Ancient Tablets, Gleeoks and Armor Upgrades Walkthrough

Tears of the Kingdom 100% Completion Walkthrough43 chapters

Walkthrough overview

Great Sky Island

• Great Sky Island4 shrines, 4 caves and Bubbul Gems, 17 Korok seeds

Hyrule Field and Hyrule Castle

• Lookout LandingParaglider, Crisis at Hyrule Castle, Jiosin and Kyononis shrines, 2 caves, 3 wells
• Hyrule FieldSusuyai and Ishodag shrines, the Hyrule Field Chasm, 2 caves, 13 Koroks
• Hyrule Castle Town RuinsSepapa, Yamiyo and Tukarok shrines, 2 caves, 4 wells, Koroks, chests and Battle Taluses in route order
• Central Hyrule Depthslight all 7 Lightroots, loot Daphnes and Gustaf Canyon Mines, find the Miner's Top
• Rest of Hyrule CastleRoyal Hidden Passage loot, 8 castle chests, Phantom Ganon, Energy Wells
• South Hyrule FieldShrines, Koroks & the Great Plateau
• South Hyrule Field DepthsGreat Abandoned Central Mine, Master Kohga, Autobuild, Majora's Mask

Tabantha and Hyrule Ridge

• Tabantha FrontierNew Serenne Stable, Hestu, Courage Island and the Glide Shirt, 3 shrines, 2 Korok seeds, Lindor's Brow Cave
• Forgotten TempleImpa and the Geoglyphs, Dragon's Tears, Kiuyoyou and Mayausiy shrines, Yiga Maritta Branch, 9 Koroks
• Tanagar Canyon & Hyrule RidgeRunakit and Iun-orok shrines, 2 caves, 12 Koroks, 20 chests, 8 minibosses and Dragon's Tear 6
• Thundra Plateau & Tabantha Bridgesolve the noon shadow puzzle, Tabantha Bridge Stable, Makurukis Shrine, 19 Korok seeds, 9 chests, 3 minibosses
• Lindor's Brow DepthsLightroots; Two Yiga camps (Bomb Bouquet, Flamethrower Balloon)
• Hyrule Ridge and Tabantha FrontierIkatak, Oromuwak, Ganos and Ga-ahisas shrines, 4 caves, a well, 26 Koroks and 3 minibosses

Hebra

• Rito VillageGatakis and Ijo-o shrines, Sikatag Lightroot, 9 Korok seeds, 14 chests
• Hebra MountainsShrines, Wind Temple & Koroks; Raspro Pass, Biron Snowshelf & Royal Hidden Passage
• Corvash Canyon MineTrousers of the Hero, Floodlights schematic, Sea-Breeze Boomerang, four Lightroots, Colgera
• Raspro Pass DepthsNupisoyuat and Sasag Lightroots, Colgera, Cap of Time, Tunic of the Wind, two Yiga camps and 13 minibosses
• Tabantha TundraTaninoud, Orochium, Oshozan-u, Mayaotaki, Nouda and Tenbez shrines, three Lightroots, caves and Bubbul Gems
• Pikida Stonegrove DepthsEvil Spirit Greaves, Ikatoayam, Muihcoro and Sikatag Lightroots, 3 Yiga schematics, Frox fights

Great Hyrule Forest

• Great Hyrule Forest7 shrines, 8 Lightroots, 2 caves, 2 wells, Korok Mask, Glide Tights

Eldin

• EldinEldin Canyon, Shrines, Caves & Goron City
• Eldin Canyon Depths10 Lightroots, Zant's Helmet, Trousers of the Wild, Biggoron's Sword, 3 Yiga schematics and Eldin's sky chests

Faron

• FaronHighland Stable, Lake Hylia & Popla Foothills

Necluda

• Kakariko VillageMakasura Shrine, Kakariko Village Well, 2 caves, Ring Ruins chests, 10 Korok seeds and village quests
• West Necluda and Lanayru WetlandsShrines, Koroks & Caves; Jonsau, Kurakat
• Hateno VillageZanmik and Mayahisik shrines, Shield of the Mind's Eye and Phrenic Bow wells, 7 Koroks
• East NecludaRabella Wetlands, Sifumim Shrine, Lurelin Village, 21 Korok seeds
• East Necluda DepthsKumamayn Shrine, 4 Lightroots, Midna's Helmet, Cap of the Hero, Trousers of the Wind and 18 Depths chests

