Are There Armor Set Bonuses in Tears of the Kingdom? A Comprehensive Guide
Yes, absolutely! Armor set bonuses are a significant and rewarding feature in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. These bonuses provide enhanced abilities and effects when Link wears a complete set of armor, often requiring that each piece has been upgraded a certain number of times. These bonuses dramatically impact gameplay, allowing for customized strategies and exploration approaches across Hyrule. Understanding how these set bonuses work is crucial for maximizing your potential in the game.
How Armor Set Bonuses Work
In Tears of the Kingdom, many armor sets grant a special set bonus in addition to their individual defensive properties and inherent effects. To activate a set bonus, you typically need to wear all three pieces of the same armor set. More specifically, set bonuses are not granted immediately after acquiring the armor. They usually require an additional step: upgrading each piece of the set at least twice by visiting a Great Fairy. This incentivizes exploration and resource gathering to fully optimize your gear.
The effects of these bonuses can vary widely, ranging from enhanced stealth to increased attack power and elemental resistance, depending on the specific armor set. They provide substantial advantages, often turning the tide in challenging encounters or making exploration of dangerous regions far more manageable.
Examples of Armor Set Bonuses
To illustrate the impact of these bonuses, let’s look at a few examples:
Desert Voe Armor
The individual pieces of the Desert Voe Armor each grant heat resistance, a vital defense against the scorching heat of the Gerudo Desert. The set bonus, when worn together and upgraded to at least two stars each, provides shock damage reduction, making this set incredibly versatile in a variety of environments. However, as mentioned, wearing this set in colder areas like the Hebra Mountains would be counterproductive.
Depths Armor
The Depths Armor Set is crucial for venturing into the dangerous Depths. Wearing the complete set and fulfilling upgrade requirements provides Gloom Attack Resist. Notably, instead of reducing the gloom damage received, it gives Link an additional temporary heart to shield him from Gloom damage.
Yiga Armor
The Yiga Armor set, each piece provides a slight boost in stealth. When each piece is upgraded to two-star or higher and worn together, you unlock the Night Speed Up set bonus, allowing Link to move faster at night. This provides an advantage when sneaking around enemy camps or traversing large areas under the cover of darkness.
Wild Armor
The Wild Armor set, when upgraded twice, grants the set bonus Master Sword Beam Up. This powerful bonus allows Link to unleash powerful beams from his Master Sword at full health, extending their range significantly.
Glide Armor
The Glide Armor Set is essential for aerial mobility. Each piece increases your skydiving speed. The Impact Proof set bonus, gained after upgrading all three pieces at least twice, completely negates all fall damage, giving you freedom when navigating from high places.
Zonaite Armor
The Zonaite Armor provides an Energy Up buff, decreasing the amount of battery used when employing Zonai devices. Upgrading all three pieces to two-star or higher grants the Energy Recharge up bonus, speeding up battery recovery. This is excellent for using Zonai devices for a more extended duration.
Evil Spirit Armor
The Evil Spirit Armor offers a base stealth boost and raises the attack power of bone weapons. Equipping the entire set allows you to blend in among Stalfos enemies.
Importance of Set Bonuses
The incorporation of armor set bonuses significantly enhances the depth of Tears of the Kingdom. It encourages players to:
- Experiment with different armor combinations: Players are not simply looking for the highest defense armor. The desire for set bonuses encourages strategic gear choices.
- Explore the world thoroughly: Collecting specific armor pieces and the resources needed for upgrades requires dedicated exploration.
- Engage with the game’s crafting mechanics: Upgrading armor requires visiting Great Fairies, which, in turn, requires collecting resources and completing quests.
- Tailor strategies for specific challenges: Choosing the right armor set for each situation can make or break a difficult fight or traversal challenge.
In essence, set bonuses add another layer of strategic depth to the game, making armor more than just a source of defense.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the highest defense armor in Tears of the Kingdom?
The Zoanite Armor Set has the highest maximum defense. It has a base defense of 12 and a max defense of 84 when fully upgraded.
2. How do you upgrade armor in Tears of the Kingdom?
You must visit Great Fairies to upgrade your armor. Each fairy will unlock after you complete their associated quests.
3. What armor is resistant to gloom in Tears of the Kingdom?
The Depths Set provides resistance to Gloom. More specifically, it gives Link a temporary heart to absorb Gloom damage.
4. Where do you get the Depths armor set?
The Depths Armor Set is purchased from Bargainer Statues throughout the Depths using Poes.
5. Does Gloom Resistance work against Ganondorf?
Gloom resistance provided by food and armor will protect you from the effects of standing in gloom on the arena floor, but not against Ganondorf’s attacks, which deal direct Gloom damage.
6. Is Froggy armor worth it?
Yes. The Froggy Armor gives slip resistance, allowing you to climb in the rain with greater ease. Wearing more pieces will increase the slip-resistance effect, making it very useful for those who traverse in rainy areas.
7. How do you get Froggy armor in Tears of the Kingdom?
The Froggy Set is obtained through a series of Side Adventure Quests that begin at the Lucky Clover Gazette.
8. How do you get the Evil Spirit armor in Tears of the Kingdom?
The Evil Spirit Armor is found in the Lomei Depths Labyrinth after completing all stages of The Lomei Labyrinth Island Prophecy Side Quest.
9. What does the Evil Spirit armor do?
The Evil Spirit Armor raises your stealth and attack power with bone weapons. It also allows you to blend in with Stalfos enemies.
10. What is the set bonus for the Zonai armor?
The Zonaite Armor provides an Energy Up buff, which decreases the amount of battery consumed by Zonai devices. When all three pieces are two-star or higher and worn together, you’ll get an additional Energy Recharge Up buff, which recovers your battery faster.
11. Where is the Zonaite armor?
The Zonaite Waistguard is found on the Zonaite Forge Island floating in the Necluda Sky. The other pieces are scattered throughout the Sky Islands.
12. What is the set bonus for the Glide armor?
Each piece of the Glide Armor set gives you a skydive mobility up buff. Upgrading each armor piece twice grants you the Impact Proof set bonus, which negates fall damage.
13. What is the Magic armor in Tears of the Kingdom?
The Mystic Set is a special set of Armor only available by collecting and giving Bubbul Gems to Koltin.
14. Where is Majora’s Mask in Totk?
Majora’s Mask is located in the Floating Coliseum in the Depths, accessible after finding the Mu-ustust Lightroot.
15. Will there be DLC in Tears of the Kingdom?
No, according to Nintendo, there will be no DLC for Tears of the Kingdom.