Blood Run in The Witcher 3: How to Beat the Beast of Beauclair (First Fight)
Witcher 3 Blood Run: how to beat the Beast of Beauclair in the warehouse, the missable Hare Mask, Regis's return, and the 1,000 XP reward.
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Updated October 2026. Blood Run is a short but important Blood and Wine quest. It picks up straight after the hare hunt in The Beast of Toussaint: Geralt and the duchess reach the greenhouse too late, the Beast of Beauclair escapes, and Geralt chases it through the streets into an empty warehouse. That's the first fight with the Beast, and it ends with the return of an old friend. There's also a missable item you should grab first.
Quick answer
Missable: go back to the greenhouse right away for the Hare Mask, before the body disappears.
The fight: the Beast teleports and attacks your back. Dodge after each teleport, counterattack, and keep Quen with Active Shield up.
Careful: the fight ends before anyone reaches zero health, so don't let yourself get too low. Undying won't save you.
The twist: Regis interrupts the fight and tells Geralt the Beast's name is Dettlaff.
Reward: 1,000 XP if you win the fight (none if you lose). Next: La Cage au Fou.
Blood Run Walkthrough
1. The Greenhouse
After you work out that Milton is hiding in the greenhouse, Geralt goes there with Anna Henrietta, but the Beast of Beauclair has already killed him. A chase follows through Beauclair, ending at an abandoned warehouse.
Hare Mask: to get it, return to the greenhouse immediately. If you wait, the body and the mask are gone.
2. How to Beat the Beast of Beauclair
After a short talk, the fight begins. The Beast is fast but doesn't hit very hard:
| His move | What to do |
|---|---|
| Teleports, then attacks your back | Dodge right after he teleports, then counterattack |
| Blocks and dodges your attacks | Don't spam combos; wait for openings |
| Fast melee combos | Keep moving and try to stay behind him |
| Low damage per hit | Quen with Active Shield holds up well, because one hit won't break it (see our signs guide) |
Both wikis agree on the basics: stay mobile, punish him after his teleports and don't trade blows head-on. For general dodge and counter tips, see our combat guide.
Don't rely on Undying. The fight is scripted to end before either of you hits zero, so keep your health up. You can lose it and the story continues, but you get no XP.
3. Regis
At the end of the fight, Regis appears and the Beast flees. Regis explains that the Beast is called Dettlaff, the vampire who helped him regenerate after his "death", and insists Dettlaff wouldn't do this without a good reason. Knights arrive, so Regis leaves, but first tells Geralt where to meet him. Talk to the knights and the quest ends. La Cage au Fou follows.
In the warehouse you can also find a Purchasing Brief and a Love letter (up a ladder). They don't matter now, but they hint at the Rocking Horse toyshop, which matters later in the story.
Video: Blood Run
Frequently Asked Questions
QHow do I beat the Beast of Beauclair in Blood Run?
Dodge right after he teleports, counterattack, and keep Quen with Active Shield up. His hits are weak, so the shield lasts.
QCan I lose the fight?
Yes, and the story continues, but you get no XP. You only get the 1,000 XP for winning.
QWho is the Beast of Beauclair?
Regis tells Geralt it's Dettlaff, the vampire who helped Regis regenerate.
QHow do I get the Hare Mask?
Go back to the greenhouse as soon as you can after the fight; if you wait, the body and the mask disappear.
QWhat comes after Blood Run?
La Cage au Fou, where you meet Regis.
Before this: The Beast of Toussaint. More: how to start Blood and Wine, Blood and Wine endings and all Witcher 3 quests.
Sources: in-game quest text and journal; steps and fight tips checked against the Witcher Wiki and Fextralife pages for Blood Run. Screenshots: gameplay frames from YouTube walkthroughs by Jason's Video Games Source, xLetalis, Father, Beer Conjuror and ReinaDCD.
Kai Mercer covers game news, free games, release calendars and guides for xGamerss.
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