Before we begin looking for the gear, there are a few things that we need to fill you in on. You see, this task is not as easy as finding diagrams and crafting gear. There are also matters like the materials required to build it, finding the right armorer, and ensuring that you’re a high enough level to use one of the swords or slap on a piece of armor.
For starters, what we’re showing you is only a diagram that you can take to a blacksmith or armorer to have them craft you some gear. On that diagram you will also find a list of materials that you must have in your inventory. If you don’t have an item, our first suggestion would be to visit a blacksmith or armorer and see if you can dismantle some items to get the materials you require. For example, animal hides can often be dismantled into leather, and nekker eyes can be dismantled into monster eyes. Both are quite common crafting components.
Once you have the materials required and you’ve found the armorer or blacksmith to do that work, you’ll want to look at the diagram and note the level you must be to use it or wear it. This was a problem for us with the enhanced Griffin School Gear, as we upgraded the gear we were currently wearing, only to find out we couldn’t wear the new stuff. Trust us, Geralt is not as tough when he’s slaying monsters in his underwear.
You’re headed to the most northeastern island of Skellige, An Skellig. You can either fast travel to Urialla Harbor, or to Trail to Yngvar’s Fang. If you don’t have those showing, make your way to the island and get them to pop up so you can use them as a point of reference. The location you’re looking for is north of the Urialla signpost, or you can take the road that moves west from Trail to Yngvar’s Fang.
Head into the fort and look for some stairs that will take you into the dungeon. You’ll have some Wraiths to deal with here, but you should be able to dispatch them without much trouble. Use your Witcher Senses to spot a lever, pulling it and dropping through the hole. When you reach a crossroad, turn right, being careful of the level 20 wraiths that are nearby. Head up the stairs and climb over the rocks to reach the room you’ve been looking for. You can find the Bear School Armor diagram, Bear School Boots diagram, Bear School Trousers diagram and Bear School Gauntlets diagram in the chest next to the throne. Grab them, find the lever with your Witcher Senses, pulling it and leaving with the goods.
Head to the northwestern island, Spikeroog. If you can fast travel to the Svorlag signpost, do so and take the road that moves southwest. It’s the only one, so follow it all the way to the end to find the cave that you’re looking for. Head inside and deal with the drowners, and then swim through a hole on the west side of the cave. Climb up some rocks, walk along a ledge and loot the skeleton with the Bear School Crossbow diagram.
You’re headed to Ard Skellig. Specifically, travel almost directly south from the Palisade signpost, hooking slightly east as you do. When you reach the coast, look for the Ruined Inn, using Aard to blast some debris out of the way so you can reach the basement. You’ll find a couple of wraiths down there, but when you deal with them you’ll also the Bear School Steel Sword diagram in a chest.
You’re staying on Ard Skellig for this sword, but you’ll need to travel directly north from the Rogne signpost. Well, you can take the road, but your objective will be directly north at Fort Etnir. There is a room you can get into on the east side when you arrive, but it’s guarded by some gargoyles and an ice elemental who appears to be guarding a treasure. You might have to fight them to get it, which is a fair trade given that you’re going to score a pretty cool Bear School Silver Sword diagram for your troubles.
You’re headed to Ard Skellig (if you’re not already there), and more specifically, a signpost called Grotto. If you don’t see it, go to the Ruined Inn signpost and head east along the shore. You can take a boat to find it, then swim into the seaside cave and move all the way to the end. There will be some opposition, but when the room is clear you can use your Witcher Senses to spot a chest with the enhanced Bear School Armor diagram.
Sticking with Ard Skellig, make your way to either the Kaer Muire or Wild Shore signposts. From Wilde Shore, head south along the road a short way, cutting east into the woods. You’ll find a Place of Power, which is near the location you’re looking for. From Kaer Muire, follow the road northwest, then cut into the woods to the east about halfway between there and Wild Shore. When you arrive, look for a cave with some trolls inside, killing them and snagging the enhanced Bear School Boots diagram from a chest near the campfire.
