Check out our top picks!
You won’t get very far in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom without a decent set of armour. Like in Breath of the Wild, armour is an important aspect. And not only for combat, but scaling terrain, resisting the elements and, let’s face it, looking badass.
So what’s the best armour setup in Tears of the Kingdom? There’s no right answer, of course. It depends on the scenario. Unfortunately there aren’t any full set bonuses this time, but it’s still worth wearing a complete set. For the stats and the looks.
Still, we don’t think it’ll hurt to share some of our favourites. From the fanciest looking set to the completely practical, we’ll also offer advice for those just starting out and those who are a bit further along. Keep reading for our top armour picks for Tears of the Kingdom.
Best early game Armour in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
So you’ve just started a new game, and the enemies aren’t too challenging. Still, you’ll need suitable armour for your early adventures in Hyrule. Before we get started on our favourite starter packs, we’ll recommend here that the shop in Rito Village has some pretty affordable stuff (not to mention a few handy cold resistant items).
Zora Armour
A great set for many reasons, but it’s perfect for gliding through the early parts of the game with ease. For starters, it lets you swim up waterfalls. It’s easy to obtain, too, as you’ll grab it as part of the main storyline.
To begin the search for this armour, investigate the ‘Regional Phenomena’ quest to the east (right-hand) side of the map. Once you’re there, keep doing the Zora quests – including ‘A Token of Friendship’ and ‘The Never-Ending Lecture’ – to complete the set.
Hylian Armour
Does exactly what it says on the tin. The Hylian Armour set offers quality protection for your early travels, and shouldn’t set you back too much. There’s no elemental protection, or any other unique quirks, but the defensive stats alone make this worth it.
You can get the complete Hylian Armour set from the Armour Shop in Lookout Landing. This is the main base, just south of Hyrule Castle, where there are various vendors and characters to chat to.
Miner’s Armour
A new (and slightly terrifying) dimension to Tears of the Kingdom is Depths. When you first go down there, we recommend getting properly kitted up. And what better suit for navigating an underground wilderness in than a miner’s outfit?
The Helm, top, and trousers make up the complete set. It’ll make your early (and late) journeys in the dark a bit less blood-curdling. As a cruel twist of fate, all of these items can only be found in the Depths, so you’ll need to bravely explore in your normal clothes for a while. You can see the exact locations on YouTube.
Best Late Game Armour in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
A bit further into Tears of the Kingdom? Great, now it’s time to get serious. Located in the same location as it was in Breath of the Wild, the Kakariko Village shop has some expensive gear. Worth every penny, we should add. But let’s have a look at our favourite late game sets…
Dark Set
Tears of the Kingdom is a pretty dark sequel, so you may as well look edgy. This set, which comprises the Dark Tunic, Dark Trousers, and Dark Hat, will offer an impressive stat boost. Hell, the Dark Tunic on its own is worth it for the stats and badass look.
You can nab the Dark Tunic by trading Poes with the Bargainer Statue in The Depths. Check out the video above to see the exact location.
Flamebreaker Armour
Now for the purely pragmatic. If you’re well acquainted with Breath of the Wild, you’ll know that you’ll need fire resistant armour for a lot of scenarios. Especially if you don’t have any Fireproof Elixirs, you’ll need Flamebreaker Armour for any volcanic area. It’s pricey though, so make sure you save up!
The Flamebreaker Armour can be bought from an Armour Shop to the west (left) of Death Mountain. Check out the exact location on YouTube.
Barbarian Set
While there are a lot more practical sets to mention – Snowquill, climbing, and stealth – we thought we’d finish with something a tad more badass. The Barbarian Set comprises a chest piece, helmet, and leg wraps.
You can grab them pretty early on, but when they’re fully upgraded they offer impressive stats. And who doesn’t crave the catharsis of a barbarian rage? The main part of this armour can be found in a cave not far from Lookout Landing, and you can check out the exact location on YouTube.
Those are our top armour picks for Tears of the Kingdom. There are so many to list we could be here all day, so we’ll finish by wishing you the best of luck discovering your favourite!
Read more on Tears of the Kingdom:
- Zelda Tears of the Kingdom Shrines – key locations
- Zelda Tears of the Kingdom Skyview Tower locations – fill in the map
- Zelda Tears of the Kingdom Master Sword – how to get it back
- Zelda Tears of the Kingdom Hylian Shield – where to find it
- Zelda Tears of the Kingdom Green Tunic – get the look
- Zelda Tears of the Kingdom Paraglider – location revealed
- Zelda Tears of the Kingdom Geoglyph locations – memories found
- Zelda Tears of the Kingdom Korok Seed locations – seeds unearthed
- Zelda Tears of the Kingdom Great Fairy Fountain locations
- Zelda Tears of the Kingdom Lynel locations – they’re back
- Zelda Tears of the Kingdom Dungeons – key details
- How long is Zelda Tears of the Kingdom? Hours needed
- Zelda Tears of the Kingdom review – our final verdict
- Zelda Tears of the Kingdom cast – voice actors revealed
- Zelda Tears of the Kingdom OLED Switch – custom console
- Zelda timeline explained – series order
- Zelda Netflix series – rumours explained
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