Still not sure how to unlock transmog in The Witcher 3 Remastered and change the appearance of your armor and weapons? In this guide, we'll explain where to find Yoana and Hattori, how to unlock Reforge, obtain new appearances, and keep your equipment's original stats.The original The Witcher 3 had a very familiar problem: even excellent armor could make Geralt look as if he'd stolen it from a roadside ditch, while the stylish starting jacket usually had to be dumped into the stash after a few levels. With the remaster, CD Projekt RED finally addressed this by adding a full transmog system.You can now separate an item's appearance from its stats. For example, you can keep the attributes of Mastercrafted Ursine armor while making it look like your favorite Kaer Morhen gear. The system applies to weapons as well as armor. Unfortunately, you can't simply open your inventory in White Orchard and immediately dress Geralt in every appearance you like. The new mechanic is tied to master craftsmen, so you'll first need to help Yoana for armor and Hattori for weapons.
How Transmog Works in The Witcher 3 Remastered
The idea is simple: the equipped item keeps its actual stats, bonuses, and properties, while the appearance of another unlocked item is applied on top. For example, you may have an excellent chest piece with the protection, resistances, and bonuses you want, but prefer the look of an older piece of witcher gear. After Reforging, the first item's stats remain unchanged while Geralt visually wears the second.The same applies to weapons. Changing a sword's appearance does not transfer its damage or unique effects. You're only changing the model.Image unavailable This means you no longer have to choose between looks good and doesn't get Geralt killed in two hits. The system is especially useful with witcher sets, whose appearance can change dramatically between the basic, Enhanced, Superior, Mastercrafted, and Grandmaster versions.
How to Unlock Armor Appearance Changes
For armor, you'll need Yoana at Crow's Perch. If you've played the original game, you probably remember her. At first, she works alongside the dwarf Fergus, who presents himself as the real master armorer.To unlock Yoana's full services, complete the secondary quest Master Armorers. The easiest way to start it is at Crow's Perch. Ask Fergus about mastercrafted armor, and Yoana will join the conversation and tell you about the famous tools once used at the Clan Tordarroch Forge. Unfortunately, they're not sitting in a shed next door. You'll have to travel to Undvik in Skellige.
Where to Find the Tools for Yoana
The required High-quality smithing tools are found in the old Clan Tordarroch Forge on Undvik. The island is tied to the Ice Giant storyline, so most players will naturally visit it while progressing through Skellige.Image unavailableReach the abandoned forge and collect the tools from the chest. You'll also need to deal with an Ice Troll nearby, so bringing a completely fresh Geralt here just for a prettier jacket isn't the best idea. Afterward, return to Crow's Perch and give the tools to Yoana and Fergus.The quest doesn't end there. Geralt still needs to help Yoana prove her skill, which includes completing Contract: The Griffin from the Highlands and taking part in a test of the armor she makes.We recommend finishing the entire questline normally. Once it's complete, Yoana becomes the master armorer, and Remastered unlocks the new Reforge service through her for changing armor appearance.
Can You Unlock Transmog Earlier?
Technically, nothing forces you to finish half the main story before starting Master Armorers. As soon as you can reach Skellige and travel to Undvik, you can retrieve the tools earlier than usual. The obvious problem is that the quest isn't designed for a starting Geralt. Undvik contains dangerous enemies, and you'll later have to kill an Archgriffin.If you're starting a new playthrough, we wouldn't recommend breaking the natural progression of the game purely for transmog. You can comfortably reach your first witcher sets without it.Old saves are much easier. If Master Armorers is already complete, visit Yoana after installing Remastered and check the new Reforge service.
How to Change Armor Appearance
Once Yoana is fully established as a master armorer, speak to her and open the Reforge menu. Choose the actual item you want to keep using, then select an available appearance for that slot. Confirm the change, and the item's model will change while all of its original stats remain intact.For example, you can continue using stronger late-game armor while giving Geralt the appearance of his starting gear. Or you can keep the stats of one witcher set while using the visual design of another.Image unavailableIt's important to understand that the appearance is applied to a specific piece of equipment. This isn't a separate costume layer saved permanently across your entire character. If you later replace the item completely, you'll need to configure the new piece separately.
Do You Have to Pay to Change Appearance?
Yes. Reforge costs crowns. The price depends on the item, so constantly changing the appearance of everything in your inventory after finding each new sword isn't especially economical.That's particularly true early in the game, when your money is better spent on diagrams, repairs, and crafting witcher gear.The exact prices shown in pre-release builds changed during development, so old screenshots aren't a reliable guide to specific numbers. The basic rule remains the same: the master craftsman charges for the service.
How to Unlock New Transmog Appearances
The system registers appearances from equipment and crafting diagrams added to Geralt's inventory. In practice, this means picking up, buying, or otherwise obtaining new gear expands the Reforge catalog, while diagrams can also unlock corresponding looks.Because of that, it's worth checking unusual armor and weapons during your first hours in Remastered even when their stats are immediately worse than what you're already using.Image unavailableBe particularly careful with old saves. The system does not fully retroactively register every item Geralt may have owned years ago. If there is rare equipment you want to use as an appearance, place it in Geralt's inventory after loading the save in Remastered. Gear stored in your stash may need to be taken out before the game registers the look.Once an appearance has been added to the Reforge catalog, you don't need to keep the original item solely to preserve that appearance.
