The Ursine Armor set, commonly known as Bear School Gear in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, offers incredible defensive protection and heavy armor bonuses for players who prefer a resilient combat style. Finding every diagram requires navigating the wind-swept islands of Skellige and uncovering hidden ruins guarded by formidable monsters. This guide details where to discover the starting diagrams and how to prepare for crafting this durable witcher equipment.
Starting the Scavenger Hunt in Skellige
To begin your search for the initial Bear School Gear, Geralt must travel to the rugged archipelago of Skellige. Purchasing maps from the armor merchant in Kaer Trolde unlocks the official scavenger hunt quest trackers in your journal. Alternatively, players can explore the key locations directly without purchasing the maps first.
The primary diagrams for the armor pieces are located within the icy ruins of Yngvar's Fang on An Skellig. Players will need to clear out hostile wraiths before searching the lower chambers for the chest containing the diagrams. Thorough exploration ensures you do not miss the loot chest hidden among the ancient stone corridors.
Finding the Bear School Weapon Diagrams
The Ursine steel and silver swords are located in separate areas across the Skellige islands, requiring additional travel. The steel sword diagram lies inside the ruins of Tuirseach Castle, located on the island of An Skellig. Navigating the collapsed floorboards and defeating gargoyles is necessary to reach the treasure chest safely.
For the silver sword diagram, Geralt must journey to Fort Einar located near the coast of Hindarsfjall. The fort is guarded by ice alghouls that must be dealt with before searching the courtyard tower. Opening the chest hidden within the tower yields the final diagram needed to complete the basic weapon set.
Crafting Requirements and Preparation
Once all basic diagrams are collected, players must visit qualified craftsmen to forge the gear. Armor diagrams require a journeyman armorer, while weapon diagrams must be taken to a journeyman blacksmith. Gathering essential crafting materials like cured leather, dark steel ingots, and monster dust early on saves considerable time.
Wearing the complete Bear School Gear significantly boosts Geralt's resistance to physical attacks and elemental damage. Furthermore, the set provides substantial bonus adrenaline gain, making it ideal for players who rely on heavy combat strikes and defensive Quen signs. Proper preparation makes acquiring and crafting this armor well worth the effort.
Upgrading the Bear Gear Sets
As Geralt progresses through higher levels, the Bear School Gear can be upgraded into Enhanced, Superior, Mastercrafted, and Grandmaster tiers. Each tier requires finding new hidden scavenger hunt diagrams spread across Velen, Novigrad, and Toussaint. Upgrading the set continuously improves defensive statistics and unlocks powerful set bonuses in the late game.
Tracking down these upgrades allows heavy armor builds to remain effective against the most challenging endgame encounters. Keeping a close eye on blacksmith inventory crafting lists helps track which rare monster components are still needed. Consistent upgrades ensure your witcher remains nearly invincible during difficult battles.
