When it comes to armor in The Witcher 3, the possibilities are truly endless.
You can look for the best armor set that works with your specific skill build or armor preference (light, medium, or heavy), mix and match pieces with preferred stats (like crit chance), or simply find the gear that has the look you’re going for.
No matter your playstyle, we’ve got you covered with some of the best armor sets in The Witcher 3. Our guide shows you how to find each set and which builds they’re best for.
Witcher School Gear — Best Overall Armor
Generally speaking, the Witcher School gear sets (Bear, Wolf, Griffin, Cat, Manticore, Viper) are the best armor pieces in the game.
They have excellent stats, look great, and provide useful set bonuses for wearing 3 out of 6 and 6 out of 6 of the set pieces once upgraded to Grandmaster.
Each set comes with four armor pieces (armor, boots, trousers, and gauntlets) and two swords (silver and steel). The Feline and Ursine sets also include a crossbow.
You can upgrade the Witcher school gear sets a total of four times as long as you have the Blood and Wine expansion unlocked. This takes them from basic to enhanced, superior, mastercrafted, and finally grandmaster tier (you can also get the higher-level versions in NG+).
Here’s a closer look at each set and the build it’s best for.
Note: Don’t forget to pair your chosen type of armor with one of the three Witcher School Techniques skills: Cat for light, Griffin for medium, and Bear for heavy armor. These skills give powerful bonuses.
Griffin Armor (Best for Signs)
- Armor type: Medium
- Special stats: Sign intensity
- Set bonuses: (3/6) After using Stamina to cast a Sign in its standard mode, the next Sign cast within 3 seconds will be cast in standard mode without using Stamina; (6/6) The size of Yrden traps is increased by 40%. While you are within a Yrden trap, Stamina regeneration is increased by 5/s and Sign Intensity by 100%, and damage is reduced by 20%.
The Griffin Armor’s polished plates prove our witcher is a force to be reckoned with. No peasant would dare to shortchange Geralt on a contract while he’s wearing this gear.
Plus, the metal griffin kneecaps are a nice tribute to Geralt’s monster-slaying heritage.
The main thing that differentiates this armor from others is the bonuses to sign intensity, making it excellent for builds focusing on heavy sign usage.
How to get the Griffin Armor
From Downwarren, ride Roach northwest toward a pair of undiscovered locations. One is a cave where you’ll find the armor diagrams. Looking for the enhanced, superior, and mastercrafted version? Check out our guide to getting all the Griffin Armor diagrams.
Ursine Armor (Best for Tanking)
- Armor type: Heavy
- Special stats: Adrenaline Point gain
- Set bonuses: (3/6) When a Quen shield shatters, there is a chance a new one will be cast at no stamina cost. The bonus increases by 5% for each piece of the set; (6/6) Damage dealt by Abilities involving the Quen sign is increased by 200%.
Many players say the Ursine Witcher armor is their favorite armor set in Witcher 3, and it’s not hard to see why: it combines excellent stats and set bonuses with a great look. This is the armor set we recommend if you’re going for a tanky build with a focus on strong attacks.
This heavy-duty armor gets its name from the Bear Witcher School. The long chest armor with full chainmail coverage provides maximum protection against the deadliest enemies. The high collar and scarf are a stylish touch that’s sure to keep Geralt toasty even in the harshest Skellige blizzards.
How to get the Ursine Armor
Travel to Oxenfurt and buy the armor map from the blacksmith to unlock the diagram locations. Follow the map marker to the ruined castle near Yngvar’s Fang on Skellige’s northernmost isle, Uralla.
Enter the castle and head to the wall at the opposite end. Activate the switch to open the cell doors. Take the cell to your immediate left, which leads to a cave. Journey through the cave and ascend the stairs to reach the chest with the diagrams.
Ready to upgrade your Ursine gear? Check out our full guide on how to get all the Ursine Armor diagrams.
Wolven Armor (Best All-Around)
- Armor type: Medium
Special stats: Adrenaline Point gain, sign intensity, attack power - Set bonuses: (3/6) Up to 3 different oils can be applied to a sword at a time; (6/6) Bombs are thrown without any delay.
The Wolf Armor is one of the most well-rounded armor sets in Witcher 3, giving you a little bit of everything.
Besides, it’s the perfect fit for Geralt’s nickname: The White Wolf. Chainmail and studs protect the vital organs, while durable leather and unfastened chest armor buckles provide a little extra mobility. Not to mention the convenient shoulder pouch for quickly storing and retrieving crowns and herbs.
All in all, the Wolf school gear set looks great and provides excellent stats for a versatile playstyle that involves a bit of everything (signs, fast & strong attacks, oils, bombs).
How to get the Wolven armor
Travel to Kaer Morhen and ride Roach up the winding path to the Old Signal Tower. Enter the tower ruins, loot the chest, and read the note to begin the scavenger hunt. Using your Witcher senses, find the first crystal and activate it with Aard.
