You’re standing at the edge of the Bridge of Hylia. The wind is howling, a Flameblade is strapped to your back, and you’re looking at a Silver Lynel that definitely wants you dead. You could go with the Ancient Armor for that technical defense boost, or maybe the Barbarian set if you’re feeling aggressive. But then there’s the BotW Fierce Deity set. It’s arguably the coolest-looking gear in the game, a direct callback to the reality-warping mask from Majora’s Mask. It makes Link look like a vengeful god with blank white eyes and war paint. But honestly, getting it is a total pain. You can't just find it in a shrine or buy it at a shop in Hateno Village. It’s locked behind a physical plastic toy—the Majora’s Mask Link Amiibo—and a whole lot of luck.
Is it better than the Barbarian set? Mechanically, they are nearly identical. Both give you a massive Attack Up bonus. Both require rare materials to upgrade. Yet, for many of us, the Fierce Deity set hits different. It’s about the nostalgia, sure, but it’s also about the specific way it changes your presence in the world of Hyrule.
The Reality of the BotW Fierce Deity Stats
Let’s talk numbers. Each piece of the Fierce Deity armor—the Mask, the Armor, and the Boots—starts with a base defense of 3. That’s standard. When you fully upgrade the set at a Great Fairy fountain, each piece hits 20 defense. That’s a total of 60 defense for the full outfit. Compare that to the Barbarian set, which also hits 60.
The real draw is the Attack Up buff. Each individual piece grants one level of attack boost. If you wear the whole suit, you get the level three Attack Up bonus, which increases your damage output by a staggering 50%. This doesn't just make fights faster; it saves your weapon durability. If you’re hitting 50% harder, you’re using 50% fewer swings to kill a Hinox. That matters in a game where your favorite sword breaks after ten minutes.
The Hidden Perk: Set Bonuses
Once you’ve upgraded the entire set to at least two stars, you unlock the Charge Attack Stamina Up bonus. This is huge. If you’re a fan of the "spin to win" move with two-handed weapons like the Royal Guard’s Claymore, this set lets you spin for much longer before Link gasses out. It’s a niche benefit, but in a boss fight against Calamity Ganon or a high-level Lynel, it’s the difference between a dead enemy and a wasted stamina bar.
How You Actually Get the Gear
There is no secret chest in the Thyphlo Ruins. There is no hidden quest in the Gerudo Desert. To get the BotW Fierce Deity equipment, you need the Majora’s Mask Link Amiibo.
Here is the frustrating part: it’s a random drop. You scan the Amiibo, a chest falls from the sky, and most of the time, you just get a Knight’s Broadsword or some raw meat. The drop rate for the armor pieces is notoriously low. Many players resort to "save scumming." Basically, you save your game, scan the Amiibo, and if you don't get a piece of the armor, you reload your save and try again. It can take twenty minutes. It can take two hours.
And then there’s the sword. The Fierce Deity Sword is a separate drop from the same Amiibo. It’s a two-handed blade with a base attack of 60. It looks incredible—a double-helix design that glows. But here is the kicker: it breaks. Unlike the Master Sword, which recharges, once the Fierce Deity Sword shatters, it’s gone until you manage to scan it from the Amiibo again. It’s a fleeting bit of power.
Why People Choose This Over the Barbarian Set
Why deal with Amiibos when the Barbarian set is free in the base game? Honestly, it’s the upgrade path. To max out the Barbarian set, you need to hunt down Lynels. Lots of them. You need Lynel Horns, Hooves, and Guts. For a casual player, farming Silver Lynels is a nightmare.
The BotW Fierce Deity set has a different requirement. It asks for Hinox parts and Dragon scales. Specifically, you’ll need scales, claws, and shards from Dinraal, Naydra, and Farosh.
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- Hinox Guts: You'll need these for the higher tiers.
- Dragon Parts: You need one of each type (Scale, Claw, Shard of Fang, Shard of Horn) from all three dragons to hit level four.
For many, chasing a glowing dragon through the sky at 4:00 AM in-game time is much more relaxing than fighting a Lynel that shoots lightning arrows at your face. It’s a different kind of grind. It feels more like an adventure and less like a combat trial. Plus, the aesthetic is just superior. Link looks intimidating. The Barbarian set makes you look like you’re wearing a dead bush; the Fierce Deity set makes you look like a legend.
Common Misconceptions and Errors
A lot of people think the Fierce Deity Sword shoots beams like it did in Majora’s Mask. It doesn't. Not in Breath of the Wild, anyway. That’s a heartbreak for a lot of fans. In the original N64 game, the Fierce Deity was a literal god that trivialized the final boss. In BotW, it’s just a very good outfit.
Another mistake? Thinking you can find this in the Champions' Ballad DLC. You can't. While the DLC added a ton of armor like Phantom Ganon’s gear and the Island Lobster Shirt, the Fierce Deity remains strictly locked behind the Amiibo wall. If you see someone wearing it and they say they found it in a cave, they’re probably using a modded version of the game or they’re messing with you.
The "Secret" Value of the Fierce Deity Set
There’s a psychological component to using this gear. Breath of the Wild is a game about being a small, fragile hero in a massive, ruined world. Most of the armor reflects that—tattered tunics, heavy metal plates, cold-weather furs. The BotW Fierce Deity set breaks that immersion in the best way possible. It reminds you of Link's history. It’s a piece of "overpowered" history brought into a survival setting.
Interestingly, the armor behaves differently in the sequel, Tears of the Kingdom, where you can actually find it through in-game quests without an Amiibo. But in the context of Breath of the Wild, owning this set is a badge of honor (or a sign that you spent $20 on a piece of plastic). It represents a specific era of Zelda history where Link wasn't just a knight, but something much more frightening to the forces of evil.
The Upgrade Checklist
If you’ve finally snagged the pieces, don't just leave them at level one. The defense jump at level three and four is what makes the set viable for the endgame.
- Level 1: You just need some Hinox Toenails. Easy.
- Level 2: Hinox Teeth and basic Dragon Scales.
- Level 3: Hinox Guts and Dragon Claws.
- Level 4: This is the big one. You need the Shards of the Horn from all three dragons.
Pro tip for farming Dinraal: Wait at the Tabantha Great Bridge in the morning. He flies right through the canyon. It’s the easiest way to get the horn shards without losing your mind.
Actionable Steps for Players
If you want the BotW Fierce Deity experience, stop checking the in-game shops and start looking for the Majora's Mask Link Amiibo. If the official figure is too expensive or out of stock—which it often is—many players look into NFC cards. These are small, credit-card-sized alternatives that contain the same data as the Amiibo but cost a fraction of the price.
Once you have the ability to scan, set a routine. Scan the Amiibo once every day at the start of your play session. Don't burn yourself out save-scumming for hours. The pieces will come eventually. Focus on gathering the dragon parts early. Even if you don't have the armor yet, having a stash of Dinraal and Naydra scales will make the moment you finally pull that Mask from a chest much more satisfying. You'll be able to jump straight to a high defense rating and start tearing through Hyrule like the deity you're supposed to be.