The Witcher 3 Griffin Gear Guide – Armor And Swords

When pursuing a magical, sign-heavy playstyle in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, the Griffin gear set quickly stands out as a cornerstone outfit. Not only does it provide solid protection, but it significantly amplifies sign intensity—a game-changing advantage for Geralt’s spellcasting prowess. Mastering this gear means you’ll be casting signs with greater impact and efficiency, transforming your approach to combat and exploration alike.

The Griffin gear belongs to one of the five Witcher School armor sets, specifically crafted for medium armor wearers who rely on signs. Named after Gryphon, the sword instructor who inspired Erland of Larvik, founder of the Griffin School, this set includes six pieces: armor, gauntlets, trousers, boots, and two swords—steel and silver. It’s widely regarded as the best armor choice for those focusing on signs due to its bonuses to Sign Intensity.

To collect the Basic Griffin gear, you’ll explore mainly in Velen, with key locations like Dragonslayer’s Grotto housing the armor pieces, and the silver and steel swords found at Lornluk and Hindhold. As you progress, further upgrades like the Enhanced and Mastercrafted sets are found in Novigrad and Skellige. The Grandmaster tier is exclusively accessible via the Blood and Wine expansion in Toussaint, adding even more power for dedicated sign users.

Griffin School Gear

Many players encounter the Griffin gear early in their journey because its diagrams are located in Velen, one of the first major regions you explore. The Basic set unlocks at level 11, offering an ideal early-game balance between protection and sign augmentation that helps solidify your combat tactics without waiting too long.

To kick off the Scavenger Hunt quest without spending money on maps, simply find the first Griffin diagrams on your own. However, if you prefer marking locations on your map early, armorer shops in Midcopse sell the maps for Basic and Enhanced sets. For Superior and Mastercrafted diagrams, visit blacksmiths in Novigrad.

Griffin Armor

The Basic Griffin armor is made up of four pieces: armor, gauntlets, trousers, and boots. You’ll find all these diagrams together in Velen’s Dragonslayer’s Grotto, making it a straightforward first set to assemble.

Wearing the full Basic Griffin set boosts Sign Intensity by 20%, an impressive bonus that complements a sign-focused playstyle right from the start. However, the set’s real magic reveals itself later with higher-tier upgrades that multiply the potency even further.

At the Grandmaster level, equipping just three pieces triggers an incredible effect: using a sign lowers the Stamina cost to zero for the next sign cast within three seconds. Wearing all six Grandmaster pieces boosts Sign Intensity by a staggering +87%. Pair this with standing inside an enhanced Yrden trap, and the six-piece bonus soars by an additional +100%. This synergy makes sign casting terrifyingly effective.

Where to Find the Griffin Armor Set

Your hunt begins in Dragonslayer’s Grotto. The closest fast-travel point is Downwarren, from which you head northwest. Look for a question mark on your minimap that signals the cave entrance you need to explore.

Inside the cave, you’ll face wraiths. Cast Yrden to slow and strike them down efficiently. You’ll encounter a side room containing enemies and loot, but pressing onward takes you to a fork where you turn left and reach the corridor’s end.

Break through the wall with Aard here. A cloud of poisonous green gas awaits, so leave your torch sheathed to avoid damage. Clear the gas with Aard, then either fight the wraith or evade it swiftly.

Keep moving to the second breakable wall, using Aard again to smash it open. You’ll face an Ekimmara—either dodge or defeat it before ascending stairs. At the room’s center, a stone altar sits beside a chest containing the Griffin armor diagrams.

Inside the chest, you’ll find the armor diagrams along with a note detailing the lore behind George of Kagen, a legendary dragonslayer from the Griffin School linked to this site. Check the crafting menu to review the materials needed. Gathering components often involves hunting monster nests or dismantling gear you’ve collected.

Leaving the grotto involves revealing an illusory wall near the exit. Use the Eye of Nehaleni—acquired during the main quest ‘Wandering in the Dark’—to dispel this illusion and exit safely. Gather all the crafting materials and head to Fergus, the dwarf armorer at the Bloody Baron’s keep in Velen, to forge your gear. A journeyman level armorer is sufficient for the Basic set.

Afterwards, visit the dwarf armorer, Fergus, in Velen in the bloody baron’s keep to craft the armor. A journeyman armorer is all we need at this stage.

Griffin Swords

The Griffin steel sword adds a +5% XP bonus against humans and nonhumans, while the silver sword provides a +20% XP bonus for monster kills. Each sword also grants a +5% boost to Sign Intensity, so equipping the full Griffin set, including both swords, raises your sign power by 30% total.

The swords are found in separate locations but both reside within Velen, simplifying your quest somewhat. The blacksmith in Oxenfurt offers the easiest crafting opportunity for these weapons after you collect the diagrams. Prioritize the silver sword first—it can make monsters in the steel sword’s area easier to handle if you craft it early.

The silver sword’s diagram is located in Lornluk near the Abandoned Tower fast-travel point. Beware of a wyvern flying nearby, though you don’t have to engage it because this tower’s bridge isn’t lowered.

To reach the silver sword, you’ll need to find a route from the mainland around the tower’s right side, navigating shrubbery, sliding down a cliff, and swimming underwater to a cave beneath a nearby place of power. This tricky path can leave you swarmed by Drowners if you’re not careful.

It’s located at Lornluk. The closest fast-travel point is the Abandoned Tower. Head northward from that point and you should reach this tiny castle connected to the mainland by a draw-bridge. There’s a dangerous Wyvern flying around the tower, but you don’t need to engage it in battle. The bridge isn’t lowered either, so you must take the rough path by the right. Go past the shrubbery and trees and slide down the cliff and dive into water.

From underwater, exit into the cave, loot the chest immediately visible, then climb nearby ledges on the left to reach inside the ruined tower. Once inside, head to the balcony and climb the ladder beside the door to find the chest with the silver sword diagram.

Get out of the water. You can loot the chest right in front of you. But to get to the diagram you must climb the ledges on your left. Climb high enough and you should finally reach inside the ruined tower itself. Get out to the balcony and climb the ladder on your immediate left, right next to the doorway.

Griffin Steel Sword Diagram Location

Griffin Steel Sword Diagram Location

The steel sword diagram is situated at Hindhold. Start by fast traveling to Hanged Man’s Tree and travel north to a ruined watchtower positioned on a small island. The broken bridge can be crossed with Roach’s help by jumping over missing sections.

Once in the island area, contend with roaming monsters like the Endrega Warrior but proceed indoors quickly. Upstairs, an active monster nest hosts Harpies. You can clear the nest or head straight to the adjacent room where you find the chest and skeleton holding the sword diagram.

Break down the door with Aard and loot the skeleton to acquire the Griffin steel sword diagram. This spot is fraught with danger but offers high rewards when completed.

The Witcher 3 Griffin Gear Upgrade Locations

The Griffin gear, like other Witcher sets such as Feline, Ursine, and Wolven, follows a steady upgrade progression through Enhanced, Superior, Mastercrafted, and finally Grandmaster tiers—the latter accessible only within the Blood and Wine expansion. The game conveniently places these upgrades so they become available as you level, keeping the gear flexible and competitive throughout your adventure.