The Witcher 3 Ursine armor is arguably one of the best sets in the game. The Bear School gear is a high level set to craft, and requires you to go traipsing all across the Skellige Isles, which anyone who's been there will know is a dangerous proposition at the best of times. But If you do manage to get six pieces, you have a set with strong resistances and some incredible armor skills.
If you manage to upgrade your set all the way to Grandmaster level and wear the six primary pieces, you gain a 30% chance to get a free Quen shield when yours breaks. Considering Quen is one of the most useful signs in the game, giving you a damage-absorbing shield, this is an excellent advantage no matter your playstyle. The set also grants 200% increased Quen-related ability damage.
The Ursine swords also buff crit damage once you upgrade them, boosting your offense and defense against scary monsters and nefarious brigands. Here, I'll explain where to find the basic Ursine armor and weapon diagrams, what you need to craft them, and how to get hold of the upgrade diagrams.
School of the Bear Witcher gear locations
The Ursine Witcher Gear can be found in the Skellige Isles, and you'll also have to be level 20 in order to craft it. It's important to consider that the Ursine armor is heavy, meaning that while it offers increased protection, it does reduce stamina regen. Here's where to find the basic diagrams.
Ursine armor
The Ursine armor diagrams are located on An Skellig, the most north-easterly of the Skellige Isles, in between the Yngvar's Fang and Trail to Yngvar's Fang waypoints. If you look on the map, you can see the regular trail you use to climb the mountain, and a broken path that runs parallel to it. The building you want is at the end of that path. Either ascend or descend the trail until you find the ruined stone building and drop down into the centre of it to find a door. You can also follow the trail up from Urialla's Harbor and navigate your way along the broken path itself by climbing and jumping.
Head through the door and down the stairs to the left into the area with the prison cells. Run past the cells to the far end of the room, defeat the wraiths that appear, then pull the lever behind the chest on the right side. Now drop down through the first cell on your left, run through the archway ahead and go right up the stairs. Climb the ledges, use the Aard sign to destroy the stones blocking your path, and you'll find yourself in the throne room. Open the chest to the right side of the throne and you'll find the Ursine armor, Ursine boots, Ursine gauntlets, and Ursine trousers diagrams. If you want to get back out, pull the lever next to the grate by the entrance.
Ursine silver sword
The Ursine silver sword diagram is located north of the Royne waypoint on Ard Skellig, the central island in Skellige. Follow the path through the village and along the water until you reach the fork, then turn northwards and head through the big stone archway. Keep following the path until you reach the ruined tower in the distance guarded by gargoyles. Head through the right door to find a skeleton holding the Ursine silver sword diagram.
Ursine steel sword
The Ursine steel sword diagram is located on the south side of Ard Skellig, south-east along the road from the Fyresdal waypoint. Head south through the village then turn east and continue along the road until you hit the ruined inn, ignoring the first turn on your right. Once at the inn, head down the stairs in the northern section to a basement with some wraiths and three doorways. The leftmost room contains a chest with the Ursine steel sword diagram inside.
Ursine crossbow
The Ursine crossbow diagram can be found on the island to the north-west of the central island of Ard Skellig. South of the Old Watchtower waypoint along the road, you'll find a cave infested with Drowners. Enter the cave and take the right path, climb the ledge, and jump across the gap to find a skeleton holding the Ursine crossbow diagram.
How to craft the Ursine Witcher Gear
To craft all of the standard Ursine School gear you're going to need to visit a blacksmith and gather some materials, and be at least level 20. Here's the materials you'll need to craft each of the items.
- Leather: Two Leather Scraps, four Leather Straps, six Hardened Leather, and one Cured Leather
- Metal: Two Steel Ingots, two Silver Ingots, three Dark Iron Ore, eight Silver, and one Dark Steel Plate
- Monster: Two Monster Bones, two Monster Blood, two Monster Hair, one Monster Liver, one Monster Tongue, one Monster Essence, one Monster Dust, and one Monster Brain
- Other materials: One Resin, one Shirt, four Linen, two String, one Fur Scrap, and two Silk
Most of what you need for this set can be bought from blacksmiths, crafted from what you find in the world, or gained by dismantling other equipment and items. Materials in The Witcher 3 function as part of a crafting chain, such as Leather Scraps/Leather Straps/Hardened Leather/Cured Leather, and the same goes for metal, where ores become ingots, and ingots become plates.
Monster materials come from slaying monsters, but even their named materials can be dismantled into the most basic form, like eye, blood, tissue, bone etc. One of the best tips to craft on the cheap and quick is to dismantle equipment that you don't need or that is now underpowered for you. Relic Swords especially can give you jewel dust and expensive metals like Dimerterium, which would cost a fortune at the blacksmith. That said, even regular weapons from bandits or precious items you find in the world can be dismantled and turned into something new. Once you've crafted your Ursine gear, you can upgrade it with further diagrams.
As Netflix's The Witcher Season 4 loses another star, once again I feel compelled to tap the 'this no-budget YouTube fan film does the Witcher better' sign
I can only assume this upcoming Witcher children's book takes it easy on the folk horror, fantasy racism, and brutal violence I associate with the series
