No, there are no Witches in Back 4 Blood
As a passionate Back 4 Blood player and content creator, I get asked often – "is there witches in Back 4 Blood?". To provide a clear answer upfront:
No, there are no witches in Back 4 Blood.
As a spiritual successor to Left 4 Dead, many fans expected to see the return of witches alongside new enemies. However, Turtle Rock Studios went in a fresh direction with the special infected mutations.
The Special Ridden Replace Witches and Other Left 4 Dead Infected
Instead of witches, tanks, hunters etc., Back 4 Blood introduces a roster of "Special Ridden" – heavily mutated, powerful zombies that serve as bosses and mini-bosses:
| Special Ridden | Description |
|---|---|
| Tallboys | Tanky enemies that smash Cleaners with their elongated arms |
| Stingers | Agile zombies that pounce from afar |
| Crushers | Heavily armored monsters that squeeze Cleaners in their grip |
| Hags | Stealthy crones that inflict corruption |
| Breakers | Gigantic titans with protruding bone shards covering their body |
| Reekers | Exploding zombies emitting a hazardous gas |
The hissing Hag probably fits the closest analog to Left 4 Dead‘s witch: a female zombie you do not want to startle.
However, rather than instant incapacitation, the Hag applies corruption – temporarily lowering damage resistance and max health. This puts a unique spin on the "avoid or else" zombie archetype.
How Back 4 Blood Differs From Left 4 Dead
Don‘t let the lack of witches deter you – Back 4 Blood absolutely stands on its own as a thrilling co-op shooter. Some key differences:
- More open levels with secondary objectives – adds replayability
- An in-depth card system to customize abilities – create unique builds
- Weapon attachments and player cosmetics to unlock
- A competitive PvP mode that lets you play as Special Ridden
Based on playtime from my friends and I, these features give Back 4 Blood incredible replay value that Left 4 Dead couldn‘t match.
The Card System Opens Up Build Variety
I especially want to highlight the card system. As you progress, you unlock Supply Lines that award new cards with powerful effects:
+20% reload speed
Heal 5 health whenever you kill a Ridden
Start with a tier 2 weapon
etc.
You choose 15 cards to take into each run, leading to almost endless combinations. I love tweaking my sniper, melee tank, and medic builds.
PvP Lets You Play As Special Ridden
The new PvP mode also brings something fresh to the table. Playing as mutant Tallboys, Crushers, and Stingers against other humans is an absolute blast with friends.
Bloating up as an exploding Reeker or sneaking around as a Hag has led to many laugh-out-loud moments in voice chat.
Is Back 4 Blood Worth Playing Without Witches?
Between the card system, fun mutations, and competitive mode alone – yes, absolutely. Back 4 Blood stands tall on its own merits.
The expanded progression and customization resolves one of Left 4 Dead‘s shortcomings for me. Once you played through the linear campaigns and modes a few times, that was mostly it.
With 6 difficulty levels that reconfigure enemy types, director challenges like fog and friendly fire, rich progression, and PvP – Back 4 Blood incentivizes jumping back in again and again.
And that‘s not even considering the excellent core shooting gameplay with tactical teamwork on higher difficulties. The gunplay feels peso much better than Left 4 Dead‘s dated mechanics.
So while I‘m sad not to see Witches and other classic infected, the new enemies and features make Back 4 Blood a fresh take – not just a rehash.
120 hours in and I‘m still discovering new card combos and level strategies with my co-op partners. That‘s the sign of an exceptional game in my book – even without the Witches!