Return to the tower entrance, and you’ll notice a gap in the wall to your right. Jump onto the rocks and tread carefully around the wall to find the second crystal.
Once you’ve activated it, return to the tower’s first level and jump through the portal to reach the diagrams.
Looking for the rest of the diagrams? Check out our walkthrough on how to find the Wolven Armor diagrams.
Cat (Feline) Armor (Best for Fast Attacks)
- Armor type: Light
- Special stats: Increased attack power, resistance to elemental damage
- Set bonuses: (3/6) Strong attacks increase Fast Attack damage for 5 seconds by 10% for each piece of the set; (6/6) Rear attacks deal 50% more damage, and also stun opponents at the cost of 1 Adrenaline Point.
Not only is the Feline armor the best light armor in The Witcher 3, but it’s also one of the most stylish. The studded belt and chest armor add a bit of bling to our favorite Butcher of Blaviken.
Underneath what appears to be a blend of suede and leather is an impenetrable layer of chainmail protecting Geralt’s neck, arms, and chest.
The Cat school armor works great for a playstyle focused on using fast attacks and avoiding damage entirely by dodging.
How to get the Feline Armor
Buy the diagram map from a merchant in northwestern Blackbough. Follow the map marker to a cave in Novigrad. Complete the puzzles to reach the golem and the chest containing the diagrams. Our guide on how to get the Feline Armor features a full walkthrough.
Manticore Armor (Best for Alchemy)
- Armor type: Medium
- Special stats: Increased critical hit chance, increased Toxicity threshold
- Set bonuses: (3/6) Critical hit chance and critical hit damage also apply to bombs; (6/6) One more charge for each alchemy item
An armor set used by witchers from the Manticore school, this gear set has a less flashy and more practical look.
The Manticore armor is only available in the Blood and Wine expansion and doesn’t have any upgrade levels. But it’s still one of the top sets in the game.
This armor set is focused on improving your potions, decoctions, and bombs, making it the best option for alchemy-themed builds.
How to get the Manticore Armor
Travel to Beauclair and visit the Grandmaster craftsman to unlock the diagram locations. Your search will take you all over Toussaint, so be prepared for a scavenger hunt. Our guide on how to get the Manticore Armor includes a detailed walkthrough.
Viper Armor
- Armor type: Medium
- Special stats: Resistance to poisoning and elemental damage
An armor set themed around snakes and poison, The Viper set was added in the Hearts of Stone expansion.
It has a sleek, dark look that’s very similar to the Kaer Morhen armor you start the game with. However, it doesn’t have a set bonus, unlike the other Witcher school gear sets, which makes it a bit weaker.
Still, the Viper School set is a decent option, especially if you’re looking for high poison resistance. It also comes with two swords that give your attacks a chance to poison enemies.
How to get the Viper Armor
The Viper Amor was introduced in the Hearts of Stone expansion. You only have one shot at getting the diagrams, so don’t miss it. During the Open Sesame mission in HoS, talk to Countess Mignole. Find her lost earring to unlock additional dialogue options and buy the Viper armor diagrams.
Check out our post on how to get the Viper Amor set in The Witcher 3 for a detailed walkthrough.
Other Great Armor Pieces
The armor sets listed below are not part of any Witcher school set but still provide either solid stats and/or a stylish look for all the fashion connoisseurs out there.
Ofieri Armor
- Armor type: Light
- Special stats: Signs intensity bonuses
The Ofieri gear set was introduced in the Hearts of Stone expansion. This light armor has a unique Middle Eastern theme that you won’t find anywhere else in Witcher 3, so if you’re looking for a fashionable look this is a great option.
The stats are not as good as the Witcher sets, but you can make it work with our fabulous Ofieri build. This set also includes a sword and blinders, saddlebags, and a stock saddle for Roach.
How to get Ofieri Armor
The Ofieri armor set can be crafted using the 4 armor diagrams you obtain during the From Ofier’s Distant Shores quest in Hearts of Stone. To start this quest, talk to the Ofieri merchant Dulla kh’Amanni in Upper Mill.
New Moon Armor
- Armor type: Medium
- Special stats: Crit chance and damage, bonus gold
The New Moon armor is another set added in Hearts of Stone. This four-piece medium armor set has a neat medieval look.
It provides bonuses to crit chance and damage, making it a good option for skill builds focused on critical hits.
How to get New Moon Armor
The New Moon set is scattered throughout multiple locations:
- New Moon armor is inside a box at the lighthouse at Crane Cape, the island northwest of Novigrad
- The New Moon trousers can found during the Royal Air Force treasure hunt quest, at the top of the tower
- New Moon gauntlets are found inside a crypt to the east of the Heddel Abandoned Site, in northeastern Velen, near Novigrad
- New Moon boots are found at the Kilkerinn Ruins in eastern Velen (climb to the top of the ruins where the tree is and look for a ledge with a chest)
Tesham Mutna Armor
- Armor type: Heavy
Special stats: Resistance to bleeding and burning - Set bonus: Killing opponents restores Vitality. The amount of Vitality restored equals 1% of the maximum Vitality for each element of the set worn (6% for full set).
