Royal Wyvern

A royal wyvern is a wyvern that has grown far bigger and more dangerous than others of its kind. Wyverns are draconids, winged reptiles that hunt from the air. The one in The Witcher 3 got its size the smart way. Instead of showing itself while hunting on the wing, it ambushed military supply convoys and fed well. It’s much deadlier than a regular wyvern and can kill with a single blow.

You meet it in Contract: Phantom of the Trade Route in Velen, north of Benek. This contract doesn’t come from a notice board. A refugee in Benek asks Geralt to look for his brother and other hired hands who went out with a merchant caravan. Following the trail from the ransacked caravan to a cave, Geralt learns that the merchants used the refugees as bait to keep their own people and goods safe.

Up on the cliff above the cave you have to kill two regular wyverns and destroy two nests before the royal wyvern comes down to take the bait. Its body gives you the wyvern trophy and the sword Anathema.

Across the games

In The Witcher, royal wyverns appear in Act IV, at Murky Waters. A notice in the Village says the innkeeper will pay well for three royal wyvern eggs.

Geralt has to track down royal wyverns and collect three of their eggs, which serve as the trophy for this contract. When he hands them over, the reason turns out to be harmless: the innkeeper needs the eggs for his well-known omelets. The contract pays 250 orens and 5,000 XP.

The Royal Wyvern Contract (Act IV, monster contract)

Combat strategy

The royal wyvern has three main moves to watch for: a spit attack it sets up by rearing and stretching its neck, a jumping lunge and a charging ram. Dodge sideways from the lunge and the charge, then punish it while it recovers. When it takes to the air, bring it back down with your crossbow or a bomb. Mind the cliff edge: the arena is big, but you can fall to your death.

Axii does very little to it, so stick to the signs and tools that work.

Apply Draconid Oil to your silver sword.
Use Aard or a crossbow bolt to interrupt its charge.
Throw Grapeshot, and shoot it down with the crossbow when it dives.
Golden Oriole is listed as a useful potion for this fight.
Kill the two regular wyverns and destroy both nests before the royal wyvern lands, so you face it alone.