Griffin

Griffin

Species	Hybrids
DLC	Base game
Oil	Hybrid Oil
Signs	Aard Quen
Bombs	Grapeshot
Location	White Orchard Velen Oxenfurt Skellige Toussaint

The Griffin is a Hybrid, half eagle and half wildcat. Griffins once lived only high in the mountains, but now they prey on farm animals across the Northern Realms. A griffin is hunted early in the game, in the White Orchard main quest The Beast of White Orchard.

Lore

One witness to a griffin attack described it plainly. It was half eagle and half tomcat, just like the beast on the lord's coat of arms. The only difference was that this one carried off the witness's dead cow instead of a scepter.

Griffins once hunted marmots and wild goats high in the mountains. Then humans moved into their lands. The griffins soon found new prey that was far more plentiful and easier to catch: cows, sheep and shepherds. Griffins still keep away from main roads and towns, where people can afford to hire a witcher. Even so, they have gone from rare creatures to common pests known throughout the Northern Realms. People especially hate two kinds of griffin: the Royal Griffin and the Archgriffin.

Griffins mate for life. When one partner is attacked, the other defends it to the death. For this reason, people often see griffins as a symbol of courage, loyalty and fighting spirit. No one would deny them the fighting spirit. Once provoked, a griffin does not stop until its enemy is torn to shreds.

Behaviour

Griffins find their victims with an extraordinary sense of smell. Once close to the chosen target, a griffin dives at it from a great height. Its heavy, muscular body and great speed make that first blow deadly, and it often ends the fight at once. If the victim survives the dive, the griffin goes on fighting on the ground. It fights with its sharp, curved beak and its powerful talons.

Weaknesses

Coat the silver sword with Hybrid Oil. Aard is the Sign to use, and Grapeshot is the bomb. Griffins have no true weakness besides Hybrid Oil and a few bombs. The wounds they deal are deep and bleed heavily, so keep Quen up.

A griffin strikes with its wings, swooping dives and fast attacks on the ground. Dodge the wing swipes and its charges. When it takes to the air and swoops down, roll away at the last moment. Shoot it with the crossbow as it comes down to knock it out of the air. Then press the attack while it is on the ground.

Contracts and Quests

Quest	Quest Giver	Location	Reward
The Beast of White Orchard	-	White Orchard	300 XP

The griffin of White Orchard is the target of The Beast of White Orchard, an early main quest. The commander of the Nilfgaardian garrison knows where Yennefer has gone. The commander will only share it in return for the head of a griffin that the garrison's soldiers could not kill.

The hunt starts with two locals. Tomira the herbalist explains where to find buckthorn, a strong-smelling herb that lures the griffin. It grows on the riverbed near her house. Mislav the hunter leads the way to where the griffin killed a group of Nilfgaardian soldiers. Tracks from that bloody scene lead to the griffin's nest. A dead female griffin lies there, killed in her sleep by those same soldiers. Her mate survived, and that explains its rage against the people of the area.

Vesemir picks a field just outside White Orchard for the ambush and hands over a crossbow. Late in the fight, the wounded griffin flies off to a nearby mill, and the fight ends there. The griffin's head is the trophy for the garrison. The commander then shares the news about Yennefer and offers some coin. Refusing the coin earns extra experience instead.

Drops

Name	Image
Griffin Mutagen	-
Griffin Trophy
Griffin's Egg
Griffin Feathers
Infused Dust
Monster Brain
Monster Claw
Monster Eye
Monster Heart
Monster Tongue
Raw Meat
Alchemical Ingredients	-

All Monster Categories

All Hybrids

Name	Image	Variant of	Oil	Signs	Bombs	Location	DLC
Archgriffin		Griffin	Hybrid Oil	Aard	Grapeshot	Velen	Base game
Ekhidna	-	Siren	Hybrid Oil	Igni Aard	Grapeshot	Isle of Mists Skellige	Base game
Erynia		-	Hybrid Oil	Aard	Grapeshot	Skellige	Base game
Griffin		-	Hybrid Oil	Aard Quen	Grapeshot	White Orchard Velen Oxenfurt Skellige Toussaint	Base game
Harpy		-	Hybrid Oil	Aard	Grapeshot	Velen	Base game
Melusine		Ekhidna	Hybrid Oil	Igni Aard	Grapeshot	Skellige	Base game
Opinicus	-	Archgriffin	Hybrid Oil	Aard	Grapeshot	Oxenfurt	Base game
Salma		Succubus	Hybrid Oil	Quen	-	Novigrad	Base game
Siren		-	Hybrid Oil	Igni Aard	Grapeshot	Skellige Velen Novigrad	Base game
Succubus		-	Hybrid Oil	Quen	-	Skellige	Base game