How to Change Sword Appearance
Transmog also works with weapons. CD Projekt RED specifically confirmed that Reforge can change the appearance of both armor and weapons. For weapon appearance changes, you'll need another master craftsman: Éibhear Hattori in Novigrad.When you first meet the legendary elven swordsmith, he isn't making swords at all. He's selling dumplings. To get him back to his old profession, complete Of Swords and Dumplings.During the questline, Geralt helps Hattori deal with suppliers and competitors, find protection, and regain the ability to practice his craft safely. Once the quest is complete, Hattori becomes a master swordsmith.In Remastered, Hattori's Reforge service lets you keep the stats of a powerful silver or steel sword while applying the appearance of a different weapon you prefer.
Where to Find Hattori
Hattori lives in Novigrad. His shop is located in the southern part of the city. When you first meet him, he'll be selling dumplings, which is a slightly unexpected career move for a legendary swordsmith, but that's exactly where the questline you need begins.Speak to the elf and complete Of Swords and Dumplings. The quest is intended for roughly the middle of a playthrough and includes several fights, so there is little reason to rush there with an underleveled character. Once the quest is finished and his workshop is running again, speak to Hattori to access his services.
Do Stats Change After Transmog?
The most important rule of the entire system is that stats do not change. If you equip Heavy Armor and make it look like Light Armor, it does not become Light Armor. Its protection, resistances, weight, and all other properties remain exactly as they were.Image unavailableThe same applies to witcher sets. You can visually mix and match the appearances you like without sacrificing the advantages of the equipment Geralt is actually wearing. Choose gear for its stats just as before, then customize its appearance afterward.If you've also started a new playthrough and aren't sure where to spend your first points after the skill-tree overhaul, we've covered the best skills in The Witcher 3 Remastered and early progression priorities separately.
Does Transmog Work With Witcher Armor?
Yes, and this is where the new system is particularly useful. Feline, Griffin, Ursine, Wolven, and other witcher sets have several visual stages. Sometimes players preferred the appearance of an earlier version but had to upgrade it for better stats, changing the look at the same time. Reforge finally separates those two things.Use the gear whose stats actually fit your build and choose its appearance separately. Want to spend the entire game looking like Geralt is still wearing his classic Kaer Morhen armor? Go ahead. Prefer the appearance of an earlier Feline armor tier even after moving to stronger equipment? You no longer have to sacrifice stats for it.
Does Transmog Work With Weapons?
The official Remastered description explicitly mentions weapons and armor. The mechanic remains purely cosmetic. Giving one silver sword the appearance of another will not transfer damage, Critical Hit Chance, or any unique effect from the visual source.So making a random sword look like Aerondight does not turn it into Aerondight. Convenient as that would be, Geralt still has to find good equipment the old-fashioned way.
Can You Use Transmog From the Beginning of the Game?
This is arguably one of the stranger limitations of the new system, but no. To change armor appearances through Yoana, you first need to unlock her as a master by completing Master Armorers and retrieving the tools from Undvik. Full weapon Reforge access similarly requires helping Hattori.That creates a slightly funny situation: the system exists partly so you don't have to spend the first dozens of hours wearing random mismatched armor, yet the system itself isn't fully available during those first hours.Image unavailableIf you're starting a new game, you'll simply have to work around this limitation. On an old save, it is barely an issue if the relevant quests were completed long ago.
Can You Change Ciri's Armor Appearance?
At the moment, Reforge is presented as a system for Geralt's equipment. There has been no separate confirmation of an equivalent feature for the playable Ciri sections. She uses her own outfits and a very different character system, so you should not expect to Reforge her clothing.
Do Dyes Work With Transmog?
Armor dyes from Blood and Wine continue to work with the new Reforge system. CD Projekt RED has confirmed that dyes applied to equipment carry over to the reforged item, allowing you to keep a chosen color while changing the armor's model.
The important thing is not to confuse the two mechanics:
Reforge changes the equipment's model and appearance, while dye changes its color.
What Should You Do Before Installing Remastered?
If you're starting a completely new game, there is nothing special you need to prepare. Pick up interesting equipment as you play and gradually build your appearance collection.Image unavailableWith an old save, it's worth being more careful. Before or immediately after updating, keep your favorite witcher sets, rare Relic armor, and unique swords available rather than dismantling or selling them. This is especially important for one-off items that cannot simply be bought again.After launching Remastered, load the save, move the gear you care about into Geralt's inventory, visit Yoana or Hattori, and check which appearances have been registered. Only then start dismantling the old collection.And don't panic if you notice that your skills have been reset. That's an intentional part of the update caused by the completely redesigned skill tree, not a corrupted save.Ultimately, transmog finally solves one of The Witcher 3's oldest problems: powerful equipment no longer has to look good, and good-looking equipment no longer has to be useful. Wear whatever gives you the stats you need and make Geralt look however you want. He already survived Velen's green-and-yellow quilted fashion once. There's no reason to make him do it again.
