In The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Remastered, the built-in way to give Geralt’s equipped armor a different model without sacrificing its combat performance is Reforge. Complete the Master Armorers questline at Crow’s Perch, then use Yoana’s Reforge service. Select the armor piece you are wearing, choose an appearance you have already acquired or registered, and confirm. The equipped item keeps its original statistics while displaying the selected model. This is different from dyes, which recolor eligible gear rather than replacing its overall design.
What is the way to change Geralt’s armor appearance without dyes?
Use Reforge, a transmog-style service added to the Remastered edition. It separates an armor item’s visual model from its gameplay statistics: a high-level or carefully optimized piece can keep doing its original job while looking like another armor item in your collection.
Reforge is available only in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Remastered according to the feature information from CD PROJEKT RED and coverage from VGC, PC Gamer and GamesRadar. The original pre-Remastered release did not have an official built-in appearance-over-stats system. In that older version, dyes changed colors, while a full model swap required unofficial mods on supported platforms.
CD PROJEKT RED described the feature this way: “You can now Reforge your equipment to change its appearance without affecting its stats.” That sentence captures the practical answer: Reforge changes how the armor looks, not the numbers attached to the item you equipped.
How do I unlock Reforge for armor?
You must finish the Master Armorers questline before Yoana offers the armor Reforge service. The quest begins through the blacksmith at Crow’s Perch. Follow the quest until Yoana is established as the master armorer, then return to her for the appearance service.
- Confirm the edition. Start the Remastered version of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. If you are playing the original release, the Reforge menu will not appear because that version did not include the official feature.
- Go to Crow’s Perch. Speak with the blacksmith there to obtain the Master Armorers questline.
- Complete the questline. The armor service is tied to the quest’s completion, not simply to reaching a certain character level or owning a particular armor set.
- Return to Yoana. Once unlocked, Yoana is the master armorer who handles Reforge for armor.
Unlocking Yoana does not automatically grant every possible look. It gives you access to the service; the appearance you want still has to be acquired or registered in the available appearance collection.
How do I use Reforge on Geralt’s armor?
After Yoana’s service is unlocked, Reforge is a selected-item operation. You change the visible model of an individual armor piece, rather than applying one switch that necessarily restyles every slot at once.
- Equip the item whose statistics you want to keep. Reforge works on the armor piece you select. Decide which chest, glove, trouser or boot item will remain your functional gear.
- Speak to Yoana at Crow’s Perch. Choose her armor service and select Reforge from the available options.
- Select the equipped armor piece. Pick the specific item whose visible appearance you want to alter. Treat each slot separately unless your interface explicitly presents another option.
- Open the appearance choices. The list contains appearances that you have already acquired or that have been registered in your collection. A look you have never obtained will not be available simply because you know its name.
- Preview and choose the model. Select the visual design you want Geralt to display for that item. The source appearance supplies the model; the equipped item remains the one supplying the gameplay statistics.
- Confirm Reforge. Accept the change through the confirmation prompt. The armor keeps its original combat statistics while displaying the chosen appearance.
- Repeat for other slots if needed. To create a coordinated outfit, reforge the other pieces individually. Changing one item does not automatically mean that every other armor slot changes too.
If an appearance is missing from the list, leave the menu and verify that you actually obtained the relevant source armor or diagram and that the game has registered it in your appearance collection. Acquiring a visual design and owning the stronger item you plan to wear are separate parts of the process.
What does Reforge change, and what does it preserve?
Reforge is intended for appearance-over-stats customization. The visual model is replaced, but the item you selected remains the functional equipment.
| Item property | What happens after Reforge |
|---|---|
| Visible armor model | Changes to the appearance you select from the acquired or registered collection. |
| Combat statistics | Preserved from the equipped item; Reforge is designed not to affect its stats. |
| Armor slot | Remains the same selected slot. Reforging a chest piece does not turn it into gloves, trousers or boots. |
| Dyes already applied | Preserved according to CD PROJEKT RED’s feature announcement. |
| Other armor pieces | Not automatically restyled by changing one selected item; handle additional slots separately. |
| Availability of a new appearance | Not granted by the service itself. You must first acquire or register the appearance you want to use. |
Because the original item remains the equipped item, Reforge is useful when you have outgrown an attractive early-game piece or prefer a particular set’s silhouette but need the statistics of another item. You do not have to choose between a build-oriented item and a favored visual design.
