Archespore

Archespores are huge, ugly flowers that look like carnivorous sundews and are counted among the cursed ones. They grow in places that once saw pogroms, bloody rituals or cruel murders, which hints at where their curse comes from. There are four color variants. Yellow is the rarest, and yellow and purple are the most dangerous.

An archespore attacks with powerful, jaw-like leaves, spits acid from a distance and grows explosive pods around itself. When the ground shakes hard, it pulls back underground and pops up somewhere else, and they often come in pairs.

You only find them in Toussaint. They show up during La Cage au Fou on the way to the Tesham Mutna ruins, in Till Death Do You Part and in The Curse of Carnarvon, where they guard a treasure together with barghests. They also appear during the Wine Wars quests, including Wine Wars: Vermentino and Wine Wars: Coronata, and in Beyond Hill and Dale….

Across the games

In The Witcher, archespores appear in Act II and Act III in and around Vizima‘s Temple Quarter. In Act II, the secondary quest Bloodthirsty Vegetation begins once Geralt has killed an archespore and is carrying proof of it. He only has to bring the archespore’s head to Vincent, who pays 400 orens, and the quest gives 3,000 XP.

In Act III, the jailer Jethro posts a notice asking for three flasks of archespore juice, since he would rather not face the plants himself. The contract can only be finished if the Bestiary already has an entry on archespores. Delivering the juice earns 200 orens and 5,000 XP.

Bloodthirsty Vegetation (Act II, secondary quest)
The Archespore Contract (Act III, monster contract)

Combat strategy

Archespores can’t walk, so the fight is about controlling the distance. Stay out of reach of the leaves, close in when it’s done spitting, strike and step away. Watch the ground around it: the pods explode, so don’t hit them with your sword. Fire works well against archespores, though Igni has less time to do its work because they sink underground so quickly.

If there are two, focus on one at a time and keep the other in view so its acid doesn’t catch you from behind.

Apply Cursed Oil to your silver sword.
Use Igni, and Aard or any other shockwave, to hit and disrupt them.
Don’t strike the explosive pods in melee. Dodge away from them.
Drink Golden Oriole before the fight. Their acid and poison will then heal you instead of hurting you.
Expect a strong tremor to send them underground, and be ready to reposition when they resurface.