The land of Hyrule in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is populated by monsters and beasts of all kinds. Minibosses in the forms of Hinox, Talus, and Molduga litter Hyrule’s most dangerous areas; however, there’s one enemy that has no health bar across the screen but still strikes fear in the hearts of most players: The Lynels.
There are five types of Lynels in the game, and all of them pack a serious punch. Lynels are some of the most dangerous enemies in the game, and players should avoid them until they have the proper gear and know the best tips and strategies. Players who want to deal with these Lynels in Breath of the Wild should read on to find out about all their variants and how to tackle these monstrous enemies.
Updated on September 20, 2022, by Ritwik Mitra: Breath of the Wild is one of the best open-world games ever made. Nintendo should be commended for transforming its flagship series in such a notable manner, with the title featuring a wondrous sense of discovery and surprisingly engaging combat that makes for a truly tantalizing experience. With Breath of the Wild 2 currently in development, fans can't wait to see how Nintendo improves on this amazing formula even more.
The enemies in Breath of the Wild can be pretty challenging if players aren't used to their attack patterns. This is especially true in the case of the Lynel, which is one of the toughest enemies in the game. An encounter with any Lynel is bound to be a hair-raising moment for players, with these enemies sporting various different variants that increase the challenge of fighting them quite a bit.
Where To Find Lynels
Given how massive Breath of the Wild's map is, finding a Lynel can become somewhat of a daunting task. However, this search can be made easier by scouting in and around the following locations in the game:
- Tabantha Bridge Stable
- Coliseum Ruins
- Oseira Plains
- Nautelle Wetlands
- Kamah Plateau
- Ploymus Mountain
- Lanayru Road - East Gate
Of course, do keep in mind that seeking out a Lynel fight early on in the game is akin to a death sentence. These enemies will hit like a truck if Link's armor isn't high enough, leading to a single shot being more than enough to guarantee a game over. So, while these locations are good to know of, players should ideally steer clear of these areas early on in the game until both their equipment and skills are improved over the course of playing Breath of the Wild.
How To Fight A Lynel
- Fighting a Lynel of any variety is no easy feat, and before attempting one of these big bad lion centaurs, players should get good at backstep dodging and shield countering; really good. Stock up on good equipment; multiple swords that deal at least 30 damage, powerful bows with lots of shock arrows, upgraded armor, and lots of healing meals. Players should also upgrade their Stasis runes to be able to freeze the Lynel in place (if only for a little bit). Every little bit helps against an enemy that won't think twice before wiping the floor with Link over and over again.
- While players can try engaging in a ranged battle with a Lynel, this isn't recommended in the slightest. After all, a Lynel moves around quite a bit and can cause no end of issues for the player with their own set of ranged attacks that hit like a truck! Instead, once players find their target, get close and freeze it using Stasis+. It won’t be frozen for very long, but while it is, shoot it in the face with an arrow. Then equip a sword and mount the Lynel, hitting it as many times as possible. It will eventually buck players off, but they can stall it with shock arrows until they can Stasis+ the beast again. Getting into this pattern will take some practice, but eventually, Link will be slaying Lynel with no problem. This is one of the best and most reliable strategies early on in the game to beat a Lynel, and players can definitely experiment around with more brave combat strategies once they've defeated their fair share of Lynels.
- Stronger Lynel will leave less time frozen by Stasis+, so Link will need to be more careful with this strategy. The tried and true system is to just dodge and block, utilizing flurry attacks to deal quick and significant damage. If players have defeated several divine beasts, Urbosa’s Fury can help stun-lock the Lynel while it is frozen in Stasis to give more time for mounting. A huge part of emerging victorious against a Lynel is to exploit as many damage windows as possible, and making the most of all these moves will go a long way in guaranteeing a player's victory against these Lynels.