Head for the island of Undvik, which if you’re wondering is northwest (across the water) from your last piece of gear. Look for a signpost called the Marlin Coast, which should have a couple boat icons next to it. Grab a boat, then head to the small island that is northeast of the Marlin Coast signpost. Look for a cave that’s blocked by ice, using Aard to smash your way through. Use your Witcher Senses to find and loot the chest inside, grabbing the enhanced Bear School Trousers diagram.
The final piece of armor that you need to snag is back on Ard Skellig. Start at the Rogne signpost, then take the road east, turning north when you can’t go east any longer. You’ll find the location you’re looking for is along the road, in a ruined tower. If you arrive during the day the loot will be unguarded. Find the chest using your Witcher Senses and take possession of the enhanced Bear School Gauntlets diagram.
You’ll find the diagram on Prison Island with the Kaer Almhult signpost. Locate the signpost, then follow the road as it winds around the island and leads you to a fort. You’ll likely have to deal with some pirates along the way, but the diagram for the enhanced Bear School Steel Sword is up some stairs that sit to your right when you enter the fort. Use your Witcher Senses if you’re having trouble finding it.
It’s back to Ard Skellig to find the final piece of the enhanced Bear School Gear. More specifically, you need to go northeast from Kaer Gelen, or southeast from Yustianna’s Grotto. If you don’t see those, go to the Rogne signpost and start walking east. You’ll have to cross over two roads and two mountains to get to the location you’re looking for, which is a castle basement. Use your Witcher Senses in the tunnels until you find the chest with the enhanced Bear School Silver Sword diagram.
Luckily, all four pieces of armor that you need for the superior version of the Bear School Gear are found in the same place. Fast travel to the Hangman’s Tree signpost that you found when you first entered Velen. From there, head northwest and into the woods until you find a cave. You might have been here for a quest at some point, which means you could already have this gear. Either way, it’s in an alcove on the left side of the cave when you enter. Loot the chest for the superior diagrams of the Bear School Armor, Bear School Gauntlets, Bear School Boots and Bear School Trousers.
You’ll find this just off the road that runs south of the Downwarren signpost in Velen. It’s also east of The Orphans of Crookback Bog signpost if you’d rather start there. The exact signpost you’re trying to reach is called the Ruined Tower, so fast travel straight there if that’s an option. You’re looking for some stone ruins, and the chest can be found by using your Witcher Senses. Grab the superior diagram for the Bear School Steel Sword after defeating the earth elemental that’s there.
Fast travel to The Orphans of Crookback Bog signpost and head southwest through the swamps. You’ll need to bring the Nehaleni’s Eye item that was given to you during the main quest, Wandering in the Dark, to make your way through an illusion. When you do, find the superior diagram for the Bear School Silver Sword in a chest to the right. That will be the last diagram needed to complete the superior variation to the Bear School Gear.
To reach these diagrams, fast travel to the Crossroads signpost in Velen, then take the only road that goes south. This will lead you to a place called the Destroyed Bastion signpost. You’re looking for some ruins and a tower, and using your Witcher Senses will help you find the chest that contains the mastercrafted diagrams for the Bear School Armor, Bear School Gauntlets, Bear School Boots, and the Bear School Trousers.
Look for a small road that connects that Blackbough signpost with the Abandoned Tower signpost. Take that road, cutting into the forest to the east at just about the half way point between the two locations. You might want to cut in a little closer to Blackbough than the Abandoned Tower. You’re looking for a cave that sits against the side of a cliff, and when you enter you can hug the right wall. Follow it to the end to find the mastercrafted Bear School Steel Sword diagram behind a pillar.
Fast travel to the Road to Bald Mountain signpost, or the Olena’s Grove signpost if that one isn’t showing up. If you have neither of those, go to Fyke Isle and start swimming west, curling a little south after you get around the tip of a landmass. The spot you’re looking for is northwest of the Road to Bald Mountain signpost, and northeast from Olena’s Grove. If you see a question mark that sits about where we’re describing, that’s what you’re headed for. The chest you’re looking for is actually on a tiny little island.
Be sure to visit some of our other guides for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.
Now that you have all the Bear School Gear, why not collect the Griffin School Gear and Cat School Gear? Each of them offer some unique advantages that the Bear School Gear does not. In fact, a good witcher would own all four collections (the Viper School Gear being the fourth). Take a look along the right side of this page (scroll up) and you'll see links to the other three sets.
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