Does Ancient Armor Boost Guardian Weapons? A Comprehensive Guide
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Yes, the Ancient Armor set in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild does indeed boost Guardian weapons. This enhancement is not a direct buff to the base attack power of the weapons themselves, but rather through the Ancient Proficiency set bonus. When you wear the complete Ancient Armor set, you activate this bonus, which significantly increases the damage you deal with both Ancient weapons and Guardian weapons. This makes the Ancient Armor a key piece of equipment for any player looking to maximize their damage output, particularly against Guardians and other enemies vulnerable to ancient technology.
Understanding the Ancient Proficiency Bonus
The Ancient Proficiency set bonus is a critical part of why the Ancient Armor set is so highly regarded. It doesn’t simply add a flat amount of damage to your attacks; it increases the base damage by a substantial 80%. This means that if you have a Guardian Sword with a base damage of 40, that damage will become significantly higher when you are wearing the complete Ancient Armor set. Crucially, this bonus applies to both types of weapons:
- Ancient Weapons: These weapons are crafted at the Akkala Ancient Tech Lab and typically have a blue glow. Examples include the Ancient Short Sword, Ancient Bladesaw, and Ancient Battle Axe.
- Guardian Weapons: These are weapons dropped by Guardian Scouts within the various Test of Strength shrines. Examples include the Guardian Sword, Guardian Spear, and Guardian Battle Axe, all of which come in + and ++ variations.
Therefore, the Ancient Proficiency bonus is not just about enhancing weapons that you have to craft, but also those you acquire through combat, making it an extremely versatile boost.
How to Acquire the Ancient Armor
The Ancient Armor set can be purchased at the Akkala Ancient Tech Lab, but it’s not cheap. You’ll need a significant amount of Rupees and Ancient Materials, which can be obtained by defeating Guardians and other Sheikah tech enemies. Here’s what you need:
- Ancient Helm: Requires 2000 Rupees, 20 Ancient Gears, 5 Ancient Shafts, and 3 Ancient Cores.
- Ancient Cuirass: Requires 2000 Rupees, 20 Ancient Gears, 5 Ancient Springs, and 3 Ancient Cores.
- Ancient Greaves: Requires 2000 Rupees, 20 Ancient Gears, 5 Ancient Screws, and 3 Ancient Cores.
Remember that you must have the Ancient Oven activated and Robbie’s services available to purchase these items.
Upgrading the Ancient Armor
To further enhance the benefits of the Ancient Armor, you can upgrade each piece at Great Fairy Fountains. Upgrading each piece twice will activate the Ancient Proficiency bonus. Full upgrades will greatly increase the defense of each piece, making this set extremely robust. Here’s a basic breakdown:
- Base Defense: Each piece starts with 4 defense.
- Fully Upgraded Defense: Each piece of armor will get a substantial increase to 28 defense when fully upgraded, making it the joint-highest armor rating in the game.
The fully upgraded armor offers not only enhanced defense but also stacks the “Guardian Resist” benefit. This greatly reduces damage taken from Guardian laser attacks, which is especially helpful during late-game situations and in Hyrule Castle.
Ancient and Guardian Weapon Synergy
Understanding how these weapons interact with the Ancient Proficiency bonus is key:
- Base Damage Boost: The 80% increase is applied to the base damage of the weapons, resulting in significantly higher damage output in combat.
- Guardian Damage Multipliers: Certain weapons like the Ancient Short Sword and some Guardian weapons get a damage boost against Guardians independent of the Ancient Proficiency, often by 30-50%. The Ancient Proficiency stacks on top of this bonus.
- Guardian Weapon Acquisition: Guardian weapons are primarily obtained by defeating Guardian Scouts found in Test of Strength shrines. This means they are readily available as a reward for successfully completing these combat-focused trials.
- Akkala Lab Crafting Bonus: Ancient weapons forged at the Akkala Tech Lab receive an additional 50% damage boost against Guardians, further enhancing the effectiveness of this gear against these challenging enemies.
FAQs: Ancient Armor and Guardian Weapons
1. Does Ancient Proficiency work with all Ancient weapons?
Yes, the Ancient Proficiency bonus from the full Ancient Armor set applies to all Ancient weapons crafted at the Akkala Ancient Tech Lab, regardless of their type (sword, spear, axe, etc.).
2. Does Ancient Proficiency apply to Guardian weapons?
Absolutely. The bonus specifically states it enhances damage dealt with “both Ancient and Guardian weapons.”
3. How much extra damage do ancient weapons do to guardians?
Ancient weapons made at Akkala Lab get a 50% damage boost against Guardians. Some specific weapons, like the Ancient Short Sword, have an inherent additional damage modifier against Guardians.
4. Are Guardian weapons better than other weapons against Guardians?
Guardian weapons receive a base 30% damage boost against Guardians, making them significantly more effective than standard weapons. However, they benefit even more when paired with the Ancient armor set bonus.
5. Is Ancient armor the best armor in the game?
It is considered one of the best armor sets due to its high defense, Guardian Resist, and the incredibly useful Ancient Proficiency set bonus. It is considered joint highest defense in the game, with the Champions Tunic.
6. Is it worth upgrading Ancient armor?
Yes, absolutely. Upgrading the Ancient Armor significantly increases its defense and activates the Ancient Proficiency bonus after two upgrades each, as well as the Guardian Resist which stacks with the full set.
7. What is the best Guardian weapon?
The Ancient Battle Axe++ is generally considered the most powerful Guardian weapon, due to its high base damage and attack speed.
8. Does Ancient Hallowed armor offer any different bonuses?
No, Ancient Hallowed armor has identical stats and set bonus to the regular Ancient armor. The main difference is its appearance.
9. Is it worth using Ancient Arrows on Guardians?
Ancient Arrows are extremely effective against Guardians, dealing massive damage. However, they destroy all drops from normal enemies so should be used strategically.
10. Which weapons work best on Guardians?
Aside from Ancient and Guardian weapons, the Master Sword is highly effective against Guardians, dealing boosted damage when in their presence.
11. What’s the benefit of Guardian Resist?
Guardian Resist significantly reduces the damage you take from Guardian beam attacks, making you much more resilient in combat against them.
12. What’s better: Barbarian or Ancient armor?
Ancient armor provides higher defense and an 80% attack boost with Ancient/Guardian weapons, while Barbarian armor grants a 50% boost to all weapon types. The choice depends on your preferred play style.
13. What gear should I use against Ganon?
The Ancient Armor is an excellent choice against Ganon due to his use of ancient tech, paired with powerful weapons like Lynel Bows and bomb arrows.
14. How do I get more Guardian weapons?
Guardian weapons are acquired from Guardian Scouts within Test of Strength shrines, from minor to major.
15. Does the Master Sword benefit from Ancient Proficiency?
No. While the Master Sword is very effective against Guardians, it does not benefit from the Ancient Proficiency bonus. However, it becomes much stronger near guardians and is an exception to the durability system.
Conclusion
The Ancient Armor set is undoubtedly one of the most powerful and useful sets in Breath of the Wild. The Ancient Proficiency bonus provides an enormous damage increase to both Ancient and Guardian weapons. Combined with its high defense, Guardian Resist, and the ability to be fully upgraded, it’s an excellent set for both exploring the world and facing the toughest enemies, including Guardians and even Ganon himself. By understanding how the set interacts with Ancient and Guardian weapons, you can use this knowledge to dramatically improve your combat effectiveness.