- This strategy should help players overcome these terrifying beasts and stay alive a little longer as they explore the dangers of Hyrule. While players can try using the Lynel Mask to sneak up on Lynel, they will quickly see through the mask (unlike other enemies). Because of this, players should just run up to a Lynel and freeze them with Stasis+ rather than wasting time with the mask. That being said, the sheer novelty of bamboozling a Lynel is enough to warrant using this strategy at least once against one of the most fearsome enemies in Hyrule by a country mile.
5 Red-Maned Lynels
- HP: 2000
The weakest Lynel type scattered across Hyrule, the Red-Maned Lynel is still no laughing matter. Any player who finds even a Red-Maned Lynel before stocking up on good weapons and armor is in for a nasty surprise. These Lynel can be farmed for Lynel Horns, Lynel Hooves, and Lynel Guts, which are used in the upgrading of the Barbarian Armor set.
Red-Maned Lynels also drop regular Lynel Swords, Lynel Spears, Lynel Crushers, Lynel Shields, and Lynel Bows. This gear is some of the most durable and highest damage in the game, so players should be sure to try and take on these fights once they feel ready. They can also drop shock and fire arrows, and the fact that they're the easiest Lynel to kill in Breath of the Wild makes hunting them down worth it.
4 Blue-Maned Lynels
- HP: 3000
Blue-Maned Lynels are the second tier; with more HP and better gear, these Lynels pose a greater challenge for Link. Blue-Maned Lynels start spawning after Link has completed one divine beast and wield the Mighty Lynel gear, each of which has a corresponding sword, spear, crusher, shield, and bow. The more enemies players defeat within the game, the more Lynels will begin upgrading to higher tiers.
Because of this, the mighty Lynel equipment is only available for a certain span of time within the game. If players wish to complete the compendium, it is worth farming Blue-Maned Lynels to find each piece of Mighty Lynel gear. It's a shame that these Lynels don't last in the game for too long, but fighting them is still a treat, regardless.
3 White-Maned Lynels
- HP: 4000
The third type of Lynels is the White-Maned Lynels. They again have increased HP and higher damage weapons, but they also have new attacks. White-Maned Lynels are capable of jumping into the air and slamming down to create a shockwave that knocks Link back. They also have the ability to create a sphere of flame spreading from the Lynel after it roars.
These attacks deal significant damage and should be avoided when possible. White-Maned Lynels drop the powerful Savage Lynel Sword, Spear, Crusher, Shield, and Bow, which are significantly better than the other Lynel gear varieties. Players should brush up on their skills before fighting this enemy since its higher damage output can genuinely take most players by surprise.
2 Silver-Maned Lynels
- HP: 5000
The Silver-Maned Lynels are the most difficult Lynel type that Link will have to face in a player's first run-through of Breath of the Wild. Unfortunately, they still drop the Savage Lynel gear, so players hoping to find even better weapons will be disappointed. However, most players won't really find this to be an issue since the sense of achievement one feels from defeating these tough enemies for the first time more than makes up for any disappointing loot.
What players can get from Silver-Maned Lynels are rare gem drops, such as Topazes, Rubies, Sapphires, Diamonds, and Star Fragments. This makes them well worth the intense fight players will need to go through in order to slay one of these mighty monsters, which is a pretty satisfying endeavor in its own right. It's easy to see why these Lynels are the toughest variant of the enemy that players will encounter in normal mode.
1 Gold-Maned Lynels
- HP: 7500
Gold-Maned Lynels are the strongest non-boss enemies in Breath of the Wild. They only spawn in Hyrule during a playthrough in Master Mode, which is only available if players have bought The Master Trials DLC Pack and have beaten the base game. These enemies are not to be trifled with, and players should definitely bring their best weapons and armor in a fight against this imposing behemoth.
For those experienced players, Gold-Maned Lynels will still prove a significant challenge with massive HP and the best Lynel gear in the game. Taking on these big bad monstrosities is one of the ultimate tests of a player's skill and should only be attempted if the player is confident in their abilities to take down what is arguably the toughest normal enemy in the game.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is available now on Switch and Wii U.