The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt has gone on to become one of the most recognizable and beloved titles in the gaming community. Not only is its story compelling, but its gameplay and open-world mechanics make the game even more fun than it already is. The game was released in 2015, five years ago, yet new people are still discovering and loving it to this day.

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One of the most fascinating elements of The Witcher 3 is its wide variety of enemies and the lore behind them. A lot of them are very recognizable due to their ties to folklore and mythology, and the game does a very good job of respecting their source material as well as making them entirely unique to the game.

10 Chort

Chort from Witcher 3.

The Chorts are relict monsters Geralt encounters in The Witcher 3. These terrifying creatures are known for their incredible strength and the destruction they leave behind. They generally frequent dark and wooded areas. They're also known to be territorial, often seen battling other creatures if they invade their territory.

Chorts in The Witcher 3 seem to be taken from Slavic folklore. Chort, or charts as it's occasionally called, is a pagan demon tied to destruction and doom. This particular demon is often cited as the pagan equivalent of the devil, or is a minion of Satan in folk Christianity.

9 Godling

Godling from Witcher 3

Godlings are tiny, humanoid creatures that reside in burrows and moss-covered areas. They're usually found on the outskirts of human settlements, but they've been known to reside in abandoned establishments within cities. Godlings act very similarly to human children, often playful, more mischievous. Their acts of mischief are usually harmless.

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The godlings in the game are the derivative versions of house spirits. They are present in multiple folklores and mythologies, under different names, but the godlings in-game are taken mainly from the Polish variation of this creature. They're said to be the souls of deceased ancestors.

8 Fiend

Fiend from Witcher 3.

Fiends are colossal relict creatures that resemble deers, with a few significant overhauls. Perhaps its most recognizable attribute, aside from its towering size, is the third eye in the middle of its head. This third eye holds magical abilities which allows them to hypnotize their opponents. Fiends make an effort to avoid humans, but will not hesitate to obliterate one if they stand in its way. It will be able to do so with ease too. One swipe from its humongous and powerful paw is enough to kill even the toughest of knights.

Fiends, in Slavic mythology, are synonymous with the chort or chart. They're associated with the devil and are considered to be minions of Satan himself.

7 Botchling

Botchling from Witcher 3.

Botchlings are cursed creatures spawned from improper burial rites of stillborns and unwanted infants. These monsters resemble deformed fetuses. They will stalk a pregnant woman in her sleep. They'll lie in wait in the shadows and will absorb an expectant mother's life force until she becomes weak enough to be incapacitated. A botchling will then move in and sink its fangs into her body and drain her blood until the mother and the fetus inside her die. The botchling was featured in game in one of the most emotional quests in the game.

Botchlings are very terrible creatures and will no doubt send shivers down the spines of even the most seasoned of witchers. In Slavic mythology, these creatures are more commonly known as "poroniec" and they are thought of as evil and malicious spirits. The game's iteration of the mythological creature is fairly accurate and similar to the original.

6 Doppler

Doppler from Witcher 3.

The Dopplers, or changelings, are shapeshifting relicts that have the ability to take on the form of any human or beast, so long as the body weight is somewhat similar to theirs. The Doppler's natural physical appearance, though, is a horrid sight. These creatures are very mild-mannered in nature and are smarter than most of the creatures in the bestiary.

Dopplers are taken straight out of doppelgangers, a mythical creature that's more inclined to the paranormal. Doppelgangers are present in multiple folklores and mythology, such as German, Greek, Slavic, Egyptian, and more. Doppelgangers are usually perceived as harbingers of bad luck.

5 Succubus

Succubus from Witcher 3.

The succubus, or incubus if it is a male, is a creature of lust. They're often classed as demons, but a witcher's official bestiary classifies them as hybrids. These creatures aren't violent. They have no need for killing, for either sport or survival. The very thing that makes them very dangerous is their insatiable lust. In fact, they're considered to be very peaceful creatures, only ever resorting to violence in self-defense.

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The succubus is a popular figure in various folklores. In Jewish mythology, Adam's first wife, Lilith, went on to become a succubus. Along with three other succubi, they became the four original queens of the demons. It is believed that when a man mates with a succubus, it deteriorates their physical and mental health, often to the point of death.

4 Banshee

Banshee from Witcher 3.

Banshees are wailing spirit that mark a terrible omen to those who hear their cries. These spirits appear on Saovine night, or Elven New Year, and those who'll hear a banshee's cry on Saovine night is thought to die that very year. Banshees look like a typical ghostly spirit. They're often seen wearing grey garments, sport long, thin, black hair, and a skeleton face.

In the real world, Banshees are female spirits that originate from Irish mythology. Their awful shrieks usually signal the death of a family member. According to legend, banshees will often assume the form of a deceased family member, and will sing a sweet, soft hymn instead of crying.

3 Djinn

Djinn from Witcher 3.

Djinns are very powerful, magical genies in the world of The Witcher. Djinns have the ability to grant three wishes to those who have captured them. Fulfilling these wishes will free the Djinn to return to their realms. In the game, there are four known types of genies, one for each element. The djinns are genies of the air element, d'ao for earth, maride for water, and ifrit for fire. A djinn plays a massive role in Geralt and Yennefer's relationship in the game, and the books.

Djinns are derived from the Jinn, supernatural creatures from Arabic and Islamic mythology. Jinns are thought to be neutral in nature, being neither good nor evil. For jinns to be able to grant the wishes of their captors, the wish makers' soul must first be sacrificed. Jinns also have the tendency to twist a wish maker's wish, particularly if the wish is poorly phrased.

2 Griffin

Griffin from Witcher 3.

Griffins are hybrids, remarkable for being a biological mixture between a feline and a flight animal. These creatures are legendary not only for their distinctive appearance, but also for their remarkable strength. Griffins are very territorial and if someone or something were to invade a griffin's hunting ground, they'll be sure to meet the wrath of this formidable monster.

Griffins can originally be traced to Greek mythology, but it is later used by Christianity as a symbol and guardian of divine power. The most recognizable type of griffin in Greek mythology is the one with the body of a lion, and the head and wings of an eagle. These creatures are thought to be incredibly strong and majestic, often associated with hidden treasures and knowledge.

1 Leshen

Geralt fights a leshen in The Witcher

The Leshens in The Witcher 3 are incredibly powerful forest spirits. They are ancient beings who are initially thought to protect the forest it inhabits. Despite this belief, Leshens tend to be very deleterious, often causing harm to woodland creatures and lost wanderers. The spirit takes the form of a humanoid creature with a deer skull for a head and tree branches for its limbs.

Leshens come from the Leshy, a tutelary deity from Slavic mythology. These spirits roam and rule over the forest they inhabit. Unlike the game's version of the creature, the Leshy in Slavic mythology has the appearance of a giant man, but can also assume the likeness of others. They are known for causing wanderers to get lost in the woods in an unending loop and the only way to break off this spell is for the person to turn their clothing inside-out.

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