If you're playing The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, chances are you'll be doing a lot of fighting. That's not to say the game is nothing but combat – you'll be doing a lot of talking, too – but most players will probably spend more time in battle than anything else. Thankfully, combat in The Witcher 3 is a lot of fun: it's an incredibly deep system with different options for different playstyles. Once you get the hang of things, combat is easily one of the best aspects of the game.

That said, what's the point of combat if there's nothing to test your skills against? Sure, some side quests feature tougher-than-normal monsters... but if you're looking for a real challenge, you'll have to face off against the game's numerous bosses. Each one is designed to test everything you've learned up until that point, and the Royal Griffin is a perfect example. The creature may serve as something of a tutorial for certain mechanics — but players who aren't prepared will find that the fight against the Royal Griffin isn't something to be taken lightly.

So, if you're having trouble felling the beast, look no further: our guide will make this fight a breeze.

Preparation

At this point, players should have a basic understanding of how combat works. Striking, spells, dodging and parrying should be second nature by now. Going up against the Royal Griffin beforehand is definitely not recommended.

First things first: make sure to bring some food. The Royal Griffin hits hard, and just a few heavy strikes can kill Geralt - especially on the higher difficulties. Make sure you've got enough food to heal up in case you get knocked around.

Before the fight actually begins, players will learn how to brew their own potions. It's a very basic tutorial on how to use the game's alchemy system (for a better understanding, check out our Beginner's Guide to Alchemy), but it's plenty for the fight against the griffin. Brew the Thunderbolt potion – which boosts Geralt's attack power – and follow Vesemir toward the ambush point.

After a short cutscene, Vesemir will offer Geralt a crossbow, and the game will show you how to equip it. The crossbow may take some time to reload, but Geralt holds an infinite number of bolts — don't be afraid to use them if there's some distance between you and your target.

Phase One: The Fields

When the cutscene ends, the Royal Griffin will be on the ground and just out of range. Immediately cast Quen: the magic shield will allow Geralt to ignore one of the Royal Griffin's hits without taking damage — which will give you more time to either strike or learn the beast's attacks. Once Quen is cast, take one of the Thunderbolt potions. The extra damage should come in handy during the early stages of the fight.

It won't be long before the Royal Griffin takes flight. This is what your crossbow is for: while it won't do much damage on its own, timing your shots correctly will allow Geralt to knock the Griffin out of the sky. While it's dazed, run up and score a few quick hits — just make sure to watch out for any retaliatory strikes.

It's best to try and stay behind the Royal Griffin whenever possible. It's going to lash out with bites and slashes, so staying behind the creature should keep you out of harm's way (for the most part).

Phase Two: The Windmill

Once roughly half of the Royal Griffin's health has been depleted, it'll take to the skies yet again — only, this time, it'll try to run away. Chase it – either on horseback or on foot, it's not that far – and you'll catch up near an old windmill. You can wait for it to land, or shoot it out of the sky — either way, you'll be face-to-face with the Royal Griffin again.

The fight itself doesn't change all that much, but the arena definitely feels a lot smaller. Falling off the hill next to the windmill won't hurt Geralt, but it's definitely a pain to run back around and start attacking the Griffin again. Just make sure to give yourself some space and you'll be fine.

From here on out, the same pattern should be enough to finally kill the Griffin: cast Quen for a shield, give yourself a boost with Thunderbolt, stay behind it and attack. The Royal Griffin shouldn't have much health left when you arrive at the windmill — and, as long as you're fighting carefully, it'll be dead in no time.

That's the first boss! Again, it shouldn't be too much for new players to handle — as long as you've got the combat basics down, the Royal Griffin shouldn't pose that great of a threat. If it does manage to get some hits in, take a second to pull back and heal — Vesemir can draw its attention long enough for you to recover.

With any luck, you'll soon have the Griffin's head hanging from your saddle. Time to go collect your reward!

Want more help covering the basics of the game? Check out our Beginner's Guide to The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt! If you need more help with bosses, here's a guide on how to beat The Golem and Nithral. 

Related: Heroes of the Storm Beginner's Guide 

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