The protagonist of The Witcher franchise is the impeccable Geralt of Rivia. He's fast, he's wise, he's strong, and he knows everything there is to know about monsters. Even though he's one of the toughest characters in his entire fantasy world, he still has to put his guard up when facing the many magical creatures that he comes across in the dangerous wild. One of the roughest creatures that can be encountered in The Witcher 3's play through are earth elementals, giant rock monsters that can really pack a punch.

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There are more to these not-so-gentle giants than the eye can see, making them incredibly interesting foes to approach. Whether you need some info to take down an earth elemental or you just want to know more about the lore of The Witcher world, here are the top facts you should know about these supernatural foes.

10 Their Monster Type

Witcher Earth Elemental

Earth Elementals are in the monster class Elementa. Other creatures that share this type are djinn, gargoyles, golems, ice elementals, and fire elementals. The Wild Hunt has their own Elementa monsters, the Hounds of the Wild Hunt. These beings, made magically from materials of the earth, are never easy to take down.

9 Their Origins In The World Of The Witcher

The earth elemental is the smaller, similar-looking brother to the legendary D'ao, the elemental genie who can control the earth. He is known for his incredible power of creating earthquakes and shifting entire mountains. Though earth elementals look and may seem similar to D'ao, their magic, abilities, and intelligence is nothing compared to him. Earth elementals are simply large golems with the composition of rock, mud, other earthly build-ups.

8 Their Only Weakness

Dimeritium Bomb from the Gwent Card Game

Earth elementals are known for their lack of weaknesses to basically anything. They don't take bleeding or burn damage, since they don't exactly have any skin or blood to get damaged. Fire damage is useless here and fast attacks will barely chip away at this big dude's health. However, equipping Elementa Oil to Geralt's silver sword will do some extra damage, so remember to oil up.

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The monster's one true weakness is Dimeritium Bombs. Hacking away at their health with a few of these deadly bombs will make the battle against them a bit easier.

7 They Are Loyal Beings

The Witcher Watches An Earth Elemental From The Distance

Earth elementals are made of mud, clay, sand, and rock dust clumped together with water and brought alive with magic. Mage's have the ability to summon these giant beasts to use them as a means of protection, and an earth elemental will not give up on their duty to protect what they're assigned to protect under any circumstances. They are loyal to their summoner and will "die" to protect them at all costs.

6 They Have Human Senses

The Witcher Killing An Earth Elemental

Though the earth elementals are just pieces of the earth molded into a sentient being through the means of magic, they still have senses as most living beings do. They don't feel typical emotions, but they can physically feel, hear, and see the world around them, making them efficient at protecting their summoner. Don't underestimate these giant golems, for they can spot you as soon as you enter their domain.

5 They Often Drop Rare Loot

THe Witcher Fighting An Earth Elemental In The Dark

When it dies, it drops Fifth Essence, Infused Shard, and Elemental Essence. Be sure to pick up the Earth elemental mutagen, for they can be found after defeating the large, terrifying beast. There may be some other cool items to pick up in the area once the elemental is defeated, so make sure to check around.

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In previous Witcher games, the giant beast can drop a rare Elemental stone once defeated, plus they guard precious treasure items that can be looted after they're taken down.

4 Earth Elemental Decoctions

The Witcher Fighting An Earth Elemental In The Grass

After picking up the monster's earth elemental mutagen, Geralt can concoct an earth elemental decoction. This potion gives the Witcher a constant 10% reduction to all vitality-reducing effects. The strong potion lasts a whopping 30 minutes, so Geralt is sure to be protected through any battle. Other ingredients needed to make this potion include Dwarves Spirit, Balisse Fruit, and Pringrape.

3 They're Faster Than They Look

The Witcher Insulting An Earth Elemental

You'd think that a giant hunk of rock and mud would be very heavy and slow in movement. However, an earth elemental can take a person out before they have time to draw their sword. Their heavy swings can tear through an opponent at only a moment's notice. Though they might be slower on their feet, their reflexes are great and their arms are always lashing out at fast speeds. They can also leap off the ground and slam down, creating a shockwave capable of rumbling the earth and knocking their enemy off their feet. Be sure to be standing far away when this monster jumps into the air.

2 Some Signs Work Against Them

The Witcher Using Magic To Trap An Earth Elemental

Yrden is the most effective sign to use against an earth elemental in battle. The spell will trap the beast for a short period of time, giving Geralt the chance to attack, heal, or create some distance between himself and the monster. The Witcher spells Axi and Aard can also stagger the foe for a moment, which can be useful in very fast-paced battles.

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Igni may not be of much use against an earth elemental, since he will not take any burning damage. Quen is perfect for keeping Geralt protected and for him to lose less health when getting hit by the mighty beast.

1 Speed Is Key To Defeating These Large Beasts

geralt dodging the attack of an earth elemental.

If fighting an earth elemental above ground, riding Roach will give Geralt an advantage. He can avoid any attacks by quickly maneuvering around the golem, and rush to deal a couple of heavy attacks. Rather than dodging the earth elemental's heavy swinging arms, it's wiser to roll out of the way. It creates a larger distance between the two opponents and is much quicker. Roll, run, and win!

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