Who handles armor Reforge, and who handles weapon Reforge?
Yoana handles armor. Her unlocked service is where you change the appearance of Geralt’s chest, gloves, trousers and boots. If you are trying to alter armor at Hattori’s forge, you are at the wrong specialist.
Éibhear Hattori handles weapons. Hattori’s Reforge service applies to swords and other weapons, not to Geralt’s armor slots. The two master craftsmen divide the feature by equipment type, so the correct NPC depends on what you want to change.
| Equipment you want to change | NPC | Unlock route |
|---|---|---|
| Armor appearance | Yoana | Complete the Master Armorers questline at Crow’s Perch. |
| Weapon appearance | Éibhear Hattori | Use Hattori’s Reforge service for weapons after his service is available. |
The official feature announcement limits Reforge to the two master craftsmen. Do not assume that every ordinary blacksmith or armorer can perform it.
What is the difference between Reforge and dyes?
Dyes and Reforge solve different customization problems. A dye changes the color treatment of eligible equipment; Reforge changes the visible armor model while retaining the equipped item’s statistics.
| Customization method | Edition support | Visual change | Stats | Requirements | Built in? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reforge | Remastered edition | Uses another acquired or registered armor model. | Equipped item’s statistics are preserved. | Master Armorers questline, Yoana, and an acquired or registered appearance. | Yes, through the two master craftsmen. |
| Dyes | Available as a separate armor-color system; exact support depends on the item. | Recolors eligible armor rather than replacing its overall model. | Dyeing does not provide an appearance-over-stats swap. | An eligible item and the desired dye. | Yes. |
| Mods in the original release | Pre-Remastered version, where official Reforge was absent. | Can provide appearance-over-stats changes depending on the specific mod. | Depends on the mod’s implementation. | Platform support, installation and compatibility requirements vary. | No; unofficial and version-dependent. |
You can use both systems together. Existing dyes carry over when you Reforge, so a dyed item can retain its color treatment while displaying the selected model. If your goal is only a different color, dyeing is the simpler route; if your goal is a different cut, silhouette or set design, use Reforge.
Why can’t I find the Reforge option?
Most missing-menu problems come from the edition, the NPC, the unlock quest or the appearance collection. Check them in this order.
You are playing the original release
The pre-Remastered game did not include the official Reforge feature. Confirm that your title is the Remastered edition before searching menus or visiting additional armorers. Dyes may still be available in the older version, but they do not substitute for the built-in transmog system.
You have not completed Master Armorers
Yoana’s relevant service is gated behind the Master Armorers questline obtained through the blacksmith at Crow’s Perch. If the quest is unfinished, continue it until Yoana’s master-armorer service is unlocked.
You are speaking to Hattori
Hattori is the weapon specialist. Return to Crow’s Perch and speak with Yoana when you want to change armor rather than a sword.
The desired look is not registered
Reforge does not function as a universal preview of every armor model in the game. Obtain the source armor or relevant diagram, then ensure the appearance has been registered in the collection used by the Reforge menu. If it is absent, the service has no appearance entry to apply.
You expected one selection to change the whole outfit
Reforge is applied to the armor piece you select. A chest-piece change should not be treated as an automatic replacement for gloves, trousers and boots. Reforge each additional slot when you want a complete visual combination.
You are looking for a stat upgrade in the appearance menu
Reforge is not an enhancement or crafting upgrade. It changes the model shown for the selected item while preserving that item’s existing statistics, so choose the functional armor first and the visual source second.
How should I plan an armor build around Reforge?
Choose equipment for performance first, then use appearance collection choices to determine what Geralt displays. This order avoids dismantling or replacing a useful item merely because another piece has a preferred design.
