Berserkers are a type of monster that appears on Skellige in The Witcher 3. Berserkers are werebears, and they are essentially men that are able to take the form of a bear via a very unfortunate curse that they encounter in their lives, usually by angering a mage of some sort.

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Berserkers are one of the strongest types of monsters in The Witcher universe, but they are also very rare and mostly only spotted on Skellige. There are many ways that a person can challenge a Berserker, such as using fire to their advantage or specific items that are effective against Berserkers. There are a number of things to learn about this monster as the lore surrounding Berserkers and their curse is fascinating.

10 The Arctanthropy Curse Can Be Inherited From A Parent

The curse that turns otherwise normal people into Berserkers can actually be acquired by birth if a parent has the curse themselves.

There aren't too many curses in The Witcher universe that are able to be passed down this way, and as such, it is a major surprise for fans to learn that the Berserker curse is able to spawn out of simple reproduction. It is also possible for this curse to be inflicted on a person by other means at any point in their life.

9 Skellige Songs Have Been Created About Berserkers

There are old songs in Skellige history that sing about Berserkers, and they are probably one of the things that have helped the legend grow over the years on Skellige.

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It takes a lot for a monster to get its own song, and as such, Berserkers are very special in this regard. It seems that Berserkers are one of the most well-known creatures on Skellige both because they are somewhat unique to the island and because they are so powerful compared to other monsters.

8 The Combat Style Of A Berserker Is Very Similar To A Bear

Witcher 3 Geralt Fighting Bear

Although Berserkers don't perfectly resemble a bear, they do fight very similarly to a bear. They use their claws and teeth to attack while also standing in a similar position when compared to a bear while attacking their enemies.

Fans may expect Berserkers to be similar to bears in general; however, it comes as quite a shock that such a different creature would have a similar fighting style and stance. This leaves players to believe that Berserkers and bears have more in common than initially meets the eye.

7 Cursed Oil Is The Best Item To Use Against Berserkers - 1 Dog Tallow, 4 Wolfsbane

The best oil to use against a Berserker when faced with one in combat is the Cursed Oil. This oil applies a special effect to monsters that are classified as Cursed Ones.

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The Cursed Oil isn't too difficult to make as it only requires the items 1 Dog Tallow and 4 Wolfsbane. Players should equip their sword with this oil prior to entering combat with a Berserker if they want to escape with their life because these are enemies that should not be messed with.

6 Berserkers Are Used As A Tale To Get Children To Behave

Berserkers are often used as a sort of boogeyman on Skellige to scare the children into behaving. This is common in folklore of all kinds, and it makes sense that Skellige parents would use this monster since it is so relevant to their culture.

The children of Skellige fear bears even more since they grow up with the idea that a Berserker could attack them and kill them if they misbehave or disrespect their elders in any way.

5 Berserkers Are Considered To Be A Cursed One

Berserkers are classified under the Cursed One category of monsters, which is the main reason that Cursed Oil works so well when trying to defeat them.

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The reason that Berserkers are classified under the Cursed One's category is because most Berserkers came across a curse at some point in their life, which transforms them into a Werebear. The Cursed One category is one of the strongest types of monsters in The Witcher 3, and as such, players should take many precautions before fighting one of these creatures.

4 The Skellige Legends Tell That The Berserker Transformation Occurs When Angry

It is told by the warriors on Skellige that Berserkers will transform when they are enraged by imminent defeat or a loss of a brother or sister in arms, as this would send the cursed person into a rage that would cause them to transform.

This theory does make sense, and it is probably the main reason that Berserkers transform into their bear-like form. Some Berserkers may prefer to transform at will; however, there are also so many of them that only show this side of themselves when they absolutely need to or feel that they are in danger.

3 Most Berserkers Have Trouble Controlling Their Abilities

Based on lore that can be found in The Witcher universe, it seems that Berserkers are not able to control their abilities for the most part. Most people that have this curse will not choose to transform at will and are often unaware of when they are going to transform, as previously mentioned.

This is important to note about Berserkers because a lot of them don't understand what they're doing and would much prefer to suppress their abilities if they are able to.

2 Berserkers Have A Different Tongue And Teeth Shape When Compared To Regular Bears

Berserkers are very similar in terms of their anatomy when compared to regular bears. However, Berserkers have a distinctly different tongue, and their teeth are also a different shape when compared side by side with regular bears.

If a monster hunter inspects a bear's mouth and a Berserker's mouth, then they will find many differences that will help determine which is which. This is important information for any monster hunter that wants to identify what they are hunting.

1 Igni Is Extra Effective Against Berserkers

The Igni sign is one of the strongest abilities that a Witcher can use against monsters, and it is especially effective when fighting Berserkers in The Witcher 3.

Igni is a fire ability, and Berserkers seem to have a vulnerability to fire in general. This fact matches up with a lot of other monsters in The Witcher universe as there are many types of creatures that are also susceptible to fire and specifically the Igni sign that Geralt is able to cast.

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