You’re standing in the middle of a bandit camp in Velen. Rain is pouring down. Ten guys with clubs and shields are closing in, thinking they’ve got a lone Witcher cornered. Then, you snap your fingers. A massive shockwave of Aard sends half of them flying into the mud, and before the rest can even blink, a circle of fire erupts from your hand, melting their armor and their morale. That’s the power of the Witcher 3 Griffin school gear.
Most players gravitate toward the Feline set because they want to be glass cannons, or they pick Ursine because they want to look like a walking tank. Honestly? They’re missing out. The Griffin set is the first Witcher gear you can actually hunt down in the game, and for anyone who loves the "magic" side of being a Witcher, it's basically non-negotiable. It transforms Geralt from a guy with a sword into a walking elemental disaster.
Finding the basic Witcher 3 Griffin school gear diagrams
If you're just starting out, you’re looking for level 11. That's the sweet spot. You can find the initial diagrams in Velen, but it’s not exactly a walk in the park. You’ll have to deal with a lighthouse guarded by a Wyvern and a cave filled with poisonous gas and ghosts.
The silver sword is tucked away in the ruins of Lornruk. Most people try to jump the gap to the drawbridge and fail miserably. Don't do that. You have to swim underneath, find a secret cave entrance, and climb up from the inside. It's these little touches by CD Projekt Red that make the scavenger hunts feel like actual detective work rather than just checking boxes on a map.
The armor itself is in Dragonslayer’s Grotto. It’s a claustrophobic nightmare. You’ll fight some wraiths and then a Leshen might even wander in if you’re unlucky with the world spawns. But once you loot that chest, the game changes.
Why the stats actually matter
The base set gives you a massive boost to Sign intensity. In The Witcher 3, Sign intensity isn't just a number; it dictates whether your Igni actually sets someone on fire or just makes them feel a bit warm. With the full Griffin set, your stamina regeneration goes through the roof. This is the "infinite loop" build. You cast, you strike, you cast again. You never really stop moving.
It's also worth noting the medium armor perk. If you use the Griffin School Techniques ability from the general skill tree, every piece of medium armor you wear increases your Sign intensity by 5% and your stamina regeneration by 5%. That's a 20% flat bonus just for wearing the clothes.
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The awkward "Dad Bod" phase
Let's address the elephant in the room. The Witcher 3 Griffin school gear looks... well, it’s a bit round. While the Feline armor makes Geralt look like a sleek assassin, the Griffin armor gives him a noticeable belly.
Fans have joked about this for years.
The lore reason is that the armor is ribbed and curved to deflect blows, similar to real-world historical plate armor from the 15th century. It’s practical. It’s functional. It also makes Geralt look like he’s had a few too many ales at the Seven Cats Inn. If you can get past the aesthetics, or if you use a dye mod later in the Blood and Wine expansion, the power spike is worth the fashion sacrifice.
Upgrading to Enhanced, Superior, and Mastercrafted
As you level up, the gear evolves. This is where the scavenger hunt gets serious. You’ll be heading to Skellige for the Superior versions, which means a lot of sailing and dodging Sirens.
- Enhanced: Level 18.
- Superior: Level 26.
- Mastercrafted: Level 34.
The Mastercrafted version is a work of art. The gold filigree and the deep greens look much better than the basic version. To craft it, you’ll need to complete the "Master Armorers" quest with Yoana in Crow’s Perch. Don't waste your time with Fergus; he's a hack. You need the tools from Undvik.
The jump in Sign intensity from Superior to Mastercrafted is what allows you to start one-shotting mobs with Aard or Yrden. If you’re playing on Death March difficulty, this isn't just "nice to have." It’s survival. Enemies have massive health pools, and being able to crowd-control an entire pack of wolves or drowners with a single cast saves you from a very frustrating "Game Over" screen.
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Grandmaster Griffin gear and the Toussaint power trip
The Blood and Wine expansion introduced Grandmaster sets (Level 40). This is the endgame. This is where the Witcher 3 Griffin school gear becomes legitimately broken.
The Grandmaster set has set bonuses. If you wear three pieces, after you use stamina to cast a Sign in its standard mode, the next Sign cast within 3 seconds will use no stamina. Read that again. You get a free spell every time you cast one.
If you wear all six pieces, the size of your Yrden traps increases by 40%, and while you are standing inside a Yrden trap, you get a massive boost to stamina regeneration and a 20% damage reduction. Basically, you turn into a god within your own circle. You can stand in the middle of a boss fight, drop a Yrden, and just spam Igni and Aard until everything is ash.
Synergy with Mutations
In the late game, you get access to Mutations. If you pair the Grandmaster Griffin set with the "Piercing Cold" mutation, your Aard Sign gains a 25% chance to freeze enemies instantly. Those who aren't frozen take massive damage and are knocked down.
Combine this with the Griffin set's double-cast bonus.
Cast Aard.
Freeze half the room.
Immediately cast Aard again for free.
Everything dies.
It’s almost unfair to the monsters. Almost.
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What people get wrong about the Griffin build
A lot of players think that because it’s a Sign build, you don't need to use your sword. That’s a mistake. The swords in the Griffin set have massive critical hit chance bonuses and high base damage.
You aren't a mage. You’re a Witcher.
The most effective way to play this gear is a "Battlemage" style. You use your Signs to strip away enemy defenses—breaking shields with Aard or burning off armor with Igni—and then you close the distance for a flurry of sword strikes while your stamina bar refills in roughly two seconds.
Another misconception is that the Griffin set is "weak" because it’s not heavy armor. While it doesn't have the raw damage resistance of the Ursine (Bear) set, the ability to constantly have a Quen shield active more than makes up for it. If your Quen breaks, you just cast it again immediately. You’re shielded 90% of the time.
Where to find the Grandmaster Smith
You can't just go to any blacksmith for the Grandmaster stuff. You have to find Lafargue in Beauclair. He’s the only one who knows how to make the highest tier of gear. Prepare your wallet, though. The crafting costs for Grandmaster gear are astronomical. You'll need enriched dimeritium plates, which cost a fortune, or you'll have to craft them yourself from ores you find in the mines of Toussaint.
Pro tip: Don't buy the dimeritium. Loot everything in the Hanse bases. You’ll find enough raw materials to craft the plates yourself, saving you about 10,000 crowns.
Actionable Next Steps for your Griffin Build
If you want to maximize this gear right now, do these three things:
- Respect your skills: Go to a merchant and buy a Potion of Clearance. Dump your points into the Blue tree (Signs), but make sure you grab "Griffin School Techniques" from the Yellow tree.
- Farm Greater Blue Mutagens: You need these to fill your mutagen slots. They amplify your Sign intensity even further. Go to the Whale Graveyard in Skellige; the drowned dead there drop them frequently.
- Glyphs are key: Don't just slot random stones. Focus on Greater Glyphs of Igni or Aard. If you’re feeling defensive, go all-in on Quen. Consistency is better than a mix of mediocre buffs.
The Griffin set is about control. It’s about walking into a chaotic fight and deciding exactly how it’s going to end before you even draw your blade. It might not be the "edgiest" looking armor in the game, but when the ground is shaking and the air is on fire, nobody is looking at your waistline anyway. They're too busy trying to run away.