The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is one of the most acclaimed and popular RPGs of all time, with a vast open world, a rich story, and a deep combat system. The game also offers a lot of customization options for the players, who can craft and upgrade various types of weapons, armor, potions, bombs, and more.
One of the most rewarding aspects of the game is finding and crafting the witcher gear sets, which are based on the different schools of witchers, such as the Wolf, the Cat, the Bear, the Griffin, and the Manticore. These sets not only look cool, but also provide unique bonuses and stats that suit different playstyles and preferences.
However, crafting these sets is not easy, as it requires finding the diagrams, gathering the materials, and visiting the right craftsmen. Moreover, the game has five tiers of quality for the witcher gear sets: basic, enhanced, superior, mastercrafted, and grandmaster. The grandmaster tier is the highest and most powerful one, but it is only available in the Blood and Wine expansion, which is set in the beautiful and dangerous region of Toussaint.
In this article, we will explain how to upgrade your witcher gear sets to the grandmaster level, which is the ultimate goal for any witcher enthusiast. We will cover the following topics:
- How to start the quest for the grandmaster diagrams
- How to find the grandmaster diagrams for each witcher school
- How to craft the grandmaster witcher gear sets
- What are the benefits and bonuses of the grandmaster witcher gear sets
How to Start the Quest for the Grandmaster Diagrams
The first step to upgrade your witcher gear sets to the grandmaster level is to start the quest that will lead you to the diagrams. The quest is called “Master Master Master Master!” and it can be initiated by finding a notice on a board in Toussaint or by speaking with Lazare Lafargue, who is the grandmaster armorer and blacksmith in the game.
Lazare Lafargue can be found in Hauteville, a district in the city of Beauclair, which is the capital of Toussaint. He is the only one who can craft the grandmaster witcher gear sets, and he will also give you the clues and locations for finding the diagrams. He will tell you about the five witcher schools and their history, and he will also offer you some side quests that are related to each school.
After talking to him, you will have five new quests in your journal, one for each witcher school:
- Scavenger Hunt: Grandmaster Feline Gear
- Scavenger Hunt: Grandmaster Griffin Gear
- Scavenger Hunt: Grandmaster Ursine Gear
- Scavenger Hunt: Grandmaster Wolven Gear
- Scavenger Hunt: Grandmaster Manticore Gear
You can do these quests in any order you want, but keep in mind that they are not easy, as they involve exploring dangerous areas, solving puzzles, fighting enemies, and investigating clues. You will also need to be at least level 40 to equip the grandmaster witcher gear sets, so make sure you are prepared before you embark on these quests.
How to Find the Grandmaster Diagrams for Each Witcher School
The next step is to find the grandmaster diagrams for each witcher school. Each quest will have four diagrams to find: one for the armor, one for the boots, one for the gauntlets, and one for the trousers. The diagrams for the swords are not part of the quests, but they can be bought from Lafargue or other merchants in Toussaint.
The locations and details of each quest are as follows:
Grandmaster Feline Gear
The Feline gear set is based on the Cat school of witchers, who are known for their agility, speed, and precision. The Feline set is a light armor set that boosts Attack Power, Critical Hit Chance, Critical Hit Damage, and Fast Attack Damage. It is ideal for players who prefer a fast and offensive playstyle, using quick attacks, dodges, and signs.
The quest for the grandmaster Feline gear starts in the city of Beauclair, where you will find a note on a notice board near the port. The note will direct you to a tailor named Countess Mignole, who lives in a mansion in the city. She will tell you that she has a piece of the Feline armor that belonged to her ancestor, who was a witcher of the Cat school. She will also tell you that there is a secret chamber in her mansion that contains more clues about the Feline gear.
To access the secret chamber, you will need to find a hidden switch in the library, which will open a secret passage behind a bookshelf. Inside the chamber, you will find a letter from the Cat witcher, who reveals that he hid the rest of the diagrams in four different locations in Toussaint. He also gives you some riddles to help you find them.
