Witcher 3 How to Upgrade Witcher Gear Step by Step

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt provides players with an extensive array of equipment choices, but none match the specialized power of school-specific Witcher gear. Upgrading these legendary sets enhances your protective statistics and unlocks devastating combat traits tailored to your unique playstyle. Navigating the linear progression system requires players to systematically hunt down rare diagrams and locate master craftsmen across the Continent.

Acquiring the Essential Upgrade Diagrams

Before you can begin upgrading your current equipment, you must acquire the blueprints required for the next tier. Blacksmiths and armorers across major towns sell unique treasure maps that initiate scavenger hunt quests when read in your inventory. Alternatively, adventurous players can find these diagrams hidden inside monster nests or guarded ruins while exploring the open world independently.

The upgrading system moves linearly through five distinct power levels: Basic, Enhanced, Superior, Mastercrafted, and Grandmaster. Skipping tiers is not allowed, meaning you must always possess the prior iteration of the item to apply the newly discovered blueprint. Tracking these quests systematically ensures you never lose valuable progression components in your journey.

Gathering Rare Crafting Components

Upgrading high-tier equipment requires rare materials that cannot simply be picked up from ordinary wilderness loot. You will regularly need monster items like hardened leather, chitenous shells, and infused dust to complete the recipe requirements. Dismantling old relics or hunting specific monsters is the most efficient method to source these costly resources.

For advanced tiers like Mastercrafted or Grandmaster gear, you will need extremely valuable metals such as dimeritium ore and enriched ingots. Purchasing these items directly from merchants can easily drain your gold reserves, so crafting them yourself from raw components is highly recommended. Managing your inventory carefully prevents unexpected delays when meeting with master smiths.

Finding the Right Crafting Specialists

Not every roadside blacksmith has the necessary expertise to handle the legendary equipment of the Wolf or Cat schools. Low-level craftsmen can only handle Basic and Enhanced diagrams, forcing you to seek out renowned masters for superior items. Unlocking the highest tiers requires completing specialized side quests for specific individuals in the game world.

To forge Mastercrafted gear, you must complete personal favors to unlock Yoana the armorer in Crow's Perch and Hattori the swordsmith in Novigrad. For players seeking the ultimate Grandmaster tier, traveling to the duchy of Toussaint is mandatory to collaborate with the grandmaster smith. Visiting the correct professional saves significant travel time and guarantees your gear is forged to its absolute highest potential.