Lanayru

• Lanayru Great SpringShrines, Koroks & Caves; Ralis Channel, 3 shrines, 8 caves
• Zora's DomainMogawak and Ihen-a shrines, Ploymus cave, Pristine Sanctum, Zora Armor, Sidon of the Zora and Clues to the Sky
• Wellspring IslandAncient Zora Waterworks chests, Igoshon Shrine, 2 Korok seeds, Water Temple's four wheels and Mucktorok
• Mount LanayruShrines, Koroks & Light Rings; Jikais and Anedamimik shrines

Gerudo

• Gerudo DesertShrines, Caves & Koroks; West and South Sands
• Gerudo TownGerudo Shelter shops and quests, Valley of Silent Statues, Lightning Temple and Queen Gibdo, Chichim Shrine
• Gerudo Desert DepthsGranajh and Daval mines, three Master Kohga fights, Queen Gibdo, Mucktorok, Sheik's Mask and 37 chests
• Gerudo HighlandsSkyview Tower, Rotsumamu and Suariwak shrines, Mayasiar Shrine, Yiga hideout

Akkala

• AkkalaTarrey Town quests, 4 shrines, Hinox, Battle Talus
• Akkala Sky Islands and DepthsGikaku and Natak shrines, Old Maps, Lomei Depths Labyrinth, Mucktorok, 5 Lightroots and 19 chests

Finale and completion

• Ancient Tablets, Gleeoks and Armor Upgradesall 13 stone tablets with coordinates, Frost and King Gleeok, Obsidian Frox, Cotera upgrades and farming
• Hyrule CastleRoyal gear chests, Korok seeds, Serutabomac Shrine
• Thunderhead IslesCharged armor, Joku-usin and Joku-u Shrines, Dragonhead Island's relic
• 100% Completion: Armor Upgrades & Korok BonusHestu's Gift, Ancient Hero's Aspect, Great Fairy Cotera upgrade costs and materials, then Destroy Ganondorf

This stretch finishes the side adventure Messages from an Ancient Era: photograph the 12 tablets scattered over the sky, show the photos to Wortsworth in Kakariko Village and collect the Zonai Survey Team Fabric. Three minibosses sit on the route, and the rest of the time goes on farming monster parts for Great Fairy Cotera’s armor upgrades before you return to Purah at Lookout Landing. Coordinates are map units (X, Y, height); larger Y is further north.

Quick route

Place a stamp on every tablet first, then fly them in a loop: the Necluda and Hyrule Field islands, the Gerudo islands in the south-west and west, the Hebra and north-central islands, the north-central tablet that drops into the Depths, and finally the eastern chain from Akkala Highlands Sky down to the Necluda Sky.

Hand the photos to Wortsworth in Kakariko Village, take the Gleeok and Frox fights when you pass them, then bring the materials listed below to Cotera’s Great Fairy Fountain and finish by reporting to Purah.

Messages from an Ancient Era: find all 12 tablets

The quest begins at Lookout Landing, where a stone tablet crashes down after you finish a Temple. Wortsworth, the scholar studying it, heads to the Zonai Survey Team base in Kakariko Village and asks you to photograph the other tablets so he can translate them. He pays 100 rupees for every picture, 1,200 rupees for all twelve, and gives you the Zonai Survey Team Fabric at the end. Every tablet sits on a small flower-shaped sky island between two glowing lamps. Several of them fall away when you step on the island, so take the photo as soon as you land; if a tablet drops, follow it down and photograph it where it lands. Guides disagree on exactly how many fall, so treat every island as a falling one. Bring stamina food and spare Zonai Charges, because several of the glides are long.