- Set your functional loadout. Equip the armor pieces whose combat statistics suit your current build.
- Identify the look you want. Select a source armor appearance that you have already acquired or registered.
- Reforge one slot at a time. Apply the chosen model through Yoana and confirm before moving to the next piece.
- Check the result in your equipment screen. Make sure the item you intended to keep is still equipped and that the displayed model is the one you selected.
- Use dyes only for color adjustments. If the model is right but the color is not, dyeing can complement Reforge; it is not necessary to abandon the Reforged appearance.
This workflow is especially useful when your strongest equipment comes from a different armor family than the style you want Geralt to wear. The system lets visual preference and combat optimization coexist rather than forcing a choice between them.
What are Reforge’s practical limits?
- It is edition-specific. The official service belongs to the Remastered version, not the original pre-Remastered release.
- It requires an unlock. You cannot use Yoana’s armor Reforge before completing Master Armorers.
- It is NPC-specific. Yoana is for armor and Hattori is for weapons.
- It depends on your collection. The appearance must have been acquired or registered before it can be selected.
- It is item-focused. Apply the service to each armor slot you want to restyle rather than expecting a universal outfit toggle.
- It is not a stat conversion. Reforge leaves the selected item’s statistics in place; it does not transfer the source appearance’s bonuses to your equipment.
- It does not replace dyes. Dyes remain the tool for recoloring, while Reforge handles the model-level change.
Does Reforge work with dyed armor?
Yes. CD PROJEKT RED states that dyes already applied to equipment are preserved through Reforge. That means you can keep an existing color treatment while changing the visible armor model, although the final appearance may differ because the new model has its own shape and material layout.
For a clean result, decide whether your priority is color or form: use a dye when the model is acceptable and only the hue needs changing; use Reforge when the armor’s overall design is what you want to replace.
Does Reforge change armor statistics?
No. The defining purpose of Reforge is to change appearance without affecting the statistics of the equipped item. The armor you select remains the item providing its combat values after confirmation.
That distinction matters when you have a well-developed build but prefer another set’s appearance. Reforge changes the presentation layer, not the underlying equipment choice, so inspect the item you are actually equipping before applying the visual source.
Can I use any armor appearance immediately?
No. The desired appearance must already be acquired or registered. The Reforge service does not unlock every design on its own, and an unregistered model will not appear as a selectable option.
If a look is missing, obtain the relevant armor or diagram first and verify that it has entered the appearance collection. The exact entries available to you therefore depend on what you have collected in that save.
Does the original Witcher 3 have transmog?
The original pre-Remastered release did not include an official built-in Reforge system. Players there could recolor eligible armor with dyes, while full appearance-over-stats changes depended on unofficial mods and their platform compatibility.
If you need the supported in-game method described here, use the Remastered edition and complete the Master Armorers questline to unlock Yoana’s service.
How do I change only one armor slot?
Open Yoana’s Reforge service, select the specific equipped piece and choose the registered appearance for that slot. Other armor pieces remain as they were unless you reforge them separately.
This lets you combine models from different armor families without replacing the statistics on any of the items you are using.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I undo a Reforge appearance change?
Reforge changes the selected item’s displayed model through the same service used to apply it. Return to Yoana and choose another appearance from the entries available to that item; the underlying equipment remains the item you selected rather than becoming the source armor.
Do I lose the source armor when I use its appearance?
The appearance system uses an acquired or registered model as a visual choice; it does not turn your equipped item into the source item. Keep the source gear or diagram available if you want to use that appearance again or apply it to another piece.
Can Reforge change Geralt’s armor color and model at the same time?
Reforge handles the model, while dyes handle recoloring. Existing dyes are preserved according to the feature announcement, so you can combine the two systems instead of treating them as mutually exclusive.
Where do I go for weapon transmog instead of armor?
Use Éibhear Hattori for weapons. Yoana’s Reforge service at Crow’s Perch is the armor-specific route, so Hattori’s menu will not provide options for Geralt’s chest, gloves, trousers or boots.