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In The Witcher 4, Ciri returns to face new and reimagined monsters that promise thrilling encounters. Notable additions include the aerial-hunting manticore and the fear-driven Bauk, each presenting unique challenges.
These formidable foes will push Ciri's combat skills and inner strength to the limit, setting the stage for intense battles on multiple fronts. Here's a rundown of everything we know about the game so far.
Missing from the series since being cut from Witcher 3, mantles are now soaring again into the limelight. Cinematic footage revealed to the world at the 2025 State of Unreal showed a manticore ambushing a merchant wagon, foreshadowing a climactic battle that will test Ciri's skills in aerial combat.
These winged terrors have been so feared in the lore, but had never been faced by a player in the games ever since. Same-legis plane, their reintroduction now will give players the chance to see to it that they will fight and defeat these legendary creatures for the first time.
Even more interesting is the creature of the Bauk, an underworld being that feeds on fear. The CDPR devs describe him as one of the most psychologically complex bosses that the series has ever known. Narratively, Ciri may face the challenge to vanquish her own fears in order to defeat the creature.
Kalemba elucidated, "Bauk ... plays with her own fears. You’ll experience inner demons first, before you can finally encounter and kill it." This layer of meta-psychology marks a refreshing twist, binding together gameplay and narrative in a tight synergy.
Ciri's battles against these beasts will not be fought from the same front. The manticore, being a brute force aerial opponent, will test her reflexes and use of the environment, while the Bauk is a battle of wills—firmer in will, firmer in emotional resilience, and firmer in the player's audience.
Such contrasts in monster design therefore pave the way for CDPR to create combat encounters that vary from straightforward visceral action to the more psychologically engaging.
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Unlike Geralt, Ciri is fast and flexible. CD Projekt's Pawel Burza explains, "He's nimble and feels like a block, whereas she feels more like liquid." This refers to her smooth, fluid movements and acrobatic combat style.
During gameplay and cinematic events, she somersaults through the air to finish off foes and integrates magic organically—mixing swordplay and sorcery with finesse. There lies the contrast—Ciri's water-like fighting style with Geralt's grounded and perhaps slower movement and fighting style.
The Witcher 4’s story of Ciri is more than a mere cycle of heritage; it is the inception of a new narrative cycle. So, the Game Director Seb Kalemba affirms that it concerns her metamorphosis into a full-fledged Witcher amid the dissolution of the order of the old world.
Having her combat and story dovetail beautifully creates a reflection on how mastery over monster targets is set against her own journey from fate itself. The Bauk in particular opposes Ciri's own fears in the signature way of the series, straddling both physical and psychological ramifications.
Although Witcher 4 is well into production and demoed in Unreal Engine for the June 2025 Unreal showcase, no date has yet been announced. CDPR projects a post-2026 launch, with several outlets quoting 2027 or later.
In the meantime, fans can expect to see more development of Ciri herself, in terms of combat and what the emotionally draining creatures she must face actually look like, and how she herself will mold the next chapter of the Path.
Also Read: Witcher 4 Update: CDPR Confirms Console-First Strategy, Sparks Debate
