What is the Rarest Item in Breath of the Wild?
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The question of the rarest item in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is complex and doesn’t have a single, definitive answer. Rarity can be defined in multiple ways: by difficulty to acquire, limited availability, or unique gameplay properties. However, if we’re talking about actual in-game items that aren’t tied to story progression, and considering all the factors, the Giant Ancient Core stands out as perhaps the rarest. This is primarily due to its limited drop rate from the most challenging Guardians in the game, specifically the Guardian Stalkers and Skywatchers, and its usefulness in crafting powerful, unique equipment. While other items are also extremely rare, the Giant Ancient Core’s combination of scarcity and high demand sets it apart. Let’s delve into why this is the case and examine other rare contenders.
Why the Giant Ancient Core is So Rare
Limited Drop Rate
The Giant Ancient Core isn’t something you can just stumble upon. It only drops from specific, more powerful types of Guardians: the Guardian Stalkers found roaming the Hyrule field and the airborne Guardian Skywatchers. These enemies aren’t common, and even when you encounter them, the drop rate for Giant Ancient Cores is significantly lower than that of smaller Ancient Cores or Ancient Gears. The sheer amount of grinding it would take to obtain multiple of these cores makes them inherently rare.
High Demand
The scarcity of the Giant Ancient Core is further compounded by its vital role in crafting some of the most potent equipment in the game. These include the Ancient Armor set, which offers significant defense and damage bonuses when fully upgraded, and powerful Ancient Weapons such as the Ancient Bow and the various Ancient Blades. These items are highly sought after by players, making the Giant Ancient Core a very precious resource. You can purchase some of the Ancient Armor and Weapons at the Akkala Ancient Tech Lab after unlocking it, but to upgrade them you’ll need lots of Giant Ancient Cores. This creates a bottleneck for players seeking the best gear, highlighting the rarity of the core.
The Challenge of Obtaining
To consistently hunt Guardian Stalkers and Skywatchers, you need to be prepared for some tough battles. Stalkers are heavily armored and can overwhelm you quickly with their laser attacks, whereas Skywatchers force you to combat them from below using arrows and other projectiles while they maneuver. This difficulty further limits player’s ability to farm Giant Ancient Cores and adds to their rarity.
Other Rare Items in Breath of the Wild
While the Giant Ancient Core often takes the top spot for rarity, several other items deserve mention:
High-Tier Weapons & Gear
While not inherently “rare” in the sense that they exist in static locations, high-tier weapons and gear such as Silver Lynel weapons, especially Savage Lynel Crusher and Savage Lynel Bow, and the rare Hylian Shield with good modifiers, are tough to find due to the randomness of enemy drops and the Hylian Shield location’s limitations. Similarly, specific weapons like the Royal Guard’s Claymore or the Great Flameblade, with high durability and good damage buffs, are rare to acquire.
Unique Armor Pieces
Certain pieces of armor are only available in specific locations or through specific quests. For instance, the Yiga Clan Armor is a hidden item acquired by defeating Yiga clan members within the Yiga Clan hideout in Akkala Highlands, and the Yiga Mask is located in an unnamed Yiga Clan shack in the Faron region. These items are not necessarily challenging to obtain, but their fixed locations and specific acquisition requirements make them rarer than more common loot drops.
Special Materials
Some materials that are used for special recipes or for upgrades, like the Star Fragment, are rare to obtain. They fall from the sky and are hard to spot unless you’re in a certain location on Hyrule. This material is needed to make items like the Star Rod at the Akkala Ancient Lab, or to improve armor.
Korok Seeds
While there are 900 of these scattered throughout the world, the Korok Seeds are rare in a sense that they’re very hard to find because they are hidden very well. While you don’t need all 900 to get 100% completion and only 441 to fully upgrade your stash, locating each and every one of these seeds is a major feat. If you do, you’ll get a very unique, but not useful reward: a golden poop.
Conclusion
While other items have a claim to rarity in Breath of the Wild, the Giant Ancient Core’s combination of low drop rate, the difficulty of the enemies that drop it, and its importance in crafting the best equipment makes it a prime candidate for the title of “rarest.” Whether you’re trying to min-max your gear or just enjoy the thrill of the hunt, these rare items add a unique layer to the overall Zelda experience.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the best weapon in Breath of the Wild?
The Master Sword is widely considered the best weapon due to its unique properties. It has a base attack of 30 that can go up to 60 in certain areas and around specific enemies. Players can improve the Master Sword’s durability even further in the DLC.
2. What is the rarest enemy in Breath of the Wild?
Molduga is considered the rarest enemy, burrowing beneath the sands of the Gerudo Desert. However, Silver Lynels are also exceptionally rare and considered one of the most challenging encounters in the game.
3. Is there a reward for 100% completion in Breath of the Wild?
No, there is no in-game reward for 100% completion in Breath of the Wild. The only reward is the satisfaction of completing it for bragging rights.
4. Where can I find Yiga Clan armor?
The Yiga Armor chest piece is obtained inside the Yiga Clan hideout in Akkala Highlands after defeating two Yiga members and speaking to Konba. The Yiga Mask can be found in an unnamed Yiga Clan shack in the Faron region, and the Yiga Tights can be found in a cave just west of the Great Hyrule Forest.
5. Do Korok Seeds count towards 100% completion?
Yes, completing all 900 Korok Seeds, in addition to all four Divine Beasts, 120 Shrines, and discovering all named locations on the map, is required for 100% completion.
6. Is there a Silver Hinox in Breath of the Wild?
No, there is no Silver Hinox in Breath of the Wild. However, there are other powerful varieties of Hinox, like the Black Hinox.
7. What is the hardest fight in Breath of the Wild?
Many players consider Monk Maz Koshia to be the hardest fight. Other challenging fights include the Igneo Talus Titan and the Molduking.
8. What is the most powerful sword in Breath of the Wild?
The Master Sword is the most powerful sword. It’s able to increase its power by 2x in certain locations around the map, and when fighting against Ganon or malice-infused enemies, its durability increases dramatically and it’s considered unbreakable.
9. What do you get for killing all Lynels?
There are no specific in-game rewards for killing all Lynels in the game. The only Lynel-related reward is for beating the Lynel Floating Coliseum in the Depths, which gives you Majora’s Mask. Lynels also drop excellent weapons and arrows.
10. How do I get 10,000 rupees in Zelda?
Hunting for prime meat in South Tabantha Snowfield is the most efficient way to gain rupees.
11. How long does it take to 100% Breath of the Wild?
It typically takes around 190 hours to achieve 100% completion in Breath of the Wild.
12. What is the secret recipe in Breath of the Wild?
The secret recipe is the Spicy Sauteed Peppers. This requires a Spicy Pepper, Raw Meat, and Hyrule Bass.
13. What is the reward for all 900 Korok seeds?
The reward is called “Hestu’s Gift”, which is a golden poop.
14. Where can I buy Yiga Mask?
The Yiga Mask can be found in an unnamed Yiga Clan shack in the Faron region, located at the coordinates (-0800, -2255, 0087).
15. Where can I buy Yiga leggings?
The Yiga Tights can be found in a cave just west of the Great Hyrule Forest, at the southern base of Mount Drena.