Prerelease:The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt/Removed Contract Monsters

This is a sub-page of Prerelease:The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.

The following monsters were taken from a document called "Monsters and opponents design", created on Jan. 14th, 2014. As the document was deprecated, unless otherwise mentioned, these monsters were marked "REMOVED".

Bełt

Description:	Creature resembling subhuman toad. It controls people’s mind and make them act violently and unpredictable. The creature is very fast and in order to hit any vital point, it must be stopped for a while (eg. using Yrden) first.
Role in the Group:	Individual
Preferred Behavior:	Hit & Run - often dodges and jumps to attack
Special Attacks & Actions:	• Fast attack - fast, furious attacks • Mind control - creature has an impact on Geralt’s mind and changes the controls for a short time (inverts axis of the mouse / gamepad). Player can cast Heliotrop as a defence from this attack. The attack has a tell animation.
Defence:	• Dodge - jumps backwards and aside
Vital Points:	Instant Kill: Piercing the brain through an eye (cost: 4 points) Protection: None Critical Effect / Disable Ability: Cutting the tumor on the forehead disables the mind control ability (cost: 1 point). Massive Damage: None
Immunities:	Steel, Axii
Vulnerabilities:	Silver, Fire Spells, Aard

Rimpler - Gnieciuch

Unlike most of the other monsters in this list, this monster was not marked as removed in the Jan. 2014 document.

Description:	Creature resembling hybrid of a cat with a rat. During the night, Gnieciuch sits on a drunk's chest and suffocate him, sometimes to death. The creature is very fast and agile, that’s why nobody’s, even with a great reflex, can catch it.
Role in the Group:	-
Preferred Behavior:	• Doesn’t fight - tries to run away.
Special Attacks & Actions:	-
Defence:	-
Vital Points:	• Dies after single hit.
Immunities:	-
Vulnerabilities:	-

Gigant

Description:	Giant human approx. 4 meters high, quite intelligent. Lives in the forests.
Role in the Group:	Individual
Preferred Behavior:	Aggressive - chases the opponent and attacks.
Special Attacks & Actions:	• Strong attacks - his attacks are slow paced but deal high damage. • Uses environment in fight against opponents, throws rocks if those are present at the location (special entity). Player can dodge the rock or use Quen to protect himself from damage. • Charged attack with his club - attack with a tell anim. Very high damage with AOE and knockdown effect. Player can dodge or use Quen to protect himself from damage. Quen doesn’t protect from the knockdown effect. This attack cannot be parried. • Sling attack - the Giant can use it’s hunting sling to shoot small rocks at his enemies.
Defence:	Huge creature - doesn’t play hit animations when it is in the middle of an attack animation (duration animevent).
Vital Points:	Instant kill: Piercing heart - is available only, when the Giant kneels (see below). Protection: Armor on legs (knees) - destroying this armor enables the knee vital spot (cost: 3 points). Critical effect/disable ability: Cutting arm tendon - makes Giant drop his club, and disables the club attacks. Giant uses his bare hands instead (cost: 2 points). Striking the knee (kneecap) - makes Giant kneel every X seconds. If he kneels, new vital spots are present, Giant gets more damage. When kneeling, the Giant cannot rotate, but can attack targets in front of him (cost: 2 points). Massive damage: Cutting leg artery - applies long Bleeding effect. Cutting neck artery - applies long Bleeding effect, is enabled only when the Giant kneels.
Immunities:	Silver, Aard, Quen, Yrden, Axii
Vulnerabilities:	Steel and fire spells

Nidhogg

Description:	A small dragon living on Skellige.
Role in the Group:	Individual
Preferred Behavior:	Aggressive - chases the opponent and attacks.
Special Attacks & Actions:	• Fast attacks - when in close range, attacks with fast paced strikes, dealing medium damage. • Tail attack - applies knockdown effect. • Aerial bash - the creature flies into air dives down. If player dodges, the attack is aimed at ground and spawns sparks (Nidhogg’s claws hit the ground). Sparks can ignite oil placed on Nidhogg’s arena, making the fight more difficult. • Health regeneration - Nidhogg is a lizard and regenerates health over time. • Jump attack - Nidhogg can perform a very fast jump attack in which it jumps to it’s victim, bites it and jumps back. Geralt can use Quen to protect himself from damage.
Defence:	• Flying - Nidhogg can start flying, player cannot hit him in melee combat. Can be hit with bombs, daggers and signs.
Vital Points:	Instant kill: Cutting the spinal cord - this vital spot is enabled after destroying the Corneus collar. Protection: Corneus collar - it protects the Spinal cord vital spot (cost: 4 points). Critical effect/disable ability: Cripple wing - disables the Flying defense and Aerial bash attack (cost: 2 points). Cripple both wings - disables the Jump attack (cost: 2 points per wing). Cripple tail - disables the Tail attack (cost: 1 points). Piercing Coagulation gland - disables the health regeneration ability (cost: 1 point). Massive Damage: Crippling wings - each wing deals additional damage when crippled (cost: 2 points per wing).
Immunities:	Steel, all witcher signs, fire
Vulnerabilities:	Silver

