Every monster fight in The Witcher season 3, ranked from worst to best
By Daniel Roman
All eight episodes of The Witcher season 3 are out now on Netflix, and since it’s a show about a mutant monster hunter it should come as no surprise that Geralt and company once again face down quite a few beasties. I’m a sucker for a good monster fight scene, and The Witcher season 3 delivers big time.
The show has had its hits and misses over the years when it comes to the various beasts Geralt faces, which just makes the consistency and splendor of the monsters in season 3 all the more welcome. Let’s look back on every monster fight in The Witcher season 3, and rank them from worst to best!
5. The Jackapace
The rolling Jackapace is the first monster we see this season, and it’s a fierce one. It’s being kept by a miscreant named Veldhoek, who brags that it can track the scent of elven blood. The mage Rience purchases the services of the creature in order to find Ciri, which leads to a surprise attack in a hedge maze at the local Belleteyn festival where Geralt, Ciri, and Yennefer are trying to lay low in the season premiere, “Shaerrawedd.”
If you’ve played The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt you could be forgiven for thinking this beast is a Shaelmar, since it moves in a very similar fashion to the stony creatures introduced in the Blood and Wine expansion. However, the design of the jackapace recalls animals like an armadillo or even a shrew, with its strangely shaped feelers around its maw. Its enormous size makes it a formidable threat; even a glancing blow can mean serious damage.
The jackapace first corners Ciri in the maze before Yennefer arrives to give her backup. After that, it’s only a matter of time before Geralt shows up to put the beast to a swift end. This is a short fight that serves as a warm-up for what’s to come. It’s notable for being the only monster fight of the season where all three of our main heroes are present, but considering that it only takes Geralt a couple of well-placed blows with his sword to fell the jackapace, it lands on the bottom of the list. There are far more dangerous and thrilling monsters in season 3.