Any weapon forebodes death, a good one decides for whom...
Life’s hard on the continent. Especially if your profession requires you to put yourself in harm's way to protect the commonfolk. As Vesemir put it: “no witcher has ever died in his own bed”.
Vesemir never said, however, “every Witcher dies fighting a handful of low-level ghouls and maybe a rotfiend or something...” Sure, it might be a dangerous field of work but that only means that you should be, ah... dangerouser?
Anyways, just like I need to get a thesaurus, you’ll need to get a good weapon if you want to make it in the world of The Witcher 3. That’s exactly why I’m bringing you a list of the Top 10 best weapons in The Witcher 3 and how to get them.
Warning: spoilers galore for the main game and the two expansion DLCs.
10. Vitis.
Woah! A knight in shinning armor, isn’t that nice?
The world of The Witcher is a world of magic, and Vitis is one magical sword.
With a twenty percent bonus to every sign, this sword is the way to go for any battlemage build in TW3.
The sword is overall great, in fact, the only reason it's so low on this list despite its excellent damage output is that there are so many more weapons in TW3 with much more interesting and unique effects and capabilities.
Still, It’d be an absolute crime not to place Vitis on our list considering the amazing stats that it boasts.
Why Vitis is great:
- A cool rapier design that perfectly complements this sword’s magical capabilities.
- As easy to get as it is to miss. No need to do any crafting or scavenger hunting.
- A twenty percent increase to every sign. If you’re more of a magic user, this sword is an absolute must-have.
How to get Vitis:
Vitis is a sword of fantasy, so it stands to reason that you’d find it somewhere fantastical.
To get Vitis, you need to look for Syanna in the land of a thousand fables towards the end of Blood and Wine.
During the “Beyond Hill and Dale...” quest, approach it’s-not-rapunzel-if-we-change-the-name’s tower (otherwise known as “Longlocks’ tower”) and look for an elliptical pond with a Will o' the wisp hovering over it.
Once you reach the little fella, follow it until you reach the body of a fallen knight.
Loot the body, Vitis will be there. Get the armor too while you’re at it.
Vitis details: https://www.gosunoob.com/witcher-3/vitis-relic-steel-sword/attachment/witcher-3-vitis-relic-steel-sword/
9. Hen Gaidth/ Tesham-Mutna steel swords.
Be careful… They bite.
A couple of fantastic steel swords crafted by ancient vampires. The Hen Gaidth and Tesham-Mutna steel swords are marvelous (Is the thesaurus paying off?) both in terms of the deep lore behind them and their gameplay stats.
Not only do these swords have a myriad of cool effects, what truly sets them apart from other weapons in the game is their life-sucking capabilities when coupled with other pieces of the set.
Honestly, what else did you expect from a couple of vampire swords?
The reason these two swords are grouped together is that they’re functionally identical, except for the slight damage advantage of the Hen Gaidth set.
Why the Hen Gaidth/Tesham-Mutna steel swords are great:
- Bonuses to critical hit damage, chance of bleeding, and armor-piercing. Making these really efficient steel swords for a crit-centered playstyle.
- The swords have a great design that beautifully complements the rest of the set.
- When wearing the rest of the set. You gain vitality for every foe slayed.
How to get the Hen Gaidth steel sword:
You will only be able to get this sword if you choose to follow Regis into the Unseen Elder's lair towards the end of Blood and Wine.
Once into the lair, make sure to search for every lootable object using your witcher senses. You will find all six pieces of the Hen Gaidth set, including the steel sword.
How to get the Tesham-Mutna steel sword:
The Tesham-Mutna set can only be acquired during the “La Cage au Fou” quest. Whilst inside the secret lair.
Once you reach the lair. The six pieces of the set should be relatively easy to find.
Hen Gaidth steel sword details: https://witcher-games.gamepedia.com/Hen_Gaidth_steel_sword
Tesham-Mutna steel sword details: https://witcher-games.gamepedia.com/Tesham_Mutna_steel_sword
8. Grandmaster Witcher swords.
A work of true artistry if I’ve ever seen one.
Right, so a list of the best weapons for a witcher, maybe I should include the weapons specifically crafted for... witchering? (Damn you, thesaurus!).
Here’s the deal (and a little bit of a spoiler warning for the article you’re currently reading), every single sword that actually outmatches these is a part of either the Blood and Wine or the Hearts of Stone expansions.
Do you want the best sword for the base game? It has to be a mastercrafted witcher sword. Hell, even with the Blood and Wine DLC the grandmaster versions of any of these swords give just-about any weapon in the game a run for its money.
