Bestiary & Monster Lore

Learn about The Witcher 2's diverse bestiary and monster lore. Prepare for hunts with specific tactics, bombs like Grapeshot, and potion knowledge.

The Witcher 2 features a diverse bestiary, requiring specific strategies and preparations for each monster type. Monster Contracts are crucial for earning rewards and completing the "Pest Control" achievement. Understanding monster weaknesses and utilizing appropriate bombs, potions, and knowledge from books is essential for successful hunts throughout the game.

To unlock the Pest Control Achievement, all four available Monster Contracts must be completed in a single playthrough. This is recommended on Iorveth's path on Easy/Normal/Hard difficulty, as fighting Endrega Queens in Act I on Insane mode is extremely difficult.

• Act I Contracts:
  • Nekker Contract: Found on the Notice Board outside the Flotsam Inn. To destroy Nekker Nests, the Grapeshot Bomb is required. Cedric in Lobinden sells Grapeshot Bombs (3 available) or the Formula for 70 Orens.
  • Endrega Contract: Also found on the Notice Board outside the Flotsam Inn.
  To learn more about these monsters, purchase Nekkers In the Mist for 32 Orens and Three Years Among the Endegas for 64 Orens from Einar Gausel in the Nonhuman District.
• Act II Contracts:
  • Harpy and Harpy Queen Contract: The Harpy Queen is killed during the main questline. Harpies can be exterminated by crafting Harpy traps, placing them on the ground, and letting Harpies take them to their nests. There are four nests in the Old Quarry and three more in the Harpy Lair (accessible through the quest "Hunting magic").
• Act III Contracts:
  • Gargoyle Contract: Requires opening chests in three rune rooms. The runes in each room must be activated in the correct order, which is indicated by a randomized poem. The poems reference an animal, something artsy, a notion of time, and the sky. The runes represent: "S"-rune -> animal, "Harp"-Rune -> art, "Hourglass"-Rune -> time, "diamond"-rune -> sky.

Side Quest – Troll Trouble: This quest is acquired from the Notice Board but is not a Monster Contract. There are achievements for either sparing all Trolls or killing them. For a standard playthrough, killing the Trolls is an option, saving the sparing option for an Insane playthrough.

Side Quest – In the Claws of Madness: Ask Cedric about Witcher's work to receive this quest. It is tied to the "Librarian" Achievement for finding all four books in the burned-down asylum.

The "The Butcher of Blaviken" achievement is earned by killing 500 enemies. This is typically achieved during Act II, but can vary based on playstyle.

The "Journeyman" achievement is unmissable, earned by reaching Character Level 10, usually during Act I.