The Leshen is an "epic" enemy in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.
It is responsible for the death of several townsmen during a sidequest. This quest was one of the first to be shown publicly from the game.
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Appearance[edit]
The Leshen stands upright on two legs, but sports the head of a deer's skull on its shoulders.
This lithe creature appears to blend in with the forest when it moves, and can control vines and roots to detain Geralt.
Call[edit]
The creature's call sounds like a flock of crows cawing.
Telltale Signs[edit]
The Leshen and those under its influence can be found by searching for large concentrations of crows flying in the sky. Find a murder of crows, and there's likely something to do with the Leshen nearby.
Powers[edit]
Marking[edit]
The Leshen can "mark" its victims, leaving them alive and unhindered by the creature's magic until it needs to sap energy from them.
This can allow the Leshen to bring itself back to life after being slain. When it dies, the Leshen can sap the life energy from its marked host, killing them and using their energy to revive itself. The only way to reverse this is to kill the marked victim before killing the Leshen.
Influence[edit]
The Leshen can also influence creatures of the forest, empowering them and reigning them under its control.
During the demo mission, for example, the Leshen influences a pack of wolves and sends them after Geralt.
Weakening the Leshen[edit]
Geralt can weaken the Leshen before engaging it in one-on-one combat, and this is highly recommended.
This is done by destroying three shrines found throughout the forest. For each shrine destroyed, the Leshen's magical influence will be lessened.