So, why group them? The first and simpler reason is that it would be kind of a cop-out for me to just fill a top 10 list with the witcher swords instead of doing any research.
The second, and the most relevant, is that the best witcher sword (and indeed witcher set) depends entirely on your style of play.
The ursine armor is not “better” than the griffin one, it’s just geared for a different playstyle. Is it better looking? Absolutely, the griffin armor is hideous, it looks like you’re wearing a tin can.
But, griffin armor aside, even the visual style of each witcher set is unique and gorgeously represents the kind of playstyle the set encourages, and that includes the swords.
Why the witcher swords are great:
- Top-notch damage output from the beginning and until the ending of the game. You could theoretically pick a set of witcher weapons and never change them, only upgrade them.
- The great variety of sets means that they are designed for a catered experience.
- The bonuses when combined with the rest of their set are unbelievable. (I recommend half-griffin, half-ursine. Even if it looks bad).
How to get the witcher swords:
There are six different sets of witcher gear in the game if you count the DLCs, each of them (sans the viper and manticore ones) have to be upgraded from base to enhanced, to superior, to master, to grandmaster.
So if you think I’m going to show you how to get every single one of them on a list with seven items yet to go then you’re… Well, you’re right on the money.
For the bear, cat, wolf, and griffin school gears, you’re going to need to complete a set of scavenger hunts to collect the crafting diagram for each piece of the set. You’re then going to have to go to a blacksmith and craft it.
The previous version of each item will be a required ingredient for crafting the upgraded version of the same item.
You will need to finish the “Master Armorers” quest in order to craft any master armor, and the “Of Swords and Dumplings” quest to craft any master weapons.
The “Master Master Master Master!” quest will unlock grandmasters. It will also be the best way to get the grandmaster diagrams for the wolf, bear, cat, griffin & manticore gear sets.
Bear school gear:
To get the base diagrams for the bear school gear you’re going to have to complete a series of scavenger hunts. There’s plenty of ways you can trigger the first part of any scavenger hunt, but the simplest way is probably to buy and read the proper maps.
For the bear school, buy all four of Ibrahim Savi's maps with the armorer at Kaer Trolde.
Cat school gear:
Adalbert Kermith's first and second maps are for sale in Blackbough. The third is in Crow’s Perch, and the fourth and final is in Lindenvale.
Wolf school gear:
You will need the various notes by Hieronymus on the witcher Elgar, there are five in total. The first notes (Slightly torn notes by Hieronymus on the witcher Elgar) will be available at the blacksmith in Lindenvale. Hattori will have two more. The armorer in Kaer Trolde will have another set, and the final notes should be for sale with the armorer in Hierarch Square.
Griffin school gear:
Edwin Greloff's first and second maps will be with the armorer at Midcopse.
The third one can be found with the armorer at Hierarch Square, the final one is with Hattori.
Manticore school gear:
The manticore set diagrams are only available through the “Master Master Master Master!” quest.
Viper school gear:
You will only be able to get the viper gear during the “Open Sesame!” quest in Hearts of Stone.
When you reach the auction house, Vivaldi will give you some time to mingle with the guests, one of which is Countess Mignole. Approach her and start a conversation, eventually you’ll get the chance to buy the viper armor diagrams from her. This is your only chance to do so.
The two venomous swords will not be available through this interaction. To get the Viper venomous steel sword diagram, you’ll need to progress further down the quest until you reach a vault. Loot. It.
Witcher gear details: https://witcher.fandom.com/wiki/The_Witcher_3_witcher_gear
7. Viper venomous silver sword.
Mortally dangerous? perhaps. Fancy-looking? Absolutely.
Was I too conspicuous in my omission of this sword in the previous part? Be honest, I’m a little self-conscious about my conspicuously-omitting certain information to use later in an article. That and how the griffin armor makes me look.
Anyways, the reason why this sword gets its own spot on the list is that it is extra-unique, both in its rarity and its effects on combat.
The viper venomous silver sword grants increased experience from monsters, major critical hit damage, and the chance to poison you’d expect from a venomous sword.
It is also the only part of a witcher gear set that cannot be crafted, only found. (Unless you use console commands, in which case, why read this list at all?)
Why the viper venomous silver sword is great:
- A seventy-five percent increase in critical hit chance.
- A 15% chance to poison so it’ll honor its name.
- A unique sword that can only be found once.
How to get the Viper Venomous Silver Sword:
You can only get this sword if you decide to save Olgierd von Everec from Gaunter O'Dimm in the “Whatsoever a Man Soweth...” quest.
Once you enter O’Dimm’s mirror world, head down the path that leads away from the temple. When the path forks, head down the right-hand side. The path should fork again another 3 times, take two lefts and a right in that order.
