There are many things to consider when building a fantasy world and the Witcher series has put a lot of work into that. While there are familiar elements like elves and dwarves, there’s a greater emphasis on monsters and the lore behind them. Though Witchers are trained to hunt monsters, that doesn’t mean they don’t need to do their homework.

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Monster Slayer puts you into the role of a Witcher patrolling the streets looking for beasts to hunt down. However, it’s not as easy as just swinging a sword and there are some things that don’t match up with previously established Witcher mechanics.

8 You Don’t Start With A Silver Sword

Sword Drawn To Fight A Huge Beast

When you start out in the Witcher world, you learn very quickly that Witchers are trained to be masters in various forms of martial and weapon combat. A big part of this is swordplay, and Witchers are distinguishable by the two swords they carry on their back. These include a steel sword for human enemies and a silver sword for monsters.

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Since the main part of a Witcher’s job is to hunt down monsters, it’s expected that the silver sword would be starting equipment. However, in Monster Slayer you start off with only a steel sword to your name and monsters surrounding you.

7 Monsters Don’t Pursue You

A Leshen Prepares To Strike Through The Screen

One thing that the Witcher games are notorious for is how monsters behave. They encourage exploration, but stray too far from any given path and you’re likely to find yourself in the jaws of a far stronger opponent. That’s why it’s wise to retreat, but some monsters can be quite tenacious and are willing to chase you for some time.

When it comes to Monster Slayer, the monsters are using more patient tactics as they camp out in the open. They’re not going to attack you unless you make the first move.

6 Smaller Monsters Don’t Attack In Groups

Close-Up Of A Swamp Monster

The bestiary of the Witcher is nothing short of extensive. If you take time to browse through, you’re bound to encounter monsters from across mythologies and folklore. As such, these monsters come in various shapes and sizes. While the larger ones have no problem being solitary, smaller species such as Nekkers try to attack in groups to raise their chances.

This doesn’t seem to be the case in Monster Slayer as monsters both big and small have absolutely no problem fighting you one on one.

5 A Steel Sword Works When It Shouldn’t

Close-Up Of A Rock Troll

The reason why Witchers need a silver sword is that monsters are weak to silver. This is because it’s classified as a pure metal and monsters of all types can feel its sting. By wielding such a sword, you can even strike down ethereal creatures like Wraiths.

Unfortunately, until you can raise enough money, you won’t be able to have a silver sword Monster Slayer. Because of this, you’ll need to make do with your handy steel sword which luckily enough, is able to do damage to creatures that would normally be immune to it.

4 Monsters Roaming In Harmony

Monsters Surround The Witcher On The Map

While animals in the real world can be observed living together in peace and balance, it’s a different story for monsters. Some will leave others well enough alone, but others will attack on sight. The strangeness comes through in how the monsters interact with each other in Monster Slayer — or rather, how they don’t interact.

You’ll wander from place to place and see monsters from all along the spectrum sharing the same space and completely ignoring each other. It seems the only threat to this peace these monsters are experiencing is Witchers.

3 Lack Of Bandits

Close-Up Of A Friendly Human

Whether you’re a Witcher or a wandering adventurer, you’re expected to know how to defend yourself against human enemies. Unfortunately for Witchers, many people see them as abominations and mutants to shun. This leads to bloodshed when Witchers are forced to fight back against those who would see them dead.

This is especially true for bandits, who will try to rob and kill them if they get the chance. Bandits are a common occurrence in the main series, but that’s not how it is in Monster Slayer. The best chance you have of finding another human is one that needs help.

2 No Need For Tracking

The Witcher Prepares To Fight Off Flying Monsters

One of the closest equivalents to fantasy-game Batman is the Witcher. He’s a loner trained in multiple forms of combat, both armed and unarmed, and spends a lot of time investigating crimes and hunting down dangerous foes. He even has heightened senses that he can use to spot things that most people would miss.

With all this at his disposal, the Witcher is able to spend a lot of time tracking down monsters. You don’t have to bother with this in Monster Slayer though since monsters appear very clearly on the map and quest targets can be found in highlighted areas.

1 Monsters Don’t Run

The Witcher Chases Down A Griffin

In addition to the perseverance that Witcher monsters possess, some have also been shown to have varying degrees of self-preservation. If a monster feels that the battle isn’t going their way, they may retreat back a bit or even try to flee, forcing you to pursue.

This isn’t a concern in Monster Slayer as monsters will not back down from a fight. From the smallest Nekkers to the largest Griffins, monsters will continue to fight until either its death or yours. The good news is that this means you can lay into it with your full arsenal without having to worry about scaring it off.

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