Hyrule Castle is a nightmare. Honestly, if you're playing The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild for the first time, that giant, swirling cloud of Malice is basically a giant "Keep Out" sign. But inside those crumbling walls sits one of the coolest-looking armor sets in the entire game. I'm talking about the royal guard set botw players obsess over, mostly because it makes Link look like he actually belongs in the palace rather than waking up in a bathtub with no pants on.
Getting it is a rite of passage. It isn't just about the defense stats—which, let’s be real, aren't even that great compared to the Ancient Armor—it’s about the aesthetic and that sweet stamina bonus for charged attacks. If you want to sneak into the heart of Ganon’s lair and walk out looking like royalty, you need a plan.
Where the Royal Guard Set Actually Hides
You don't just find these pieces in a shop. You can't buy your way into the elite guard. Every piece of the royal guard set botw offers is tucked away in a specific chest inside the most dangerous map area in the game. It’s a scavenger hunt where the prize is fashion and the penalty for losing is a Guardian beam to the face.
Most people make the mistake of trying to fight everything. Don't do that.
The boots are in the Guards' Chamber. It’s a huge room, usually crawling with Lizalfos who have way too much HP. You'll find the chest tucked away behind a wooden shelf you can burn or smash. The uniform itself? That’s in the Dining Hall area, specifically in a small corridor nearby. Look for a breakable wall. If you aren't using your Sheikah Sensor to hunt for treasure chests, you're basically playing on hard mode for no reason.
Then there’s the cap. This is the one that trips everyone up because it’s so high up. You have to get to the second floor of the Sanctum. Yes, that Sanctum. The place where the final boss is chilling. You don't have to trigger the fight, but you definitely have to be comfortable with the "Calamity Ganon is ten feet away" music playing while you loot the place.
Why Use It If the Defense is Low?
Let’s talk stats. Each piece starts at a measly 4 defense. That is pathetic. A Red Bokoblin could sneeze on you and you'd fall over. And the kicker? You can't upgrade it at the Great Fairy Fountains. Not even once.
So why bother?
The set bonus is the real hero here. When you wear the full royal guard set botw provides, you get a "Charge Attack Stamina Up" buff. This is huge if you’re a fan of the "spin to win" mechanic with two-handed swords like the Savage Lynel Crusher. It also reduces the stamina cost of jumping while climbing. It's basically a hybrid of the Barbarian Set and the Climbing Gear, just wrapped in a much classier package.
Is it practical for the Trial of the Sword? No. Is it great for taking screenshots on top of Mount Lanayru? Absolutely. Sometimes, playing Zelda is about the vibes, and the Royal Guard aesthetic is peak Zelda vibes.
Navigating Hyrule Castle Without Losing Your Mind
If you’re going after the royal guard set botw treasures, you need to know the back entrances. Forget the front gate. The front gate is a death trap.
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Instead, grab a Zora Armor piece and swim up the waterfalls on the side of the castle. Or use Revali’s Gale to bypass the main road entirely. If you have the DLC (which you need anyway to even see these chests), you probably have the Travel Medallion. Use it. Place it right outside the library. This gives you a "save point" inside the castle so you don't have to restart from the stables every time a Guardian Stalker spots you from a mile away.
The Library Secret
The library is home to more than just the King’s recipes. It’s a labyrinth of wooden stairs and Malice eyeballs. You’ll find one of the pieces near the top, but watch out for the Black Lizalfos. They hit like a freight train.
Pro tip: use Stasis+ on the enemies before they see you. It gives you those three golden seconds to either land a headshot or just run past them like a coward. I prefer running.
The Disappointment of Non-Upgradability
I have to be honest with you. The fact that Nintendo didn't let us upgrade this set is a crime. By the time most players are brave enough to storm the castle, they usually have 20+ defense on their main armor. Switching to a set that caps out at 12 total defense feels like a massive step backward.
But there’s a nuance here. The royal guard set botw isn't meant for boss fights. It’s meant for the endgame "victory lap." It’s for the players who have mastered the parry and the flurry rush. If you don't plan on getting hit, your defense stat doesn't matter. It’s the ultimate flex.
Practical Next Steps for Your Loot Run
Don't go in empty-handed. Before you even set foot in the castle docks, make sure you've cooked up at least three "Enduring" meals. Use Enduring Carrots. They give you extra stamina wheels that don't expire until you use them. You’re going to be doing a lot of climbing and sprinting to avoid those laser sights.
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Also, bring Ancient Arrows. Just three or four. If a Guardian Skywatcher spots you while you're climbing toward the Sanctum for the cap, you’re dead. One Ancient Arrow to the eye shuts them down instantly. It’s an expensive solution, but it beats falling off a spire and losing ten minutes of progress.
Once you have the full set, head over to the Akkala Ancient Tech Lab. It’s a great place to test out the stamina bonuses on the local Guardian population. You’ll find that the decreased stamina cost for climbing makes exploring the rest of the Highlands a breeze, even if you have to be more careful about taking damage.
Stop by a cooking pot and make some defense-up food (Ironshrooms are your friend) to compensate for the armor's low base stats. This makes the set actually viable for general exploration. Wear the gear, eat the buff, and you get the best of both worlds: the royal look and the ability to survive a stray arrow.
Actionable Next Steps:
Check your inventory for the EX Treasure: Royal Guard Rumors side quest. If you don't see it, make sure you've actually downloaded the Champions' Ballad DLC. Head to Riverside Stable first to read the journal that marks the general locations on your map. This makes finding the specific chests significantly easier than just wandering blindly through the Malice.