It stares at you. Those massive, unblinking orange eyes and that heart-shaped silhouette shouldn't really fit into the sprawling, naturalistic vistas of Hyrule, yet there it is. If you've spent any time scouring the ruins of the Outpost Village or checking your DLC chest locations, you know exactly what I’m talking about. We’re talking about Majora’s Mask in Breath of the Wild, an item that essentially acts as a legal "cheat code" for a game that is otherwise famous for trying to kill you every five minutes.
Most people think of it as just a nostalgic nod to the Nintendo 64 era. A cosmetic bit of fan service. Honestly? That’s underselling it. While it lacks the world-ending power of the original mask from the 2000 classic, its utility in Breath of the Wild is arguably higher than almost any other headpiece in Link’s wardrobe.
The Reality of Hunting Down Majora's Mask in Breath of the Wild
You can't just stumble upon this thing in the base game. It’s gated behind the The Master Trials DLC (Expansion Pass). If you’re playing the vanilla version without the extra content, you’re out of luck. Once you have the DLC installed, the quest "EX Treasure: Ancient Mask" pops up.
Tracking it down takes you to the Kolomo Garrison Ruins. It’s a somber place. Just a bunch of stone walls sinking into the marshy ground south of Hyrule Field. The chest is buried. You have to use Magnesis to yank it out of the dirt. There’s something kinda poetic about pulling a cursed artifact out of a literal swamp, isn't there?
In terms of raw stats, the mask is terrible. It offers a measly 1 armor point. You can’t upgrade it at a Great Fairy Fountain. You can’t dye it at the shop in Hateno Village. If a Guardian hits you while you're wearing it, you’re going to fold like a lawn chair. But people don't wear it for the protection. They wear it because it makes you a ghost.
How the Mask Actually Changes Enemy AI
The "perk" of the mask is listed as "Blends in with enemies." That sounds vague. What it actually does is combine the effects of the Bokoblin Mask, Moblin Mask, Lizalfos Mask, and Lynel Mask into one single slot.
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Basically, most "natural" monsters in the game will see Link and think, "Yeah, that guy looks like one of us." They won't attack. They’ll walk up to you, sniff you, and maybe follow you around like curious puppies. It works on:
- Bokoblins (Red, Blue, Black, Silver, Gold)
- Moblins
- Lizalfos
- Lynels (though only for about 30 seconds before they realize you're a Hylian fraud)
It doesn't work on Guardians. It doesn't work on Keese or Chuchus. It definitely won't stop a Hinox from trying to sit on you. But for the vast majority of the "filler" combat in the game, Majora’s Mask in Breath of the Wild lets you simply walk past. You can stroll right into a monster camp, loot the chest in the middle, and leave without swinging a sword.
Why Speedrunners and Pro Players Obsess Over It
If you watch a high-level "All Quests" run or a casual Master Mode playthrough, you’ll notice the player almost never takes the mask off. Why? Because Master Mode is brutal.
In Master Mode, enemies have higher tiers and they regenerate health. Fighting a pack of Gold Bokoblins is a resource drain. You break three high-end swords just to get some monster parts you didn't really need. The mask removes that friction. It lets you preserve your weapon durability for the bosses that actually matter. It’s the ultimate tool for efficiency.
There’s also the "Stal" factor. One of the most annoying parts of Breath of the Wild is exploring at night and having Stalkoblins or Stalizalfos burst out of the ground every thirty yards. If you have Majora’s Mask on, they still pop up, but they don't aggro. They just stand there looking confused. It turns a constant nuisance into a non-issue.
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The Lynel Problem: A Subtle Distinction
A lot of players get overconfident with the mask and end up a smear on the grass because they don't understand how it interacts with Lynels.
Lynels are smart. Way smarter than a Bokoblin. When you wear the mask, a Lynel will watch you. It will track your movement. It won't draw its bow or charge—initially. But if you linger for more than 20 or 30 seconds, or if you pull out a camera or a weapon, the illusion shatters instantly. The mask gives you a window to escape or to get into a perfect position for a mounting strike, but it isn't a permanent "get out of jail free" card against the toughest enemies in Hyrule.
Lore vs. Gameplay: Is it "The" Majora's Mask?
There’s a lot of debate among Zelda theorists like Zeltik or Nintendo Life’s crew about whether this is the literal mask from Termina.
In Majora's Mask (the game), the artifact was inhabited by an ancient, chaotic spirit capable of pulling the moon out of the sky. In Breath of the Wild, the item description says it’s an "eerie mask passed down from ancient times."
If we’re being honest, it’s probably just a replica or a "memory" of the artifact brought into existence by the sheer density of Hyrule’s history. If it were the real mask, Calamity Ganon would be the least of Link’s worries. The fact that it can be found in the ruins of a military garrison suggests it was perhaps a curiosity collected by the Hylian Royal Family or a wealthy noble before the Great Calamity hit.
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Does it Ruin the Game?
Some purists argue that using Majora’s Mask in Breath of the Wild ruins the "survival" aspect of the game. If the world isn't dangerous, is it even a survival game anymore?
It’s a fair point. Part of the magic of your first ten hours in Hyrule is the fear of stumbling into a camp that’s too strong for you. The mask removes that tension. However, for players on their second or third playthrough—or those just trying to find all 900 Korok seeds—it’s a godsend. It shifts the game from a "combat-survival" experience to a "pure exploration" experience.
You stop looking at the world as a series of threats and start looking at it as a giant playground. You can observe monster behavior up close. Have you ever just sat in a camp of Moblins while wearing the mask? They have actual social routines. They scratch themselves, they sit by the fire, they get excited when it’s dinner time. You miss all of that if you’re just rushing in with a Savage Lynel Sword.
How to Get the Most Out of It
If you’ve just picked up the DLC, here is the smart way to use the mask without sucking all the fun out of the game:
- The Great Plateau Exit Strategy: As soon as you leave the Plateau, head straight for the Kolomo Garrison Ruins. Getting the mask early makes the trek to Kakariko Village much smoother.
- Resource Farming: Use it to farm "Dragon Parts." You can stand in high-risk areas where monsters spawn and wait for Farosh or Dinraal to fly by without having to constantly parry arrows.
- The "Sneakstrike" Combo: Just because they aren't attacking doesn't mean you can't. You can walk behind a distracted enemy while wearing the mask and initiate a Sneakstrike for 8x damage. It’s incredibly cheesy, but incredibly effective.
- Master Mode Must-Have: If you're playing on the harder difficulty, the mask isn't an option; it's a survival tool. Use it to bypass the regenerating health sponges in the early game.
It is rare for a single piece of gear to fundamentally alter how a game is played, but this mask does exactly that. It turns the apex predator of the wild into a camouflaged observer.
Whether you think it's an overpowered exploit or a brilliant tribute to Zelda's darker roots, there's no denying that Majora's Mask in Breath of the Wild is the most significant DLC item in the game. It bridges the gap between two very different eras of Nintendo design, proving that even a world as big as BotW’s Hyrule still has room for a little bit of old-school, reality-bending magic.
Actionable Next Steps for Players
- Verify your DLC status: Check the "DLC" menu on the title screen to ensure The Master Trials is active.
- Head to the Outpost Village Ruins: Read the journal there to start the "EX Treasure: Ancient Mask" quest.
- Pin Kolomo Garrison Ruins: Use your Slate to mark the swampy area north of the Great Plateau.
- Check the ground: Use the Magnesis rune (pink glow) to spot the chest buried in the mud near the stone walls.
- Experiment with NPCs: Try talking to different NPCs while wearing the mask; some have unique dialogue reactions to your creepy new look.