Wolf (creature)

Wolves are an aggressive and carnivorous species of wild animal, related to the domesticated dogs found in human settlements.

Wolves are the ancestors of dogs, hunting these wild animals is generally the job of the king's foresters, but occasionally a witcher while travelling through the wilds may find himself up against a pack of these animals. Just like any beast, he must deal with them swiftly and carefully.

See also: Werewolf

Notable Wolves

 * Voref

"There was so much snow that winter that we had to dig tunnels just to get to the privy and had icicles in our pants by the time we got back. Wolves came out of the forest, ate the cattle and then surrounded the house. They were howling madly. Surrounded by that pack of wolves, we felt like three little pigs."

- Unknown

Locations

 * Swamp
 * Lakeside

Wolves also appear in the premium module, but these wolves are much more difficult to defeat and there are numerous packs, each lead by a "pack leader" which is even more difficult to defeat than its followers.

Additionally, there are two semi-tame wolves who accompany Deidre Ademeyn, and defend her fiercely.

Notable Wolves

 * Beann'shie
 * D'yaebl

Location

 * Kaer Morhen valley

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
In third game, wolves can be found throughout the mainland and on the Skellige Isles. They also appear during contracts or in quests, serving as allies of Leshen and Werewolves.

Bestiary entry
''Friend of mine used to say that with all these griffins and basilisks and whatnot, good old fashioned wolves weren't nothing to worry about... Then the damned beasts devoured half his flock.''

— Yngvar, shepherd

''Once upon a time wolves were the absolute rulers of the forest. Men used them to frighten children, while adults, too, trembled at the sound of their howling. Post-Conjunction monsters not only pushed wolves into the deepest wilds but also took over their place in human nightmares. Yet this does not mean the old predators ceased to be a danger. Wolves do not have a drop of magic within them, breathe no fire and spit no acid, but that in no way stops them from killing unwary travelers and hunters.''

Particularly dangerous are wargs, a nasty and ferocious subspecies of wolf, and the snow-white wolves which today can only be found in the wild highlands of the Skellige archipelago.

''Wolves usually feed in packs counting from a handful to over a dozen members, though some particularly strong males hunt alone. Though wolves are weaker than many post-Conjunction monsters, they make up for any lack of strength with their intelligence. When fighting them one must be especially careful not to become surrounded. The presence of wolves can also signal more serious trouble – these predators often share their hunting grounds with werewolves and leshens.''

Combat Tactics
Wolves hunt in packs and coordinate with one another in order to surround their choice of prey. Beyond this group coordination, wolves are similar to dogs in the manner which they attack. The pack leader is typically the alpha of the pack and the highest level, occasionally the leader will be a Warg as opposed to just a regular wolf.

If one finds themselves surrounded, you can use Igni and Aard to try and drive the pack off, even if just for a moment, which allows the Witcher to recover some of their stamina and/or regain control over the fight. Leshens are able to command entire packs of wolves to aid them in battle. The wolves that are summoned by a Leshen must be fought with silver swords.