Mark every tablet on the map

Open the map and drop a stamp on each tablet before you leave, because the sky islands are easy to lose among the clouds. The twelve tablets sit on sky islands at the coordinates below, and one of them lands in the Depths when its island breaks away. Each tablet is a stone slab flanked by two glowing egg-shaped lamps, set inside a ruined pillar frame on a floating island. Stand in front of it, choose the Camera from the quick-select wheel and aim at the slab until the Sheikah eye fills in and the photo is registered. A Zonai flying machine with a steering stick, fans and a few batteries is the easiest way to cross the gaps.

Tablet 1: south of Hyrule Castle (481, -2249, 401)

The lowest tablet in the sky is at (481, -2249, 401), above West Necluda and about 240 units from Susub Shrine. Land on the petal-shaped island and photograph the slab between the lamps.

Tablet 2: above Hyrule Field (-1239, -1937, 986)

Fly north-west to (-1239, -1937, 986), over Hyrule Field near Tadarok Shrine. Set down on the island’s rim and take the photo from the front of the slab.

Tablet 3: over the Gerudo Desert (-2447, -3257, 1003)

The third island is far to the south-west at (-2447, -3257, 1003), directly above Siwakama Shrine in the Gerudo Desert. The ruin sits in the middle of a flat platform; walk up to the slab and raise the Camera.

Tablet 4: over the Gerudo Highlands (-3605, -935, 1596)

Head north-west to (-3605, -935, 1596), the highest of the twelve, above the Gerudo Highlands and north of Rotsumamu Shrine. Keep spare batteries on the vehicle for the long climb.

Tablet 5: Hebra Mountains (-4042, 3204, 453)

Cross the western edge of the map to (-4042, 3204, 453), a low island over the Hebra Mountains. The Ijo-o Shrine sky shrine is the nearest landmark. The Frost Gleeok fight below begins within a minute of this island.

Tablet 6: above Oshozan-u Shrine (-1366, 3575, 912)

The next island at (-1366, 3575, 912) is almost directly above Oshozan-u Shrine. Land beside the pillars and photograph the slab.

Tablet 7: near Mayam Shrine (-45, 2992, 1502)

Continue east to (-45, 2992, 1502), roughly 400 units from Mayam Shrine in the Great Hyrule Forest sky; several guides route you here by gliding west from Mayam Shrine or from the Thyphlo Ruins Skyview Tower. This is the tablet that falls: when you walk onto the island its centre breaks away and drops toward Drenan Highlands Chasm. Photograph the slab at once, and if you miss the shot, follow it down.

Tablet 8: Drenan Highlands Chasm (Depths)

This is the same tablet as Tablet 7 after its island has fallen: it lands in the Depths beneath Great Hyrule Forest, near the bottom of Drenan Highlands Chasm. If you did not get the photo up top, glide into the chasm and drop into the Depths, find the slab by its two glowing lamps and photograph it there; light the area with a Brightbloom Seed if it is too dark for the Camera to register. Photograph it before you deal with the Obsidian Frox that lives nearby.

Tablet 9: Akkala Highlands Sky (3580, 1750, 1362)

Back in the sky, fly to (3580, 1750, 1362), about 280 units from Natak Shrine. The island hangs under an overhanging rock; land on the flat top and photograph the slab at the centre of the ruin.

Tablet 10: over Eldin Canyon (2217, 989, 1150)

Follow the chain south-west to (2217, 989, 1150), about 400 units from Kadaunar Shrine. Walk to the slab at the back of the ruin and photograph it.

Tablet 11: Lanayru Great Spring Sky (2915, 203, 802)

The Lanayru island at (2915, 203, 802) is about 300 units from Joniu Shrine. It is the lowest of the eastern group, so you can glide down to it from Tablet 10 if your vehicle is out of batteries.

Tablet 12: East Necluda Sky (3919, -2471, 1202)

Fly south-east to (3919, -2471, 1202), above East Necluda and a little under 450 units from Anedamimik Shrine. Photograph the slab from the side of the ruin that faces the open sky.

Tablet 13: West Necluda Sky (2083, -2731, 1343)

The last sky tablet is at (2083, -2731, 1343), above West Necluda and about 420 units from Tokiy Shrine. Guides reach it from the Rabella Wetlands Skyview Tower by gliding west toward a waterfall (Zora armor helps you swim up it), then building a hot-air balloon or fan craft to climb to the island. Photographing it completes the first task, and the quest log now sends you to Wortsworth.

