You're standing in front of a Guardian Stalker. That terrifying piano music starts. The red laser dots right onto Link's chest. For most players early in the game, this is a "run or die" moment. But if you’re rocking the Zelda Breath of the Wild ancient armor, the vibe changes completely. You aren't the prey anymore. You’re the scavenger.
Honestly, this set is a bit of a grind to get, but it's arguably the most "broken" gear in the entire Breath of the Wild experience. It’s not just about the high defense numbers. It’s about how the set transforms the way you interact with the game’s toughest overworld enemies.
Tracking Down the Akkala Ancient Tech Lab
Most people find the Hylian set in Kakariko and think they’re doing okay. Then they wander into the Akkala region. It’s a trek. You have to go to the far northeast corner of the map, way past the Great Hyrule Forest, to find Robbie at the Akkala Ancient Tech Lab. Robbie is... eccentric. He’s the guy who spent decades perfecting "Cherry," the furnace that actually crafts this gear.
To get the Zelda Breath of the Wild ancient armor, you don't just find it in a chest. You buy it. But Robbie doesn't just want Rupees—though he wants a lot of those, too. 2,000 per piece, to be exact. He wants Guardian parts. Specifically, you need Ancient Gears, Shafts, Springs, and the dreaded Ancient Cores.
Getting these means you have to get comfortable fighting the very things the armor is designed to protect you from. It's a classic gameplay loop. You hunt the hunters to craft the skin of the hunters. If you're struggling to find the lab, just look for the blue flame quest. It’s similar to the one Purah gives you in Hateno, but the path is longer and littered with Moblins. Bring a torch. Or a wooden mop. Anything that stays lit.
The Real Cost of Protection
Let's talk about those Ancient Cores. They are the biggest roadblock for most players. While you can occasionally find them in chests within Shrines—like the Dah Hesho Shrine or the Akh Va'quot Shrine—farming them from Guardians is the most reliable (and stressful) way. The drop rate is low. It’s frustrating. You might kill five Stalkers and get nothing but springs.
But then a core drops.
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You need three for the Ancient Helm, three for the Greaves, and three for the Cuirass. That’s nine cores just to own the base set. If you want to upgrade it? Well, you better get used to parrying those lasers.
Why Ancient Proficiency Changes Everything
A lot of players look at the "Guardian Resist" stat and think that's the whole story. It’s a great perk. It reduces the damage you take from those laser blasts, which is a literal lifesaver when you're caught in the open in Central Hyrule. But the real magic happens at the Great Fairy Fountains.
Once you upgrade each piece of the Zelda Breath of the Wild ancient armor to at least level two, you unlock the Set Bonus: Ancient Proficiency.
This is where things get wild.
Ancient Proficiency grants a massive 80% damage boost when using ancient or guardian weapons. We’re talking about those glowing blue blades you find in "Test of Strength" shrines. A Guardian Sword++ usually hits for 40 damage. With this armor set bonus, that jumps to 72.
But wait. There’s more.
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If you eat an "Attack Up" meal (three-tier strength), that bonus stacks multiplicatively with the armor bonus. This isn't just a small bump. You are now hitting with nearly 2.7x the base damage of the weapon. Even a Lynel won't know what hit it. You basically become a walking delete button for anything with a health bar.
The Hidden Stats You Might Miss
The defense rating is also top-tier. Fully upgraded, each piece provides 28 defense points. That’s a total of 84. For context, that puts it on par with the Soldier’s Set and the Wild Set. It is objectively some of the toughest "tank" gear in the game.
There's a subtle detail people miss: the helmet. It looks like a bucket. Or a shrine. Some people hate it. They swap it for the Diamond Circlet because the Circlet also has Guardian Resist and looks way cooler.
Don't do it.
The Diamond Circlet does not trigger the Ancient Proficiency set bonus. If you want that 80% damage buff, you have to wear the bucket. It's a fashion sacrifice for god-tier power.
Farming the Parts Without Losing Your Mind
If you’re trying to build the Zelda Breath of the Wild ancient armor early, you need a strategy. Don't just run at Guardians with a rusty broadsword.
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- The Master Sword: Obviously. It glows and doubles its power (60 dmg) near Guardians.
- Ancient Arrows: Robbie sells these too. One shot to the eye kills a Stalker instantly. It’s an investment, but the parts they drop usually pay for the next arrow.
- The Shield Parry: Get the timing down. When the eye flashes and you hear the "beep," hit A. It reflects the laser. Three hits kills a Stalker. Zero durability lost on your shield if you time it perfectly.
- Leg Day: Cut the legs off. Each leg you sever with a melee weapon stuns the Guardian and drops extra parts. It’s the most efficient way to farm gears and shafts.
The best place to farm is the ruins around Hyrule Castle or the Tundra. Just be careful in the Tundra—Guardians hide under the snow and pop up like mechanical trapdoor spiders. It’s genuinely scary the first time it happens.
Comparing the Ancient Set to the DLC Phantom Armor
Some people argue the Phantom Armor from the DLC is better because it gives you the Attack Up bonus immediately without any upgrades. Sure, for the early game, the Phantom Armor is a great crutch. It’s easy to find in the ruins of Hyrule Field.
But the Phantom Armor cannot be upgraded. Its defense is capped at 24.
The Zelda Breath of the Wild ancient armor scales. It grows with you. By the time you’re facing Calamity Ganon or the tougher Silver/Gold Lynels, that 84 defense and the Ancient Proficiency multiplier make the Phantom Armor look like paper. There is no contest in the late game.
Practical Next Steps for Your Journey
If you’re sitting there with a half-broken traveler’s shield and three hearts, don't rush to Akkala yet. You'll just get frustrated. Instead, focus on these specific moves:
- Farm the "Major Test of Strength" Shrines: After every blood moon, these Guardians respawn. They are the best source for the weapons that benefit from the Ancient Proficiency bonus.
- Visit the Great Fairies: You cannot unlock the true power of this armor without them. You need all four to hit that 84 defense cap.
- Hoard your Rupees: You’ll need 6,000 total for the full set. Sell your gems (Amber, Opal, Topaz) to the Gerudo merchant in Goron City for the best prices.
- Keep the Cores: Whatever you do, do not sell Ancient Cores or Giant Ancient Cores. You will regret it. They are the rarest material in the game and essential for the final armor tiers.
The Ancient Set is more than just clothes. It's the moment Link stops being a survivor and starts being the hero Hyrule remembers. It looks a bit weird, yeah, but when you're shredding a Guardian Stalker in five seconds, you won't care about the bucket on your head.
Go find Robbie. Get the blue flame. Start the grind. It is the single most rewarding gear progression in the entire game, and once you have it, the wilds of Hyrule feel a whole lot less dangerous.