The Best Divine Beast to Tackle First in Breath of the Wild: A Comprehensive Guide

The sprawling world of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild offers players incredible freedom in how they approach its challenges. One of the most significant choices is the order in which to tackle the four Divine Beasts, colossal mechanical constructs corrupted by Calamity Ganon. While the game doesn’t strictly dictate a path, some routes are far more advantageous than others, particularly for new players. So, what is the best Divine Beast to start with?

The answer, definitively, is Divine Beast Vah Ruta in the Lanayru region. Here’s why:

• Proximity and Accessibility: Vah Ruta is geographically the closest Divine Beast to the game’s starting area, Kakariko Village. The journey to Zora’s Domain, while requiring some preparation, is straightforward and less daunting than the paths to other Divine Beasts.

• Gentle Learning Curve: The puzzles within Vah Ruta are relatively simple and intuitive, acting as a gentle introduction to the mechanics of the Divine Beast dungeons. This makes it ideal for acclimatizing to the puzzle-solving and combat styles required for these challenges.

• Mipha’s Grace: Perhaps the most compelling reason to start with Vah Ruta is the reward: Mipha’s Grace. This incredibly useful ability provides Link with a full health restoration and a temporary boost of extra hearts upon taking a fatal blow. This is a crucial safety net, particularly when facing early game challenges and tougher enemies.

• Narrative Introduction: The game subtly encourages players towards Zora’s Domain and Vah Ruta, making it feel like the intended first destination. The story and characters are engaging and help establish the stakes.

While other Divine Beasts may offer unique challenges and abilities, tackling Vah Ruta first significantly eases the player’s progression, offering both a confidence boost and a tangible benefit that is consistently useful throughout the game.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Divine Beasts

1. What are the Divine Beasts?

The Divine Beasts are ancient, colossal machines built by the Sheikah to aid in the battle against Calamity Ganon. Piloted by the Champions, they were meant to be powerful weapons but were corrupted by Ganon before the events of the game.

2. What are the Benefits of Completing a Divine Beast?

Completing a Divine Beast provides several rewards:

• Champion Abilities: Each Divine Beast grants Link a powerful, unique ability from its respective Champion, enhancing both combat and exploration.
• Weapons: Link receives specific weapons as a reward for completing the beast.
• Heart Containers: Link will be given a Heart Container after defeating the Blight Ganon within the Divine Beast.
• Progress in the Main Story: Calming the Divine Beasts is a central goal of the game’s narrative.
• Access to the True Ending: Freeing all the Divine Beasts is required to unlock the game’s true ending.

3. What is the Recommended Order for Completing the Divine Beasts?

While the game is open-ended, a common recommendation is:

1. Vah Ruta (Zora’s Domain) – Easiest puzzles, Mipha’s Grace is invaluable.
2. Vah Rudania (Death Mountain) – Challenging environment, useful Daruk’s Protection.
3. Vah Medoh (Hebra Mountains) – Offers Revali’s Gale, good for exploration.
4. Vah Naboris (Gerudo Desert) – Most difficult dungeon and boss, offers Urbosa’s Fury.

4. Is Vah Ruta really the Easiest Divine Beast?

Generally, yes. Vah Ruta is often considered the easiest Divine Beast because of the straightforward nature of its puzzles and its relatively less challenging boss fight. The environment surrounding it is also more forgiving, unlike the extreme temperatures encountered around other Divine Beasts.

5. What makes Vah Naboris the Most Difficult?

Vah Naboris is widely regarded as the most challenging for several reasons:

• Complex Puzzles: The puzzles within are more intricate and require more strategic thinking.
• Thunderblight Ganon: The boss encounter is notoriously difficult, utilizing fast and powerful attacks, often electrocuting Link and making him drop his weapons.
• Extreme Environment: The heat of the Gerudo Desert can be overwhelming if players are not prepared.

6. What are the Champion Abilities and how do they help?

Each of the four Divine Beasts grants Link a unique Champion Ability upon completion:

• Mipha’s Grace (Vah Ruta): Provides full health restoration and bonus hearts.
• Daruk’s Protection (Vah Rudania): Provides a protective barrier that blocks damage.
• Revali’s Gale (Vah Medoh): Creates an updraft that allows Link to launch himself into the air.
• Urbosa’s Fury (Vah Naboris): Creates a powerful electrical attack that deals significant damage.

7. What makes Mipha’s Grace so useful?

Mipha’s Grace is an invaluable ability because it acts as a safety net. It prevents death and provides extra health, which is especially useful in the early game when Link’s health is limited. It is a reliable way to survive fatal attacks, giving the player a second chance in combat.

8. Is the Master Sword required to complete the Divine Beasts?

No, the Master Sword is not required to complete the Divine Beasts. However, it is a powerful weapon that can make the fights easier and is recommended for the final battle with Calamity Ganon.

9. Can you tackle the Divine Beasts in any order?

Yes, you can technically tackle the Divine Beasts in any order you choose. However, tackling Vah Ruta first is highly recommended due to the reasons mentioned earlier. The game’s narrative also nudges the player in this direction.

10. Are the Divine Beast bosses different in difficulty?

Yes, the Blight Ganon bosses within the Divine Beasts have different difficulty levels. Generally:

• Waterblight Ganon (Vah Ruta) is considered the easiest.
• Windblight Ganon (Vah Medoh) is moderately easy.
• Fireblight Ganon (Vah Rudania) is moderately challenging
• Thunderblight Ganon (Vah Naboris) is widely considered the hardest.

11. Is it necessary to complete all the Divine Beasts?

Completing the quest to free all the Divine Beasts is completely optional but highly recommended. While you can directly confront Calamity Ganon, doing so without freeing the Beasts will result in a significantly more challenging battle. Completing them all provides invaluable abilities and story information. Also, doing so unlocks the true ending to the game.

12. Does the Master Sword break during Divine Beast fights?

The Master Sword does not break like other weapons. Instead, it will run out of energy, making it unusable temporarily. It will recharge after a short period.

13. What is the “fifth Divine Beast” theory?

Some theories propose that the moon is the “fifth Divine Beast”, based on its ancient Sheikah design and role in the game. While this is not canon, it adds another layer to the game’s lore.

14. What are some good strategies for fighting Thunderblight Ganon?

Thunderblight Ganon requires specific strategies, including:

• Parrying: Successfully parrying his attacks can give you opportunities to counterattack.
• Flurry Rush: Triggering a flurry rush will help avoid his electric attacks.
• Rubber Armor: Wearing the rubber armor set or using lightning resistance food will lessen the effect of his electric attacks.
• Strategic Weapon Use: Use ranged attacks when he is airborne and melee attacks when he is close.
• Eat Buff Food Eating foods with attack up buffs can be critical in making the fight easier.

15. Are there any non-canon Divine Beasts?

Yes, the book Creating a Champion reveals that there were six original designs for the Divine Beasts and five additional Guardian designs. These designs did not make it into the final game.

By prioritizing Vah Ruta as your first Divine Beast, you’ll gain a significant advantage in your journey through Hyrule, ensuring a smoother and more enjoyable experience in Breath of the Wild. With the power of Mipha’s Grace at your side, you will be ready to face whatever challenges the world throws your way.