The locations and riddles are as follows:
Armor: The armor diagram is hidden in a cave near the Trastamara Hunting Cottage, east of Francollarts. The riddle is: “In the land of wine, barrels are aplenty. Yet the one I seek lies forgotten by many. In a cave, half-hidden, near the place where they make red dye. There you will find the barrel that hides what you desire.”
Boots: The boots diagram is hidden in a ruined tower near the Trading Post, south of Fort Ussar. The riddle is: “In the land of wine, many a vineyard you’ll find. Yet the one I seek is not of this kind. It’s where they once made a very special wine, using a very special method. In a ruined tower, near the bridge you’ll find, there you will find the chest that hides what you desire.”
Gauntlets: The gauntlets diagram is hidden in a cave near the Arthach Palace Ruins, west of Dun Tynne Hillside. The riddle is: “In the land of wine, many a palace you’ll see. Yet the one I seek is not of royalty. It’s where they once trained young boys to be knights, using a very special method. In a cave, near the ruins you’ll find, there you will find the sarcophagus that hides what you desire.”
Trousers: The trousers diagram is hidden in a fort near the Termes Palace Ruins, east of Flovive. The riddle is: “In the land of wine, many a fort you’ll see. Yet the one I seek is not of the army. It’s where they once held mages and other folk, using a very special method. In a fort, near the palace you’ll find, there you will find the cage that hides what you desire.”
After finding all the diagrams, you can return to Lafargue and craft the grandmaster Feline gear set.
Grandmaster Griffin Gear
The Griffin gear set is based on the Griffin school of witchers, who are known for their affinity with magic and signs. The Griffin set is a medium armor set that boosts Sign Intensity, Stamina Regeneration, and Armor. It is ideal for players who prefer a balanced and versatile playstyle, using signs, potions, and bombs.
The quest for the grandmaster Griffin gear starts in the city of Beauclair, where you will find a note on a notice board near the port. The note will direct you to a herbalist named Theophile Maria Rosco, who lives in a hut near the Castel Ravello Vineyard, east of Beauclair. He will tell you that he has a piece of the Griffin armor that belonged to his ancestor, who was a witcher of the Griffin school. He will also tell you that there is a hidden laboratory in his hut that contains more clues about the Griffin gear.
To access the hidden laboratory, you will need to find a hidden switch in the herbalist’s hut, which will open a secret passage behind a painting. Inside the laboratory, you will find a letter from the Griffin witcher, who reveals that he hid the rest of the diagrams in four different locations in Toussaint. He also gives you some riddles to help you find them.
The locations and riddles are as follows:
Armor: The armor diagram is hidden in a cave near the Pits of Brume, south of Fort Astre Ruins. The riddle is: “In the land of wine, many a cave you’ll find. Yet the one I seek is not of this kind. It’s where they once mined a very special ore, using a very special method. In a cave, near the pits you’ll find, there you will find the chest that hides what you desire.”
Boots: The boots diagram is hidden in a ruined tower near the Mont Crane Castle, north of Beauclair. The riddle is: “In the land of wine, many a tower you’ll find. Yet the one I seek is not of this kind. It’s where they once studied a very special lore, using a very special method. In a tower, near the castle you’ll find, there you will find the bookcase that hides what you desire.”
Gauntlets: The gauntlets diagram is hidden in a cave near the Tufo Vineyard, east of Beauclair. The riddle is: “In the land of wine, many a vineyard you’ll find. Yet the one I seek is not of this kind. It’s where they once grew a very special herb, using a very special method. In a cave, near the vineyard you’ll find, there you will find the barrel that hides what you desire.”
Trousers: The trousers diagram is hidden in a fort near the Dun Tynne Crossroads, west of Beauclair. The riddle is: “In the land of wine, many a fort you’ll find. Yet the one I seek is not of this kind. It’s where they once held a very special prisoner, using a very special method. In a fort, near the crossroads you’ll find, there you will find the cell that hides what you desire.”
After finding all the diagrams, you can return to Lafargue and craft the grandmaster Griffin gear set.