The Witcher franchise notably trades in the freedom of character creation for a more cohesive and solid story with the players mostly being stuck as Geralt of Rivia. Still, the game more than makes up for that with the number of customization options available for such a rigid and stubborn protagonist, usually with the stuff he gets to wear.

When one thinks about it, Geralt’s job doesn’t seem so bad especially with all the special armor he gets to wear. In The Witcher 3 alone, there’s an impressive amount of armor sets all suited to turning Geralt into a killing machine while he does it all in style. So, in order to look good while being a bladed whirlwind of death, here are the prettiest armor sets Geralt can wear, ranked from worst to best in terms of aesthetics.

11 ASSASSIN’S ARMOR SET

Sounds ice cold and foreboding but it actually reveals itself in-game to be nothing more than a gambeson shirt and leather pants with questionable color schemes. While the materials seem fitting for nimble assassins, the colors are a little too loud.

It’s nothing remarkable, really. This is by far one of the crudest armor Geralt can wear that is a set. The bonuses are decent enough in the early game but easily outclassed by witcher school gear. Thankfully, Geralt won’t be wearing it long.

10 NILFGAARDIAN ARMOR SET

Next up is a slick dark staple from good old Nilfgaard. The Nilfgaardian armor set was introduced to the game as a free DLC and has since become a go-to armor for early game. It has good stats for a low-level Geralt and looks elegant enough.

It essentially turns Geralt into a male version of Yennefer given how it follows the same black and white motif as well as Yennefer’s default outfit. What completes the style is that classy chest piece engraving, making Geralt look like a dashing nobleman with the right hair.

9 GRIFFIN ARMOR SET

The Griffin School armor set is about as balanced as all armor sets come, being a medium armor. It’s pretty much a half-plate where only Geralt’s upper half is covered in metal. The rest are leather and allow him to move freely.

It’s certainly not for every witcher as the breastplate gives Geralt an illusory beer belly which looks funny enough given his white hair and lack of a helmet. It’s fitting enough for spellcasters, it seems, as they don’t need to move around too much.

8 CAT/FELINE ARMOR SET

Speaking of moving around too much, the Cat School gear is built for that purpose. It’s a perfect armor for quick and light strikes that should whittle down enemies with attrition more than raw strength. In fact, it makes for a better “assassin’s armor” for Geralt.

That’s because the final version of the Feline armor set has a hood that pretty much hides Geralt’s hair and face, making him seem like a hired killer (well, he is one, anyway). The midnight blue color also complements the theme of the armor well.

7 TOUSSAINT KNIGHT’S ARMOR SET

The Toussaint Knight’s Tourney Armor set is about as straightforward as protection can get. It’s a full-plate of shining armor that should be able to blind Geralt’s enemies from its reflection alone.

The only thing missing is a helmet to hide Geralt’s unkempt look which otherwise ruins the whole style of the set. That’s also one of the reasons why a lot of players tend to not wear this one around. It doesn’t look as good without a headpiece.

6 MANTICORE ARMOR SET

The Manticore School gear is actually a nod to Geralt’s default armor back in the first Witcher game. It looks simple enough—a white tunic and a leather jacket with some serious leather boots and gloves.

It’s a perfect gear for someone who fights monsters more frequently than humans. The shoulder belts also add a nice touch and make Geralt look well-equipped for any witchering job, similar to how Batman wears his tools.

5 WOLF/WOLVEN ARMOR SET

In what appears to be a response to Lambert’s edgy witcher armor or Eskel’s spiky stripes, Geralt gets his own brand of red and black leather duds in the form of the Wolf School armor. Although, this one is less leather and more chainmail.

Still, for those wanting their own cool version of Lambert or Eskel’s edgelord outfits, the Wolven armor set ought to be a decent counterpart. If anything, it makes them look like a brotherly trio of emo witchers, a must-have armor during their drinking session.

4 BEAR/URSINE ARMOR SET

By far the most protective and heaviest-looking of all witcher school armor sets, the Ursine armor means business. It’s all heavy chainmail—even the overcoat is chainmail and if those weren’t enough, a thick leather jacket protects the whole rib cage.

What really makes this armor stand out from the rest is the overcoat or the flaps as well as the bear fur and scarf around the collar. It makes Geralt look like a proper master or some sort of lord in a cold northern kingdom.

3 TESHAM MUTNA/HEN GAIDTH ARMOR SET

The Tesham Mutna and the Hen Gaidth pretty much only differ in terms of color, the former is tar-pit black while the latter is crimson and screams Bram Stoker’s Dracula. That’s what they were going for with these designs.

Unlike the shinier Toussaint armor sets, these two fit Geralt perfectly well, especially with his white hair and even with the mask on. It makes him look like a completely different character, more vampire than witcher. It deserves a high spot considering it was based on an Oscar award-winning costume designer’s armor for Dracula.

2 SKELLIGE/UNDVIK ARMOR SET

Funny enough, the DLC Skellige/Undvik Armor set looks more like a proper Ursine set given how it’s more rugged yet stylish at the same time. It’s certainly one of the most detailed armor sets in the game and it’s hard to abstain from making Geralt wear it.

It makes Geralt look like a Nordic or Viking hero which suits his travels well in Skellige. Definitely one of the best armor sets to wear thematically while fighting the Undvik giant. Sure, it’s not very Geralt-y as it makes him look like a jarl or a king, but good luck getting rid of something this beautiful.

1 VIPER/SERPENTINE ARMOR SET

Geralt goes back to basics with the Viper Armor set and it’s what he wears in the trailers and promotional videos for The Witcher 3. Seeing how elegant yet simple it is, it’s easy to see why it was chosen as Geralt’s poster armor.

It doesn’t detract from the witcher aesthetics and still makes Geralt look like a professional monster slayer. It’s not for cosplaying as a Viking hero or as a vampire reaver—it’s armor for a witcher and the most balanced Geralt has worn in terms of protectiveness and style.

NEXT: The Witcher 3: The 10 Rarest Armor Sets, Ranked (& How To Find Them)