There is so much to do and explore in the vast open world of The Witcher 3. There are hundreds of hours of treasures to be found, quests to be completed, and enemies to defeat. With so many incredible and intricate details in the game, players are bound to miss something on their first playthrough. While looting hidden chests and achieving powerful swords through boss fights is the way most players get their weapons, crafting gear can be the best thing that Geralt can do.
Finding crafting schematics and diagrams, gathering the materials needed, and getting personalized, super rare gear for the white-haired wolf is truly one of the best things a player can do in the game. All you need to know to become the next master craftsman is here!
10 Finding Diagrams
There are hidden diagrams all over the world of The Witcher, some much harder to find than others. A good way to find rare schematics is through treasure hunts that lead Geralt to Viper, Griffin, Bear, and Cat School Gear.
Geralt can also find diagrams by completing other random quests throughout the game, or by purchasing them at vendors across the map. Once the witcher obtains a diagram, he can then head to a blacksmith or an armorer to find out what materials are needed to create the weapon.
9 Gathering Crafting Components
In order to bring the weapon to fruition, Geralt must gather a list of required ingredients. Each diagram requires a different set of materials, some more intricate than others. Silver and steel ingots are typically a much-needed ingredient, as are steel plates, leather straps, diamond dust, and various others.
A quick way to gather crafting components is through dismantling old gear with the help of a blacksmith or armorer. They can take apart unused weapons to utilize their materials in a new sword or weapon.
8 Level Requirements
There are level requirements to use certain craft-able weapons. Some weapons in the game are at a restricted level so that Geralt can't use them unless he is strong enough. However, other weapons will downscale their level to match Geralt's so that players can use them wherever they are on the timeline of their playthrough.
The weapons won't level up as the witcher levels up, so it's better to just wait to craft a weapon when you get Geralt to an ideal level.
7 Blacksmiths
There are blacksmiths all over the map, mostly found in big towns and cities. Though they have experience crafting blades, they might not be good enough to craft weapons strong enough for the protagonist. Some blacksmiths aren't good enough to use diagrams found later in the game since they're way too powerful.
Make sure to visit highly skilled craftsmen when creating a high-end weapon.  The best blacksmith in the main game is Hattori in Novigrad. His skill comes at a price since Geralt must complete the Of Swords and Dumplings quest before he can unlock his abilities. Finishing the quest results in the best blacksmith plus a free sword, so pursue that quest as early as possible.
6 Armorers
Armorers follow the same rule as blacksmiths. There are different levels of skill in different armorers, so finding the more experienced ones is important.
The best armorer in the game is Yoana in the Crow's Perch. Though Geralt meets her at the beginning of the game, Yoana's ability to craft diagrams for the protagonist isn't unlocked until after completing the Master Armorer side quest.
5 Runes
The best way to make a good sword even better is by equipping runes to them. Runes add a magical boost to a weapon's abilities, increasing various stats based on what type of rune it is. There are 10Â types of rune, each with Lesser, Normal, and Greater strengths.
Chernobog runes boost attack power, Velds runes increase sign intensity, and Morana runes cause a chance to poison. There are many runes that can be combined or strengthened to any weapon with an open rune slot.
4 Rare Diagrams
One of the rarest diagrams in the game is of the Beann’shie Relic Steel Sword. This incredibly powerful sword can be found in Freya's Garden on Skellige Isles. It is incredibly rare to achieve and requires a Master or Grandmaster blacksmith to craft.
The level 44 Relic Steel Sword with 351-429 Damage makes the effort totally worth it. The Viper School Venomous swords are also very hard to find. Diagrams for these powerful swords can be found in bandit camps and down a crypt in White Orchard.
3 Best Silver Swords
The best craftable silver swords in the game are definitely worth the effort to create. At the top is the Harpy Relic, which diagram can be found in Velen as guarded treasure. It has 475 Damage and +10% chance of bleeding, and the weapon requires a level of 37 or higher to use.
Another must-have is the Faustino sword diagram, which can be obtained from a blacksmith in Arinbjorn. This mighty weapon has 465 Damage, +50% critical damage, and also requires a level of 37 or higher.
2 Best Steel Weapons
Besides the impeccable Beann’shie Relic Steel Sword, another fantastic steel weapon that can hardly be beaten is the powerful Tir Tochair Blade.
The diagram can be purchased from multiple smiths and a merchant in Skellige, one in Fayrlund, one in Fyresdal, and one in Hindarsfjall. The masterful blade requires a master blacksmith to craft, and a level of 46 or higher to use. There's also the Black Unicorn, found in the Signal Tower in Kaer Morhen, with a damage of 400 and a required level of 46.
1 Best Crossbow
The best craftable crossbow that can be found in The Witcher 3 is the Feline Crossbow. The diagram can be discovered in a sunken ship southwest of Novigrad, and it requires Geralt to be level 29 or up to use it. With an attack power of +225% and +10 armor-piercing, this bad boy is a must-have for any crossbow user.