Manticore — witcher

	One of the world's oldest and deadliest creatures, I used to feel excitement at times like this, but now the beast is just in my way. Its meat and hot blood will help me survive this icy hell.
- Geralt on encountering a manticore, The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings

A manticore, otherwise known as a mardyacore,^[1] is a giant beast with the body of a lion, bat wings, and scorpion tail. As a young witcher, Geralt fought a manticore. He also killed one in early 1267, near the town of Dorian.^[2]

They are said to somehow use the lethal poison of the Bohun Upas in their stinger, and have an appetite that allows them to eat as many as 20 people per moon. Scholars at the Oxenfurt Academy believe that manticores have three rows of teeth, though this is not proven. Manticore's claws also never stop growing, so scratching various surfaces helps to keep them short,^[1] and easily slash their prey dead. They mainly inhabit mountain caves^[3] as well as woodlands under cover.

What is the physical description of a manticore in the Witcher universe? toggle section

A manticore in the Witcher universe, also termed a mardyacore, is a large creature with a lion's body, bat wings, and a scorpion tail. It uses Bohun Upas poison in its stinger and can consume up to 20 people each moon. Oxenfurt Academy scholars suggest that manticores may have three rows of teeth. Despite often being depicted with a human face, they are largely mindless beasts that can paralyze prey with venomous spines.

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What is the significance of the manticore witcher medallion? toggle section

The manticore witcher medallion, a silver symbol, signifies the witcher's school of origin. It reacts to magic, vibrating when spells are cast or magical beings are nearby. Given to witcher candidates who pass the Trial, the medallion's form reveals the training school of its bearer.

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How does a manticore use the poison of the Bohun Upas? toggle section

The manticore, a creature resembling a lion with bat wings and a scorpion tail, incorporates the deadly poison of the Bohun Upas tree into its stinger. It uses its tail to strike and poison adversaries, with the poison's effects persisting for an extended period. The Bohun Upas tree's sap is a potent poison, fatal to both humans and witchers, and is utilized by manticores in some way.

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What is the appetite of a manticore according to scholars at the Oxenfurt Academy? toggle section

The Oxenfurt Academy's scholars suggest that a manticore can consume up to 20 people per lunar cycle. They theorize that manticores possess three rows of teeth, but this remains unverified. Manticores are known to utilize the deadly Bohun Upas poison in their stingers and their continuously growing claws are kept short by scratching various surfaces.

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What is Geralt's history with manticores in the Witcher series? toggle section

Geralt, in the Witcher series, has multiple interactions with manticores. He learns about a manticore from Siegfried, who shares his father's fatal encounter with one. Geralt remembers battling an imperial manticore during his pursuit of the Wild Hunt. As a young Witcher, he fought a manticore and later defeated one near Dorian in 1267. Despite initial plans for manticores to feature in Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, they were eventually omitted.

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The Witcher

Siegfried relates the story of how his father, Eyck of Denesle, died fighting a manticore when he first meets Geralt in the sewers. A letter from Patrick de Weyze can tell you same story.

The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings

The Witcher 2 flashback, Imperial manticore

In The Witcher 2, Geralt recalls that he fought an imperial manticore in one of his flashbacks while pursuing the Wild Hunt.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Manticores were supposed to appear in the third game during its development in 2013 - 2014 but was removed around this time.^[4] It was supposed to appear in the mountains near Kaer Morhen fortress in the third game but was replaced by a forktail.

Information from leaked materials

Strange, flying creature, mix of lion, bat and scorpion. It attacks from the air and uses its long tail ended with a poison gland to poison the opponents. Mantikora lives in high mountains. It's strong and demanding opponent, even though it's not bigger than a lion.
Mantikora attacks alone.

Role in the group: Individual
Preferred behavior: aggressive - chases the opponent and attacks.
Special attacks and actions:
- Strong attacks - her attacks are slow paced but deal high damage.
- Tail attack - the monster uses it's tail to hit and poison his opponent. Player can dodge or use Quen to protect himself. Manticora's poison effect lasts very long. When hit, player will need to use a potion or Heliotrop to get rid of the critical effect.
- Knockdown - Manticora uses her wings to knockdown the opponent. Player has to dodge the attack.
- Tear apart - enabled on knocked down opponents. Monster attacks the opponent with it's claws and deals very high damage.
- Aerial bash - the creature flies into air dives down. If player dodges, Manticora hits the ground and is stunned for a short while. Player can see the shadow of the monster before it dives and also Geralt's witcher medallion vibrates showing danger.
- Jump attack - Manticora can quickly fly to it's target from a max distance of 15 meters. She hits her opponent with her claws and deals medium damage. Player can cast Quen or dodge to protect himself.
Defence:
- Dodge and counterattack - the monster dodges using it's wings and immediately counterattacks.
- Huge creature - doesn't play every hit animation. Her attacks aren't disrupted.
Vital points:
- Instant kill:
  - Piercing 3 hearts (cost 3 points for each heart). The hearts are blocked with Rib cage.
- Protection:
  - Crushing ribs - rib cage protects the heart of the monster. Player has to crush it's ribs first (cost: 5 points).
- Critical effect/disable ability:
  - Crippling one wing - disables the Aerial bash and Knockdown abilities (cost: 2 points).
  - Crippling both wings - disables the Jump attack (cost: 2 points each wing).
  - Piercing the poison gland - disables the Tail attack ability (cost: 2 points).
- Massive damage: none
Immune to: Silver, all witcher's signs except for the Yrden
Vulnerable to: Steel, Yrden

Andrzej Sapkowski

"There's a cruel man-eater in these parts, laddie. He fell on a knight riding along the road with nowt but a boy for company. They say the monster rent the knight's head right off — helmet and all — and split the horse's gizzards..."
"A dragon?"
"Nay, it's no dragon," said the one in the straw hat. "Tis said to be a manticore, or some such. The boy said 'tis a flying beast, awful huge. And vicious! We reckon he would devour the knight and fly away, but no! They say he settled on the road, the whoreson, and was sat there hissing and baring its fangs..."
...he saw the great tawny body being lifted up by the soldiers. The monster's bat-like wings and scorpion tail dragged inertly along the ground.

pgs. 10-11, Time of Contempt (U.K. edition)

Trivia

Manticore is a Persian mythological beast with the body of a lion and the tail of a dragon or a scorpion. It is often depicted having a human face, like Sphinx, but unlike the latter is more of a mindless beast. It can throw venomous spines to paralyze its prey.