Dettlaff van der Eretein, the higher vampire from the Blood and Wine expansion, might look like a monster designed to break your will — but with the right strategy, he can be one of the more manageable bosses in The Witcher 3, even on Death March difficulty. In this guide, we’ll walk through each of Dettlaff’s phases, focus on recognizing attack patterns, and show you how to neutralize his deadliest moves with timing, patience, and a few clever tricks. You don’t need a specific build to win — this method is effective across all specializations.

Phase One: A Familiar Fight

If you’ve already faced Dettlaff in his earlier encounter — the barn fight — then you know the basics of this phase. It’s straightforward. Dettlaff engages in close-quarters combat, and your job is to dodge his strikes and counter when there’s an opening. There’s nothing surprising here, no flashy tricks. Stay mobile, don’t get greedy with your attacks, and punish him during his windups. It’s a warm-up for what’s to come, so stay sharp but don’t overthink this first phase.

Phase Two: Three Key Mechanics

Once you bring his health down, the real challenge begins — and it’s where most players hit a wall. Dettlaff unlocks three new mechanics that seem chaotic at first, but once you understand how they work, this phase becomes arguably the easiest of the three.

1. The Bat Swarm Attack

At intervals, Dettlaff takes to the skies, gathering a massive swarm of bats and launching them in your direction. This move looks almost undodgeable the first time you see it — and it hits like a freight train if it connects. However, it’s absolutely avoidable. The moment you see Dettlaff begin his airborne channel — when the bat swarm starts swirling around him — sprint away. Once the cloud of bats begins to form a more focused shape, immediately roll to the left or right. The visual cue is obvious once you know to look for it, and with a bit of timing, you’ll slip right past the attack.

2. The Blood Pool Lunge

Another attack to watch out for: a blood-like pool appears beneath your feet, and Dettlaff bursts out of it moments later. This is a two-part attack. First, you must dodge to the side before he erupts from the ground to avoid the area-of-effect damage. Then, take advantage of the brief window when he’s regathering his strength — you can usually get in two or three clean hits before backing off. Be ready: he’ll soon unleash a second, smaller AOE and ascend once more.

3. Aerial Charge and Aard Counter

The third core move in this phase is a lunging aerial attack. Here’s where things get fun. As he closes the gap mid-lunge, you can use the Aard sign to interrupt his flight. The timing takes a little practice, but it’s forgiving enough. When you land the Aard correctly, Dettlaff will be slammed to the ground and stunned — giving you yet another chance to unload heavy hits before he resets. This move, unlike the others, gives you significant damage opportunities if you master the rhythm.

With these three patterns understood and countered, you can complete the second phase without taking damage at all. It’s all about reaction time, positioning, and exploiting those post-attack windows. It might feel intimidating at first, but the second phase is surprisingly consistent and controllable once you’ve practiced a bit.

Phase Three: The Heart Strategy

Now comes the dramatic final act of the fight: the third phase. Traditionally, this phase plays out with you fighting Dettlaff while he intermittently retreats into one of three suspended hearts. You’re meant to fight him, then attack the active heart when it’s vulnerable. Rinse and repeat. While this approach works, it’s drawn-out and dangerous.

There’s a smarter — and arguably more elegant — way to bypass most of the stress. You can destroy the hearts withouthaving to directly engage Dettlaff. Here’s how:

Lock on to one of the three hearts. Then, enter into a rhythm where you alternate between rolling to avoid Dettlaff’s attacks and delivering strong attacks to the heart. Time it well, and you’ll fall into a natural flow: roll, strike, roll, strike. Each time you avoid damage and hit the heart, you’re progressing toward victory while ignoring Dettlaff almost entirely.

Will you get hit? Occasionally, yes. It’s not foolproof, but it dramatically reduces the chaos of the phase. This strategy relies more on timing and rhythm than brute force.

No Specific Build Required

One of the strengths of this guide is that it doesn’t rely on any specific build or specialization. In fact, the strategy shown here was tested using a bomb and alchemy-focused setup — arguably the least suited to dueling high vampires — just to prove its universality.

That said, you can make the fight easier with certain build choices. A sign build or light armor will give you faster stamina regeneration, allowing you to cast Quen more often, which offers a safety net. Decoctions that enhance stamina regen or defense can also give you breathing room when things go wrong.

Final Thoughts

Defeating Dettlaff isn’t about having the strongest sword or the most optimized build — it’s about understanding his patterns and responding with precision. With a bit of practice, phase two becomes completely manageable, and the heart-clearing trick in phase three turns the fight into a battle of patience rather than panic.

It might have taken a while for this strategy to get out there, but better late than never. Whether you’re hunting Dettlaff on Death March or just want a clean win on your preferred difficulty, this guide gives you everything you need to come out on top. Thanks for reading, and good luck — monster slayer.