| Swords | Wooden Sword (L-1), Noble Sword (L-2), Master Sword (L-3, linked game), Biggoron’s Sword (linked game, two-handed). |
|---|---|
| Shields | Wooden Shield (L-1), Iron Shield (L-2), Mirror Shield (L-3, linked game). Each shield level needs the one before it. |
| Seed Satchel | 20 seeds per type, then 50 (Member’s Card and 300 Rupees), then 99 (linked game). |
| Bomb Bag | 10 bombs, then 30 (Subrosian Market), then 50 (linked game). |
| Ring Box | Holds 1 ring, then 3, then 5 (level 3 needs a linked game). You can wear only one ring at a time at any level. |
| Tools | Boomerang (L-1 to L-2), Roc’s Feather to Roc’s Cape, Slingshot to Hyper Slingshot. |
Most of the upgrades you can finish in an unlinked game come from the Subrosian Market, the Horon Village shop and the Subrosian Smithy, plus two dungeon items. The bigger steps, such as the Master Sword, Biggoron’s Sword, the Mirror Shield, the 99-seed Satchel and the Ring Box at level 3, need a password chain that starts in Oracle of Ages. Each step below names what you need first.
Quick reference
| # | Upgrade | Region | Season | Requirement | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Wooden Sword to Noble Sword (L-2) | Trade sequence end, Lost Woods area | Any | Trade the Phonograph to the Deku Scrub | Sword beams at full health |
| 2 |  Noble Sword to Master Sword (L-3) | Horon Village, linked secret | Any | Linked game, Noble Sword first | Stronger sword |
| 3 | Biggoron’s Sword | Goron Mountain caverns, linked secret | Any | Linked game, Goron Vase traded first | Two-handed, top damage |
| 4 |  Wooden Shield to Iron Shield (L-2) | Subrosian Smithy | Any | Wooden Shield plus one Hard Ore | Blocks fire |
| 5 |  Iron Shield to Mirror Shield (L-3) | Linked game: Farore’s chain, or shop after Iron | Any | Linked game, Ancient Ruins done | Blocks Beamos beams |
| 6 | Seed Satchel 20 to 50 | Horon Village members’ room | Any | Member’s Card (5 Ore Chunks), 300 Rupees | 50 seeds per type |
| 7 | Seed Satchel 50 to 99 | Woods of Winter, linked secret | Winter | Linked game, Snake’s Remains done | 99 seeds per type |
| 8 | Bomb Bag 10 to 30 | Subrosian Market | Any | Red Bomb for 10 Bombs and 50 Ore Chunks, Power Bracelet | 30 bombs |
| 9 | Bomb Bag 30 to 50 | Maku Tree, linked secret | Any | Linked game, Zora’s Flippers, Great Moblin defeated | 50 bombs |
| 10 |  Ring Box L-1 to L-2 (3 rings) | Goron Mountain cave | Any | Zora’s Flippers and a bomb | Holds 3 rings |
| 11 |  Ring Box L-2 to L-3 (5 rings) | Horon Village, linked secret | Any | Linked game, Snake’s Remains done | Holds 5 rings |
| 12 | Boomerang to Magical Boomerang (L-2) | Ancient Ruins | Any | Dungeon 6 chest | Controllable boomerang |
| 13 |  Roc’s Feather to Roc’s Cape | Explorer’s Crypt | Summer for the vines | Dungeon 7 chest | Jumps three tiles, glides |
| 14 | Slingshot to Hyper Slingshot | Sword & Shield Maze | Any | Dungeon 8 face-block room | Fires three seeds for one |
Sword upgrades
| Icon | Sword | Attack | How to get it |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Wooden Sword (L-1) | 2 | Hero’s Cave, normal game |
| Noble Sword (L-2) | 4 | Trade sequence, or linked secret |
| Master Sword (L-3) | 6 | Linked game, after the Noble Sword |
| — | Biggoron’s Sword | 8 | Linked game, Biggoron’s secret |
Noble Sword (L-2)
The Noble Sword is the reward at the end of the trade sequence. Hand the Phonograph to the leaf-headed Deku Scrub in the sandy room of the Lost Woods area, and he sends you on to the final trade that gives the sword. The full trade order is on the trading sequence page. In a linked game, Farore’s Hall of Secrets in the Maku Tree can give it earlier, after the third password, as covered in the Hall of Secrets chapter.
Master Sword (L-3)
The Master Sword is only available in a linked game. Once you have the Noble Sword, a secret from the Clock Shop in Horon Village upgrades it, after an arena challenge. Dig behind the Clock Shop to find the spot. The Master Sword deals the most damage of the normal swords. See Tarm Ruins and the Lost Woods for the linked-game steps in that stretch.
Biggoron’s Sword
Biggoron’s Sword is the linked-game secret from the Goron Mountain caverns. A red Goron just inside the entrance tells you a secret after you agree to research it, and you must already have the Goron Vase from the early trade steps. Carry the secret back to Farore in the Maku Tree and type the password on the secret keyboard in the Oracle of Secrets room. The sword takes both hand slots. See the side-quest chapter.
