All 8 Dying Light: The Beast Chimeras and when you'll face them

Hunting down all eight Chimeras in Dying Light: The Beast isn't always easy. Defeating the genetically enhanced turbo-zombies is the only way to progress the story, each one bringing returning hero Kyle Crane one step further to his revenge against The Baron as he injects their DNA to power up his own half-Volatile abilities and build out his Dying Light The Beast skills in preparation.

The good news is that it's impossible to miss out on one, since every Chimera you encounter appears in one of The Beast's main story quests. We've listed the relevant mission for each beastie below, so whether you're still in the game's early stages or are wondering how to defeat Mist in Dying Light The Beast (don't worry, I struggled with that one too), here's every Chimera you'll find across Castor Woods and when they'll turn up.

Every Chimera in Dying Light: The Beast

Chimera 1: Reaper

Mission: Safe Haven

The Reaper is the first Chimera you'll face in Dying Light: The Beast. He's a fairly straightforward fight, though since Kyle is at his weakest at this stage in the game, it can still prove challenging. The trick is to dodge The Reaper's charge attacks – or better still, bait it into running into a wall – and fight off all the lackey Biters he summons into the arena to build up your rage bar. Then, wail on the guy until dead.

Chimera 2: Defect

Mission: Life After Life

The Defect is a tanky Chimera that Kyle confronts while rescuing the people hiding at Town Hall. Much like The Reaper, the best way to beat it is to dodge its attacks (including flying boulders this time) and make use of your first few Beast Mode skills to rip it apart once you've built it up by killing the Biters in the area.

Chimera 3: Mist

Mission: First Blood

Mist is the first truly tricky Chimera of the bunch. We have a dedicated guide on how to defeat her (linked above) but the broad strokes are that you need to be quick on your feet to chase her while dodging her acid-spewing projectile vomit and stumbling through the clouds of disorienting smoke left in her wake. She summons Biters to leapfrog off and attack you from above, too, so make sure you kill as many regular zombies to cut off her supply. Don't forget to dodge a lot and bring plenty of gun ammo, health items, and heavy duty melee weapons to finish her off.

Chimera 4: Behemoth

Mission: A New Strain

Kyle lures the Behemoth Chimera out of hiding with The Baron's red smoke canisters, so there's a lot of build up to this particular fight. The Behemoth is extremely tanky and the arena you confront it in is very large, so make use of the space and try to attack from a distance with a Marksman's Rifle if you have one. You can also stick super close to it and hammer it with a fast melee weapon – knuckle dusters are my favorite – but beware its violent arm swinging!

Chimera 5: Toxin

Mission: Toxic Relationships

As its name suggests, Toxin is one of the Dying Light The Beast Chimeras that spits corrosive liquid at you. It moves around the space extremely quickly, much like The Mist, so you'll want to bring lots of guns, arrows, and throwables with you to take it out (as well as the hordes it summons to its aid). Don't underestimate the power of energy drinks and other low-tier health items for this fight, as you'll be topping your health up a lot and these items are quicker to use despite giving less health in return.

Chimera 6: Matriarch

Mission: Requiem For A Scream

Matriarch is the sixth Dying Light: The Beast Chimera, and she's a very tricky one. You face her in an abandoned cement factory, so not only is it almost pitch black, there are plenty of walls for her to hide behind after she wails loudly and summons Biters to attack you in her stead. You'll want to focus on her all the same since she'll just keep calling more Biters no matter how many you kill. Hunt her down around the arena and blast her in the face with the shotgun a few times, or build up your Beast Mode and seek her out to unleash it in close proximity before she leaps away.

Chimera 7: Wraith

Mission: One Flew Over The Volatile's Nest

Wraith's appearance is a bit of a surprise. It's one of the few Chimeras in Dying Light The Beast that turns up during a mission that had nothing to do with it in the first place. It's lurking in a Volatile nest, which is terrifying in itself, but the fight itself can be fairly simple. The Wraith Chimera turns invisible every so often, but you can easily find it by dealing damage to it or simply waiting for it to attack you first. Shock-modded weapons, grenades, and fire damage is a safe bet against it, and you'll want to stick to melee rather than ranged weapons in general since it's hard to get a clear shot with a gun (unless you opt for the trusty shotgun at close range).

Chimera 8: Colossus

Mission: Buried Truths

Finally, Colossus is the last of the eight Chimeras you'll battle in Dying Light: The Beast. It's also one of the hardest; it has the size and might of The Behemoth, the damaging acid spit of Toxin, and the charging attacks of The Defect and Reaper. Now's your chance to use every weapon in your arsenal to bring it down, and remember that Chimeras can kill average Biters to help clear a space, too – though you'll want those kills for yourself if you want to build up some Beast Mode charge.

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