Unleash the Legend: Fully Awakening the Master Sword in Breath of the Wild
The Master Sword, the Blade of Evil’s Bane, is arguably the most iconic weapon in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. While you acquire it relatively early in the game, its true potential lies dormant until you complete a challenging ordeal: The Trial of the Sword. Only by conquering this trial can you fully awaken the Master Sword, unlocking its constant powered-up state and unleashing its full potential against Calamity Ganon and his minions. This guide provides a comprehensive walkthrough on fully awakening the Master Sword, followed by frequently asked questions for your ease of reference.
The Path to True Power: Completing the Trial of the Sword
The key to fully awakening the Master Sword lies within the Trial of the Sword, a DLC challenge available in The Master Trials downloadable content. This trial is located within the Korok Forest, near where you originally obtained the Master Sword. Here’s a breakdown of what you need to know:
Initiating the Trial
- Obtain the DLC: Ensure you have purchased and installed The Master Trials DLC.
- Locate the Trial: Return to the Korok Forest and approach the Master Sword.
- Start the Trial: Interacting with the Master Sword will trigger the Trial of the Sword. Be warned: your health will be temporarily set to maximum and then locked.
Understanding the Trials
The Trial of the Sword is divided into three distinct sections:
- Beginner Trials: These consist of 12 floors filled with enemies, demanding careful resource management and strategic combat.
- Middle Trials: This section increases the difficulty, featuring 16 floors with tougher enemies and environmental hazards.
- Final Trials: The ultimate test, comprising 23 floors of relentless combat scenarios that will test your skills to their absolute limit.
Key Strategies for Success
- Resource Management: You start each trial without any equipment. Scavenge for weapons, shields, and food within each floor. Use stealth and environmental kills to conserve resources.
- Cooking is Crucial: Ingredients are scattered throughout the trials. Cooking them into meals provides temporary stat boosts like attack power or defense, as well as health recovery. Prioritize meals that offer sustained benefits.
- Enemy Prioritization: Identify and eliminate the most dangerous enemies first, such as ranged attackers or those with powerful elemental attacks.
- Elemental Advantage: Exploit elemental weaknesses. Use fire arrows on ice enemies, and ice arrows on fire enemies.
- Stealth Attacks: Whenever possible, utilize stealth attacks to deal massive damage and conserve weapon durability.
- Guardian Scout Tactics: Learn the attack patterns of Guardian Scouts. Perfect parries are essential for defeating them quickly and efficiently.
- Patience is Paramount: The Trial of the Sword is a marathon, not a sprint. Take your time, assess each situation, and don’t rush into unnecessary risks.
The Reward: A Fully Awakened Master Sword
After successfully completing all three sections of the Trial of the Sword, the Master Sword will undergo a permanent transformation. It will remain in its powered-up state at all times, dealing 60 damage and firing sword beams when you are at full health. Most importantly, its recharge time is significantly reduced. Now, you can go back to the GamesLearningSociety.org website to read more about how you can become a Legend in the world of gaming.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About the Awakened Master Sword
1. Does the fully upgraded Master Sword run out of energy?
Yes, the fully upgraded Master Sword still runs out of energy. However, it lasts significantly longer than before. It has an effective 188 durability when powered up, allowing for many more strikes before needing to recharge.
2. Does the fully upgraded Master Sword break?
The Master Sword doesn’t break in the traditional sense. Instead, it runs out of energy and requires a recharge period before you can use it again. After completing the Trial of the Sword, the fully upgraded Master Sword cannot be broken.
3. How many hits can the Master Sword take fully upgraded?
The fully upgraded Master Sword can withstand approximately 200 strikes before needing to recharge. This vastly improves its usability compared to its pre-upgrade state.
4. What is the strongest weapon in Breath of the Wild?
While many powerful weapons exist, the Master Sword remains the best overall weapon. It consistently deals 60 damage after being fully upgraded (when powered up by Ganon’s malice or completing the Trial of the Sword).
5. What does the fully awakened Master Sword do?
The fully awakened Master Sword is always in its powered-up state, dealing 60 damage and firing sword beams when you have full hearts. It also has greatly increased durability, allowing you to use it for longer periods before it needs to recharge.
6. How long does it take for the fully upgraded Master Sword to recharge?
The fully upgraded Master Sword takes only 10 minutes to recharge. This is a substantial reduction compared to its original recharge time.
7. Why is my Master Sword only doing 30 damage?
The Master Sword typically deals 30 damage until it is powered up by being near Ganon’s malice or after completing the Trial of the Sword. Only then does it deal a constant 60 damage (or 30 damage while it’s recharging.)
8. How do you get the Guardian Sword ++?
You can obtain Guardian Sword++s by defeating a Guardian Scout IV in Shrine of Trials labeled ‘A Major Test of Strength’. They have a base power of 40.
9. Why is my Master Sword blinking red?
If your Master Sword is blinking red, it indicates that it’s within a few hits of running out of energy and needing to recharge.
10. Can the Hylian Shield respawn?
Yes, the Hylian Shield can respawn in Tears of the Kingdom, but it requires completing specific quests in Hateno Village to unlock Cece’s shop.
11. What sword doesn’t break in Breath of the Wild?
The Master Sword is the only sword that doesn’t break in the traditional sense. It runs out of energy and needs to recharge, but it doesn’t shatter like other weapons.
12. What is the best shield in Zelda: Breath of the Wild?
The Hylian Shield is widely considered the best shield due to its high stats: 80 damage protection and 800 base durability.
13. Does the Goddess Sword turn into the Master Sword?
Yes, in Skyward Sword, the Goddess Sword is transformed into the Master Sword. The Goddess Sword is created by Hylia, and inhabited by a humanoid spirit named Fi.
14. Does the Trial of the Sword ever save?
No, you cannot save during the Trial of the Sword. If you die, you must start from the beginning of the section (Beginner, Middle, or Final Trials).
15. Why is my Master Sword glowing?
The Master Sword glows when near a source of Ganon’s corruption, such as Malice or corrupted guardians. This increases its damage to 60 while glowing. For more on the educational aspects of gaming, visit the Games Learning Society.
By mastering the Trial of the Sword, you’ll transform the Master Sword into the ultimate weapon, making you a true force to be reckoned with in Hyrule. Good luck, and may the Triforce be with you!