Hunting monsters is a tough business, even for someone like Geralt of Rivia. Many of the magical creatures that roam the world can’t be reasoned or bargained with. They’d much rather raze defenseless villages and tear the common folk apart - limb from limb. For the White Wolf to stand any chance against these beasts, he has to come prepared.
Thankfully, there are plenty of armor sets in The Witcher 3 that make him very durable. Of course, some of them are very stylish, too, but in the dangerous life of a monster slayer, being effective is more important than looking good. The accessibility and viability of Geralt’s gear is also important. With those things in mind, here are the best sets.
Updated December 4th, 2022 By Ben Jessey: The popularity of The Witcher series continues to grow as the successful Netflix series constantly brings in new fans. And with season two now released, it’s likely that many of them are starting or returning to The Witcher 3.
But Geralt’s hunt for Ciri is a treacherous one. Therefore, the Witcher would be a lot safer if he had a strong set of armor to wear during his escapade. So, we thought this was a good time to freshen up our list of the best suits in the game. We even added some additional ones that previously missed out.
18 Toussaint Armor
You may see this set of armor as either a beautiful work of art or an eyesore. Regardless of your feelings on its looks, it’s hard to argue against its effectiveness. The Relic version, in particular, is very resistant to all sorts of damage, including piercing, slashing, and bludgeoning.
Plus, it gives the wearer a significant boost in Vitality. Yet, you do need the Blood and Wine DLC to acquire the heavy suit, and it’s easily missed during the Land of a Thousand Fables quest.
17 Ofieri Armor
The fancy Ofieri armor is part of the Hearts Of Stone expansion. It doesn’t look like the most defensive set of clothing, but it provides a decent amount of bludgeoning and slashing resistance. And that’s just a secondary bonus as the main advantage of this set is how it increase your Sign intensity.
While each piece focuses on a certain Sign, they all receive some sort of boost. Unfortunately, you will need to craft all of the armor yourself, and finding the diagrams takes some commitment. The result is worth the effort, though.
16 Temerian Armor
The Temerian armor is another set that’s part of DLC, but, at least, this one is free. It’s designed to protect the wearer as it makes them more resistant to several different things. For example, piercing, bludgeoning, slashing, monster, and elemental attacks all do less damage against someone donning this armor.
While the set won’t help you much towards the end of the game, it’s worth picking up early. And you can do so by purchasing it from Bram in White Orchard.
15 Nilfgaardian Armor
Comparisons between Netflix’s show and CD Projekt Red’s game are inevitable - if somewhat off base. The Witcher 3 is such an open-ended game that no two players will have the same experience. That being said, many would argue that The Witcher 3 did a better job with Nilfgaardian armor than the first season of the series did - the Netflix show has improved in that respect, though.
This free DLC armor set literally allows Witcher 3 players to step into the shoes of the Black Ones. Should you wear this set, you’ll receive a respectable boost to all forms of damage resistance. This set lacks any offensive boosts, however, so it’s more useful for players who either have trouble dodging attacks or who want to roleplay as a Nilfgaardian loyalist.
14 Skellige Armor (Aka Undvik Armor)
The Skellige armor - or Undvik armor as it’s known in-game - is another piece of free DLC, compliments of CD Projekt Red. If the Skellige archipelago enchanted you with its beautiful islands, terrifying monsters, and fascinating culture, you can show your love for this land with this armor set.
Much like the Nilfgaardian set, the Skellige set mostly boosts Geralt’s defensive capabilities. Aside from roleplaying, this set will help inexperienced Witchers get the hang of combat during their lower levels. If anything, players should think of the Skellige set and the Nilfgardian set as training suits; they’ll help you get your bearings straight early on, but you’ll eventually trade them in for more versatile armor sets.
13 Viper Armor
The Viper Set has several things going for it; it looks very similar to Geralt’s iconic Kaer Morhen armor, boosts the White Wolf’s defenses immensely, and it comes with two swords that wreak havoc during the Witcher 3’s late-game! To get your hands on the Viper Set, you’ll need to progress through the Hearts of Stone expansion pack - the first of The Witcher 3’s major DLC’s.
You’ll also have to craft most of the pieces of gear in this Set - save for the Viper Venomous Silver Sword. Without spoiling Hearts of Stone, to get it, you’ll need to help out Olgeird von Everec.
12 Kaer Morhen Armor
Kaer Morhen is the stomping ground for most of the Witchers in the game. Built by the School of the Wolf, many great and famous warriors call this ancient castle home. Geralt of Rivia falls among that number - after, he’s called the White Wolf for a reason. As proof of his affiliation, he sports this dazzling piece of armor.
Geralt wears Kaer Morhen chest armor right from the start of the game. This medium leather chest piece offers decent protection from most forms of damage. It also looks great and serves as a part of Geralt’s signature costume. The Kaer Morhen armor will get outclassed very quickly unless you upgrade it over time.
11 Assassin’s Armor Set
For some reason, the Assassin armor set only has three parts as there is no chest piece to go with the gauntlets, pants, and boots. However, the Critical Hit Chance bonus that the gauntlets grant is very welcome.
The defense bonuses granted by the rest of the set aren’t too bad, either. If you’re looking to make a build that specializes in Combat Skills, these gauntlets are must-haves. You can either find them lying around or you can craft them fairly easily.
10 Viper School Armor Set
Fans of Geralt’s iconic costume rejoice! The Viper set looks exactly like Geralt’s starting suit, but has better stats and bonuses. Now you can create better builds without sacrificing offensive power or defense. True to its name, the Viper armor also adds poison damage to your attacks.
