The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask is a weird, stress-inducing masterpiece that loves to reward players for their suffering. Most people spend eighty hours hunting down every single stray fairy across four massive, terrifying dungeons just to get their hands on the Great Fairy Sword. It looks cool. It’s huge. It has these black roses etched onto the blade and glows with a strange, magical energy. But honestly? Getting it is a massive pain, and using it effectively requires a total shift in how you play the game.
It's the ultimate prize.
But here is the thing: it’s not actually a sword. At least, the game doesn't treat it like one. If you go into the final battle expecting it to function like the Kokiri Sword or the Gilded Sword, you are going to get hit. A lot.
The Grind for the Great Fairy Sword
To get this thing, you have to go to the Stone Tower Temple. That place is a nightmare. You aren't just fighting regular enemies; you are flipping the entire world upside down, managing three different transformation masks, and hunting for fifteen tiny, glowing stray fairies hidden in the rafters and behind invisible walls. It’s tedious. It’s meant to be.
Once you’ve collected all fifteen, you haul them back to the Fairy’s Fountain in Ikana Canyon. The Great Fairy of Kindness rewards your sanity (or lack thereof) with the Great Fairy Sword.
It is officially the most powerful melee weapon in the game. It deals four times the damage of your starting blade. That's double the damage of the Gilded Sword. On paper, it makes Link an absolute god. In practice, the game balances that power by stripping away your defense.
Why the C-Button Mapping Changes Everything
Most Zelda players have muscle memory that dictates "B is for Sword." That's the law. But the Great Fairy Sword in Majora’s Mask is an item, not a primary weapon. You have to assign it to one of your C-buttons (or X and Y on the 3DS version).
This isn't just a UI quirk. It’s a fundamental change in mechanics.
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Because it occupies an item slot, you cannot hold your shield while the sword is out. You’re swinging a two-handed slab of enchanted metal. If you want to block an octorok rock or a laser beam, you have to put the sword away first. This creates a high-risk, high-reward loop that can be incredibly frustrating if you're used to the safety of the Hylian Shield.
Link’s reach with this blade is also deceptive. It looks like it should hit everything in a five-mile radius, but the hitbox is surprisingly precise. You have to time your swings perfectly. If you miss, the recovery animation is just long enough for a Dinolfos to ruin your day.
Comparing the Great Fairy Sword to the Fierce Deity Mask
A lot of players ask: why bother with the sword if the Fierce Deity Mask exists?
It’s a fair question. The Fierce Deity Mask turns Link into a towering avatar of destruction that shoots sword beams. It’s essentially a "win button." However, the Fierce Deity Mask is limited. In the original N64 version, you can only use it during boss fights. That means for the 99% of the game where you are exploring Termina, fighting Iron Knuckles, or clearing out the Secret Shrine, the mask is useless.
The Great Fairy Sword is available everywhere.
You can take it into the fields. You can use it to one-shot annoying Blue Bubbles. It makes the mini-bosses in the Moon's trials look like absolute jokes. It is the strongest weapon Link can carry while still being "human."
The Gilded Sword vs. The Great Fairy Sword
The real debate isn't between the sword and the mask—it’s between the sword and the Gilded Sword.
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The Gilded Sword is arguably the best "practical" weapon in Majora’s Mask. It has great reach, it doesn't break, and it allows you to keep your shield up. It’s reliable. It’s the Honda Civic of Zelda weapons.
The Great Fairy Sword is the temperamental supercar. It’s faster at ending fights, but it’ll get you killed if you don't know what you're doing. Many speedrunners or high-level players actually prefer the Gilded Sword for general traversal because the B-button is just more accessible. But if you are going for a "heavy hitter" build, or if you just want to see how fast you can melt a boss's health bar, the Great Fairy Sword is the only choice.
Technical Details and Damage Output
Let's look at the actual numbers. In the internal code of Majora's Mask, damage is calculated in "points."
- Kokiri Sword: 1 Point
- Hero's Sword: 1 Point
- Razor Sword: 2 Points
- Gilded Sword: 2 Points
- Great Fairy Sword: 4 Points
When you perform a jump attack, that damage is doubled. A jump attack with the Great Fairy Sword deals 8 points of damage. For context, most standard enemies have between 1 and 4 HP. You are essentially hitting them with the force of a falling building. Even bosses like Odolwa or Goht can’t stand up to more than a few focused hits from this blade.
The 3DS remake changed a few things. It made the sword slightly easier to use by allowing you to map it to the touch screen, but the core mechanics remained the same. It still feels heavy. It still feels earned.
The Aesthetic and Lore Mystery
There is something deeply "Majora" about this sword. Most Zelda games give you the Master Sword as the ultimate weapon. It’s the "Blade of Evil's Bane." It’s shiny, holy, and predictable.
But the Master Sword isn't in Termina.
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Instead, you get this strange, flowery, black-and-pink blade from a giant woman who was shattered into fifteen pieces by a demon child. The Great Fairy Sword doesn't feel like a holy relic; it feels like a gift of raw, chaotic power. The rose motif is unique. It’s one of the few items in the Zelda franchise that doesn't really fit the "medieval fantasy" aesthetic. It looks more like something out of a gothic fairy tale.
How to Actually Use It Without Dying
If you’ve just unlocked it and keep getting knocked over, stop trying to play like it’s Ocarina of Time.
- Don't mash the button. The combo for the Great Fairy Sword is slower than the standard sword. If you commit to a third swing and the enemy moves, you are wide open.
- Abuse the Jump Attack. Since you can’t block, your best defense is a massive offense. Use the Z-target jump attack to close distance and end the fight before the enemy can even wind up an attack.
- The Quick-Swap. In the N64 version, you can actually swap items mid-animation if you’re fast enough, but for most people, the trick is knowing when to switch back to the Gilded Sword. Use the Great Fairy Sword for the big guys—Gomess, Garo Masters, and Iron Knuckles. Switch back to your normal sword for crowd control.
The sword is also incredible for breaking crates and pots. It sounds trivial, but the massive swing arc means you can clear a room of loot in a single circle slash.
Is it Worth the Effort?
Honestly? Yes. Even if you only use it for the final gauntlet, the Great Fairy Sword is a testament to the player's dedication. Majora’s Mask is a game about helping people, and the fairies are the most literal representation of that. By mending the broken Great Fairy of Kindness, you receive the most powerful physical object in her world.
It makes the final climb up Stone Tower feel like it had a purpose beyond just getting another remains mask.
Actionable Next Steps
If you are currently playing Majora's Mask and want to claim the blade, start by ensuring you have the Stone Mask from the guard in Ikana Canyon (or the pirate fortress in the 3DS version). It makes navigating Stone Tower infinitely easier when the smaller enemies can't see you.
Prioritize getting the Great Fairy's Mask first. Without it, the stray fairies won't float toward you, and you'll spend hours falling off ledges trying to catch them. Once you have the sword, head straight to the Secret Shrine behind the waterfall in Ikana. It’s the best place to practice your timing against mini-bosses without the pressure of a ticking clock or a dungeon layout. Use the jump attack exclusively for the first few fights to get a feel for the reach. Once you master the distance, you'll find that nothing in Termina can really stand in your way.