The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild quickly became a favorite Zelda game for many gamers after it was released when the Nintendo Switch was launched. This game is a huge open-world game that allows players to control Link as he travels all over Hyrule, completes shrines, and regains his memories before he heads to Hyrule Castle in order to take on Calamity Ganon.
While Link is making his way across the landscape, he'll likely come across several different sets of armor. Some will be given to him, some will be required for part of a quest, and others can be found in chests all over the map. While some of them offer a boost or some sort of protection, there are also some that are definitely more just for aesthetics.
Updated on June 4, 2023 by Ritwik Mitra: Breath of the Wild is one of the greatest video games ever made, featuring a massive open world and a huge shift in the Zelda formula that attracted way more eyes to the game than ever before. Some long-time fans do miss the classic format of the series, but no one can deny that Breath of the Wild is an excellent step in the right direction that ended up selling multiple units of the Switch single-handedly as well!
Throughout Link's adventures in the corrupted and desolate land of Hyrule, he'll happen upon several enemies who can take him out in one fell swoop if he doesn't have the protection needed to bear the brunt of these attacks. Thankfully, there are more than enough armor sets that Link can wear to augment his protection while also enjoying several bonuses to boot. Here are the best armor sets players can find in Breath of the Wild.
8 Ancient Set
The Guardian Stalkers are some of the most nightmarish enemies in the game, hunting Link down at every step of the way and targeting him with a series of powerful beams that hit like a truck and will absolutely annihilate any early-game player. It's only a given that Link would need some protection to absorb the brunt of these attacks, and one armor set that is invaluable in this regard is the Ancient Set.
Not only does this armor set increase Link's defense against these mechanical monstrosities, but the Set Bonus allows him to hit them for greater damage too! It's a must-have armor set for players infiltrating Hyrule Castle who don't want to be taken out while exploring this tough dungeon by an errant Guardian beam attack or anything else along the same lines.
7 Flamebreaker Set
Any armor that allows players to brave the extreme temperatures of Breath of the Wild is bound to be useful for obvious reasons. Such is the case with the Flamebreaker Set, which allows players to bear the extreme heat of Death Mountain and its surrounding areas.
This armor set is invaluable for players who don't want to scarf down flame-resistant food or elixirs over and over again, which can get really tiring after a point. The entire set makes Link fireproof, which helps players relax in the surrounding areas of Death Mountain instead of constantly worrying about Link losing his health as he burns to a crisp.
6 Climbing Set
One of the best sets of armor in Breath of the Wild is the Climbing Set. This set can be purchased from Granté after the player finds the Climbing Gear, the first piece of this set, in the Chaas Qeta Shrine on Tenoko Island. Each piece will set the player back 4,000 Rupees but is completely worthwhile for fans who love the massive world of Breath of the Wild and want to explore it as much as possible.
This set will help the player to climb faster and more efficiently, which is definitely a helpful bonus in Breath of the Wild with its many mountains. Although this doesn't give players a leg up in combat, it's helpful if they're trying to make it to the top of a mountain with no stamina-boosting food.
5 Sheikah Set
The Sheikah Set is an armor set that consists of the Stealth Mask, the Stealth Chest Guard, and the Stealth Tights. It can be purchased from the clothing shop in Kakariko Village for a total of 1800 Rupees for all three pieces. This gives Link a stealth boost which is improved after upgrading the set at least once.
This stealth boost can be pretty handy in some situations, especially for players who are tired of facing enemies head-on in the game. It helps that looking like a Sheikah Warrior is pretty awesome and a throwback to past Zelda games.
4 Barbarian Set
The Barbarian Set is an armor set in Breath of the Wild that resembles what the warriors in the Faron region once wore. This set not only looks cool, but it's actually a really helpful one to put Link in, especially if players know that they're going to be battling a huge camp of enemies.
This set is a reward for completing the three labyrinths in the game, meaning it's not all that easy to find. But because wearing it reduces the stamina used when attacking enemies, it's definitely a handy one. Players should be wary of one thing while trying to upgrade this armor set, though — each level requires some pretty rare materials like a Lynel Horn, Lynel Hooves, and eventually, a dragon shard.
3 Desert Voe Set
The Desert Voe set is a set that can be obtained in Gerudo Town. It's the masculine counterpart to the Gerudo Veil set and, let's all be honest here, it looks a lot cooler on Link than the Gerudo Veil Set. This set can be obtained from the Gerudo Secret Club in Gerudo Town for 2,400 Rupees.
Along with looking cooler on than the Gerudo Veil set, the Desert Voe Set has another advantage. Being in the desert and having to watch Link's temperature over and over again can get tiresome, and this set lets players take their eyes off this metric and watch out for the many threats that await them in this area instead, such as Moldugas and camouflaged Lizalfos.
2 Snowquill Set
The Snowquill Set is a really useful set of armor that Link can purchase from Rito Village for a total of 2,150 Rupees for all three pieces. When Link first purchases this set, it has a pretty good mid-level cold resistance. The real bonus to this set comes when it's upgraded at any of the Great Fairy Fountains because it eventually gets a complete resistance to freezing.
Anyone who has played Breath of the Wild will know that once they head up to the Northwest corner of the map to the Hebra Mountains, they're definitely going to need that cold immunity. Although Link could go with some spicy food as well, it's best to wear something warm and not worry about ingesting something every few minutes.
1 Zora Set
The Zora Set is a set of armor that is all related to quests either in Zora's Domain or in the surrounding area. The Zora Helm is found in a sunken treasure chest in Toto Lakte, the armor is a gift from King Dorephan during the Divine Beast Vah Ruta quest, and the greaves are a reward for completing the Lynel Safari quest.
Along with just making Link look totally cool and like one of the Zora, it also has a pretty nice bonus. Each piece of armor that Link puts on helps him to swim faster and, if players wear the entire set, then they can swim up waterfalls without a problem. Suffice it to say, it's pretty useful when Link finds himself in the middle of a body of water!
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is available on the Wii U and Nintendo Switch.