This set from the Blood and Wine expansion is certainly a unique look with its dark black color and face mask. Better yet, it comes with great defensive stats and a neat, vampire-themed set bonus. The steel sword also has a neat look.
How to get the Tesham Mutna armor
This sleek set is only available during the Blood and Wine quest La Cage au Fou. This is one quest we don’t want to spoil, so we’ll keep it simple.
Travel to the Tesham Mutna ruins with Regis. During a cut screen, he will lean on a chest. Loot it to find the armor, minus the boots and gauntlets. Don’t forget to grab the mask, gauntlets, and steel sword from another chest and strongbox located in the tower.
Hen Gaidth Armor
- Armor type: Heavy
- Special stats: Resistance to bleeding and burning
- Set bonus: Killing opponents restores vitality. The amount of Vitality restored equals 1% of the maximum Vitality for each element of the set worn (6% for full set).
The Hen Gaidth armor set is essentially an upgraded, red color version of the Tesham Mutna set. It has a higher level which is why the stats are much beefier than its black counterpart.
How to get the Hen Gaidth Armor
Just like the Viper Armor, you only get one shot at nabbing the Hen Gaidth set. You’ll acquire this set during one of Blood and Wine’s main quests, so we won’t spoil it for you. Just make sure to explore your environment fully during the “What Lies Unseen” quest.
Toussaint Armor
- Armor type: Heavy
- Special stats: +450 Vitality for each piece worn, resistance to burning and bleeding
This high-level, gold-colored heavy armor is truly fit for a knight errant and comes with a serious Vitality boost.
If you like to look like a proper medieval knight or want a viable alternative to the Ursine armor for a tanky build, this is the set you want to go for. It’s found in the Blood and Wine expansion.
How to get the Toussaint armor
There’s a magic and a relic version of this armor. To get the better relic version, search the Land of a Thousand Fables for the body of a knight during the B&W main quest “Beyond Hill and Dale.”
Assassin Gauntlets
- Armor type: Light
- Special stats: Increased critical hit chance, increased chance to find additional herbs
The assassin’s gauntlets get a special mention because they provide 10% critical hit chance, which is one of the best stat boosts you can get from gloves in Witcher 3.
If you don’t mind mixing and matching gear and have a build focused on high crit chance, these gloves are a great option, especially early on in the game.
How to get the Assassin’s Gauntlets
It would probably be easier to talk about where not to get them. Do a little treasure hunting in the Skellige seas and you’re bound to find a pair. Or, craft them with leather scraps, hardened leather, and thread.
Temerian Armor
This DLC armor is a low-profile way to stand in solidarity with Vernon Roche from Witcher 2. Speaking of Roach, you and your favorite mare can even match with the Temerian horse equipment. The Temerian Armor is a great starter set for new players.
Armor type: Light
How to get the Temerian armor
Install the free DLC. Then head to Woesong Bridge in White Orchard. Buy the set from the merchant by the bridge.
Nilfgaardian Armor
Like the Temerian Armor, this faction armor is also a free DLC. Masquerade as a Nilfgaardian officer and go party with the Black Ones at the House of Respite outside the Nilfgaardian Army Base.
Armor type: Medium
How to get the Nilfgaardian armor
Install the free DLC. Then buy the set from the quartermaster (not Fergus or Yoana) in Crow’s Perch.
Skellige Armor
With this ornate, heavy armor, you’ll not only have the heart of a member of Clan an Craite, but you’ll have the gear to match. This one’s also a DLC, and by now, you probably know what to do.
Armor type: Heavy
How to get the Skellige armor
Install the DLC. Then head to Kaer Trolde and visit the Armorer to buy the set.
Best Armor in Witcher 3? It Depends
What’s the best armor in The Witcher 3? There’s no right or wrong answer — it all depends on your play style and preferences.
If you prefer a tanky, defensive style, the Bear armor is a safe bet. If you’re a fleet-footed swordmaster, Feline is the way to go. And if you’re looking to maximize critical hit chance, alchemy, or something else, there are many options to choose from.
Of course, if you just think an armor looks cool, that’s okay, too. There’s no shortage of snazzy sets to keep Geralt looking sharp (literally). Besides, you can always change up your look whenever you feel like it and even apply dyes to your armor to make it unique.
If you want to pair these armor sets with an equally powerful set of swords, check out our guide to the best weapons in Witcher 3. We also have a guide to the best Witcher 3 skill builds that will help you match your armor to the right build.
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