You should reach a sword on a stone guarded by a Hym. That’s the sword you’re looking for.
Viper venomous silver sword details: https://witcher.fandom.com/wiki/Viper_venomous_silver_sword
6. Belhaven blade.
Good for soldiers and fine cheeses alike
Geralt’s fighting style in the books is often described as a form of dance; gracefully pirouetting and deflecting blows from the enemy, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike.
Had book Geralt been in possession of the Belhaven blade, his fighting style would’ve been more accurately described by: “Geralt took a swing, then everyone was dead, then he looted the corpses and headed out to play Gwent”.
The Belhaven blade has a laundry list of marvelous effects, but the thing that takes the cake is the one-hundred-percent damage increase on a critical hit, and this is a sword that doesn’t even need to crit to do an insane amount of damage.
Why the Belhaven blade is great:
- 100% crit damage bonus. Couple this with a thunderbolt and a crit-oriented build and you’ll be destroying enemies in no time.
- A 30% increase to Aard.
- Slight experience bonus so you’ll not only be downing enemies one after the other, you’ll be leveling up all the while.
How to get the Belhaven blade:
The Belhaven blade is a craftable sword. The diagram can only be found in Toussaint.
Go to the east of Toussaint. Particularly the southeast of Casteldaccia.
Right along the shoreline, you’ll find a bandit camp. Defeat the bandits and raid the camp. There, you’ll find the orders on stained paper, read them and initiate the “Waiting for Goe and Doh” quest.
The diagram for the Belhaven blade will be in a sunken ship nearby.
Belhaven blade details: https://witcher-games.gamepedia.com/Belhaven_blade
5. Gesheft (crafted).
Wait a minute! Is that a Dark Souls reference?
The Belhaven blade of silver swords. This fine piece of weaponry occupies a higher spot on the list simply because, besides having the same cool effects, it also has a much higher damage output.
Why Gesheft is great:
- Same cool effects as the Belhaven blade applied to a much more utilized silver sword.
- Great overall damage.
How to get Gesheft:
To get the diagram for this amazing sword, you’ll need to head to the monster den cave that’s north of Basane Farm in Toussaint.
Once in the cave, stick to the path on your left-hand side until you reach a sort of camp with a small bed, a table, and a chest. Loot the chest, the diagram for Gesheft should be there.
Gesheft details: https://witcher-games.gamepedia.com/Gesheft_(crafted)
4. The Caretaker's spade.
For when you're in the mood for some gardening
This weapon might not have the greatest damage output, but that doesn’t matter all that much when you get ten percent of all damage dealt returned to you as vitality.
That means that combined with the whirl ability, this weapon ensures a near-continuous stream of vitality points just for you. From now on, think of yourself as a deadly blender.
Also, it looks sick as hell. If hardcore-gardening is what you’re into.
Why the Caretaker’s spade is great:
- Decent enough damage, it might not be the strongest weapon in the game, but it is more than effective.
- You regain 10% of all damage inflicted, so have fun never dying.
- The weapon makes a unique sound and light effect every time you connect a hit, and it feels great.
How to get the Caretaker’s spade:
You can only get this weapon during the “Scenes From a Marriage” quest.
Once you reach Von Everec Manor, you’ll need to defeat a fearsome foe called The Caretaker, make sure not to take any damage, as The Caretaker regenerates health if he manages to hurt you.
Once defeated, look for the spade near his body. Take the spade and have fun becoming a thing of nightmares.
The Caretaker’s spade details: https://witcher-games.gamepedia.com/The_Caretaker%27s_spade
3. Iris.
All the best swords have names
Listen, finishing Hearts of Stone and saving Olgierd seems to be the only way to get the very best swords in the game, what can I do about it?
But besides being a great weapon, I dare anyone to complete Hearts of Stone and not form an emotional attachment to Iris.
The Sword is given to you as a memory of Iris von Everec, Olgierd’s wife.
As Geralt departs Iris’ painting world, he makes a parting promise to her that he will remember her. It might not matter much to Iris anymore, but by carrying this sword you can make sure that it matters to Geralt.
But this isn’t just a nice bit of memorabilia from the Everec state. This is also an immensely powerful sword in its own right.
With the unique feature of getting charged with every fast attack successfully executed, once the sword is fully charged, it will become glowing red, and executing a strong attack will release a tremendous amount of power at the cost of some of your vitality.
Why Iris is great:
- Impressive visual design with lots of sentimental value.
- Besides its story importance, Iris has a unique charge ability. And it’s just stupidly overpowered.
