The Witcher 3 Remastered Transmog Guide: How Reforging Gear Works

The Witcher 3 Remastered adds a long-requested way to separate Geralt's combat effectiveness from his wardrobe: transmog. The feature is presented in-game as Reforging, and it lets players change the appearance of an equipped armor piece or weapon while retaining the statistics, bonuses, and practical value of the item they actually want to use.

That means a player who has earned powerful Mastercrafted Witcher gear but prefers the look of an earlier set, a looted chestpiece, or another weapon can combine those choices. The superior item remains mechanically intact, while its outward model is changed to match a compatible piece of equipment already owned by the player.

There are important restrictions, costs, and progression requirements, however. Reforging is not immediately available, and the two characters able to provide the service are locked behind substantial side-quest chains. Both routes carry a recommended level of 24, so this is a system most players will properly access after spending a significant amount of time in Velen and Novigrad.

What Reforging does in The Witcher 3 Remastered

Reforging is the name used for the remastered edition's transmog option. It is designed for visual customization rather than equipment upgrading. When an item is Reforged, its appearance can be replaced by that of another compatible item from Geralt's inventory, but the original item's stats are not exchanged or altered.

For useful background on this topic, read Crimson Desert: Charting the Unknown Delayed Two Weeks.

In practical terms, players choose two items during the process:

• The item being worn or used, whose statistics Geralt will keep.
• The appearance item, which supplies the new visual look.

For example, a high-stat chest armor can be made to resemble a different chest armor that Geralt has found. Its armor rating and other underlying properties stay tied to the high-stat gear. The cosmetic result is simply a way to make a preferred build look the way the player wants it to look.

This distinction is especially useful for players who have reached the point where equipment choices are driven by efficiency, set bonuses, and high-level crafting. Before Reforging, the strongest available item may not have been the one with the most appealing design. The system makes it possible to prioritize performance without permanently giving up a favored visual style.

Where to transmog armor and weapons

Only two specialists offer Reforging services, and their roles are divided by equipment type. Players will need to visit the correct master craftsperson depending on whether they want to alter armor or weapons.

Yoana handles armor in Velen

Armor Reforging is performed by Yoana, the Master Armorer associated with Crow's Perch in Velen. Once she has been unlocked as a master-level specialist, speaking with her will provide the Reforge option for compatible armor pieces.

Yoana is not initially available for this service simply by arriving at Crow's Perch. Players must first complete the side-quest progression that establishes her as the Master Armorer. The route begins with Fergus Graem, the smith at Crow's Perch. Ask him about finding a Master Armorer to start the quest titled Master Armorers.

That quest chain has a recommended level of 24. Players arriving early should be prepared to return later rather than expecting to unlock the cosmetic system during the opening stretch of the Velen storyline.

Hattori handles weapons in Novigrad

Weapon Reforging is handled by Éibhear Hattori, the Master Swordsmith found in Novigrad. After his quest chain is completed and he is established as a master craftsperson, players can use his Reforge menu to change the appearance of their weapons.

There are two straightforward ways to begin looking for Hattori. Geralt can ask a weaponsmith about locating a Master Swordsmith, or players can travel directly to the Dumpling Restaurant in Novigrad. The restaurant is located in an open plaza between the Novigrad Docks and Gate of the Heirarch fast-travel points.

Hattori's chain begins with Of Swords and Dumplings, another quest with a recommended level of 24. As with Yoana's route, this requirement makes weapon transmog a feature intended for the mid-to-later portion of a playthrough rather than an early-game convenience.

How to use the Reforge menu

Once Yoana or Hattori has been unlocked, the actual transmog process is simple. Speak with the appropriate master craftsperson and select Reforge from the available dialogue or service options. The menu then guides players through choosing the gear whose look they want to change and the gear appearance they want to apply.

1. Visit Yoana for armor or Hattori for weapons.
2. Select the Reforge service.
3. Choose the item Geralt will continue wearing or wielding.
4. Choose another compatible item in the inventory whose appearance will be used.
5. Confirm the selection and pay the listed cost.

After payment, the selected functional item takes on the chosen appearance. Its original statistical benefits remain in place. The process is therefore best understood as a visual alteration applied to existing gear, not as an item swap, a dismantling action, or a conventional crafting upgrade.

Players should look carefully at the initial selection before confirming. The first item is the one whose gameplay properties are retained, while the second is the visual template. Keeping that order in mind avoids accidentally applying a look to the wrong piece of gear or misunderstanding which item's bonuses will remain active.

Compatibility limits and inventory requirements

Reforging offers broad flexibility, but it does not ignore equipment categories. Players cannot turn one type of clothing into an entirely unrelated type. A pair of trousers, for instance, cannot be made to look like shoes.

The key rule is that the item supplying the appearance must be an appropriate match for the equipment being altered. Chestpieces can take the appearance of other chestpieces, as one clear example. This keeps Geralt's equipment readable as armor and weapons while still allowing extensive visual customization within those categories.

Another significant limitation is that both the functional item and the appearance item need to be in Geralt's inventory when visiting the master craftsperson. The system does not allow a player to select an appearance from an item left elsewhere. If a desired armor set or weapon is sitting in a stash, it must be retrieved before heading to Crow's Perch or Novigrad.

This inventory condition makes stash management more valuable for players who collect equipment largely for its look. Older, weaker, or otherwise unused items can still have cosmetic value after they stop being useful in combat. Rather than selling every outdated piece immediately, players may want to keep standout designs available in their stash so they can bring them along for a future Reforging visit.

Why unlocking both masters matters

The two-master structure means armor and weapon customization progress independently. Completing Master Armorers gives access to the armor side through Yoana, while completing Of Swords and Dumplings opens weapon Reforging through Hattori. Players interested in a complete visual overhaul for Geralt will eventually want both specialists available.

It is also worth planning around the level recommendations. Because both quest paths are recommended for level 24, players may find it more efficient to treat the Reforge feature as a reward for broader exploration and side-content progress. By then, Geralt is likely to have accumulated a sizeable collection of armor and weapons, providing more possible appearances to choose from.

That timing also fits the purpose of transmog well. Earlier in a playthrough, gear is often replaced quickly as better loot and crafted equipment appear. Later on, when players settle into stronger Witcher gear and more defined combat builds, visual customization becomes more meaningful. Reforging allows those long-term items to remain useful without forcing Geralt into a single aesthetic.

A cosmetic option that does not compromise a build

The most important feature of Reforging is that it removes the need to choose between power and appearance. Players can retain a favored build's statistical advantages while presenting Geralt in gear that better suits their preferred interpretation of the character, whether that means a particular Witcher-school look, a more rugged collection of armor, or simply a weapon design they enjoy seeing in combat.

The service does require effort: unlock the relevant master, carry both necessary items, choose compatible equipment, and cover the stated fee. But once those conditions are met, the process is direct. Armor belongs with Yoana at Crow's Perch, weapons belong with Hattori in Novigrad, and the Reforge menu does the rest.

For returning players and newcomers alike, that makes the remastered edition's transmog system a practical quality-of-life addition. Geralt's best gear no longer has to dictate his final look.