared with a thick coat of Specter oil. Note as well that Wraiths are particularly dangerous on moonless nights, so fight at dusk, with cloud cover, or during the day to minimize these threats. Remember that you’re likely to be fighting a group of between three and six Wraiths at once, so proper preparation (and casting Quen just before engagement in case your sword parrying isn’t up to par, or a disappearing and reappearing Wraith attacks your flank) is a must.

Yrden is the best way to slow down a Wraith, providing you cast it as it reaches the area of effect for this spell. Magic Trap can zap a Wraith while you concern yourself with other spirits. Continuously move with nimble aplomb, so you’re not surrounded, and focus on one Wraith at a time. Another lesser-known tactic is to bolster your Axii sign and then cast it to command a Wraith to attack its other brethren. This isn’t as helpful as placing Yrden in a Wraith’s path and revealing its corporeal form, but it’s a tactic to try nevertheless.