Let’s be real for a second. Most people think Amiibos are just shelf filler. They’re dust-magnets that look cool next to your TV but don't do much else. But if you’re still wandering around Hyrule, you probably know that Breath of the Wild Amiibo unlocks are basically the closest thing this game has to "official" cheat codes or secret DLC.
It’s a weird system. You tap a piece of plastic to your controller, and suddenly a chest falls out of the sky. Sometimes it's a pile of mushrooms. Sometimes it’s the most iconic sword in gaming history.
There’s a lot of noise online about what gives you what, and honestly, it’s easy to get frustrated when you keep getting roasted bass instead of the Twilight Bow. But there is a method to the madness. If you’re trying to track down specific gear like the Hero’s Aspect or Epona, you need to know exactly how the drop tables work and which figures are actually worth your lunch money.
The Reality of the RNG Grind
Here is the thing about Breath of the Wild Amiibo unlocks: they aren't guaranteed. Not even close.
Nintendo designed these to be a daily gamble. You get one scan per Amiibo, per day. If you’re looking for the "Great Hit" items—that’s the technical term for the rare stuff like the Biggoron's Sword—you’re looking at roughly a 10% to 20% drop rate. It’s a grind. It’s annoying. You’ll find yourself staring at a pile of Ironshrooms more often than you’d like.
But there’s a loophole. You can "save scum" it. You save your game, scan the figure, and if the loot is garbage, you just reload the save and try again. It’s tedious, but it beats waiting 24 hours to try for the Fierce Deity Mask again.
Why Epona is the Weirdest Unlock
If you scan the Smash Bros. Series Link or the Twilight Princess Link for the very first time, you get Epona. She just appears. No chest, no waiting. She’s arguably the best horse in the game, with maxed-out stats in temperament and plenty of stamina.
But here is the kicker: if you scan her while you're in an area where horses can't spawn—like the Great Plateau or the Gerudo Desert—she might not show up, or worse, you might lose your "guaranteed" first-time spawn and have to rely on the standard rare drop rate later. It's a massive pain. Always make sure you're standing near a stable before you tap that figure. You want to register her immediately.
Breaking Down the Best Breath of the Wild Amiibo Unlocks
Not all Amiibos are created equal. Some are objectively better than others because of the exclusive weapons they drop. We aren't just talking about aesthetic changes; some of these items have unique properties that you can’t get anywhere else in the base game.
The Twilight Bow (Zelda - Smash Bros. Series)
This is the holy grail. The Twilight Bow doesn't use normal arrows. It fires "Light Arrows" in a perfectly straight line. Forever. There’s no gravity drop-off. If you can see a Guardian on the horizon, you can hit it. It has a base power of 30, which isn't the highest in the game, but the infinite range makes it a broken tool for snipers.
The Fierce Deity Set (Majora's Mask Link)
A lot of players prefer this over the Barbarian Armor. Why? Because it looks incredible and provides the exact same Attack Up bonus. The Fierce Deity Sword is also a heavy hitter with 60 base damage. It’s essentially a two-handed version of the Master Sword in terms of aesthetic vibe, though it does break eventually.
Wolf Link (Twilight Princess)
This is the only Amiibo that doesn't just drop a chest. It summons a literal AI companion. Wolf Link hunts for you, attacks enemies, and has a weirdly high amount of health if you played the Twilight Princess HD cave of shadows on the Wii U. If you didn't? He only has three hearts. He’s basically a glass cannon that gets distracted by foxes, but he’s the only friend Link has in the wilderness, so we love him anyway.
Exclusive Armor and the "Legacy" Factor
One of the biggest draws for Breath of the Wild Amiibo unlocks is the nostalgia trip. Nintendo packed in almost every classic tunic from the series history.
- The Hero’s Set: From the original 8-bit Zelda.
- The Wind Set: The "Toon" look from Wind Waker.
- The Sky Set: The baggy pants and bright greens of Skyward Sword.
- The Time Set: The classic Ocarina of Time outfit.
Each of these sets requires three different pieces—Head, Body, and Legs. Because of the RNG, completing a full set can take weeks if you aren't save-scumming. And while they look cool, they are expensive to upgrade. You’ll need a lot of Star Fragments. If you aren't prepared to farm dragons and wait for falling stars, these outfits are mostly just for photo mode.