Nereida

Description:	Monster living in the water, can also walk on the land, uses female skeleton. This monster changes its appearance and behavior when in water. It’s more human-like when it gets out on land.
Role in the Group:	Individual
Preferred Behavior:	Tries to fight in water if she can. Tries to summon the Wipper first.
Special Attacks & Actions:	• Fast attacks - when in close range, attacks with fast paced strikes, dealing medium damage. • Summon a Wipper - Nereida screams and summons a Wipper. There can be only one Wipper summoned at the same time. Wipper can be summoned only if Nereida is in water. • Dive and regenerate - Nereida can dive to regenerate its health. She can only use this ability in water.
Defence:	• Dodge - Nereida can dodge all strong attacks and sometimes perform a dodge when player tries a fast strike. • Counter - after the dodge, Nereida performs a counter jump attack.
Vital Points:	Instant kill: Cutting neck artery - this action is available only when Nereida is not in water. Normally in water Nereida has thick scales, protecting her neck. On the land those scales disappear (to allow Nereida resemble a normal woman and lure sailors). Protection: None. Critical effect/disable ability: Cutting the gills - prevents Nereida from diving into water (cost: 2 points). Cutting the vocal cords - disables the Summon Wipper ability (cost: 2 points). Massive damage: None.
Immunities:	Silver, Axii
Vulnerabilities:	Steel, Igni

Rat Wizard

Unlike most of the other monsters in this list, this monster was not marked as removed in the Jan. 2014 document.

Description:	Ghost of the wizard surrounded by the rats. Similar to “Morowa dziewica” [Plague Maiden].
Role in the Group:	Individual
Preferred Behavior:	Careful - performs melee attacks only when the opponent is near, uses ranged attacks from a greater distance.
Special Attacks & Actions:	• Fast attacks - when in close range, he attacks with fast paced strikes, dealing medium damage. • Rats summon - he growls and spawns rats swarm that chases his opponents, when it’s near the target it deals damage - the rats are climbing on the opponent and bite him (rats VFX is also played on the target). Player can use Quen to protect himself from the rats. Player can use Igni or a bomb to destroy rats. Rat wizard can spawn up to 3 rat swarms. • The flies breath - Rat wizard can also breath flies swarm from his lungs. The flies is a projectile attack.
Defence:	Shield of rats - Rat wizard can spawn rats that cloak him (he growls to do it). He gains armor this way. Player can disable the shield casting several Igni spells or using bombs (each hit with a spell decreases the number of rats protecting the monster).
Vital Points:	Instant kill: Soul piercing - the soul of this wraith is in its head. Geralt has to hit the occiput to be able to strike the soul. Player has to get on the back of the monster to be able to use this vital spot (cost: 5 points). Protection: None. Critical effect/disable ability: Cutting Vocal cords - disables Rats summon attack and the Shield of rats ability (cost: 2 points). Not enabled when the monster uses the Shield of rats ability. Piercing lungs - disables Flies breath ability (cost: 2 points). Not enabled when the monster uses the Shield of rats ability. Massive damage: Piercing Thymus - will Poison the monster.
Immunities:	Steel, all witcher signs except for Aard. Shield of rats can be destroyed with Igni.
Vulnerabilities:	Silver, Aard

Szarlej

In addition to the description below, the document "W3 Gameplay Backlog - old" features the following comment: "a transformer'; 'robot from Star Wars' - one that can charge and 'fold itself'".

