You’re standing on a rickety wooden pier in Lurelin Village. The sun is setting, the water is a shimmering turquoise, and you know—somewhere down there—is a chest. But you can't see it. You dive, you drown, you reset. This is the classic Breath of the Wild sunken treasure experience, and honestly, it’s one of the most polarizing mechanics in the game. Some players love the tranquility of the hunt, while others find the clunky Sheikah Slate controls a total nightmare.
Let’s be real. If you’re playing The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild in 2026, you aren't just looking for any old loot. You’re likely trying to 100% the map or you’re desperately short on Opal for an armor upgrade. Finding these submerged chests isn't just about luck; it’s about understanding how the physics engine actually treats water and metal.
The Magnesis Trick Nobody Uses Enough
Most people walk along the shore and just tap the Magnesis button. That’s fine, I guess. But if you really want to find Breath of the Wild sunken treasure effectively, you have to treat the Magnesis rune like a sonar system.
When you activate Magnesis, the entire world turns into a grainy, purple-tinted wireframe. Most players look for the bright yellow glow of a chest. But here’s the thing: the range of the "grab" is much shorter than the range of the "vision." You can often see the silhouette of a chest deep in the Hylia River long before the reticle lets you pull it up.
I’ve spent hours scouring the Floria Bridge area. There are chests tucked under the pylons that won't show up unless you’re standing at a very specific angle. Use Cryonis to build a pillar in the middle of the water first. Then, stand on top of that ice block. This gives you a vertical advantage, allowing the Magnesis "beam" to penetrate deeper into the muck without the water's surface tension messing with your line of sight.
The Lurelin Village Gamble
Lurelin is basically the capital of Breath of the Wild sunken treasure. There’s a guy named Cloyne who runs a literal gambling den with chests, but the real loot is out in the bay. If you head toward the Shoal of Atun, you’ll find a cluster of three chests stuck in the sand underwater.
- Use a raft (or Cryonis hopping if you're patient).
- Look for the triangle formation.
- Pull them up one by one.
What’s inside? Usually, it's a mix of Amber, Topaz, or maybe a Knight's Broadsword if your level scaling is high enough. It isn't always game-breaking gear, but it's the most consistent way to farm gems early on.
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Why Some Chests Just Won't Budge
Have you ever found a chest, grabbed it with Magnesis, and then watched Link just... struggle? The chest wiggles, but it stays buried. This usually happens in the marshes of Lanayru or the muddy bogs near the Great Hyrule Forest.
The game tracks "suction."
If a chest is buried in mud, you can't just pull straight up. You have to wiggle the right stick. It sounds fake, but it works. By moving the chest side-to-side while pulling "up" on the D-pad (or using the motion controls if you’re a masochist), you break the physics latch. Once it pops out of the silt, it becomes weightless.
The Best Spots for High-Value Loot
If you’re tired of finding Rusty Halberds, you need to head to the more dangerous waters. The North Necluda Sea, specifically around the small islands near Eventide, is a goldmine. There’s a specific Breath of the Wild sunken treasure near the Korgu Chideh Shrine that contains a Silver Rupee (100 rupees).
- Lake Hylia: Check under the bridge. There are multiple metallic chests containing arrows and mid-tier elemental weapons.
- The Regencia River: This is the long stretch of water west of Central Hyrule. Look near the ruins of the Proxim Bridge.
- Rasla Lake: Located in the Faron region. This is actually part of a specific side quest called "Thunder Magnet," but even after the quest, the area is dense with underwater metallic objects.
Honestly, the "best" spot is wherever you haven't been yet. The game uses a scaling system. If you've defeated all four Divine Beasts, even a random sunken chest in a pond might contain a Royal Claymore with a Durability Up bonus.
Forgotten Physics: Using Stasis on Water
Wait. Why would you use Stasis on a sunken chest? Magnesis is the tool for the job, right?
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Not always.
Sometimes, a chest is wedged under a sunken rock or a piece of wooden debris that Magnesis can't move. In these rare cases, you can use Stasis on the obstruction, hit it a few times with a heavy weapon to build up kinetic energy, and blast the obstacle away. Only then can you fish out the treasure.
Also, keep an eye out for wooden chests. You can't use Magnesis on wood. If you see a wooden chest floating or partially submerged, you have to use Cryonis to lift it out of the water or just swim out and "open" it while treading water. Most people forget these exist because they rely so heavily on the Magnesis "yellow glow" radar. If it doesn't glow yellow, it might still be there. It’s just wooden.
The Side Quest Connection
You can't talk about Breath of the Wild sunken treasure without mentioning the "Sunken Treasure" side quest itself. Talk to Rozel in Lurelin Village. He gives you a cryptic hint about a "Golden Triangle" in the ocean.
It’s not a literal triangle made of gold. It’s a formation of rocks. If you head to the point where the three rocks meet, you’ll find the motherlode. It’s a great piece of environmental storytelling because it rewards you for actually looking at the map rather than just following a waypoint.
Common Misconceptions
People think sunken chests respawn. They don't.
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Unlike the weapons laying around in the world or the enemies that return during a Blood Moon, once you pull a chest out of the water and open it, it is gone forever. This makes them a finite resource. If you’re a completionist, you should be marking every chest you find with a stamp on your map before you open it. That way, if you’re using an interactive map later to find the ones you missed, you’ll know exactly which ponds you’ve already vacuumed clean.
Another myth is that you can "fish" for chests using a lure. You can't. The only way to interact with them is via runes or physical proximity.
Step-by-Step Optimization for Treasure Hunting
If you want to spend an afternoon clearing out the waterways of Hyrule, follow this workflow:
- Armor Up: Wear the Zora Armor set. The swim speed boost is essential for getting to those far-off Cryonis pillars without burning all your stamina.
- The Sensor+ Trick: This is the most important tip. If you have the Sheikah Sensor+, take a picture of a metallic treasure chest. Set your sensor to track "Treasure Chest." Now, your Sheikah Slate will beep whenever you are near any chest, including the ones hidden deep underwater that Magnesis might miss.
- Night Vision: It is actually easier to see the glow of Magnesis and the "sparkle" of water-bound items at night. The contrast is higher.
- Clear the Area: Don't try to fish for treasure while Octoroks are spitting rocks at you. Kill the local wildlife first. Nothing ruins a salvage operation like getting knocked off your ice pillar by a stray Lizalfos arrow.
The Final Verdict on Salvage
Finding Breath of the Wild sunken treasure is a slow process. It’s meant to be. It’s about the "Aha!" moment when you see that faint yellow outline at the bottom of a dark lake. Whether you're hunting for the Zora Greaves or just looking for enough Flint to start a fire, the water is your best friend.
Next time you're crossing a bridge, don't just run across. Stop. Pull out your Magnesis. Look down. You might be standing right on top of a gold rupee and not even know it.
To take this further, head to the nearest Laboratory and make sure your Sheikah Sensor+ is fully upgraded. Having that "beep" directed specifically at treasure chests changes the game from a visual scavenger hunt into a precision tracking mission. Go to the Hylia Bridge first—it's the best practice ground for mastering the "pull and wiggle" technique.