Show Wortsworth the photos in Kakariko Village

Take the photos to Wortsworth at the Zonai Survey Team’s research lab in Kakariko Village (the survey team base at (1829, -956, 117)). He reads each tablet in turn and pays out a Silver Rupee (100 rupees) for each of the twelve, 1,200 rupees in total, and when the last record is translated he gives you the Zonai Survey Team Fabric, a paraglider fabric. He then posts everything on the research-lab wall.

Bosses along the way

Defeat Frost Gleeok at Biron Snowshelf

The Frost Gleeok circles Biron Snowshelf, at (-3719, 2982), a short flight from Tablet 5. The quickest approach is to launch from Rospo Pass Skyview Tower and glide north. It has 8,000 HP and breathes frost, so wear cold-resistant clothes, attach Fire Fruit to your arrows and keep shooting its three heads as it swings past; lightning also hurts it badly. When it is low it climbs and throws stalactites: climb one and use Recall or a launch to get above it, then shoot the heads again. When it drops, close in with a strong weapon and finish it before it takes off again. Drops are Gleeok Frost Horn, Gleeok Wing and Gleeok Guts.

Beat the Obsidian Frox in the Depths

The Obsidian Frox lives in the Depths southwest of Drenan Highlands Chasm, near the Nikakik Lightroot and a few hundred units from where the fallen tablet lands. It has 1,350 HP: keep moving, dodge its charge and its jump, and shoot the single eye (or throw a bomb) to stun it. Then climb onto its back and strike the glowing ore with a strong weapon; the ore breaks off as Zonaite. It drops an Obsidian Frox Fang and a Large Crystallized Charge, along with Frox Fingernail, Frox Guts, Zonaite and sometimes Large Zonaite.

Defeat King Gleeok in the Necluda Sky arena

King Gleeok, the ‘Scourge of Necluda Sky’, fights on a circular stone island above Eventide Island in the Necluda Sea Sky (about 3052, -2874, 1204). It has 12,000 HP and fire, ice and lightning heads, each with its own health bar, so shoot each head while it winds up and use a Rocket Shield, Ascend or a Zonai device to stay above its reach. When it falls, hit it with heavy weapons; a chest on the south side of the arena opens after the fight. Its drops are Gleeok Guts, Gleeok Wing and one each of the Gleeok Flame Horn, Gleeok Frost Horn and Gleeok Thunder Horn; the Wing and Flame Horn are what Cotera asks for below.

Armor upgrades at Great Fairy Cotera

Cotera’s Great Fairy Fountain is at (1768, -2180), just south of Dueling Peaks Stable. She becomes available after you finish Serenade to Cotera, which needs the Honey, Bee Mine side adventure first and, before that, Serenade to a Great Fairy. Talk to her, pick a piece of clothing and she upgrades it for materials and a fee of 10, 50, 200 or 500 rupees for the first to fourth level. Where a piece shows two numbers, the first is the defense before and the second after that upgrade; the sentences below cover the upgrades done in this stretch, and the table after them lists every level.

First round: Stealth Mask, Rubber Tights, Glide Tights, Ember Shirt

The Stealth Mask (9 to 16) needs ten Stealthfin Trout, five Silent Princess and ten Sundelion. The Rubber Tights (12 to 20) need five Electric Lizalfos Horn, five Topaz and eight Electric Lizalfos Tail. Glide Tights (9 to 16) need twelve Gleeok Wing, ten Aerocuda Wing and eight Gibdo Wing, and the Ember Shirt (9 to 16) needs five Gleeok Flame Horn, ten Sizzlefin Trout and ten Large Zonai Charge.

