'The Witcher 3' Boss Guide: How To Beat The Golem And Nithral

Steven Schneider, Tech Times 23 May 2015, 01:05 pm

For a first boss fight, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt's Royal Griffin was a sight to behold. It had the right build-up, it was bigger than anything else Geralt had faced and it was a true test of the skills that players had been learning up until that point. All in all, it was a great fight - and it was only the tip of the iceberg.

The game's next two bosses are bit more down-to-earth, but that doesn't make them any less lethal: the Golem and Nithral might not look all that intimidating at first, but players caught unaware will be seeing the game's loading screen...a lot. That being said, they're definitely not invincible: knowing how to take these big baddies down can turn what was an arduous battle into a cakewalk.

As always, preparation is key: knowing what to bring and when to use it is a huge part of The Witcher 3′s boss fights. So, without further adieu, here's what you need to take on both the Golem and the Wild Hunt's first commander, Nithral:

Preparation

For these boss fights, you'll obviously need the essentials: healing items and potions. The dungeon that contains the Golem and Nithral is pretty lengthy, so make sure to save your potions for the boss fights themselves and use your food during the rest of the quest.

If you haven't already, you'll also want to invest in some bombs: namely, Samum and Grapeshot. The ingredients can be found at most merchants and herbalists, and they can be a huge help during the later boss fight. If you're investing your Ability Points into magic, beef your Quen shield up a bit - being able to stagger opponents when the shield breaks is another helpful buff.

Finally, you'll be able to see both bosses before entering the fight itself - use this opportunity to meditate and refill your alchemy items before each one. With the proper preparation, you're ready to take on...

Phase One: The Golem

Yes, technically, the Golem is its own boss fight, but it's so simple that it's basically the first half of one giant boss fight. When fighting against the Golem, Quen and the roll-dodge will be your best friends - and, if you want to end the fight quickly, downing some Thunderbolt should help. Just make sure to keep your shield charged and be ready to dive out of the Golem's range, and you'll be fine.

Keira will be by your side during the fight, and she'll do a good job of both distracting and stunning the Golem. Whenever you can, move in and attack the monster's back: you'll be awarded with Critical Hits for every successful strike. Attacking from the front will slowly chip away at the Golem's health, but keep an eye on its stance: if it curls up and blocks its 'face' with its arms, don't attack. The defensive stance will reflect damage back onto Geralt, so take the time to work your way behind it and wait for your chance to strike.

When half of the Golem's health is drained, it'll start charging forward and flailing: again, make sure to dive out of the way and stay behind it. If you can properly position yourself throughout the fight, the Golem will be dead in minutes.

Phase Two: Nithral, Part 1

After fighting the Golem, Geralt and Keira will continue on through the dungeon. After fighting through a few waves of enemies, you'll finally catch up with the Wild Hunt and come face to face with Nithral. This is the real boss fight: Nithral hits like a truck, and he's incredibly fast. If the Royal Griffin was a test on hunting monsters, then the fight against Nithral is a straight-up duel.

As with the Golem, Quen will be an essential tool. Nithral's fast, and attacks can seemingly come out of nowhere: having Quen charged means that you'll be able to tank at least one of these quick hits, which should give you enough time to dodge and recover. Spell-users will also want to keep Yrden in mind: crippling Nithral's speed can be a huge help if you need a second to catch your breath.

You'll also want to keep Swallow and Thunderbolt on-hand: Swallow is one of Geralt's most powerful healing options, and Thunderbolt will come in handy during the later stages of the fight. Bombs (Samum in particular) may also prove useful, though they aren't really a necessity unless you're playing on the higher difficulty levels.

The first phase of the fight is relatively straightforward. Keira will again provide covering fire, and Geralt can take advantage of these distractions for big damage. Nithral's attacks are pretty basic - most consist of simple swings and lunges - but they hit for huge damage. The roll-dodge will help keep you out of range, and Quen will absorb any surprise hits. Otherwise, just keep striking at Nithral while he's stunned, and you'll be fine...until he starts summoning minions, that is.

Phase Three: Nithral, Part 2

Once you've taken out a chunk of Nithral's health, he'll throw up a magical shield and teleport to the middle of the room. This is where the fight can get tricky: Nithral's completely invulnerable at this point (attacking the shield will throw Geralt around like a ragdoll), and he begins healing himself. So, how do you break the barrier?

The answer is simple, but it can be a pain. Once his barrier's up, Nithral will open up portals on the far ends of the room - after a moment, the Wild Hunt's hounds will start pouring through them. The only way to dispel Nithral's barrier is to wipe the hounds out - but, if too many of them get loose at once, it's possible that Nithral can completely heal himself before you close the portals.

Thankfully, Geralt can walk straight into the portal without taking any damage - get up close and personal, then attack the hounds as they're coming through. If timed correctly, they won't be able to retaliate, and Geralt can quickly take them out one by one. If more than one hound escapes, use Igni to damage all of them at once. They don't have much health, so if you can destroy them quickly, Nithral won't be able to recover much before the barrier goes back down.

From here, it's rinse-and-repeat: Nithral will emerge from his barrier and attack, Keira will create a distraction and Geralt will take advantage. Using Thunderbolt during the second stage of the fight can completely overwhelm Nithral, and when combined with Yrden or a Samum bomb, Geralt can do massive damage in just a few seconds. If Nithral summons more hounds, just use the same strategy again: get in close and take them out one at a time. As long as you attack quickly and intelligently, Nithral won't be all that tough a fight - just watch out for those quick swings.

It might seem like Nithral is an unstoppable juggernaut at first - especially on the harder difficulties - but as long as you know when to dodge and when to attack, the fight really isn't all that bad. As always, make sure to keep that shield up and swing away!

If you're having trouble with the game's first boss fight, the Royal Griffin, you're in luck: we've got a guide for that too! There are also Beginner's Guides on starting a new game and basic alchemy - everything you'll need to get Geralt started on his grand adventure!

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