It should be mentioned that acquiring the outfit isn’t easy. First and foremost, you can only get the Viper set if you own the Hearts of Stone expansion. You’ll also need to find diagrams for each individual piece in this set. Lastly, you’ll need the coin and materials to craft the armor.
9 Griffin School Armor Set
The Griffin armor set is the tried and true garb of scholars and mages. Not only does this medium set grant superb elemental resistance, but it also significantly boosts Sign intensity!
Unfortunately, pure Sign builds aren’t as effective as any of the other options players have at their disposal. In all likelihood, you’ll have to mix in pieces of other armor sets to create a viable build in the harder difficulty modes. Still, the Griffin armor is a must if you want to use Signs more frequently.
8 Toussaint Knight’s Tourney Armor (Crafted)
As a Witcher, Geralt tends to favor armor that keeps him agile and energized. Typically, the White Wolf avoids wearing cumbersome armor that might only slow him down on the job. Every once in a while, however, Geralt will don a sturdy suit of plate mail armor when he needs to slug it out with a particularly tough foe.
The Toussaint Knight Tourney armor boasts high defensive stats at the cost of speed and stamina. As a bonus, this set is one of the coolest-looking suits of armor in-game. You can also settle for one of this set’s variants if you aren’t able to search far and wide for this specific version.
7 Tesham Mutna Armor
The Tesham Mutna armor Set, on the other hand, comes from The Witcher 3’s second major DLC - Blood and Wine. As the name suggests, Blood and Wine centers around vampires and aristocrats. The Tesham Mutna Armor set epitomizes these two ideas; it’s a fancy, schmancy suit of knight armor that drains the life out of Geralt’s enemies.
It’s not the best suit of heavy armor in the game, but it’s one of the coolest. Moreover, this set’s pretty hard to get - you’ll need to complete the La Cage au Fou mission, then scour every inch of a secret vampire lair that you’ll encounter.
6 Hen Gaidth Armor Set
If you own the Blood and Wine expansion for The Witcher 3, you can gain access to the Hen Gaidth set. Though this armor is bulky and heavy, it possesses stupendous defensive capabilities. Altogether, the Hen Gaidth set increases damage reduction up beyond 40 percent!
You have to actively search for this set, as you can permanently miss it in the middle of a playthrough. Just keep your eyes peeled for the ‘What Lies Unseen’ quest. This is the middle of a vampire video game renaissance! Celebrate the occasion with this Crimson Red suit of plate mail armor.
5 Manticore School Armor Set
If the Netflix Witcher series still needs inspiration for Geralt’s costume, they could always go with this look. Fans of The Witcher 2 will notice that this set heavily resembles Geralt’s main outfit from that game. Aside from acting as a throwback to the White Wolf’s second outing, this set is very functional and effective.
Unlike most of the other armor sets in this list, the Manticore armor doesn’t excel in one area. However, it offers a very balanced mix of stats and bonus effects that’ll carry you through most of the game. If you can get your hands on the Manticore armor, you’ll likely wear it until you can create a more specialized set (if you choose to).
4 Wolf School Armor Set
Resembling the armor that Eskel wears throughout The Witcher 3, the Wolven armor is favored by the Witchers of Kaer Morhen. Players that are looking to make an Adrenaline build will want to nab this set ASAP!
More accurately, players will need to get each of the diagrams for the armor pieces in this set. It’s going to take a lot of work and coin to complete this set, but it’s well worth the effort. Best of all, you can craft the Legendary variants of this armor once you reach New Game +!
3 Ursine School Armor Set
Every time you upgrade the Ursine set, Geralt’s suit becomes more rugged and hardened. In its final phases, the Ursine armor will make Geralt look like an armored juggernaut!
As you can probably tell just from looking at it, the Ursine armor is a heavy suit with great defensive power. However, this set is also great for Grenade and Potion builds. With the right combination of skills, Geralt can chug elixirs and lob bombs like the Green Goblin! Once completed, this set also boosts Quen’s intensity by 200 percent!
2 Feline School Gear Set
This set is a cat lover’s dream come true. Not only does the Feline armor look stylish as heck, but it also greatly augments Geralt’s Combat Skills! If you’re looking to make a build centered around Critical Chance and Critical Damage, you’ll need this suit.
The Feline armor turns Geralt of Rivia into a whirlwind of silver and steel. Many experienced Witcher 3 players consider it a must for Death March difficulty - at least early on in a playthrough. Melee combat is Geralt’s specialty according to the lore, so it’s no wonder why he makes such great use of the Feline armor. Best of all, you don’t need any DLC to start building it!
1 Grandmaster Wolven Armor
If you’re a die-hard fan of the Witcher 3 who still hasn’t played the Blood and Wine expansion, consider buying it for the Grandmaster armor Sets - alongside its compelling story and the fascinating new locations you’ll visit. The Grandmaster sets are improved versions of the various Witcher School armors - the Griffin, Ursine, Feline, Wolven, and Manticore sets, to be specific.
While all of these armor sets are fantastic in their own right, the Grandmaster Wolven set stands out in our eyes; it’s an absolute necessity for anyone who wants to run a Combat and Sign Hybrid build. If you allocate your points correctly, the Grandmaster Wolven set will be the cornerstone to one of the most effective, versatile, and fun builds in the game.
NEXT: The Witcher 3: All Of Geralt’s Hairstyles, Ranked
