The first teasers forThe Witcher 4have confirmed two dramatically different monsters: the Manticore, an aerial apex predator from the tech demo cinematic, and the shadow-hunting, forest-dwelling Baukfeatured in the official trailer. One lurks in the claustrophobic silence of the woodland, and the other will likely dominate the open skies and vertical space.
For Ciri, whose abilities have traditionally favored swift traversal and blink-like strikes, these different threats will have players testing both her predatory instincts and her strategic restraint inWitcher 4. This will demand that players adjust to two very different play-styles, and likely more, assuming there are some unrevealed monsters lurking in the darkness. It will be a delight to see how Ciri fights on these two fronts, one of which will likely require more of a strategic approach where players pick their spots, while the other demands explosiveness where gamers are as aggressive as possible.
The Sky Isn’t Safe, but the Land Isn’t Either
The Bauk, rooted in Serbian mythology, looks like a creature that’s designed to be felt before it’s seen, and seems to be a proper predator. Its long limbs and crouched gait suggest hit-and-run tactics, but its bulk means it can also overpower in an instant. Nocturnal vision, scent-based tracking, andstealth mechanicsare all potential tools the creature could employ to force players into prolonged tension rather than instant combat. This likely isn’t going to be a monster to be charged at every time, but one that the player must out-think and out-maneuver at the exact right moment. The battle, therefore, may become less about DPS and more about psychological warfare.
UnlikeWitcher4’s Bauk, the Manticore’s menace will likely comes from its potential to dish out damage from above. Its aerial abilities could transform otherwise neutral terrain into zones of vulnerability. Ciri lacks true ranged power, so this kind of battle could be about taking potshots or blocking talon strikes. However, a more fun angle could see CD Projekt Red encouraging gamers to get inventive with terrain manipulation, requiring Ciri to using the environment as a weapon. Players will likely need to combine speed and mobility to bring the beast down before exhaustion sets in, though Ciri’s chain tool could also come in handy.
Where Ciri Fits In: Tactical Shape-Shifter or Reactive Warrior?
These two creatures could turn out to be easier or harder based on skills the player specs into, assumingWitcher 4has deep upgrade options like its predecessor. Against the Bauk, players could invest in awareness and poisons. Against themanticore in theWitcher4, however, they’d benefit from speccing into mobility and stamina. Based on these initial monster reveals,Witcher 4may be putting an increased focus on combat variety, something that could only be heightened by abandoning Geralt’s methodical rhythm. Where Geralt would have prepped and countered, Ciri will likely have to evolve and adapt mid-battle because, unlike Geralt, Ciri has never been a toolbox fighter; she’s a scalpel.
Witcher 4’s Design Philosophy Seems To Be Evolving
Witcher 3’s monster designemphasized lore and weakness exploitation. IfWitcher 4wants to go a step beyond that, the game could engineer proper ecosystems for its conflicts. The Bauk can thrive inWitcher 4’s answer to the Crookback Bog: low visibility, audio-dependent environments, where the HUD may lie to the players, and even Quen won’t help. Alternatively, the manticore’s abode could be full of verticality, perches, and possibly even dynamic weather that affects visibility and movement. Neither of these monsters could be seen out of these hypothetical biomes, something that would make each chunk of the world feel special.
As the new lead character, Ciri’s arc can no longer be told through brief bouts of swordplay and portals, with her properly hunting these new enemy types being a coming-of-age in the purest gameplay sense. If CDPR maintains its design ethos, and lives up to the potential of these two visually stunning creatures,Witcher 4might not be just Ciri’s story, but her proving ground as a character that can thrive in deeply varied arenas. TheseWitcher 4monstersare poised to offer two philosophies of pressure: suffocation in the dark and domination in the open. Ciri, and by extension the player, will have to survive both, and hopefully both fights feel as different as they seem to be on paper.