Shield upgrades
| Icon | Shield | Defense | How to get it |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Wooden Shield (L-1) | 2 | Horon Village shop, 30 Rupees |
| Iron Shield (L-2) | 3 | Subrosian Smithy, with one Hard Ore |
| Mirror Shield (L-3) | 5 | Linked game: Farore’s chain, or shop after Iron |
Iron Shield (L-2)
Take your Wooden Shield to the Subrosian Smithy. The smith upgrades it when you bring him Hard Ore. You make the Hard Ore by fusing a Red Ore and a Blue Ore at the Subrosian Great Furnace. The Red Ore sits in a chest in an upstairs cave in eastern Subrosia, reached with the Roc’s Feather and Magnetic Gloves. The Blue Ore sits in a chest on the far west side of Subrosia, reached with the Magnetic Gloves. When the smith asks what to say, choose “Do whatever.” The Tarm Ruins chapter follows this ore chain: Tarm Ruins and the Lost Woods.
Mirror Shield (L-3)
The Mirror Shield needs a linked game and the Iron Shield first. The chain begins with a ghost in a lone cottage on the Western Coast, who tells you a secret. Carry the password to the librarian in the past-era library, reached by a Gale Seed warp. The librarian’s reply goes to Farore in the Maku Tree, who gives you the shield. It deflects the beams fired by Beamos statues. A linked save can also buy one at the Horon Village shop for 80 Rupees once you own the Iron Shield. The walkthrough covers the full chain in Temple Remains and the Volcano.
Seed Satchel upgrades
| Icon | Upgrade | Capacity per seed type | How to get it |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Satchel level 1 | 50 | Member’s Card, then 300 Rupees at the Horon Village members’ room |
| — | Satchel level 2 | 99 | Linked game secret, after Snake’s Remains |
Member’s Card and the first Satchel upgrade
Go to the red merchant tent in the Subrosian Market and accept the Member’s Card for 5 Ore Chunks. Walk into the Horon Village shop and show the card at the counter, and the shopkeeper lets you into the members’ room in the basement. There you pay 300 Rupees for the upgrade, which raises each seed type to 50. See Tower of Summer and Rosa’s Ribbon for the Ore Chunk steps and the side-quest chapter for the basement.
The 99-seed upgrade
The second Satchel upgrade needs a linked game and the Rod of Seasons with the winter power, and Snake’s Remains must be finished. In a cave in the Woods of Winter, a golden fairy gives you a password. Carry it through the linked game to the Ages side and back, then give the returned password to Farore. The upgrade raises each seed type to 99. The Tower of Autumn chapter covers the 99 upgrade: Tower of Autumn and Eyeglass Lake.
Bomb Bag upgrades
| Icon | Upgrade | Capacity | How to get it |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Bomb Bag level 1 | 30 | Subrosian Market, red Bomb for 10 Bombs and 50 Ore Chunks |
| — | Bomb Bag level 2 | 50 | Linked game secret, after the Great Moblin |
Bomb Bag to 30
Enter the red merchant tent in the Subrosian Market and buy the red Bomb. The price is 10 Bombs and 50 Ore Chunks, and you need the Power Bracelet first. The shopkeeper refills your bag to 30 bombs. The Tower of Summer chapter shows the bag at 30: Tower of Summer and Rosa’s Ribbon.
Bomb Bag to 50
In a linked game, this upgrade starts with Zora’s Flippers and a defeat of the Great Moblin at his fort in Sunken City. The friendly Moblin at the ruined keep gives you a secret. Carry it to the Ages side, then return to the Maku Tree in Horon Village and visit Farore in the secret chamber. Her first password adds the second upgrade and fills the bag to 50. See Temple Remains and the Volcano for the chamber.
Ring Box levels
| Icon | Ring Box | Holds | How to get it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ring Box L-1 | 1 ring | Vasu Jewelers in Horon Village |
| — | Ring Box L-2 | 3 rings | Red Goron in a cave on Goron Mountain |
| Ring Box L-3 | 5 rings | Linked game secret from Horon Village |
Ring Box L-2
On Goron Mountain, find the bombable wall one screen east of the Goron Village entrance. Set a bomb in front of it and enter the cave. The red Goron inside asks if you want to carry more rings, and then he enlarges your box to hold three. You need Zora’s Flippers to reach the area. In a linked game the Symmetry password from Holly’s friend can also give you this box, as covered in the Hall of Secrets chapter. See Magical Rings for the rings to put in it.
Ring Box L-3
The five-ring box needs a linked game and the level 2 box first. Carry the Mayor of Horon Village’s linked password, from the Ruul secret, to the Ages side, and bring the reply back to Horon Village to finish the upgrade. The box then holds five rings, and you can still wear one at a time.
Tool upgrades
| Icon | Tool | Upgrade | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Roc’s Feather | Roc’s Cape | Explorer’s Crypt, Dungeon 7 |
| — | Boomerang (L-1) | Magical Boomerang (L-2) | Ancient Ruins, Dungeon 6 |
| — | Slingshot | Hyper Slingshot | Sword & Shield Maze, Dungeon 8 |
Roc’s Cape and the Magical Boomerang
The Explorer’s Crypt holds the Roc’s Cape, which replaces the Feather and jumps three tiles. Enter the crypt from the graveyard on the Western Coast; the vines need summer to clear. In the Ancient Ruins, the Magical Boomerang is in the chest in the Armos room on the third floor. Read the walkthrough for each: Explorer’s Crypt and Ancient Ruins.
Hyper Slingshot
The Hyper Slingshot is the Sword & Shield Maze’s dungeon item. Use the Magnetic Gloves to pull the iron sphere onto its button, which makes a bridge, and then push the face block aside to reach the chest. It fires three seeds for the cost of one. See Sword & Shield Maze.