Second round: Soldier’s Greaves, Desert Voe Trousers, Rubber Armor, Tunic of Time

The Soldier’s Greaves (18 to 28) need five Lynel Hoof, five Lynel Guts and thirty Amber. The Desert Voe Trousers (12 to 20) take five Ice-Breath Lizalfos Horn, ten Ice-Breath Lizalfos Tail and five Sapphire, and the Rubber Armor (8 to 12) takes five Zapshroom, five Electric Lizalfos Tail and eight Electric Safflina. The Tunic of Time (12 to 20) needs forty Amber and one Star Fragment.

Third round: Rubber Tights, Yiga Armor, Sheik’s Mask, Cap of the Wind

After the last farming session the Yiga Armor (3 to 5) takes three Fire-Breath Lizalfos Tail and three Puffshroom, the Sheik’s Mask (9 to 16) takes eight Silent Princess and four Star Fragments, and the Cap of the Wind (3 to 5) takes five Opal and one Star Fragment. The Rubber Tights still need eight Electric Lizalfos Tail at this point, and the Radiant Tights (12 to 20) need thirty Luminous Stone, three Lynel Guts and three Molduga Jaw.

Every upgrade level for the pieces in this chapter

Each cell lists the materials for that level, with the defense before and after in brackets.

Farming the materials

Almost every material Cotera asks for is a monster drop, so the quickest way to finish the upgrades is to farm each source once. The Electric Lizalfos Tail is the bottleneck, because several upgrades need five to eight of them.

Take dragon parts and Star Fragments

Dinraal’s Claw for the Trousers of the Wild comes from the fire dragon Dinraal: glide alongside it as it flies and shoot or strike the claw, scale or horn you want. Star Fragments fall as shooting stars at night, so wait for dark, watch for the streaks and run to where they land. You need them for the Tunic of Time, Sheik’s Mask and Cap of the Wind.

Hunt Lizalfos for horns and tails

Match the Lizalfos to the upgrade: Electric for the Rubber pieces and Yiga Mask, Fire-Breath for the Snowquill Tunic and Yiga Armor, Ice-Breath for the Desert Voe Trousers. Fire-Breath Lizalfos live in the hot canyons (Eldin Canyon and Gerudo Canyon, where they are out in the day), and Ice-Breath ones take their place at night in Gerudo Canyon and are common in the Hebra Mountains and Gerudo Highlands. Electric Lizalfos are the rarest and are found in the Gerudo Desert and around Faron, so keep a stock of Electric Lizalfos Tails for the Rubber pieces. Defeat one, pick up the Horn and Tail it leaves, and repeat; tails do not drop every time, so budget a long session, and a Bomb Flower or other Zonai attachment makes the groups easier.

Kill Molduga in the East Barrens

Molduga lurk beneath the sand of the Gerudo Desert; the usual spots are south of Siwakama Shrine and near Karahatag Shrine, and there is another in the East Barrens (the Wanted: Molduga side quest). Shoot it when it surfaces and finish it with strong attacks; each one drops Molduga Fins, Molduga Guts and a Molduga Jaw, which the Radiant Mask and Radiant Tights need for their last upgrade.

Fight Lynels for hoofs and guts

Each defeated Lynel can leave Lynel Hoof, Lynel Guts and horns, along with its weapons such as a Savage Lynel Shield (or Lynel Shield or Mighty Lynel Shield, depending on your progress) or a Lynel Bow. The Soldier’s Greaves, Fierce Deity Boots, Radiant Tights and Barbarian Leg Wraps all draw on these drops, so fight several in one session.

Sell the spares in Zora’s Domain

Cleff’s Coral Reef shop in Zora’s Domain buys spare horns, wings and plants, and sells the Swift Violet that the Snow Boots need. Sell the extras to fund the upgrade fees.

Hearty Bass for the Zora Greaves can be picked up from shallow water, and the Stealthfin Trout for the Stealth Mask come from fishing in rivers and lakes.

Return to Purah and begin Crisis at Hyrule Castle

Report to Purah at Lookout Landing

When you are done, go to Purah on the Lookout Landing platform. She wraps up the regional phenomena you resolved, which completes the main quest Regional Phenomena, and gives you Crisis at Hyrule Castle with the objective ‘Explore Hyrule Castle’.

Head for Hyrule Castle

Head north from Lookout Landing to the castle that floats above the field.

Collectibles in this chapter