BOTW Armor Upgrade Materials List Complete Upgrade Guide
Upgrading your gear in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is essential for surviving tough boss fights and harsh environmental hazards across Hyrule. Enhancing your armor pieces not only boosts Link's base defense stats but also unlocks unique set bonuses like unfreezable status or increased attack power. Understanding which resources to hoard will save you countless hours of tedious scavenging during your adventure.
Unlocking the Great Fairy Fountains
Before you can improve any outfit tier, you must locate and awaken the Great Fairies hidden around the map. Each fairy you unlock increases the maximum upgrade level available for all eligible gear items up to four stars. You will need to offer a offering of Rupees at each fountain location before the fairies agree to offer their enhancing services.
Once activated, visiting any Great Fairy allows you to select individual pieces from your inventory for processing. Higher tiers require significantly rarer components alongside basic monster parts. Tracking these requirements early ensures you do not accidentally sell vital ingredients to local shopkeeper vendors.
Essential Monster Parts and Gemstones
Common upgrades rely heavily on basic enemy drops collected throughout your journey across the realm. Items such as Bokoblin guts, Lizalfos tails, and Keese wings are needed in large quantities for early-tier enhancements. Defeating varied enemy types across different climate zones helps build up a reliable inventory of core crafting components.
Advanced gear pieces demand precious ores that require active mining around rocky mountainous regions. Rare gems like Diamonds, Rubies, Sapphires, and Topaz serve as necessary materials for high-level jewelry and elemental protection sets. Breaking glowing ore deposits whenever you explore cliffsides is one of the best habits to maintain.
Rare Dragon Parts and Star Fragments
Reaching the final four-star upgrade tier for legendary outfits requires hunting the magnificent dragons roaming the skies. Shooting scales, claws, fangs, and horns from Dinraal, Naydra, and Farosh is mandatory for maxing out endgame equipment. Timing your strikes carefully near their flight paths allows you to harvest these elusive items efficiently.
Star Fragments represent another extremely rare resource required for special armor enhancements. These glowing items fall from the night sky and disappear if not collected before morning hours arrive. Setting up camp on high peaks and watching the night horizon is the most effective method for farming them.
Strategic Resource Management Tips
Managing your inventory efficiently prevents unnecessary grinding sessions when you reach late-game areas. Utilizing the Sheikah Sensor+ feature enables you to target specific plants, animals, and monster spawns needed for your next upgrade level. Prioritizing utility sets like climbing or stealth gear early provides immediate tactical advantages during general exploration.
Plan ahead by reviewing complete material tallies so you know exactly what items to save. Maintaining a balanced stock of elemental monster drops ensures you are always prepared when visiting a Great Fairy fountain. With fully upgraded armor sets, Link can withstand the deadliest attacks in all of Hyrule.