- Iris also hits twice when any strong attack lands, charged or not.
How to get Iris:
There’s only one way to get Iris. At the end of the Hearts of Stone DLC, choose to save Olgierd.
If you manage to free him and defeat Master Mirror, he’ll give you this sword as a show of gratitude.
Iris details: https://witcher-games.gamepedia.com/Iris
2. Toussaint Knight’s Steel Sword (crafted).
A sword for a knight most valiant. Or you, it could also be for you
So, here it is. The best of the best. When looking for a steel sword, you’ll find no better sword than this.
It might lack special gimmicks like a charge feature or vitality regeneration. But this sword makes up for that and more by just being an all-around amazing sword.
With a plus three-hundred percent to armor-piercing, this sword makes it so you might as well be fighting naked enemies, but a lot less uncomfortable for everyone involved.
Why the Toussaint Knight’s Steel Sword is great:
- 300% armor piercing, which is all the armor-piercing, all of it.
- A 30% increase to Quen, Quen! Arguably the best sign in the game.
- A 100% critical hit damage bonus, if you want to make your enemies extra-dead.
How to get the Toussaint Knight’s Steel Sword:
Go to the Arthach Palace Ruins in, you guessed it, Toussaint.
The diagram should be inside of a chest on top of the central tower.
Toussaint Kight’s Steel Sword: https://witcher-games.gamepedia.com/Toussaint_knight%27s_steel_sword_(crafted)
1. Aerondight.
It's always a little weird to get a gift from an ex
I’ll be honest with you. This could be the absolute-worst sword in the game and I would still cling to it like my life depended on it.
Aerondight is given to Geralt as a gift long before the events of TW3. In the first game, Geralt receives Aerondight as a gift from the lady of the lake after completing a couple of favors for her (not the kind of favors you’re thinking about, but... Also the kind of favors you’re thinking about).
Geralt then proceeds to misplace it inside of a dragon’s cranium in TW2. Silly Geralt.
Sentimentality aside, it doesn’t hurt that this is not the worst sword in the game, in fact, it’s the best sword in the entire game, at least in my objective, unbiased, completely correct opinion.
Not only does it have a damage output that other silver swords can only dream of, but it also scales its damage with the player’s level, which means that this sword will never turn obsolete.
This sword also has a charging mechanic, but this one doesn’t come at the cost of vitality, so you can go buck-wild.
Why Aerondight is great:
- Excalibur, Sting, The Six-Fingered Sword. Every hero needs a sword of legends, and this is yours.
- Charging mechanics can be simply explained by: “the more you hit, the more it hurts”.
- An unprecedented DPS when talking about a silver sword.
How to get Aerondight:
Aerondight can only be acquired in the Blood and Wine DLC, as a reward for completing the “There Can Be Only One” quest.
The easiest way to activate the quest is by reading the "Test Yourself with the Trials of the Virtues!" notice on the notice board.
Head to Lac Célavy, there you will find a very peculiar lake where you can walk on the water, in the center of which, you’ll find a meditating hermit. Talk to the hermit.
He’ll tell you that you need to prove you possess the five chivalric virtues to be deserving of the sword. The virtues you’ll need to prove are valor, honor, compassion, generosity, and wisdom.
There’s plenty of ways to prove that you possess each of the virtues, and once proven they can’t be disproved.
My personal way of proving the virtues is as follows: At the very beginning, spare the Shaelmaarin (what’s it ever done to you, anyway?), win the tourney, while you do so, make sure to keep Vivienne's secret, help François kill Grottore, pay the little boy that brings you Yennefer’s letter, and lift the spotted wight's curse.
That was a handful, wasn’t it? Don’t worry, here’s a comprehensive list of all the ways in which you can prove your virtues throughout Blood and Wine: https://witcher.fandom.com/wiki/There_Can_Be_Only_One
Once the virtues have been proven, return to the lake and have a little chat with the hermit. You’ll have to defeat him in battle, but once you do, Aerondight is all yours.
Aerondight details: https://witcher-games.gamepedia.com/Aerondight
Few! So... Cranium... Memorabilia... Sword... I think the thesaurus is paying off!
Just like I hope your beautiful and overpowered weapons are paying off. Heed this list, and you’ll be indestructible as you make your way through the continent.
Just remember that you’ll need to be as sharp as your weapons, amazing as they might be, they won’t do the killing on their own.
So now you have the perfect tools to refine your swordsmanship as I do to refine my wordsmanship, and it’s about time we both get to it. Until the next time... Uhm... Salutations? Hasta-la-vista? Ta-ta?... Give me a minute, I’m sure the word I’m looking for is in here somewhere...
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