You're wandering through the Rabia Plain, maybe just looking for some Swift Violets or minding your own business, when you hear it. That accordion. It’s Kass. Again. By now, you probably know that whenever this oversized Rito shows up, he’s about to drop a riddle that sounds poetic but is actually a massive pain in the neck. The Crowned Beast BOTW quest is one of those moments where the game stops being an action adventure and turns into a frustrating nature documentary.
Honestly, it's not even that the riddle is hard to solve. It’s the execution. Most players figure out pretty quickly that a "beast with a crown of bone" isn't some mythical creature or a hidden boss. It’s just a deer. Specifically, a Mountain Buck. But if you’ve ever tried to sneak up on one of these things without the right gear, you know they have the situational awareness of a Secret Service agent. One wrong step and they’re gone.
Finding the "Crowned Beast" and Kass
Kass is hanging out in the Rabia Plain, which is basically northeast of Kakariko Village. If you haven't found him yet, just look for the orange glowing pedestal. It’s sitting there in the middle of the grass, looking very conspicuous. When you talk to him, he sings his little song about mounting the beast upon its throne.
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The throne? That’s the pedestal. The beast? The Mountain Buck.
Here is the thing: the bucks in this area are skittish. Way more skittish than horses. You can't just gallop up to them. If you don't have at least two pieces of the Stealth Set (the Sheikah armor from Kakariko), you are going to have a bad time. You can also cook up some Silent Princesses or Sneaky River Snails if you're low on Rupees, but seriously, just buy the armor. It’s a literal game-changer for the rest of the game anyway.
How to actually mount the buck
I’ve seen people spend literal hours on this. Don't be that person. There are three main ways to handle this, depending on how much patience you have.
- The Traditional Stealth Route: Crouch. Move slow. When you think you're close enough, you probably aren't. Get closer. Once the prompt pops up, hit A.
- The Paraglider Drop: This is arguably the easiest way. Climb one of the nearby trees or the small cliffs surrounding the plain. Glide down and land directly on the buck's back. It doesn't see you coming from above.
- The Stasis+ Method: If you’ve upgraded your Stasis rune at the Hateno Lab, you can actually freeze the buck. It’s a bit mean, but it works. Freeze it, run up, and mash A as soon as it thaws.
Once you’re on, you have to soothe it just like a horse. Mash the L button. Don't let your stamina run out or it'll buck you off and you'll have to start the hunt all over again.
Getting the Mezza Lo Shrine to Pop
Once you've successfully tamed your new "crowned" friend, you have to ride it over to the pedestal where Kass is playing. You don't even need to get off. Just stand on the glowing plate while mounted on the buck. The ground will shake, the music will swell, and the Mezza Lo Shrine will rise from the earth.
Kass will be impressed, you'll be relieved, and the buck will probably run away the second you dismount. Kinda sad, really. We spent all that time bonding and he just bolts.
The Ancient Trifecta Trial
Inside the shrine, things get a bit more "Zelda-y." The trial is called Ancient Trifecta. It involves a laser, a crystal switch, and a moving platform.
Basically, you need to hit the switch to rotate the platform. Every time the switch is hit, the platform moves. There’s a large metal block in there too. Use Magnesis to move that block so it's not blocking the laser, or use it to trigger the switch yourself.
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A pro tip for the chest: There’s a Thunderblade in here. You want this. To get it, you need to time the platform movements so you can jump over to the side platform. Most people forget they can use Stasis on the laser emitter itself to pause the signal, giving them a window to move around without the platform constantly shifting.
Common Mistakes People Make
The biggest mistake? Trying to use a Mountain Doe. Does don't have "crowns of bone." They don't have antlers. If you bring a female deer to the pedestal, Kass will just keep playing his accordion and nothing will happen. You’ll feel silly. I’ve done it. We’ve all done it.
Another thing—don't try to register the buck at a stable. The stable hands will just tell you it’s a "weird horse" and refuse to touch it. It’s a one-time-use vehicle for this specific quest.
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Final Tactics for Success
If you can't find any bucks in the area, it's usually because you accidentally scared them off while fighting a ChuChu or something nearby. Just warp away to Kakariko and warp back, or sit by a campfire until the next morning. They’ll respawn.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Check your inventory for stealth-boosting food or put on the Sheikah Armor set before approaching Rabia Plain.
- Save your game the moment you spot a Mountain Buck with antlers; if you spook it, you can just reload.
- Use the paraglider from the higher ridges to land directly on the buck to skip the tedious crouching.
- Keep the buck mounted until the shrine completely finishes its "rising from the ground" animation.
Once you finish the Mezza Lo Shrine, you're one step closer to that 120-shrine completion. Just don't expect the buck to thank you.