Dettlaff Boss Fight

A guide on how to defeat Dettlaff in Blood and Wine expansion, probably the hardest boss in the entire game.

Checklist Before The Fight

Time Before

You will walk a long path to even get to this boss fight which starts after getting Syanna back. During these last stages of the questline you won't have any access to the services of a smith, so do remember to stack with the weapon and armour repair kits very well.

Before you rush into the fight to help Regis, you'll have the last chance to check your inventory. Use this chance wisely.

Remember to also bring a lot of food.

Potions That Help

• Vampire Oil
  
• Black Blood
  
• Swallow
  
• Thunderbolt (The quicker the battle is over the better!)
  
• White Raffard's Decoction (Immediate first aid)
  
• White Honey (In case you need all of the above)

Other Things That Help

• Igni, Quen and Aard signs. Dettlaff is vulnerable to Igni more at the start and it helps to make the first stage a bit faster. In the second stage Igni also helps some, but then changing to Quen especially for the third stage makes most sense.
  
• Undying trait in the Battle Trance line
  
• Second Life mutation
  
• Retribution enchantment (level 3) from the Ofieri Runewright from the Hearts of Stone expansion. It deals reflect damage with 30% chance, and also makes Geralt's enemies (including Dettlaff) to stagger when it happens.

Things To Remember

Health

Dettlaff is a boss that deals a very high immediate damage. Do not trust your health to go too low in any point, even if you have an active Undying trait, and plenty of Adrenaline Points. It might still be a life savior by chance, but in this fight the Second Life mutation is more reliable.

Dos

• Keep moving
  
• Roll often

Donts

• Don't run in the magic puddles he creates. They will trap you long enough for him to catch you.

Stages Of The Fight

First Stage

The first stage is nothing special yet - you'll fight Dettlaff as Dettlaff. You won't probably need to waste your potions yet in this point.

Second Stage

Second stage just might be the hardest, but with the right strategy you'll pull through to the third.

Now you'll be fighting Dettlaff as a flying vampire. His greatest - and deadliest attack is a swarm of bats that he sends from above.

However, the bat attacks do have a maximum range. The best solution is to stay as far from him as possible as he hovers and focuses on the bats, always paying attention not to step on his sticky magic puddles. Your compass/minimap on the upper right corner will give you the quickest idea on where he moves in each moment.

This will eventually force him to get closer to you and to land down more often. However, he will attempt to land on Geralt which is also very deadly, so be quick not to stay right under him when it happens.

Try to also be creative or unpredictable in your moves, not giving him too much ideas about a fixed maneuver.

Once he's down, it's your best chance to strike him with your silver sword. With Vampire Oil and Thunderbolt active, use strong strikes on him the best you can for causing the maximum damage. When he lifts up again, roll backwards to not stick into the puddle that he leaves under.

Repeat.

You can also try to stun Dettlaff with a crossbow or Aard sign as he tries to lunge at you and thus knock him down, but it is risky and you will have to be precise in catching this moment.

Third Stage

After Geralt cuts Dettlaff's wings off, then comes the stage with the hearts, like you were inside him and saw his organs. The biggest heart above bleeds a monster once in a while, as the three others in the sides only pulsate, being your main targets. The monster guards the other three hearts.

You can fight the blood monsters as they appear one by one, and after they are gone you'll have the chance to strike one of the three hearts. However, there's an alternative way where you can avoid fighting the blood monster altogether.

It goes like this: quickly keep rolling clockwise or counter clockwise between the three hearts, striking each one on the way until they all are gone. This way you'll take little to no damage while the blood monster can only chase you, and you can focus on what really must be done.

Repeat this until Dettlaff's pulse slows down and the last heart is dead.

Fourth Stage

Once the hearts are defeated, Dettlaff will diminish into a miserable looking, slow and limping creature. It will only take the smallest strike to bring him down, and Regis would do the rest.

[dwarfpcfan]

chort decoction is what you need since it makes you immune to his bats as it counts as a knockdown effect.

[JerryTheCairn]

for anyone else out there finding this difficult, you're not the only one... after about 50 attempts so far one heart in stage three is as close as I've got!

[b͎l͎a͎n͎k͎]

Did I miss something?...I killed him at first attempt on deathmarch difficulty xd?...
And I dont mean to say I am a pro or anything but I found him relatively easy to defeat...
I think the hardest fights of the game are these where you are outnumbered by 15 bandits
on dm difficulty...Or a quest in toussaint with the fkn elf statues for example...idk
honestly there were times I was getting one shotted for fun and other times it was okay
weird experience overall

[DaVinMan]

I had more fun figuring out how to beat him with CheatEngine to be honest. This was not a fun boss and nearly ruined the ending of a great DLC for me; especially since the combat system on this game is so ... uneven is the best word I have for it; especially for bosses. 'Nuff said about that.

[s0GG]

To be honest I JUST finished this fight and found the main quest's boss harder. Maybe because I was a noob still? Idk. Nice tutorial!

[Stoicbirch (Is free MMR)]

Literally the only thing you need to beat this guy is Quen to shield you and get Aerondight from the lady in the lake, since if you don't get hit (like you shouldn't be, dodging is easy as fuck against his telegraphed atacks) then the constant crits are OP.

[gojo satoryu]

Much easier than Toad Prince

[Miyabi]

Thanks! I'm sure quen still won't save me from the bats

[Elaini]

Good luck Mages!

[Miyabi]

Im about to do this on ng+ death march, oh boy.