Description:	Vile and cruel monster living in the mines. He was getting rid of miners by collapsing mine ceilings and flooding tunnels.
Role in the Group:	Individual
Preferred Behavior:	Charge from a distance
Special Attacks & Actions:	• Strong attacks - his attacks are slow paced but deal high damage. • Charge - the creature jumps and turns into a rolling “rock” (animation). It charges, the target is knocked down if hit. The attack deals high damage. If the creature hits a wall or other solid obstacle, it is stunned for a moment. Charge can be dodged. Blocking with Quen saves from damage but not from the knockdown effect. Charge cannot be parried. • Throw a rock (mud vomit) - the creature can throw rocks when in crouching state (see below). It opens its defence for a while and throws a small rock (using projectile mechanics). Then it closes again. When player manages to hit the creatures when it tries to throw, it will exit the crouching state. • Quake - special action used only on dedicated arenas (when in proximity of “stalactite entities”). Monster hits the ground with a powerful blow and causes some rocks and stalactites to fall from the arena (cave) ceiling. Each rock is a rigid body, that deals physical calculated damage on hit.
Defence:	• Crouch - the creature can crouch and turn into a “rock” (animation). It’s invulnerable for a specified time or until forced to “open”. It can be forced to get out from the crouching state, when player hits it in the moment of the Throw a rock action.
Vital Points:	Instant kill: Piercing heart - enabled after destroying the stone armor plate on monster’s chest (cost: 5 points). Protection: Destroying stone armor - it protects the heart of this monster. To target it player has to wait until the monster performs an attack and stands straight - normally Szarlej moves on 4 feet, when attacking it stands on his legs and uses his claws to perform the strike (cost: 5 points). Critical effect/disable ability: Cutting the nose - Szarlej is a blind creature, instead of eyes it has a very sensitive nose to navigate in the dark. Player can cut it, making the monster less accurate. Monster is not always targeting player when throwing a rock or charging. It chooses random direction instead. Massive damage: Piercing one of three stomachs - Szarlej has 3 stomachs, piercing each one deals high damage (cost: 2 points for each).
Immunities:	Steel, Igni, Aard
Vulnerabilities:	Silver

Szlifierz Kości

Description:	Giant, blind human. Lives among dogs.
Role in the Group:	Overseer of his minions
Preferred Behavior:	Blind - attacks even if no target is near (special “blind attack” animations are required). Tries to hear the target (see below).
Special Attacks & Actions:	• Blind strong attacks - his attacks are slow paced but deal high damage. The monster is blind, it attacks in the general direction of the player, it doesn’t chase the player, but approached him slowly and performs random attacks on the way. • Blind Charge - if player is in specified distance and makes a “loud action” (casts a Sign, throws a bomb, makes a dodge or starts running) Szlifierz will try to charge in this direction. If player gets hit, high damage and knockdown effect is applied. Player can cast Quen to protect himself from damage, but not the knockdown effect. Player can dodge. If the monster hits a wall it will be stunned for a while (it kneels). • Summon dogs - this is the first action in combat. Szlifierz summons a pack of dogs, that will attack his opponents. Szlifierz can summon a maximum of 2 packs of dogs in the whole fight. After second pack is killed, he stops summoning dogs.
Defence:	• Huge creature - doesn’t play hit animations when it is in the middle of an attack animation (duration animevent).
Vital Points:	Instant kill: Piercing the heart - is available only, when the monster kneels (see below) (cost: 5 points). Protection: None. Critical effect/disable ability: Striking the knee (kneecap) - makes the monster kneel every X seconds. If he kneels new vital spots are present. When kneeling, the Szlifierz cannot rotate, but can attack targets in front of him (cost: 2 points). Massive damage: Piercing the liver - deals high damage (cost: 2 points).
Immunities:	Silver, Aard, Axii
Vulnerabilities:	Steel and fire spells

Żyrytwa

Description:	Shellfish-like monster, living in the water or near the water. They poison the victims. Although they live in larger groups, they attack separately and have no specialized roles.
Role in the Group:	Individual
Preferred Behavior:	Aggressive - chases the opponent and attacks.
Special Attacks & Actions:	• Fast attacks - when in close range, he attacks with fast paced strikes, dealing medium damage. • Rage attack - Żyrytwa probes the air with it’s antennae (a tell animation). If a target is in the close attack range, Żyrytwa performs a rage attack with it’s pliers (several fast and furious attacks dealing high damage). • Swarm of Hyphydriae - Żyrytwa can release its offspring living in her. Couple of young Hyphydriae are spawned and begin to fight with the enemies.
Defence:	• Block with pliers - Żyrytwa can block incoming damage with it’s pliers and performs a counter attack afterwards. • Thick chitin armor - gives Żyrytwa very good armor protection. • Rarely plays hit animations as it doesn’t feel pain (doesn’t play hit animations when attacking).
Vital Points:	Instant kill: Piercing book lungs (PL: płucotchawki) - causes the monster to suffocate and die - it still tries to attack for a while, as it doesn’t feel pain (cost: 5 points). This vital spot is available only after destroying the chitin armor. Protection: Destroy chitin armor - after destroying chitin armor, the armor level of Żyrytwa is decreased, also the Book lungs and Abdominal artery vital spots appear (cost: 3 points). Critical effect/disable ability: Cutting off the eggs cluster - player can cut off the eggs cluster which disables the Swarm Hyphydriae ability (cost: 3 points). Cutting off the antennae - disables Rage attack (cost: 2 points). Massive damage: Piercing abdominal artery - it appears after destroying the Chitin armor, piercing this artery causes a long term Bleeding effect on Żyrytwa (cost: 1 point).
Immunities:	Silver and Aard-like forces, Igni causes minimal damage because the creature lives in shallow water, poisoning and bleeding
Vulnerabilities:	Steel, Yrden