The Weapons Nobody Talks About
While everyone chases the bows and the tunics, there are some mid-tier unlocks that are surprisingly useful for early-game runs. The Sea-Breeze Shield (from Toon Zelda) is actually a very solid parrying tool. The Goddess Sword (from Skyward Sword Link) isn't the strongest, but its durability is decent for a mid-game blade.
Then there’s the Sheik Mask. It’s part of the Smash Bros. Sheik unlock. It grants a stealth bonus, which is great, but it also just makes Link look like a ninja. Sometimes that’s enough.
How the Game Tracks Your Progress
There is a common misconception that you can get the best Breath of the Wild Amiibo unlocks as soon as you leave the Shrine of Resurrection. That is false.
The game has internal flags. Most of the "Exclusive" or "Rare" items are locked until you have cleared at least one Divine Beast. Before that, you’ll mostly get basic knight's gear or elemental arrows. If you’re burning through your scans on the Great Plateau, you’re essentially wasting your time if you’re looking for the Biggoron’s Sword.
Once you’ve taken down a Divine Beast, the "tier" of loot increases. This is when the "Great Hit" items enter the pool. If you’ve beaten all four Divine Beasts, the chances for high-durability modifiers on these items go up even further.
The Ethics of Amiibo Cards
Let's address the elephant in the room. Real Amiibos are expensive. Some of them, like the Skyward Sword Link or the Majora's Mask Link, are out of print and cost a fortune on the secondary market.
This has led to the rise of Amiibo cards. These are tiny NFC tags that have the data of the Amiibo written onto them. They function exactly like the figures. Technically, Nintendo doesn't authorize these, but for a game that is nearly a decade old, many players find them to be the only practical way to access all the Breath of the Wild Amiibo unlocks without spending hundreds of dollars on plastic.
Whether you use the official figures or the cards, the data is the same. The game can't tell the difference. You still get your chest, you still get your fish, and you still have to deal with the same frustrating RNG.
Taking Your Unlocks to the Next Level
If you want to maximize your haul, you have to be methodical. It isn't just about scanning; it's about preparation.
First, clear out your inventory. There is nothing worse than opening a rare Amiibo chest only to realize your weapon slots are full, forcing you to drop a high-level Savage Lynel Crusher just to pick up a Sword of the Six Sages.
Second, check your location. Don't scan on a slope. I have seen legendary shields roll down the side of a mountain and disappear into a river more times than I care to admit. Flat ground is your friend.
Third, remember that the items you get can be dyed (mostly). The legacy tunics are the exception—they stay their classic green—but many of the other items can be tweaked at the Hateno Dye Shop to fit your personal style.
Final Technical Insights for the Dedicated Hunter
The drop rate for the rarest items is roughly 2%. That is the "Super Rare" tier. To hit this, you almost certainly need to have completed at least one Divine Beast. If you are hunting the Twilight Bow, be prepared for a long night of reloading.
Also, the Amiibo functionality is turned off by default in the game settings. You have to manually enable it in the "Options" menu before the rune will even show up on your Sheikah Slate. It’s a small detail, but one that trips up a lot of returning players.
Next Steps for Your Hyrule Adventure
- Enable the Amiibo Rune: Go into your System settings and turn the feature on.
- Travel to a Stable: Find a flat area near a vendor so you can sell the inevitable mountain of fruit and meat you're about to receive.
- Save Your Game: Before you scan your most valuable figure, create a manual save point.
- The Reload Trick: If you don't get the specific armor piece or weapon you want, reload that manual save immediately. Do not wait for the autosave to kick in.
- Check Your Inventory: Ensure you have at least three open slots for weapons, bows, and shields to avoid the "Inventory Full" heartbreak.
- Register Epona: If you're scanning the Link figures, head straight to the stable hand to permanent-save her into your roster.
Getting every unlock isn't a sprint; it’s a marathon. But once you’re standing on top of Dueling Peaks wearing the Fierce Deity set with a Twilight Bow on your back, the grind feels worth it.