You finally did it. You stepped out of the Shrine of Resurrection, looked at the Great Plateau, and realized walking across Hyrule is going to take a really, really long time. Most horses in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild are fine. They do the job. But they aren't Epona. There is something visceral about riding Link’s iconic companion through the ruins of a kingdom, but if you’re looking for her in the wild, stop. You won't find her.
Epona is locked behind a physical (or digital) paywall.
To get the Breath of the Wild amiibo Epona unlock, you need a specific piece of plastic or a very lucky NFC tag. Specifically, you need the Link (Super Smash Bros. Series) amiibo or the Link (Twilight Princess) amiibo. That's it. No secret quest. No hidden stable. No "beat the game on Master Mode" reward. It’s a hardware handshake, and honestly, the way Nintendo implemented it is both awesome and incredibly frustrating if you don't know the quirks.
The First Scan is Your Best Shot
Here is the thing most people mess up. The very first time you scan a compatible Link amiibo, the game is heavily weighted to give you Epona. It’s almost a 100% guarantee on that first tap. But there is a massive catch: you have to be in an area where a horse can actually exist.
If you scan your amiibo while standing on a steep cliffside, or inside a town, or on the Great Plateau before you have the Paraglider, the game will check the "Epona spawned" box, but she won't actually appear because there's no valid ground for her. You just wasted your best chance.
I’ve seen dozens of players do this. They get excited, tap the amiibo while standing next to the Old Man's hut, and... nothing. Just a chest with some fruit. If that happens, Epona is now a "rare drop" instead of a "guaranteed drop." You might be scanning for three weeks before she shows up again.
What to do if you missed the first scan
If you already blew it, don't panic. You can "save scum" the process.
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- Save your game.
- Scan the amiibo.
- If it’s a chest, reload the save.
- Repeat until the horse appears.
It’s tedious. It’s annoying. But it works. Just make sure you’re standing in a flat, grassy area like the plains near Duel Peaks Stable or the fields in Central Hyrule.
Why Epona is Actually Worth the Hassle
Is she just a cosmetic skin? No.
Epona comes with maxed-out stats that make most wild horses look like donkeys. She has four stars across the board: Strength, Speed, and Stamina. While you can find a 5-star speed horse in the wild (usually near Taobab Grasslands), Epona is the ultimate "all-rounder." She handles like a dream.
Perhaps the most important feature is her temperament. She is Gentle.
In Breath of the Wild, most high-tier horses are "Wild" temperament, meaning they’ll buck you off, veer off the path, and require a lot of soothing to build bond. Epona starts with a 100% bond. She loves you immediately. She won't fight you. You don't have to carry a pocket full of apples to make her behave.
Also, and this is a dealbreaker for some, you cannot change Epona's gear. You're stuck with the iconic Epona Saddle and Bridle. You can't put the Ancient Bridle on her to teleport her to your location. You can't give her the Monster Saddle to make her look edgy. She is a legacy character, and Nintendo treats her with a "look but don't touch" philosophy.
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The Stable Registry Problem
Once she spawns, your first priority is a stable. Run. Don't engage Guardians. Don't stop for Koroks. Get her to a hitching post.
When you talk to the stable master, they’ll have a unique reaction. They recognize her. They’ll mention that she’s a "legendary horse" and offer to register her for free (though you still pay the 20 rupee fee for the saddle/insurance). You also cannot rename her. The game forces the name "Epona" and blocks the renaming screen.
Can she die?
Yes. And it’s heartbreaking.
If Epona takes too many hits from a Guardian’s laser or walks off a cliff, she’s gone. However, because this is Breath of the Wild, she can be resurrected. You’ll need to visit the Horse God, Malanya, in the Faron region. You’ll need 1,000 rupees to open the bud first, then she can bring your horse back from the dead.
If you don't want to deal with the Horse God, you can technically spawn a second Epona with the amiibo, but the drop rate is incredibly low once the first one has been registered. It’s much faster to just go see the giant horse-deity and apologize for your poor riding skills.
Multi-Amiibo Confusion
There are a lot of Link amiibos out there. It’s confusing.
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If you use the Breath of the Wild Archer Link or Rider Link, you are not getting Epona. The Rider Link gives you a unique saddle and some high-end horse food, but no horse. The Archer Link gives you bows and meat.
To get Epona, you specifically need:
- Super Smash Bros. Link: The one where he’s leaning on a yellow plastic pillar.
- Twilight Princess Link: Part of the 30th Anniversary set.
The data on these two chips is virtually identical for Breath of the Wild, so either one works. If you're a collector, the Twilight Princess one looks way better on a shelf, but the Smash one is usually cheaper on the secondhand market.
Actionable Steps for the Perfect Start
If you are starting a new save file and want the Breath of the Wild amiibo Epona right away, follow this exact sequence:
- Clear the Great Plateau. You can't bring horses up there, and you can't bring them down without a paraglider.
- Head to the Dueling Peaks Stable. It’s the first stable the game naturally guides you toward.
- Manual Save. Stand in the grass right outside the stable.
- Check your Settings. Ensure "amiibo" is enabled in the game options.
- Scan. If she doesn't pop, reload.
- Register immediately. Do not wander off.
Once she's registered, she's yours forever. Even if you lose her in the world, any stable can "summon" her for you. She is the most reliable companion in the game, providing a bridge between the nostalgia of Ocarina of Time and the massive, lonely world of modern Hyrule. Just remember: she’s a horse, not a tank. Keep her away from the lasers.