In The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Necrophages are the scourge of cemeteries and gravesites. People who find themselves unlucky enough to witness an infestation of these fiends need to contact a Witcher. Geralt of Rivia, perhaps the best among them, is only too happy to oblige.
Necrophages come in many forms and they're often not alone. Knowing what kind of corpse-eating villain the player is dealing with can go a long way toward dispatching it with ease. When confronted by an experienced Witcher like Geralt, no Necrophage has a chance at besting him. Knowing the enemy is the first key to victory after all.
9 Ghoul
Ghouls are a very common type of Necrophage. They're actually the first enemies Geralt will tussle with at the start of the main game. Ghouls appear humanoid but act like feral beasts. Recent battlefields and newly-dug graves are where players can normally find them.
Ghouls are usually encountered in packs. New players, especially, need to be adept at dodging and rolling to avoid their attacks. If Geralt plays good defense, it will become possible to separate a Ghoul from the group and kill it. A good strategy involves rinsing and repeating that tactic. A Ghoul that becomes low on health gets more dangerous, so killing them quickly is advised.
8 Drowner
In the early stages of the game, players may need to take extra care when traveling along the shore. Drowners inhabit these areas in force and can easily overwhelm Geralt if the player isn't paying attention. These Necrophages, although appearing as drowned humans, are actually a different race altogether. Drowned Dead and Mucknixers are their more dangerous cousins.
Drowners are incredibly quick, making them difficult to counterattack. Staying mobile and on the edges of the fight is key. It's best to leap out of the way when they lunge for Geralt and attack them from the side. The Igni Sign is particularly useful as it stuns them while also doing some damage. Once the herd has been thinned the fight becomes much easier.
7 Foglet
Traveling through a dank swamp can be a dangerous proposition. Foglets are undoubtedly the most fearsome creatures that inhabit such an environment. They are said to be crafty opponents whose main strength lies in their ability to disorient their prey. Unwary travelers who become hopelessly lost in the fog are easy pickings for Foglets.
Geralt is not so easily confused, but he still needs to be careful. A Foglet can remain invisible while immersed in the fog. They're impossible to damage while in this form. Throwing a Moon Dust bomb or casting the Yrden Sign can solve that problem. Once in corporeal form these annoying swamp-dwellers don't stand a chance.
6 Grave Hag
A Grave Hag is a pretty disgusting sight to behold. They resemble old, deformed women who like to feed on the corpses of the dead. The Witcher 3's bestiary states that Grave Hags enjoy sucking the marrow from a corpse's bones using their disgustingly long tongues. They will eventually go after living prey once a graveyard has been picked clean.
Grave Hags are susceptible to a wide range of Signs. Quen can protect Geralt if a stray attack gets through his defense. Igni and Axii are both great for keeping her off-balance. Yrden can slow her down and make her vulnerable to Geralt's sword blows. A Grave Hag's tongue is her greatest weapon as it can also blind her opponents for a short time. Severing it with a well-timed counterattack can eliminate that threat from the outset. Mourntart is a unique variant encountered in "The Merry Widow" Contract.
5 Rotfiend
Rotfiends are vicious beasts who are in the process of rapid decomposition. Their name comes from the overpowering stench that reeks from their bodies. Like the rest of their ilk, Rotfiends can typically be found prowling recent battlefields and anywhere else with an abundance of corpses. Devourers are an even more dangerous variant of Rotfiends.
These types of enemies, like Ghouls, are usually found in groups. They are similar to Drowners in their combat behaviors, albeit with one notable difference. Rotfiends who are close to death will self-destruct in a cloud of poisonous gas. This can damage other nearby Rotfiends and can potentially start a deadly chain of explosions.
4 Wight
Wights can be first encountered in the Blood and Wine expansion. According to their Bestiary entry, Wights are not aggressive creatures by nature. They prefer to keep to themselves in order to brew their potions. Wights, however, will still defend their territory when threatened. Spotted Wights are their beefier cousins.
A Wight's primary form of defense involves summoning allies to help. Using a strange, magical solution they are able to summon multiple Barghests to lend a hand. Wights will attempt to replace their fallen comrades after Geralt has dispatched them. The player should focus their attacks on the Wight itself to prevent further summoning.
3 Alghoul
The Alghoul, although technically a subspecies of Ghoul, is a different force to be reckoned with on the battlefield. They're stronger in almost every possible way and possess a degree of intelligence that allows them to plan their assaults. When confronting a group of enemies the Alghoul should be eliminated first.
Alghouls can be pushed into a frenzy if their health gets low enough, making them more dangerous. Spikes will also protrude from their backs, which increases their defense and damage potential. Casting the Axii Sign can force an Alghoul's spikes to recede and leave it vulnerable to additional attacks.
2 Scurver
Out of all the Necrophages, the Scurver is arguably the most grotesque-looking. Protruding from their rotting flesh are myriad needles that are deadly sharp. Scurvers stick to places with an abundance of death, but will also attack the living with equal ferocity.
The strategy to defeating Rotfiends also applies to Scurvers. Picking them off one-by-one can be achieved with the proper evasion techniques to split the group apart. When close to death, Scurvers will explode, sending their needles flying in all directions. Be prepared to roll out of the blast radius or use Quen for some added protection.
1 Water Hag
Water Hags, like their grave-loving kin, appear as old women. As their name suggests, Water Hags make their homes close to the shore. They have been known to lure unsuspecting individuals into their aquatic dens, where they are never heard from again. Abaya is a unique Water Hag that Geralt can meet beneath Kaer Trolde.
This type of enemy likes to burrow underneath the ground in order to get the drop on its prey. The player needs to keep a sharp eye on a Water Hag. One of their tactics involves throwing a ball of mud at Geralt to obscure his vision. Using Northern Wind and Dragon's Dream bombs is an effective means of crowd control if Drowners are also lurking nearby.